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Category: Psychology

Sunday House Call, #327, November 7, 2010 Dan Gardner of the Ottawa Citizen joins Dr. Barry Dworkin to discuss his new book, Future Babble: Why Expert Predictions Fail – and Why We Believe Them Anyway and how careful thought must be given to any ‘definite’ answers.

Original broadcast date: July 12, 2009 We like to believe that we are a rational species. If, the assumption goes, we are presented with information that is cogent, specific and valid, we will respond by incorporating these ideas for the betterment of our lives. What we decide to eat and drink is a world onto [...]

Original broadcast date: March 29, 2009 If there is one quote that epitomizes the plethora of ideas expressed in physician and Guardian columnist Dr. Ben Goldacre’s book bad science, it is this from paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and historian of science, Steven Jay Gould: “ When people learn no tools of judgment and merely follow their [...]

Original broadcast date: April 20, 2008 We are the safest and healthiest human beings who ever lived, and yet irrational fear is growing, with deadly consequences — such as the 1,595 Americans killed when they made the mistake of switching from planes to cars after September 11. In part, this irrationality is caused by those [...]

Why do we choose certain foods over others? Why do we overeat when most of the time it is not due to hunger? How does food advertising influence us and does it shape our lifestyle? How many decisions do we make each day with respect to food selection? The actual number may be much greater [...]

Although many people are aware of the effects of alcohol abuse on family and friends, missing from this equation is a child’s reaction to a parent who drinks too much.

Alex is eight years old. His father, who quit his job from the police department, is depressed. Alex is uncertain what he should do. His father does attend his soccer games and pays little attention to him. Alex wants to quit soccer because he thinks he is no good.