Read new essays, papers, and announcements on cognitive and forensic cognitive science in law enforcement, emergency service, science and exploration, and “paranormal” sightings and interpretations.
Most Recent posts
New Episode Alert
What do Pavlov’s dogs, casinos, bad whiskey ads, and near-mystical slot machines have in common? They all reveal something wild about how we learn—and how easily we’re influenced without even realizing it. In this episode, I break down classical, operant, and latent learning with real-world examples (and a few rants) to show how our minds…
Exploring the Mind: A New Episode of The World of the Mind
I’m excited to share the latest installment of The World of the Mind with you! In this episode, I take a deep dive into the complexities of human cognition, exploring how our “electric head meat” has shaped our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. From early hominins crafting primitive tools to the evolution…
The World of the Mind: Exploring How We Think
I’m excited to share the first episode of The World of the Mind, a new video series exploring how the brain and mind operate, how our understanding of them has evolved, and what happens when they’re pushed to their limits. This series will cover everything from perception and cognition to extreme psychological experiences. Check out…
February 3, 2024 Psychology Today Post
Serial killers captivate and horrify us in equal measure. The psychology behind their actions remains one of the most perplexing mysteries in forensic science. Why would someone continue a path of violence when capture is almost inevitable? What is it that overrides rational self-preservation? In my latest article, I explore a fascinating perspective—how deeply rooted,…
Songs of the Spadefoot Toad: Myth, Theory, and Biocognitive Perspectives in Mental Health
Matthew J. Sharps Every generation has dealt with mental illness. Every generation has done so from an essentially local perspective, based in local concepts of the best way to understand the natural world from which mental illness has sprung. Historically, every generation has been fairly certain that its perspective on mental illness was correct. The…
Cognitive Dissonance, Quetzalcoatl, and the Flying Saucer People: Remembrance of Panics Past
Matthew J. Sharps Something about the Winter Solstice, on or about December 21 every year, seems to give people the willies. It’s hard to say why. If you live on a planet, you’re going to get solstices. You can’t help it. Yet things happen around that time of year anyway. Psychological things, of considerable interest….