psychology – Dr. Gena Gorlin: Professor and licensed psychologist

COVID-19 and the Meaning of Life

It is only by understanding our physical survival needs in terms of what they mean to us, and by drawing self-esteem from their pursuit and achievement, that we can sustain the motivation and courage to fight for them.

Innovating for the innovators: My professional mission as clarified by COVID-19

As is in the nature of crises, this pandemic has led me to reflect on what I really value in my work, and where I want to focus my efforts going forward. Throughout my career I’ve struggled to identify myself with a particular “specialty.” This is partly because I have the soul of a generalist,Continue reading “Innovating for the innovators: My professional mission as clarified by COVID-19”

Table of contents (newest to oldest)

A brief guide to coping with anger in the context of COVID-19

Plenty of excellent resources have already been circulated for coping with COVID19 stress and anxiety; see my compiled list of recommended resources here, and check back often as I continue to add more. Not much has been said about coping with anger, though, which has arguably been running just as hot for many of usContinue reading “A brief guide to coping with anger in the context of COVID-19”

New publication: A commentary on forgetting

I had a lot of fun co-authoring this newly published article with my former PhD advisor Bethany Teachman. It is a commentary on this article by Fawcett and Hulbert, who argue that forgetting is a “feature” rather than a “bug” of human cognition. We bring evidence from mental health research to bear on some ofContinue reading “New publication: A commentary on forgetting”

Self-honesty, pt. 2: “Prepping” versus pretending to “prep”

Much as I’ve enjoyed being cocooned at home with my newborn and thus largely insulated (for now) from the life-rearranging effects of COVID-19, I can’t avoid discussing it forever. And my last post already made passing reference to the lack of “self-honesty” exhibited by our political leaders, which others have already covered more thoroughly thanContinue reading “Self-honesty, pt. 2: “Prepping” versus pretending to “prep””

Self-honesty, pt. 1: Knowing versus pretending to know

Those who’ve followed my work over the last couple years know that I’ve been on about “self-honesty” (or “cognitive integrity,” as I’ve termed it in scholarly contexts). Self-deception has received theoretical and empirical attention in the psychology literature; but the field does not have so much as a term to describe the opposite practice: theContinue reading “Self-honesty, pt. 1: Knowing versus pretending to know”