What Is Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort we feel when beliefs and actions conflict. Learn Festinger's theory, the doomsday cult study, and how we rationalize our way out.
February 2022
The Bystander Effect: Why More Witnesses Mean Less Help
On March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death outside her Queens apartment. The New York Times reported that 38 neighbors watched and did nothing. The story launched decades of research — and it was partly wrong. But John Darley and Bibb Latané's laboratory experiments confirmed the core paradox: the more bystanders present in an emergency, the less likely any individual is to help. Not because people are indifferent, but because responsibility diffuses across the group until it belongs to no one.
What Is Behavioral Activation
Behavioral activation treats depression by reversing the withdrawal cycle through structured activity. Learn Lewinsohn's model, Jacobson's findings, and the evidence base.