2024 · 08. August 2024

Imagine you’re in a relationship with someone who is usually brilliant, funny and loving. However, this same partner is sometimes the exact opposite, engaging in screaming rages that leave you crushed and bewildered. Do you stay in the relationship, or do you leave? Psychology professor Roy Baumeister was in this position when he was young. Unsure what to do, he kept track of the days spent with his partner, recording which were good, bad and neutral. A few months of data showed they enjoyed...

2024 · 16. May 2024

My last column explored some life lessons to be gleaned from cognitive psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who passed away in March at the age of 90. In this follow-up column, I look at three more lessons from Kahneman that can help us to navigate life’s complexities.

2024 · 02. May 2024

Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman passed away recently. One of the most influential psychologists of the last century, this is the first of two columns exploring some life lessons we can learn from the author of the bestselling book Thinking, Fast and Slow.

2022 · 03. November 2022

Do you ever look back on something that once seemed important to you and wonder: wow, why did I think that was such a big deal? My latest Southern Star column explores why "nothing in life is as important as you think it is, when you are thinking about it".

2017 · 23. November 2017

In last week's Southern Star, I discussed how when things go wrong in life, CBT can help us see that things may not be as black as they seem. The column is reproduced below. 'Nothing in life is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it'. That line comes from cognitive psychologist Daniel Kahneman, author of the bestselling book Thinking, Fast and Slow. Kahneman’s observation applies to all kinds of situations, both good and bad. However, it’s particularly relevant...