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October 5, 2009
Book|Report
Opposites don’t attract: Lilienfeld debunks pop psych myths

By Dana Goldman


Truisms, it turns out, aren’t always as true as we believe. In “50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions about Human Behavior” (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009) co-author and Emory psychology professor Scott Lilienfeld goes about the business of debunking some common misunderstandings. Among the findings? Opposites don’t attract (though slight differences help a relationship along); humans use more than 10 percent of our brains; and behavior during full moons is no more erratic than any other time.

Listen to Lilienfeld talk about pop psych myths and their implications.

Excerpts of the new book “50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology"

Lilienfeld discusses “psychomythology” and the need to debunk false impressions.

Lilienfeld reveals the truth behind myth #13, regarding hypnosis.