Chapter 40: Exercises
The Five New Claims (Suggested Ratings)
Claim 1: "Mirror neurons explain empathy" ⚠️ OVERSIMPLIFIED — Mirror neurons exist and fire during both action and observation. But the leap from "neurons fire" to "this explains empathy" is enormous. The mirror neuron theory of empathy has been criticized for being oversimplified and overextended. Empathy involves many brain systems, not just mirror neurons.
Claim 2: "The Dunning-Kruger effect means stupid people think they're smart" ⚠️ OVERSIMPLIFIED — The core finding (low performers overestimate, high performers underestimate) has support but may be partly a statistical artifact (Chapter 15). The pop version ("stupid people are too stupid to know they're stupid") is a crude oversimplification used as an internet insult.
Claim 3: "Oxytocin is the love hormone" ⚠️ OVERSIMPLIFIED — Oxytocin is involved in bonding but also in in-group/out-group discrimination, maternal aggression, and social memory. "Love hormone" is the same pop neuroscience single-label problem from Chapter 13.
Claim 4: "Money can't buy happiness above a comfortable income" ⚠️ OVERSIMPLIFIED — Kahneman & Deaton (2010) found emotional wellbeing plateaued at ~$75K. But Killingsworth (2021) found that experienced wellbeing continued rising with income (no plateau). The debate was partly reconciled by Killingsworth, Kahneman, & Mellers (2023): for most people, wellbeing continues rising with income; for a minority (~20%), there IS a plateau.
Claim 5: "Couples who argue are healthier than those who don't" ⚠️ OVERSIMPLIFIED — Conflict avoidance is associated with worse outcomes (Gottman). But conflict style matters enormously: constructive conflict (discussing disagreements respectfully) is healthy; destructive conflict (the Four Horsemen) is devastating. "Arguing = healthy" ignores the critical distinction between HOW couples argue.
Completion Exercises
6. Write a one-page summary of what you've learned from this book. What are the three most important insights?
7. Complete your Fact-Check Portfolio with all 10 claims rated, justified, and reflected upon.
8. Identify one psychology claim you plan to fact-check this week using the toolkit. Report your findings.
9. Teach someone else the 9-step toolkit. Observe: can they apply it to a new claim?
10. Write a one-paragraph "psychology consumer manifesto" — your personal commitment to how you'll engage with psychology claims going forward.
Reflection
11. What was the most surprising finding in this book for you personally? Why?
12. Which debunked claim was hardest to let go of? What does this tell you about identity-protective cognition?
13. Which supported finding was most reassuring? Why?
14. Has this book made you more or less interested in psychology? Why?
15. The closing says: "That pause is everything." When was the last time you paused before accepting a psychology claim? When was the first time?
Fact-Check Portfolio: Final Submission
16. Submit your completed portfolio with all 10 claims, each including: specific claim, initial confidence, source, replication status, 9-step analysis, incentive map, evidence rating, final confidence, and reflection.