Curated educational information to foster psychological literacy--the understanding & application of basic psychology in daily life Patterson, Ph.D.
For 36 years I taught psychology at Penn State University Berks Campus, Reading, PA, and was a founder and Coordinator of the Applied Psychology Degree Program there. After retiring from full-time teaching in 2007, I taught part-time for nine years as an adjunct professor in the Organizational Behavior/Applied Psychology Adult Degree Completion Program at Albright College in Reading. I am now ret
12/24/2025
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vagus-nerve-reset
How To Reset Your Vagus Nerve An overstimulated vagus nerve can make you stressed, anxious and irritable. Try these DIY techniques to help calm things down.
12/24/2025
The 4-Word Trick to Stop 3 A.M. Overthinking There's a way to acknowledge the thought without fighting it.
12/24/2025
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202508/what-really-happens-when-we-die
What Really Happens When We Die? Signs suggest the possibility of a kind of life review.
12/22/2025
Foul Balls and Faith in Leadership A recent survey showed how much people want to work with businesses they trust.
12/22/2025
3 Easy Habits to Help Improve Your Self-Worth Three ways to start living in accordance with the fact that you matter.
08/05/2025
When Not Knowing Is Better for Your Mind and Mental Health In a digital age driven by nonstop news, not knowing something can feel like a failure. New research reveals that sometimes choosing not to know is beneficial.
06/15/2025
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/best-practices-in-health/202506/the-neurobiology-of-habits
The Neurobiology of Habits How your brain truly forms habits—and why repetition, not just willpower, is the secret to lasting change.
05/06/2025
Why We Quickly Forget So Much of What We Learn Start by writing more things down, and quickly, and then do this.
05/06/2025
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/common-sense-science/202504/why-instincts-matter
Why Instincts Matter Instincts serve as ancient guides that are essential for survival and success. Trust and refine them wisely.
05/02/2025
Rewire Your Brain and Create a Kinder Inner Dialogue Does the voice in your head tend to be negative, overly critical, and constantly tearing you down? Explore the power of self-talk and how you can shift the narrative.
04/28/2025
When Athletes Feel "Broken" For every great performance that brutal coaches believe they extract with dehumanizing, authoritarian methods, there is a trail of damaged athletes who feel fundamentally "broken."
04/28/2025
4 Gaslighting Phrases That Can Break You 4. "You're overthinking this."