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Sian Beilock Ph.D.

About

Sian Beilock, Ph.D., is a cognitive scientist and the President of Barnard College at Columbia University. She's an expert on why people choke under pressure and how to fix it.

Books by Sian Beilock Ph.D.
Recent Posts
Anxiety, pressure, performance, standardized tests, academic achievement, poor performance, nerves, test anxiety, stereotype thr
Can Daily Hugs Help Prevent Common Colds?
Life can be stressful. Whether its dealing with tension at work or at home, many of us often feel under the gun. As it happens, when we are stressed out by those around us, we are more likely to get sick when exposed to a cold. So, what can be done to buffer ourselves from illness in times of stress? On answer might surprise you: daily hugs.
Your Body Knows Its Mind
It’s January, which means that lots of us are making new year’s resolutions to improve our eating and increase our healthy behavior. But just trying to talk ourselves into a healthier lifestyle tends not to work. There is a fix, however, that might surprise you: Changing how you think about the relationship between your mind and body.
Morality Is Contagious

What makes someone good or bad? The science of morality has picked up a lot of steam in the last few decades. A recent paper published in Science looks at the experiences of over 1,200 people on a daily basis to really get to the heart of morality and how our moral compass differs depending on our political affiliation, our religion, or how others treat us.

What makes someone good or bad? The science of morality has picked up a lot of steam in the last few decades. A recent paper published in Science looks at the experiences of over 1,200 people on a daily basis to really get to the heart of morality and how our moral compass differs depending on our political affiliation, our religion, or how others treat us.

When Talent Backfires

Whether its business or sports, we tend to believe that filling our organization with talented people is a good thing – and the more talented people, the better. New research shows, however that this hunch isn’t correct. When teams need to come together, more talent can tear them apart.

Whether its business or sports, we tend to believe that filling our organization with talented people is a good thing – and the more talented people, the better. New research shows, however that this hunch isn’t correct. When teams need to come together, more talent can tear them apart.

Can You Trust Your Memory?

It happens to all of us. Try as we might, we often don’t get the amount of sleep our mind and body needs to function at its best. It’s no secret that sleep deprivation makes us tired and irritable, but new research shows that a lack of sleep can also lead us to remember events and experiences that didn’t happen.

It happens to all of us. Try as we might, we often don’t get the amount of sleep our mind and body needs to function at its best. It’s no secret that sleep deprivation makes us tired and irritable, but new research shows that a lack of sleep can also lead us to remember events and experiences that didn’t happen.

Why Talking With Our Hands Helps Us Think Better

It’s no secret that we routinely use hand gestures and other forms of body language to communicate with one another. But it turns out that we don’t gesture just to convey information to others; we also gesture for ourselves. Our gestures can boost our problem solving skills and our memories too.

It’s no secret that we routinely use hand gestures and other forms of body language to communicate with one another. But it turns out that we don’t gesture just to convey information to others; we also gesture for ourselves. Our gestures can boost our problem solving skills and our memories too.

How You Can Avoid Temptation

Whether food is in plain view affects whether or not you will eat it. Case in point, people in an office eat more candy when there is a candy jar on top of a desk in plain view than when the candy is hidden in a drawer. Fortunately, new research shows that you can quickly train yourself to avoid temptation.

Whether food is in plain view affects whether or not you will eat it. Case in point, people in an office eat more candy when there is a candy jar on top of a desk in plain view than when the candy is hidden in a drawer. Fortunately, new research shows that you can quickly train yourself to avoid temptation.

Being Dishonest Enhances Creativity

People frequently break rules, which is usually seen as negative. But thinking or acting "against the grain" isn't bad when it pertains to being creative. Could rule breaking—say dishonesty—trigger creativity? The answer is a resounding “Yes.”

People frequently break rules, which is usually seen as negative. But thinking or acting "against the grain" isn't bad when it pertains to being creative. Could rule breaking—say dishonesty—trigger creativity? The answer is a resounding “Yes.”