The Science of Imagination

Health

Wrapping Your Brain Around a Pandemic

Jim Davies Ph.D. on May 3, 2020

Many of us know how the pandemic is affecting our physical health. What is it doing to our minds?

Many of us know how the pandemic is affecting our physical health. What is it doing to our minds?

Spirituality

Are Virtual Experiences Real?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on November 29, 2017

Can a virtual church on a computer give you feelings of spirituality? Our recent research explores this.

Can a virtual church on a computer give you feelings of spirituality? Our recent research explores this.

Cognition

How We Can Catch a Ball When We Don't Know Where It Will Be

Jim Davies Ph.D. on September 6, 2017

Does our mind actually have two different ideas about how the physical world works?

Does our mind actually have two different ideas about how the physical world works?

Dreaming

Might We Live in a Simulated World? (A Response to Manzotti)

Jim Davies Ph.D. on June 21, 2016

Could we be living in a simulation?

Could we be living in a simulation?

Play

If History Were a Pool, How Much Water Would Your Life Be?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on May 4, 2016

Simple cells formed 3,600,000,000 years ago. That’s three billion, six hundred million. How can we picture that?

Simple cells formed 3,600,000,000 years ago. That’s three billion, six hundred million. How can we picture that?

Left Brain - Right Brain

What Happens to Consciousness When Your Brain Splits?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on March 25, 2015

What happens to consciousness if your brain is split, and then you regrow a full brain from each half?

What happens to consciousness if your brain is split, and then you regrow a full brain from each half?

Religion

The Psychology of Hating the Star Wars Prequels

Jim Davies Ph.D. on October 1, 2014

Why do people seem to dislike the Star Wars prequels? People can give you reasons, but how do we know whether they are right or wrong about themselves?

Why do people seem to dislike the Star Wars prequels? People can give you reasons, but how do we know whether they are right or wrong about themselves?

Burnout

Is It Possible to Feel Sympathy For Many People at Once?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on June 10, 2014

Why do we feel more sympathy for a single person's tragedy than many?

Why do we feel more sympathy for a single person's tragedy than many?

Cognition

Do You Think You're a Bad Writer?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on May 31, 2014

Is writing a talent?

Is writing a talent?

Relationships

Man's Search for Meaning and Korean Karaoke

Jim Davies Ph.D. on May 26, 2014

We search for meaning even in places where we should know better. Why?

We search for meaning even in places where we should know better. Why?

Autism

Is This Documentary Fair?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on April 14, 2014

What does it mean to be fair to two sides of an argument?

What does it mean to be fair to two sides of an argument?

Wisdom

Using the Wisdom of the Crowd in a Computer Game

Jim Davies Ph.D. on April 7, 2014

A free game that uses the wisdom of the crowd.

A free game that uses the wisdom of the crowd.

Play

Are Desires Real?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on March 1, 2014

Don't be too quick to dismiss someone's abstract concepts in psychology. You probably have many of your own.

Don't be too quick to dismiss someone's abstract concepts in psychology. You probably have many of your own.

Religion

What's the Best Color for a Triangle?

Jim Davies Ph.D. on January 31, 2014

Before reading this article, do me a favor: decide what is the most natural color of a triangle? How about a square? A circle?

Before reading this article, do me a favor: decide what is the most natural color of a triangle? How about a square? A circle?

Imagination

Passwords and the Limits of Imagination

Jim Davies Ph.D. on December 11, 2013

We're often asked to think of "good" passwords. How good are we?

We're often asked to think of "good" passwords. How good are we?

Child Development

Why Your Inner Child Might Not Be So Creative After All

Jim Davies Ph.D. on September 25, 2013

Creativity gurus sometimes say to get in touch with your inner child. But are children really that creative?

Creativity gurus sometimes say to get in touch with your inner child. But are children really that creative?

Memory

An Imaginative Computer

Jim Davies Ph.D. on September 18, 2013

Can a computer program have imagination? Judge for yourself.

Can a computer program have imagination? Judge for yourself.

Relationships

A Better Way to Look at "Failed" Relationships

Jim Davies Ph.D. on September 2, 2013

If you go on vacation, is it a "failed" vacation just because you eventually came back home?

If you go on vacation, is it a "failed" vacation just because you eventually came back home?

Religion

How You Raise Your Kids Doesn't Affect Religion Much

Jim Davies Ph.D. on August 26, 2013

How much affect on religion does raising your kids with religion have? The answer will surprise you.

How much affect on religion does raising your kids with religion have? The answer will surprise you.

Bias

The Good Science You Never Hear About

Jim Davies Ph.D. on June 14, 2013

We use peer-reviewed scientific papers to know what's true about the world. But not all of the good science that's done gets published, which can lead us to misunderstandings about our world.

We use peer-reviewed scientific papers to know what's true about the world. But not all of the good science that's done gets published, which can lead us to misunderstandings about our world.