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Reality Play

Where psychoanalysis meets art

Aging
Dwelling on the Edges

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on August 22, 2019

Though not widely known, the concept of liminality can deepen our understanding of transitional states, rituals, thresholds, and change.

Though not widely known, the concept of liminality can deepen our understanding of transitional states, rituals, thresholds, and change.

Environment
On Mourning Climate Change

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on December 16, 2018

A 15 year-old Swedish activist reminds us that climate change is a psychological crisis, whatever else it is.

A 15 year-old Swedish activist reminds us that climate change is a psychological crisis, whatever else it is.

Cross-Cultural Psychology
Quantify Here Now

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on August 24, 2015

In a culture that places a high value on quantitative self-knowledge, wearable devices obscure as much as they reveal. While no one doubts their potential health benefits, they keep us transfixed on some aspects of our experience while hiding others.

In a culture that places a high value on quantitative self-knowledge, wearable devices obscure as much as they reveal. While no one doubts their potential health benefits, they keep us transfixed on some aspects of our experience while hiding others.

Ethics and Morality
Incrimination and Vindication

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on July 13, 2015

A long-anticipated release of an investigative report shows evidence of collusion between APA leaders and Bush-era military leaders in supporting the torture of prisoners.

A long-anticipated release of an investigative report shows evidence of collusion between APA leaders and Bush-era military leaders in supporting the torture of prisoners.

Memory
Blank Spaces of Memory

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on March 1, 2015

Memory’s underpinnings have long been explored by artists and writers—from Klimt to Proust. Some contemporary works also deserve our attention.

Memory’s underpinnings have long been explored by artists and writers—from Klimt to Proust. Some contemporary works also deserve our attention.

Ethics and Morality
Ordinary Cruelty

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on February 3, 2015

What makes good people do bad things? Can ordinary people be induced into behaving immorally? A movie about the famous Stanford Prison Experiment recently premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Here are some reflections about the movie and our susceptibility to both altruism and cruelty.

What makes good people do bad things? Can ordinary people be induced into behaving immorally? A movie about the famous Stanford Prison Experiment recently premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Here are some reflections about the movie and our susceptibility to both altruism and cruelty.

Freudian Psychology
Mysteries of Biography

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on September 9, 2014

A new book about Sigmund Freud and a documentary about the musician Nick Cave shed some light on the nature of biography.

A new book about Sigmund Freud and a documentary about the musician Nick Cave shed some light on the nature of biography.

Sleep
Sleep: The High Cost of Being Awake

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on March 3, 2014

Sleep unmasks aspects of our nature that we may want to ignore. It is something we may want, but paradoxically can only get when we stop looking for it. We also often don't want it, and accept it begrudgingly.

Sleep unmasks aspects of our nature that we may want to ignore. It is something we may want, but paradoxically can only get when we stop looking for it. We also often don't want it, and accept it begrudgingly.

Memory
Confabulations of Everyday Life

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on February 8, 2014

Can we ever give an honest account of our lives without embellishing the facts? Psychoanalysis helps us uncover ways in which the facts are concealed and history is censored. Confabulated memories are not just symptoms of neurological disease and injury. There are "everyday confabulations" that are endemic to our humanity.

Can we ever give an honest account of our lives without embellishing the facts? Psychoanalysis helps us uncover ways in which the facts are concealed and history is censored. Confabulated memories are not just symptoms of neurological disease and injury. There are "everyday confabulations" that are endemic to our humanity.

Identity
On Becoming a Digital Person

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on November 6, 2013

As in the fictitious world of Dave Eggers's The Circle, we also live in a world where our personal information is being harvested more rapidly and more covertly than ever. We might wonder about how technology, commerce, and culture intersect to impact our own psychological well-being and sense of identity. What are the psychological drawbacks to being datafied?

As in the fictitious world of Dave Eggers's The Circle, we also live in a world where our personal information is being harvested more rapidly and more covertly than ever. We might wonder about how technology, commerce, and culture intersect to impact our own psychological well-being and sense of identity. What are the psychological drawbacks to being datafied?

Freudian Psychology
The Economics of Bandwidth

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on September 22, 2013

Scarcity is not only an economic problem. We also face a scarcity of psychological resources. With limited bandwidth, we are constrained in how much we can face. We can learn to be more economical when it comes to our psychological resources.

Scarcity is not only an economic problem. We also face a scarcity of psychological resources. With limited bandwidth, we are constrained in how much we can face. We can learn to be more economical when it comes to our psychological resources.

Second Life
Fantasies
The Possibilities of Fiction

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on August 4, 2013

Children not only have imaginary friends, but sometimes create imaginative universes–paracosms–that continue to nourish and sustain creativity throughout the lifespan.

Children not only have imaginary friends, but sometimes create imaginative universes–paracosms–that continue to nourish and sustain creativity throughout the lifespan.

Media
The Boston Tragedy: One Simple Suggestion for Our Kids

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on April 15, 2013

Repeated exposure to upsetting and increasingly vivid images in the news is clearly not helpful to children. In the face of so much that can be difficult to control, turning off the television is something any of us can do.

Repeated exposure to upsetting and increasingly vivid images in the news is clearly not helpful to children. In the face of so much that can be difficult to control, turning off the television is something any of us can do.

Self-Esteem
In Praise of Frustration

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on March 3, 2013

Much has been said about how we praise children when they succeed. Recent research supports the view that praising a child's inherent qualities, rather than effort, may ultimately backfire. What about when children fail? Children may also need more experience with failure and greater fluency for talking about frustration.

Much has been said about how we praise children when they succeed. Recent research supports the view that praising a child's inherent qualities, rather than effort, may ultimately backfire. What about when children fail? Children may also need more experience with failure and greater fluency for talking about frustration.

Neuroscience
Are We About to Map the Entire Human Brain?

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on February 18, 2013

The Obama administration is about to announce a 10-year scientific project to map the human brain. The proposal, which may be announced as early as March, will include efforts to map the functions and activities of the billions of neurons in the human brain, much like the Human Genome Project.

The Obama administration is about to announce a 10-year scientific project to map the human brain. The proposal, which may be announced as early as March, will include efforts to map the functions and activities of the billions of neurons in the human brain, much like the Human Genome Project.

Heuristics
On the End of History Illusion

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on January 27, 2013

When we look into the future, we imagine that we’ll be no different from who we are today. But is that true?

When we look into the future, we imagine that we’ll be no different from who we are today. But is that true?

Attention
The Bright Side of Uncertainty

Bruce Poulsen Ph.D. on November 18, 2012

What would it mean to be capable of bearing uncertainty, doubt, and mystery–without what Keats called our “irritable reaching after fact and reason?” Are there unseen pleasures with being bewildered?

What would it mean to be capable of bearing uncertainty, doubt, and mystery–without what Keats called our “irritable reaching after fact and reason?” Are there unseen pleasures with being bewildered?