Debunking “established” psychology theories

Remember the famous marshmallow test?

It’s about those remarkable kids who were able to resist temptation, which happened to be a delicious-looking marshmallow. They were promised another treat if they could resist gobbling the one in front of them.

Self-control, grit, discipline. These are the qualities attributed to them. The original study found that the kids all became more successful as adults, while those who quickly ate the marshmallows lived relatively mediocre lives.

It’s a wonderful theory. Except that it couldn’t be replicated.

There were other famous theories as well. These were included in a list by Marco Giancotti, a writer and space engineer:

Power posing effect. Expansive body postures can make you feel more confident and increase testosterone levels while reducing cortisol levels. Did not replicate.

Money priming effect. Thinking about money can make you more selfish. Did not replicate.

Hunger and risk-taking effect. The hungrier you are, the more risks you take. Did not replicate.

Smile-to-feel-better effect. Put a pen in your teeth and you will feel super. "Fake it 'til you make it". Did not replicate.

Mozart effect. Listening to Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Mozart's other works will make you temporarily smarter. Did not replicate.

Growth mindset interventions. Adopting a mindset that your intelligence is not fixed will make you perform better in school. Mixed results.

Here is Marco's list. It would be good to be aware of them.