BRYAN - Renowned psychologist Dr. Carol Tavris addressed discussed her experiences as a researcher in psychological science during a question-and-answer session Wednesday with students on Blinn’s Brenham and Bryan campuses.
“The only undergraduate psychology course I took, I hated and got a C in it,” Tavris said, laughing. “It’s really by chance that I got into this field.”
Tavris’s work as a writer, teacher and lecturer has been devoted to educating the public about psychological science. She holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Michigan, and has taught psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles and the New School for Social Research. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science and the Center for Inquiry. Her articles, book reviews and opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and other publications and she is a co-author of “Psychology,” a popular text for general psychology courses. Blinn uses this text for online psychology courses.
Tavris discussed key ideas from her recent book, “Mistakes Were Made (But Not by ME): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts,” including critical thinking and cognitive dissonance, the mental discomfort experienced by individuals who hold conflicting beliefs, or are confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs.
“You have to think critically to determine what beliefs you want to hold on to or give up,” Tavris said. “Critical thinking begins with the willingness to ask questions.”
Marissa Pulley, a second-year student from Round Rock, said the emphasis on critical thinking was her favorite part of the question-and-answer session.
“I appreciated the humor she used,” Pulley said. “It was interesting to learn different perspectives and understand why people behave the way they do.”
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