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For over a century, philosophers and psychologists have explored what it means to tap into your authentic self and put yourself in the best position to flourish. This process has tended to involve reflection, wisdom and separating a “true” self from a fake one, and then acting on these insights.
The problem with this approach? As University of Florida psychologist Matthew Baldwin explains, people are far more likely to avoid this sort of deep thinking than embrace it. And even when we do try to understand ourselves, our introspection abilities aren’t very good.
Recapping a series of studies, Baldwin shows how our feelings – rather than our thoughts – may offer a better road map for developing our authentic selves.
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Studies show that feelings of ease and comfort in a given situation – what psychologists call ‘fluency’ – are tied to feelings of authenticity.
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Matthew Baldwin, University of Florida
What if cultivating your authentic self doesn’t involve self-reflection, but instead means focusing on what feels good and natural?
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Politics + Society
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Alexander Motyl, Rutgers University - Newark
When Russia invaded Ukraine, its leader was immediately labeled “fascist” by Ukrainians and others. A political scientist explains why that label fits.
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Jelani Ince, University of Washington; Zackary Dunivin, Indiana University
The Black Lives Matter movement is having a lasting impact on the racial reckoning in the US that was triggered after the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer in 2020.
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Science + Technology
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Patrick Jackson, University of Virginia
Evusheld is an antibody drug from AstraZeneca intended to help prevent COVID-19 infection for immunocompromised and other vulnerable patients.
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David Caldwell, University of California, San Francisco; Rajesh P. N. Rao, University of Washington
When designing neuroprosthetic devices for users to control with their thoughts, engineers must take into account the sensory information brains collect from the environment and how it gets processed.
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Health + Medicine
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Debbie-Ann Shirley, University of Virginia
Moderna will ask the FDA to allow emergency use for its vaccine in children as young as 6 months, a step many parents have been anticipating.
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Education
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Eddie R. Cole, University of California, Los Angeles
College presidents worked both at the forefront and behind the scenes in fighting for African Americans’ civil rights in the 1960s.
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