The Psychology of the Seven Deadlies (and Why They Are So Good For You)
December 15, 2011
Australian social psychologist Laham suggests the seven deadly sins can have positive value. The author opposes the "simplistic labeling" of them as "uniformly wrong [because it] does nothing but breed contempt for 'sinners' and stifle sophisticated discussion." He argues that lust, greed and so on are emotions that can motivate the "sinner" to perform at a higher level. Laham cites experiments that provide interesting sidelights on how framing a subject--for example, by placing it in a sexual context--can enhance concentration rather than distract; how males and females, when sexually aroused, will act in ways that are expected to please the opposite sex--women by appearing more accommodating, men by demonstrating leadership qualities--but both sexes will also be more detail-oriented. As might be expected, greed can be tapped by rewarding desired behavior with money, and sloth plays a beneficial role in consolidating memory, as in the case of a good night's sleep or even a quick nap. The author's section on gluttony should definitely please foodies. He distinguishes between a discriminating palate and the tendency to overeat, and suggests that cultural influences play a large part in our behavior toward food. For example, when asked to chose the odd-man-out in a choice of three words, bread, pasta and sauce, health-conscious Americans tend to chose sauce since the first two are carbohydrates, while the French see bread as the misplaced word. Similarly, French people identify fried eggs with breakfast, while Americans deem them to be high in cholesterol. Envy is two-sided because we may also find role models in the people we envy, and anger is properly directed when focused against injustice, provided that it is not coupled with violence. A lighthearted foray into motivational research.
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February 1, 2012
Can you name the seven deadly sins? If you need a refresher, they are lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, anger, envy, and pride. These seven fatal offences, Laham (psychological sciences, Univ. of Melbourne, Australia) argues in his first book for a general audience, can make you happy, smart, and successful. Whether or not you can name the textbook infractions, Laham contends that everyone "sins" (i.e., practices greed, envy, or anger) on a daily basis. He argues that people are multifaceted and that their behavior should not be measured by notions of good vs. evil or right vs. wrong. With each chapter devoted to a sin, the book describes the scientific literature and research studies that illustrate the sin's merits, which Laham combines with his colorful commentary and sarcasm. Moral of the story: sinning is good for you and should be encouraged. VERDICT A quick and easy read, this book is suitable for the layperson who wants to know more about human behavior. Laham makes social psychology entertaining yet provides a thoughtful and critical analysis.--Tina Chan, SUNY at Oswego Lib.
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