4 Things Pop Psychology Gets Wrong

 

In Practice

Putting social psychology to work for you

by Alice Boyes, Ph.D.

 

Popular psychology advice that's problematic.

Published on March 25, 2013 by Alice Boyes, Ph.D. in In Practice

I asked four experts to point out psychology advice they've read or heard in the popular press that they disagree with (or where the research points to more nuanced recommendations). Here's what they said.

Visualizing Having Achieved Your Goals. "Many self-help books advise people that to achieve their goals they should vividly imagine that they already have what they want to achieve. Actually, research has found that imagining you already have achieved a goal weakens your motivation to work towards it because when you feel like you already have something it's natural to feel like nothing more needs to be done. On the other hand, imagining yourself actually doing the things needed to achieve a goal helps increase your motivation to do them. See for example, Harnessing the imagination: Mental simulation, self-regulation, and coping." - Scott McGreal, MSc.

Personal Empowerment. "Magazines and talk shows love to discuss ways in which we can feel personally empowered. But true personal empowerment is not about having a feeling, it's about having a real impact on our environment and the people in it. Studies show that acquiring real personal empowerment involves a process of taking actions that demonstrate real world results. See this article summarizing the new research" - Guy Winch, Ph.D. author of The Squeaky Wheel: Complaining the Right Way to Get Results, Improve Your Relationships, and Enhance Self-Esteem

Change Happens When You're Ready? We often hear "Change will happen when you're ready". In my more than 20 years of experience, I've come to understand that "ready"--or the tipping point of change--often means 'when the consequences of our behavior outweigh the value of that behavior to us'. In other words, when the pay out (consequence) becomes greater than the pay back (value) we are prompted by circumstance to change what we are doing. This perspective can apply to anything from self-care, to relationship, to addiction. Of course, we then confront the question, "Are we willing to change?" -  Michael J. Formica, MS, MA, EdM.

Positive Thinking "Positive thinking can be helpful, but when not balanced by a realistic assessment of a person's situation, it can also be harmful. I've seen the harm it's done to people who live with chronic pain or illness. When they're repeatedly told that if they'd just think positively, they'd get better, they then blame themselves when that fails to happen. I think of it as the tyranny of positive thinking. We're in bodies, and bodies get sick and injured and older. Yes, it's good to stay positive in the sense that people should continue to try to improve their health. But peace is to be found by accepting how we are, difficulties included: "Right now, I'm struggling with my health. It's very hard, but I'm doing the best I can." This self-compassionate thinking alleviates suffering and opens the door to peace and well-being. Accepting, with grace, the life we've got is a major theme of my book; people write to me every day saying it's such a relief to have found a book that doesn't just tell them that if they "think positively," everything will magically be better." - Toni Bernhard, author of How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers.

photo credit: jessamyn

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How to Prevent Bed Bugs

 

 

Understanding the Ways of the Bed BugPreventing Bed Bugs From Entering the HomeKnowing Your Home Has a Bed Bug InfestationPreventing Bed Bugs From Spreading

Edited by Jack Herrick, Ectocritterz, Gabrielle, Flickety and 28 others

Unfortunately, bed bugs are on the rise across North America, Europe, and Australia, reaching "epidemic proportions".^[1][2] Given that almost any environment under 120ºF (48.89ºC) will provide a thriving environment for bed bugs, your home could be next.

These steps suggest ways to prevent bed bugs from entering your home and ways to prevent an infestation in the event that some bed bugs do get in.

Part 1 of 4: Understanding the Ways of the Bed Bug

1. 

   Know how to identify a bed bug. Bed bugs are reddish-brown with a flat, oval body that measures approximately ¼ of an inch (6.35 mm) long. Bed bugs usually hide close to the bed but can spread to other areas of the room or home over time.

   • Bed bug colors can range from nearly white after they molt, a light tan, a deep brown, to a burnt orange.^[3]

2. 

   Although bed bugs are generally found on or near the bed, most insects found there are not bed bugs. Before beginning pest control efforts to rid a home of bed bugs, confirm the identity of the pest. ^[4]

3. 

   Know how bed bugs are able to get into your home. Bed bugs enter a home through many possible ways, the most common being hitching a ride on your luggage, computer, clothing or other belongings after you have stayed somewhere else, or traveled where bed bugs are present, including on public transportation. Moving time is another possible way to get into a new home, as they catch a ride in the moving boxes.

4. 

   Know the most likely places where bed bugs can be found once they get into your home.

   • Bed bugs are more likely to be found in buildings where many occupants sleep or where there is frequent turnover, such as a hotel or college dormitory.
   • Bed bugs tend to congregate where people sleep more than any other part of the home. They love hiding out in the bed frame, mattress, and box spring.^[5]
   • Given their flattened body shape, bed bugs hide out in cracks and crevices within a room, the furniture, and other objects.^[6]
   • Bed bugs can wander from apartment to apartment using the voids between walls and wire/pipe holes.^[7]
   • Bed bugs like warmth. They are known to enter laptops, netbooks, and DSL ports, which are also very portable objects that you might inadvertently carry around to other rooms and homes!
   • Occasionally, bats and birds introduce bed bugs.^[8]

Part 2 of 4: Preventing Bed Bugs From Entering the Home

1. 

   Check for bed bugs before unpacking during a trip away from home. Change rooms or hotels immediately if you see any evidence of bed bugs.

   • Pull back the sheets from the mattress and look for bugs along the seams or tiny blood spots on the mattress.
   • Look along the edges of the box springs and in the seams of the bedding.
   • Inspect the headboard and behind it.
   • Examine wood or upholstered furniture, especially along crevices and seams. Bed bugs seem to prefer wood and fabric to plastic and metal.
   • Don't put your baggage on the bed. Use the suitcase holder if provided, or leave your luggage in the bath tub or outside until you have inspected the room.

2. 

   Take care of bed bugs that may have hitched a ride on clothing.

   • Separate laundry into plastic bags so the clothes can be placed directly in the washer without bugs escaping. Wash and dry the clothes on the highest setting that the fabric can withstand or take items to the dry cleaners.
   • Undress on a hard surface floor rather than on carpet if you suspect bed bugs are on your clothing. Bed bugs do not travel on people like lice do. Wipe off the floor to capture any bed bugs that fall off the clothes.

3. 

   Inspect luggage and other personal items for bed bugs. Vacuum off luggage and items that cannot be washed. Hand wash other items with hot, soapy water. Use a brush to scrub items, especially where bugs and eggs may be hiding in the seams and folds.

4. 

   Take care when bringing used furniture and clothing into your house. Wash clothing immediately. Furniture, however, should be inspected carefully before even bringing it into your home:

   • Check the crevices, behind moldings and other embellishments, and any cracks.
   • Avoid bringing home used mattresses.
   • Wash and dry all soft furnishings, such as curtains, at high temperatures before using.

Part 3 of 4: Knowing Your Home Has a Bed Bug Infestation

1. 

   Consider bed bugs if any member of the household is complaining of being bitten during the night.

2. 

   Check for signs of bed bugs:

   • Fecal staining (dark brown or reddish spots) can be seen by the naked eye on bedding, the mattress, and even the walls near the bed.^[9]
   • A heavily infested house may smell like coriander.^[10]
   • Read wikiHow's more detailed article on How to Recognize Bed Bugs.

3. 

   Confirm the identity of bed bugs if you're not sure. Drop a sample in to an entomologist for verification.

Part 4 of 4: Preventing Bed Bugs From Spreading

If bed bugs have invaded your home, it's important to act quickly to curtail their invasion.

1. 

   Fix your bed. There are several things you can do to make the bed a less desirable residence, or harder to get to:

   • Vacuum mattresses and box springs to remove bugs and eggs.
   • Cover box springs and mattresses with zippered, vinyl covers for at least a year, as adult bed bugs can survive a year or longer without a meal. Seal any tears with duct tape.
   • Pull beds away from the wall.
   • Use a commercial ClimbUp® interceptor. This is a cup-like talc-filled item that sits under each bed leg that captures bed bugs trying to climb up and down. You can make a do-it-yourself version using plastic cups filled with a little mineral oil and placed under each bed leg. Remember to empty frequently.

2. 

   Deal with your bedding. The bedding needs to be treated and cared for appropriately as well:

   • Wash bedding in hot water and then dry on a high heat setting on a weekly basis. Place pillows and other non-washable items in the dryer for 20 minutes on high heat.
   • Keep bedding from touching the floor.

3. 

   Eliminate bed bugs on carpet, fabric drapes and upholstered furniture by vacuuming weekly.

   • Dispose of the vacuum contents carefully in a plastic bag that you can seal and remove from your home immediately.

4. 

   Minimize the number of hiding places for bed bugs.

   • Caulk cracks along the baseboards and molding.
   • Seal holes in areas where pipes or wires go through the wall.
   • Reduce clutter in the bedroom, especially near the bed and on the floor.

5. 

   Hire a pest control service to routinely treat the home and prevent a bed bug infestation.

   • Ask for references.
   • Ask for eco-friendly solutions if wished.
   • Talk to their customers about their satisfaction with the treatment process.
   • If you are renting, contact your landlord immediately to get a solution implemented quickly.