Ira Hyman

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Those annoying 'earworms" might not be all bad

For a song to get stuck in the first place, catchiness is a major factor. A combination of tempo, volume, rhythm or lyrics is what catches the brain’s attention. Once that occurs, there is a possibility the song will start repeating.

If so, neuroscientists have developed a few strategies…

2021-08-17
Misinformation and disinformation: What it is, how to spot it, what to do

If you ever look through Facebook or Twitter, you’ve probably seen misinformation. The thing is, you could be staring at it and not know that’s what you’re seeing. Misinformation isn’t always easy to spot.

“Misinformation is incorrect information,” said Ira Hyman, professor of psychology…

2020-10-01
A Psychology Professor Explains the Mental Quirk That Makes You Undervalue Your Co-Workers

Who got more done this week, you or your co-worker down the hall? I'm guessing you think it's you. And you could be right. But you also could be wrong because of skewed perception caused by the weird way our brains retain the things we do, compared with the things other people do. That…

2020-02-28
Is it unethical to watch football with your kids?

I reach out to Ira Hyman, a psychology professor from Western Washington University who has sworn off football–“As someone who teaches my students about the risks of repeated head injuries, I’m not comfortable watching”–and ask him to give it to me straight: Am I a hypocrite? Hyman says I can…

2020-01-24
The Legislature will probably pass a hands-free bill. Whether it’s going to make driving in Minnesota safer is less clear

Minnesota legislators will make another push to require those who want to talk on the phone while driving to use hands-free devices.

Similar bills have fallen short in the recent past. But even those who once opposed such measures now say they think horrific crashes caused by distracted…

2019-01-17
The junk science Republicans used to undermine Ford and help save Kavanaugh

“I watched all the hearings that took place last week and was just floored at the number of people who offered that as an explanation,” said Ira Hyman, a cognitive psychologist who specializes in traumatic memories at Western Washington University.

“This story [of mistaken identity] that…

2018-10-08
A psychologist who studies memory explains why the gaps in Christine Blasey Ford's story are totally normal

Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, has been accused of sexual assault. The alleged assault occurred at a party when Kavanaugh was in high school. The victim, Dr. Blasey Ford, told no one when it happened. How reliable is memory after 35 years?

Memory is a critical aspect of this…

2018-09-28
The Upsides of Downtime

 In a well-known 2009 experiment, Ira Hyman, a researcher at Western Washington University in Bellingham, instructed a clown to ride a unicycle in a busy part of campus. Of the pedestrians who were using cellphones, only 25 percent noticed him. When Hyman informed them that…

2018-01-12
Why kids need to know their family history

Remembering is a social activity, connecting us to one another as well as to the past.

“This is what memory is for,” said Ira Hyman, a psychologist at Western Washington University. “By sharing memories and having memories in…

2017-12-14
Our search for answers in the face of evil

Unfortunately, the search for meaning can be frustrating and even frightening.  Psychologists say the randomness of terrifying violence is destabilizing to society. That’s why terrorists use it.  The math is always in our favor, but one cannot help thinking, “If it could…

2017-10-04
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