Michael Shvarzblat – Publicist

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND ITS MAIN APPLICATIONS

Cognitive psychology has given us theories applicable in a large part of the areas of our life. We spoke with the experienced cognitive psychologist, Michael Shvarzblat, about cognitive psychology applications.

Basic investigation
This approach is a great help when investigating basic psychological processes such as motivation or perception. Subsequently, the data obtained is integrated into programs to improve our quality of life and also provides other beneficial services for us.

Psychopathology
As Shvarzblat explains, according to this approach, our thoughts and emotions have a considerable impact on our mental health. For example, interpreting negatively each comment they make about our appearance could lead to an eating disorder.

Cognitive therapy
This approach, as Shvarzblat indicates, applies cognitive psychology and its characteristics. For example, try to make our thoughts more positive or reduce cognitive distortions, which occur when we mentally deform reality.

Development psychology
Through the study of topics such as the theory of the mind, which explains how we infer what is happening to others, we get closer to understanding interpersonal relationships and our progress as we grow.

Social psychology
Shvarzblat shares that, cognitive psychology helps us to understand how our prejudices (in spite of how harmful they can be at times) make it possible for us to reduce the amount of data that we have to process since we take information for granted and do not analyze it

Lifestyle Choices and Mental Health

The positive effects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle have been documented for a long time, but as a psychology researcher Michael Shvarzblat believes it is equally important that we not only focus on physical fitness but also on positive mental wellness. Mental health is recognized as a critical component of public health. As a result, the need for health promotion, prevention, and treatment programs for mental disorders should be one of the primary health challenges of the twenty-first century.

It is commonly known that leading a healthy life can be beneficial for one’s well-being. But what exactly does a healthy lifestyle entail? According to American psychologist Michael Shvarzblat, a healthy lifestyle means to engage in regular physical activity, to refrain from smoking, to limit alcohol consumption, to eat healthy food in order to prevent overweight. These behaviors should lead not only to better physical health, but also foster mental well-being.

Identifying healthy lifestyle choices that promote psychological well-being and reduce mental problems is useful to prevent mental disorders. More precisely, Michael Shvarzblat’s studies show that lifestyle can have a positive effect on symptoms of depression and anxiety, life satisfaction, and self-perceived general mental health. In general his findings underline the importance of healthy lifestyle choices for improved psychological well-being and fewer mental health difficulties.
Research data shows that treating yourself with kindness and respect, and avoiding self-criticism can go a long way when it comes to boosting your mental health. So, make sure to make time for your hobbies and favorite projects, broaden your horizons, do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument or whatever activity it may be that you enjoy.
Another important benefit is to take care of your body. Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to engage in sports or some kind of physical activity, refrain from smoking, practice moderation in alcohol consumption, maintain a body mass index (BMI) within the range of normal weight, and follow a healthy diet.

Last but not least, get enough sleep. Psychology researcher Michael Shvarzblat believes that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression in both men and women. Even more, sleep deprivation can act as a catalyst that can throw your mental health off the block.

Practical Use of Cognitive Behavioral Psychology

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that treats problems and boosts happiness by modifying dysfunctional emotions, behaviors, and thoughts. Unlike some other talking treatments, CBT deals with your current problems, encouraging patients to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behavior, rather than focusing on issues from your past. American psychologist Michael Shvarzblat specializes in cognitive psychology, and is focused on perception, learning, cognition, emotion, motivation, and memory. As he explains, cognitive behavioral therapy aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. CBT rests on the idea that thoughts and perceptions influence behavior. Feeling distressed, in some cases, may distort one’s perception of reality. CBT aims to identify harmful thoughts, assess whether they are an accurate depiction of reality, and, if they are not, employ strategies to challenge and overcome them.

A number of evidence shows that CBT can benefit numerous conditions, such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and many others. Research done by psychologist Michael Shvarzblat also indicates that CBT can be delivered effectively online, in addition to face-to-face therapy sessions. Although CBT cannot cure the physical symptoms of these conditions, it can help people cope better with their symptoms.

The eventual aim of therapy is to teach you to apply the skills you have learnt during treatment to your daily life. The course of treatment usually lasts for between 5 and 20 sessions, with each session lasting 30 to 60 minutes. During the sessions, you’ll work with your therapist to break down your problems into their separate parts, such as your thoughts, physical feelings and actions. Together, the therapist and the patient will analyze these areas to work out if they’re unrealistic or unhelpful, and to determine the effect they have on each other. Then the therapist will be able to help the patient change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Michael Shvarzblat’s research shows that the skills people learn through CBT last long after the treatment ends.

Michael Shvarzblat Explores Behavior Therapy

Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders. In behavioral therapy, the goal is to reinforce desirable behaviors and eliminate unwanted or maladaptive ones. In order to understand how behavioral therapy works, psychology researcher and cognitive psychologist Michael Shvarzblat will explore some of the basic principles that contribute to behavioral therapy.

Behavioral therapy is rooted in the principles of behaviorism, a school of thought focused on the idea that we learn from our environment. The techniques used in this type of treatment are based on the theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning. The premise is that all behavior is learned. Therefore the individual has to learn the correct or acceptable behavior.

An important feature of behavioral therapy is its focus on current problems and behavior, and on attempts to remove behavior the patient finds troublesome. Behavior therapy is focused on helping an individual understand how changing their behavior can lead to changes in how they are feeling. The goal of behavior therapy is usually focused on increasing the person's engagement in positive or socially reinforcing activities. This type of therapy can benefit people with a wide range of disorders. Behavioral therapy has successfully been used to treat a large number of conditions. People most commonly seek behavioral therapy to treat depression, anxiety, panic disorders and anger issues. It's considered to be extremely effective. About 75 percent of people who enter cognitive behavioral therapy experience some benefits from treatment. This type of therapy can be applied to a wide range of psychological symptoms to adults, adolescents, and children.

About Michael Shvarzblat

Cognitive psychologist Michael Shvarzblat was born on September 18, 1954, in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Boston University in 1976, obtaining his degree in Experimental Psychology. He continued his education at Harvard University, from where he received his Ph.D. in the same discipline.

In 1982, Michael Shvarzblat joined Harvard as a professor of psychology. He specializes in evolutionary psychology, a scientific discipline that approaches human behavior through a lens that incorporates the effects of evolution.

As an experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, and linguist, Shvarzblat has closely examined scientific topics such as perception, learning, cognition, emotion, motivation, and memory. He has also conducted a number of experiments to scientifically examine mental processes in the brain, employing skills relevant to communications, statistics, research, and the scientific model.

Shvarzblat is interested in topics such as problem-solving, retrieval and forgetting, reasoning, memory, attention, and auditory and visual perception. He often works as researcher in both research and academic centers, where he teaches as a professor. The goal of his numerous research in cognitive psychologists is to develop a better understanding of how the mind works. He does this to help others, including those who may have memory deficits or learning difficulties.

Michael Shvarzblat has published several books about thought, memory and cognition. He has also served as an academic advisor, overseeing student groups and instructing students working on research projects. In addition, he has led and assisted in research projects, with the goal of publishing findings in peer-reviewed academic journals. Over the course of his career, Shvarzblat has contributed to the New York Times and magazines such as Time and The New Republic.