7 most believed psychological myths

Actually, it's just a coincidence. Several studies showed that many expressions of emotion are innate and are not based on imitation. It is quite possible that parents tend to notice the moments when a newborn imitates their facial expressions. They are easily remembered.

In 1992 American author and relationship counsellor John Gray published a book that was called "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus". It states that the main problem in our relations lies in significant psychological differences between us. However, psychologists state that the real difference between men and women is not that big. Men, as well as women, can show empathy. Women, on the other hand, have well-developed mathematical skills. It was believed that women are more emotional than men. Actually, our emotions depend on a particular situation and not on the gender.

It was believed that our emotions are universal and easily recognizable. Every person expresses them in the same way: we can say when other people are happy or angry regardless of our ethnicity and race culture. But it turned out that if you ask several people to describe in words the same emotions they see on other people's faces these descriptions will be different. By the way, only robots can read emotions perfectly.

We tend to think that it is possible to spot a liar by their facial expression. Experts say a liar tries to avoid eye contact, looks up to the right or may blink faster. All these signs are not 100% effective. A more accurate way to detect liars is to pay attention to the duration of a pause they take before responding. Usually, people need more time in case they want to lie. You can also consider inconsistencies in people's speech. This is one of the most effective methods to spot a liar.

Classical music helps to relax and concentrate, that is why it has a positive impact on our productivity. It is called "The Mozart effect". However several studies proved that it doesn't matter what kind of music you listen to. What really matters is that you should listen to the music you like.

It was long believed that this test can identify types of thinking, emotional stability and possible intrapersonal conflicts. However, Scott O. Lilienfeld, Professor of Psychology, provided compelling evidence that this test isn't informative in diagnosing mental illness or emotional problems. 1/6 of the people who participated in the surveys on the Rorschach test and were healthy, according to the test's results, were suffering from schizophrenia.

That is a very popular myth thanks to mass media. In reality, 90% of people suffering from mental illnesses don't commit violent actions. The vast majority of offenders are mentally stable.