Archive | Psychology

Passive/aggressive behaviors

Many people believe they know someone who is passive-aggressive. But, does the average person, without a psychology background, really know what the term, “passive-aggressive” means? Within psychology, there exists a psychological disorder known as passive-aggressive personality disorder, also known as negativistic personality disorder. This disorder has the following characteristics: overall negativism; persistent feelings of being […]

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I struggle in responding to Melissa’s post about this one because I don’t think I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with someone who is totally passive aggressive.  Instead, my point of reference to someone exhibiting passive aggressive behaviors is my own mother.  She was quiet, sweet and kind to everyone to such a degree […]

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Extend a hand

In a recent round of interviews, I experienced some things I had not thought about in a quite a while. First though, I should say that it has been several years since I had to go through this process and various things have changed. The job “ad” was different than ever and involved more online […]

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I have always admired David’s willingness to help people.  That is one of the things we have in common!  David goes out of his way to help people who need help and often, those in need of help are strangers who don’t expect anyone to help them.  This recent example of a job applicant is […]

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My Three Sons

David is one of the three sons of the late Carole and Herman Fauss. David is the eldest son, followed by Dale, then many years later, Stephen. Unlike many families with whom I am familiar, David and his brothers share a harmonious existence. None of them have ever been in any kind of trouble, there […]

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Writing this a few months after my parents’ deaths, it is interesting to reflect on how we three sons/brothers worked together well.  We missed a few details; there was so much to be done to look after our parents’ affairs.  But, we worked together in ways that apparently aren’t the case in all families.  I […]

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Trial team members, not vendors or facilitators

I’m writing this on a Monday, so I’m going to vent a little. This is a topic I’ve had on my list to write about for quite some time; I just never got to it, in part, because I don’t like to venture into areas of self importance. But, here I go. As trial consultants, […]

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Please note: I am not writing my part of David’s post on a Monday; furthermore, I think David’s topic is appropriate regardless of the day of the week!  This being said, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, wrong with being a vendor.  In fact, some of my favorite things are sold by vendors: hot dogs being […]

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Ralph and Dorothy

David and I met Ralph and Dorothy Kaufman in 1992, when we moved into our home in Lighthouse Point. For many years, they lived across the street from us during the winter months. They had a lovely waterfront home, which they had owned since the 1970s, where they came to take a break from their […]

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I think one aspect of writing these blog posts has been to take time to consider how many people we’ve randomly met, somewhere or another, throughout life.  Some of these connections have created unique, life long bonds though they may have started in very simple ways.  When we bought the house back in 1992, much […]

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Go ahead: It’s okay to call me “Doctor”

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 24, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Common Courtesy, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Psychology, Trial Consultants

The last time someone correctly referred to me as “Ms.” was before 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 9, 1984. That was a long time ago, however, many people, including family members and friends (all of whom should know better) are reluctant to address mail or otherwise refer to me as “Dr.” Although I earned a […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 24, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Common Courtesy, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Psychology, Trial Consultants

This post reminds me of a memory from my teen years, when talking with a friend about the father of another friend who was a professor at a college in Jacksonville.  He was a sociologist, and my friend said she asked him, do I call you “Mr. Key or Dr. Key?” He answered, “well, I […]

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Pride v. Humility

Certain words or phrases catch my attention depending on their usage. I’m thinking today about how often one hears “I’m humbled to win this award…” It could be an athlete, musician, actor, or anyone whose work is recognized. What strikes me is what I perceive as a false sense of humility. Winning recognition should make […]

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When I think of the word, “proud,” I smile and think of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, known professionally as the character she played onstage, Minnie Pearl.  Minnie Pearl usually opened her stage appearances with a signature phrase: “How-dee! I’m so proud to be here!”.  Never did I hear her say, “Hello!  I’m so humbled to […]

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DHTs

I’m not sure when David invented DHTs, but I think it was during the time we lived part time in my hometown, Fort Myers, to help care for my mother during the final years of her life. For David and me, who own and operate a small business that requires frequent travel, commuting to and […]

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There is an extra tension in a marriage when one also works with one’s spouse as we have for 30+ years.  It is a 24/7/365 lifestyle unless one of us is traveling for business, and that is often a together activity for us.  Inevitably, there will be tensions and stresses that become personal even if […]

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Effort Justification

Social psychology is amazing (at least, in my opinion!) in its ability to explain things that would otherwise be hard to understand. Take the topic of effort justification as one example. Cognitive dissonance theory postulates that people do not like to have two attitudes or beliefs that conflict with one another. Cognitive dissonance leads to […]

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I suppose the question is, does working harder than necessary, overcoming obstacles, or paying more, make something better?  Does a meal taste better if you have to wait for a table?  Does scarcity make something more desirable?  Does engaging in a bidding war for something on eBay make one want the item more?  Does going […]

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Output = Effort x Ability

Social psychologists, as well as other types of psychologists, have studied achievement motivation for many decades. In goal directed situations, there are several ways in which someone can achieve the desired outcome: ability, effort, and luck. Success and failure also depend, of course, on the difficulty of the task being undertaken. When considered together, these […]

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I clearly remember that early employee to whom Melissa referred.  How could I ever forget her?  She tried so hard; she really gave it her all.  But, often, that was not enough.  This made it difficult to manage her without deflating her sense of self.  Reacting to “I tried so hard,” by pointing out her […]

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