A well researched review of the necessary skepticism established Psychology fads need. Chapters focusing on the implicit bias test, grit, the power of self-esteem, power posing, prime world (everything we do is the result of previous priming sensory input), fears over “superpredators”, and the ability for war veteran’s to overcome PTSD with mental training.
In all cases, simple solutions (i.e., quick fixes), would enter a cycle of over-claiming, oversimplifying, and on the back of growing momentum, minimal skepticism.
Only after large (sometimes massive) amounts of time and money had been spent was there enough review literature to cast doubts on the runaway fads. These fads caused more harm than good as money and time were redirected away from meaningful changes, such as better policy focused on tackling the root problems.
What was needed was rigorous science, pilot programs, and of course, a health dose of skepticism; which was all too easy to forget when the storytelling of these ideas fit so well into existing mental models.
The future is bright however, as the field of Psychology has begun to reconcile with its replication crises and implement more statistical rigor. Finally, nudging does look to have promising effects when implemented modestly; but be careful to not over subscribe nudges as a quick fix. Tackling root problems are never as simple as they seem.
4/5.