Author Archives: Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Unknown's avatar

About Laura Akers, Ph.D.

I'm a research psychologist at Oregon Research Institute, and I'm writing a book about meta-narratives, the powerful collective stories we share about who we are and where we're headed. My interests include beliefs and worldviews, ethics, motivation, and relationships, both among humans and between humans and the natural world.

Doing uncomfortable things: Two approaches

Posted on 29 September 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Back when I was about to have my first baby, the hospital educator taught us about two philosophies of natural childbirth.  In the Lamaze method, the mother-to-be focuses her attention on specific breathing patterns, along with pleasant memories or her … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What Moral Foundation Theory gets wrong

Posted on 25 August 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Moral Foundations Theory is very popular with the media. Its creator, Jonathan Haidt, speaks to standing-room-only crowds around the nation. Our local, modest-sized public library owns ten (ten!) hardcover copies of his book, The Righteous Mind. In social psychology, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 4 Comments

The four elements of moralization: How things become “right” and “wrong”

Posted on 16 July 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Last time, I described my model of the cultural process that leads people to adopt new ideas about right and wrong. Before I can really tell the story properly, though, I need to invest a few paragraphs in the nitty-gritty … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Moralization: How we, as a society, decide what’s right and what’s wrong

Posted on 15 July 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Q: What do marine biologist Rachel Carson, civil rights activist Malcolm X, evangelist Jerry Falwell, and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler all have in common? A. Each of them is, or was, an expert in moralization, the cultural process of changing … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Coming soon!

Posted on 9 July 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? In my earlier posts, I was mostly sharing my dissertation, which was about metanarratives, the kinds of stories we tell ourselves about our societies and the world we live in. Next up, I want … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The paradox: Evoking progress to avert disaster

Posted on 10 January 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

As responsible citizens who keep up on current events, we are all familiar with problems that need our attention and action. Whether each of us is a liberal or conservative, mainstream or following topics few others seem to care about, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

“And just how do we go about changing the world, anyway?”: World Beliefs Survey, part three

Posted on 9 January 2013 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Which types of beliefs about our world will motivate us to act? This question was at the heart of my dissertation research, and the answers are very important for those of us who care about the “big picture” and wonder … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Stories and societies: World Beliefs Survey, part two

Posted on 19 December 2012 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Beliefs about the groups that we’re part of, like political and religious beliefs, inevitably involve stories. Many of these stories involve actions and consequences (things that happened), or relationships between groups, and many of them tell us what we ought … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

What Americans believe: World Beliefs Survey, part one

Posted on 8 December 2012 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

It’s high time I fulfilled my commitment to the people who completed my online World Beliefs survey and let people know what I learned in my dissertation research. (Thanks, again, to all of my friends, friends of friends, and helpful … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 3 Comments

Is every story a journey?

Posted on 25 November 2012 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

On a refreshingly cloudy afternoon last July, I faced the last big hurdle in earning my Ph.D. in psychology: “defending” my dissertation. People in other departments, at other universities, tell me this can be a grueling event, but my department … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments