The Psychology of Secrets
Everyone keeps secrets. What are they exactly? Why do we have them? And should you share your secrets, or keep them to yourself? Psychologist Dr. Andreas Wismeijer will guide you through the fascinating world of the psychology of secrecy. (English / SG-Certificate*)
Time: 17:00-18:00 hrs.
Admission is free, no registration required.
We all have secrets
Being in love with your neighbor, having a fear of failure, drinking too much, cheating, planning a surprise trip for your partner. Everyone has secrets: big or small, shocking or mundane.
Questions
But what do we really know about secrets? Why do we have them and for whom? Sometimes a secret can be so big that you truly experience it as a burden. Is it a health risk to have secrets like that? What does it take to successfully keep something secret for years, and how exactly can you expose someone else's secrets?
Psychology of secrets
While secrets protect against undesirable things such as stigmatization and loss of face, they also cost a lot of time and energy. Often with clear psychological repercussions for the secret-keeper. So, should you confess secrets or not?
Our speaker
Dr. Andreas Wismeijer is a Psychologist who is affiliated as a lecturer to the Department of Developmental Psychology at Tilburg University and to Nyenrode Business Universiteit. He has produced two popular science books on the subject in addition to several scientific articles.
All You Need to Know About
This is a lecture in our series ‘All You Need to Know About’. The series consists of introductory lectures on essential topics and inspirational thinkers in academia and the arts.
After this ‘pressure cooker’ of maximum 60 minutes you can safely engage in a conversation about the psychology of secrets.
More information
This lecture is organized by Studium Generale in cooperation with ESN Tilburg.
Contact: Annelieke Koster (Studium Generale).
* For students, this lecture may count towards the SG-Certificate. Check the SG-Certificate website for all the terms and conditions.
