Whenever our staff get off from their grueling work (or so they tell me) and go out in the real world, they get all kinds of feedback one of the comments that comes up again and again is this one: your site is very interesting but how can it be of any use practically? After facing that question so many times (staff meetings where everybody can say what’s on their mind may not be such a good idea) we figured that a small text explaining what the site might be useful for would be in order.

Because so many of the people who work here are related to education, the first goal or our web site was to supply teachers with materials various topics or subject that could be debated in class. For instance, a teacher could choose a text on defusing intimidation and discuss in class. This could lead to interesting discussions in class with students either agreeing or disagreeing on how to deal with intimidation. Anorexia or smoking are also issues that are unfortunately very much present among teenagers. Having them read an opinion on the subject might be a good way to approach issues that are somewhat sensitive. Far from us the idea of presenting what is on this site as the “truth” but it may be a good way to start off on something.

Those are only a few of the subjects that have a very real and concrete impact on school life. Most of what I mentioned is explained (for free) on this site but we could, depending on staff availability, be consulted or give lectures on certain subjects.

Also, while we are on the subject of education, a school principal or anybody in a state or authority might want to use behavioral psychology to make a school a better place to learn or even more importantly to live.

What does that mean concretely? Many things, coaching teachers on psychological programming could be a gift that keeps on giving.

Did you know that A students, without even realizing it, are using simple mental schemes that set them apart from others? You could actually teach students how to organize their learning according to those same structures. We did not invent it and it has been experimented but surprisingly it has not made its way into the system (probably because you cannot patent it as so many things today).

In any case here are a few examples of what you could be learning about:

Sensitivity training on social hierarchy would go a long way toward stopping school from being an emotional hell for many students.

Understanding how lower class students think in order to really reaching out to them as opposed to alienating them would be most useful for everyone involved.

Structuring the punitive system of the school in a way that makes it easier not more difficult for educators as well as students.

How to empower your staff of teachers and keep them motivated and sure of themselves.

How to allow financial resources to get the most results for the buck.

How to deal with drugs and its general image in the student population.

Being able to explain to students the reason of a dress code and the psychological impact of how they dress.

Those are only a few of the subjects that have a very real and concrete impact on school life. Most of what I mentioned is explained (for free) on this site but we could, depending on staff availability, be consulted or give lectures on certain subjects.

If school is our primary concern we suppose that the business world where efficiency is so much a key, will want to use this site to maximize assets and their good functioning.

Again, how does that work concretely? We see three areas in which statistical psychology and profiling can be useful.

The first area is if you have a team of salesman. In that case profiling would equip them with a tool that would enable them to deal with people in a way that appeals to them. Your salesman has to realize that he cannot approach everybody as if they were all from the same social class. If he does he will probably only succeed with people who belong to the same social class as he does. Either this guy reads people better or you dispatch him always to the same type of clients. You will probably be surprised to realize that your “ace” salesman is probably doing part of that without realizing it. A detail like this could mean a lot of money to you.

The second area is marketing. Does every cent you spend reach its intended target? Better yet, even if you reach your target, are you advertising at the appropriate level or are you flatly rejected because of social class faux pas? Everyone has a set of rules and values because of the way he was brought up, do not talk to him or her that way and you lose their business. Profiling has been around for a long time and the only use people have found so far is to use it in movies to catch bogus psychopaths!

The third area is human resources. What makes people depresses or motivated is well documented. You want people to work together but it will not work if you don’t follow a few simple accepted psychological laws that will make it possible.

Some people should give you more but somehow it doesn’t happen. Do you conclude that you chose the wrong person and choose someone else or do you fix what doesn’t work.

Ignoring what has been researched and proven to work would be not wise.