Solutions from Cognitive Psychology to the Rescue

Miller was a key founder of what would later become known as the cognitive revolution, and he had a unique idea of what, exactly, marks a revolution. He said that knowledge about psychological science has the power to change people’s conceptions about themselves, and what they are capable of—and that, according to Miller, is what really constitutes a revolution (Miller, 1969). This notion is exactly in line with what Walton & Wilson (2018) aim to do with what they termed “wise interventions.” This framework aims to alter views about the self, a situation, or a concept to create a new, healthy cycle which promotes well-being in some way. These interventions alter the pre-existing meanings people have drawn about the self or some thing in specific and precise ways, and are often done through exercises which are brief but impactful. The wise intervention framework offers social scientists a simple but potentially powerful, evidence-based approach to helping the public with a variety of ways to reduce stress, increase motivation, and promote well-being. These interventions are often more successful because they are “wise” to the intended audience and their surrounding context, curated with those crucial pieces in mind.