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Stephen Kosslyn: Satiators and addicts

Stephen Kosslyn is Dean of Social Science and John Lindsley Professor of Psychology at Harvard University.

04 October 2009

By Guest

I’ve been told that there are two kinds of people in the world: Satiators and Addicts. Satiators get their fill of something, and that’s enough for the rest of their lives. For example, I’m that way about beaches: I grew up a 10-minute walk from the Pacific Ocean, and went to the beach practically every day during my adolescence.

But enough was enough, and I now don’t care whether I ever see a beach again. In contrast, Addicts get hooked, and never get enough of something. I’ve obsessed about the same narrow research topic for over 35 years, and the end is not in sight. Why am I a Satiator in some cases, and an Addict in others?

About the author

Stephen Kosslyn is Dean of Social Science and John Lindsley Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He has published over 250 articles on visual mental imagery and been awarded numerous prizes including the Prix Jean-Louis Signoret.