Psychology
Children Anticipate What Others Want, But Great Apes Don’t
New cross-species research suggests a theory of mind is one thing that sets humans apart from apes
Psychology139 articles archived since 1845
Psychology
Preventing Child Abuse Should Not Be Controversial. My Own Hate Mail Reveals That It Is
A deep dive into one scholar’s correspondence shows society prefers blame and punishment over protecting children from sexual violence
Psychology
Psychology Hacks for Resisting Trash Talk
A new book explores the science of trash talk—and why some people are more immune to it than others
Psychology
The Curious Joy of Being Wrong
Cultivating intellectual humility can offer individual and social benefits, a psychologist explains
Psychology
Water Scarcity Changes How People Think
Lacking money makes people focus on the present—but lacking water makes them plan for the future
Mental Health
Is Too Little Play Hurting Our Kids?
A long-term decline in unsupervised activity may be contributing to mental health declines in children and adolescents.
Psychology
Machine Learning Creates a Massive Map of Smelly Molecules
Scientists can finally predict a chemical’s odor without having a human sniff it
Psychology
Beliefs about Emotions Influence How People Feel, Act and Relate to Others
Thinking about a range of emotions as friends rather than foes improves the quality of our life
Psychology
Learning to Accept Discomfort Could Help You Thrive
Equanimity, a key ingredient of mindfulness meditation, helps people face life’s ups and downs
Psychology
Training Bartenders, Barbers and Divorce Attorneys as Counselors Could Reduce Gun Suicides
Some of the tens of thousands of suicide deaths in the U.S. each year would not have happened if people in the community had been schooled to provide advice about gun safety
Psychology
This Is How Often People Lie in a Day
Deception researchers investigate under what circumstances we are liable to let loose a whopper
Psychology
To Lead a Meaningful Life, Become Your Own Hero
From Gilgamesh to Star Wars, the narrative blueprint underpinning many heroic tales can offer a powerful way to reframe experiences
Psychology
Children Face Unequal Treatment in the Classroom—With Devastating Consequences
Students often receive feedback that conveys expectations linked to their socioeconomic background
Behavior
Morbid Curiosity Is Linked to Conspiracy Theories
Those fascinated with true crime podcasts may be more vulnerable to conspiratorial beliefs
Psychology
The Evolutionary Reasons We Are Drawn to Horror Movies and Haunted Houses
Scary play lets people—and other animals—rehearse coping skills for disturbing challenges in the real world
Psychology
People Who Speak Backward Reveal the Brain’s Endless Ability to Play with Language
Argentine researchers studied a regional slang that reverses the order of word syllables or letters. Their findings give insight into our natural ability to engage in wordplay
Psychology
Zoom Time May Be Linked to Discontent with One’s Own Appearance
How do people make peace with the image reflected back at them in a video conference?
Psychology
Know Yourself Better by Writing What Pops into Your Head
The exercise of writing down unfiltered thoughts enhances self-knowledge
Creativity
‘AI Anxiety’ Is on the Rise—Here’s How to Manage It
Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence have prompted big questions about the future of work and even human creativity. Experts have suggestions for how to manage all these unknowns...
Psychology
Stop Trying to ‘Find’ Your Passion—There’s a Better Way to Love What You Do
Recognizing that interests are malleable and can be developed can make us more resilient, open and creative
