Life stages
idea
Legal definitions aside – what makes you think you’re an adult?
Achieving adult status is a momentous part of life. Our research suggests getting there takes more than years or milestones
by Megan Wright
Mental health across cultures
idea
Why a Sufi approach to healing mental illness is so powerful
In Sufi shrines, rituals offer sufferers a path beyond the fear and isolation of their mental distress
by Bhrigupati Singh
Sleep and dreams
guide
How to embrace being a lark or an owl
Skip the advice about training yourself to rise early or burn the midnight oil. Your natural rhythms are your best guide
by Shayla Love
Learning and education
idea
Lessons about learning from ancient Greek philosophers
What Aristotle and Epicurus can teach us about learning through collaboration, movement, place and embodiment
by Tom Bielik
Stories and literature
idea
What is it about film and TV antiheroes that’s so captivating?
They’re entertaining, of course – but research highlights a deeper psychological reason viewers are drawn to the bad guys
by Ana Gantman & Jordan Wylie
Popular this month
Happiness
idea
As a psychiatrist, I’ve seen how chasing happiness leads to misery
My clinical work has shown me that happiness is a ghost that’s not worth pursuing – there are far wiser goals in life
by Rafa Euba
The body and physical health
film
A wildly imaginative exploration of what movement means to someone without it
Directed by Mathieu Labaye
Sports and games
idea
Sport shows how to use performance benchmarks in a positive way
IQ scores and other contextless benchmarks are suffocating and misleading. We should look to sport for a healthier approach
by Leif Weatherby
Music
guide
How to discover new music
In a musical rut? Whatever your age or existing tastes, you can find surprise and enjoyment beyond the streaming algorithms
by James Hadfield
Stigma and taboo
idea
The families of people who commit sex crimes need care and support
While they deal with a kind of grief, the relatives of those who harm others sexually are subject to blame and judgment
by Azadeh Nematy
Emotions
idea
Some emotions seem to be more ‘elastic’ than others
New research findings suggest that guilt behaves like an on-off switch whereas anger is more elastic and dial-controlled
by Matt Huston
Sports and games
film
Passion, agility, invisibility – do you have what it takes to become a ball person?
Directed by Scott Lazer
Decision-making
idea
Stereotypes might not be as powerful as psychologists assumed
Research on first impressions suggests that people’s behaviour can trump any biased assumptions we might make about them
by Shayla Love
Children’s difficulties
guide
How to help your child attend school
Is your child anxious and reluctant to leave home in the morning? Here’s a compassionate plan to help them get back to school
by Anna Smout, Glenn Melvin & Marie Yap
Animals
idea
Same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals evolved to keep the peace
Although these new findings can’t tell us much about human sexuality, they could help to solve an evolutionary paradox
by Shayla Love
Mental health
idea
Why we’re hopeful about mental health videos on TikTok
People are broadcasting their psychological self-diagnoses on TikTok. Some experts are worried, but we see an opportunity
by Elliot Jurist & Julia Jurist
Altered states
film
Get lost in enigmatic memories of a small-town Japanese fair
Directed by Sumito Sakakibara