Values and beliefs
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
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
Parenting and families
guide
How to know if you want to be a parent
Set aside everyone else’s preconceptions. Then try doing these counterintuitive exercises to understand your own desires
by Ann Davidman
Spirituality and religion
film
When his faith crumbles, an ‘Amish atheist’ rebuilds his world from scratch
Directed by Lance Edmands
Sacred places
idea
Paganism is a potent force in Ireland’s conservation movement
Long-held beliefs in an ‘Otherworld’ inhabited by wrathful fairies are now driving a resurgence in Irish eco-activism
by Juju Lane
Change and self-development
idea
What can we learn from those who have a moral change of heart?
Stories of sharp adjustments in moral perspective show the potential of unusual experiences to open people’s minds
by Joshua May
Change and self-development
guide
How to change your self-limiting beliefs
Let Descartes, Kant and other philosophers help you view the world through a more positive filter and you’ll bloom
by Rebecca Roache
Depression
idea
What’s going on in depression to make negative beliefs so sticky?
Understanding why negative views persist in the face of contradictory evidence could help inform depression treatment
by Tobias Kube
Civic life
idea
It’s not only political conservatives who worry about moral purity
You might think the political Right is more focussed on morals than the Left. But purity is a pervasive political value
by Kurt Gray, Will Blakey & Nicholas DiMaggio
Change and self-development
guide
How to thrive after leaving your religion
It can be distressing, but liberating too. Use these tips from clinical practice and personal experience to emerge stronger
by Micah Rees