Why do we hesitate to talk about our own good deeds?
Disclosing acts of kindness could encourage even more altruism – if we can find a way around the awkwardness
by Jerry Richardson
Ideas
Expert insights, perspectives and provocations to stimulate your mind
Self-hatred feeds on inner shame. Here’s how to break the cycle
Shame swamps any redeeming traits you might have thought you had. Slow down to interrupt the loops that cause self-hatred
by Troy Seagraves
What the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology
Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can
by Tyler W Watts
Why the mental health awareness movement needs more precision and fewer vibes
Video by the Royal Institution
There’s a nourishing calm in quietly wandering, far from goals and distractions
The (surprisingly new) science of aphantasia – the inability to ‘see’ mental imagery
Humans are uniquely reliant on caregivers. This isn’t a weakness, but a wondrous gift
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Emotions aren’t reactions – they’re predictions we can learn to reshape
Perhaps the weirdest experience you’ll have sober, what exactly is déjà vu?
Popular
What the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology
Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can
by Tyler W Watts
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Video by Face to Face
Does it matter if your romantic partner is similar to you?
From traits like extraversion to specific habits, there are many ways a couple can match. New research tests whether it helps
by Phuong Linh L Nguyen & Moin Syed
When memories from fiction become part of who you are
Scenes from books, movies and games sometimes carry as much weight as events from people’s own lives. We’re finding out why
by Osman Görkem Çetin
How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries
The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies
by Bénedicte Sère
Uncertainty is stressful, but here’s why we need to feel it
As much as people struggle with not knowing, we live in an uncertain world – and there are advantages to embracing that
by Jessica Alquist
Complexity science can deepen your mindfulness practice
What if ‘stress reduction’ is the least interesting thing mindfulness does? Complexity science offers new ways forward
by Pavel Chvykov
Popular
View allWhat the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology
Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can
by Tyler W Watts
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Video by Face to Face
Does progress seem slower when you constantly check on it?
Research on how we perceive the rate of change shows how you can be strategic about goal tracking and boost your motivation
by André Vaz
We’re learning just how early in life empathy starts to move us
What contagious crying, comforting hugs and other cute behaviour in infants tells us about the roots of emotional connection
by Zanna Clay & Carlo Vreden
They keep the Hindu funeral pyres burning, but at what cost?
For the men and boys of the Dom community in Varanasi, sacred cremations demand a lifetime of exhausting, dangerous labour
by Radhika Iyengar
What if animals find beauty in the world, just like we do?
Chimpanzees favour the colour red. Junglefowl prefer symmetry. Our shared capacity for aesthetic pleasure is cause for wonder
by Brandon Keim
Why we choose to avoid information that’s right in front of us
Knowing the reasons people opt not to know – and the consequences of that choice – could help us see when it’s problematic
by Jeremy L Foust
How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries
The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies
by Bénedicte Sère
Find meditation really boring? You’re not the only one
Other practices like sermons, yoga and retreats can also trigger ‘spiritual boredom’. Here’s why it’s normal and even useful
by Thomas Goetz
Plato warned that some pleasures separate us from reality
The contemporary obsession with feeling good might mean we’re losing sight of what makes life genuinely meaningful
by Derek van Zoonen
When talking brings you relief, brain syncing may be at work
Something curious happens in two people’s brains during supportive interactions. It could help explain their emotional power
by Yarden Avnor & Simone Shamay-Tsoory
The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry
We think of tears as an overflow of emotion, but an evolutionary lens shows they’re a rational form of social signalling
by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman
Fears about being a dangerous or immoral person can fuel OCD
Intrusive thoughts about doing bad things are common, but for people with OCD they provoke deep fears about the self
by Richard Moulding & Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong
How much you ‘body-wander’ could affect your mental health
Some people tune into bodily sensations while daydreaming, others don’t – with implications for anxiety, depression and ADHD
by Leah Banellis
Plato’s challenge to the meaning of manliness still resonates
Even in ancient Greece, Plato questioned whether gender norms around masculinity were good for men’s individual freedom
by Yancy Hughes Dominick
Complexity science can deepen your mindfulness practice
What if ‘stress reduction’ is the least interesting thing mindfulness does? Complexity science offers new ways forward
by Pavel Chvykov
Monet understood the elusive power of a place’s atmosphere
The gist of a scene or place can subtly alter our very sense of being, an affecting quality captured by Monet’s paintings
by Pablo Fernandez Velasco
Uncertainty is stressful, but here’s why we need to feel it
As much as people struggle with not knowing, we live in an uncertain world – and there are advantages to embracing that
by Jessica Alquist