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
Ideas
Expert insights, perspectives and provocations to stimulate your mind
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
The (surprisingly new) science of aphantasia – the inability to ‘see’ mental imagery
Video by Quanta Magazine
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?
‘Nothing renders their beauty’ – can art ever capture the splendour of a flower?
Every culture dances. So why did humans evolve to get down?
Popular
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
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
‘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
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
We can live well, even though we don’t have a higher purpose
The novelist and poet Ursula K Le Guin shows we can reject nihilism and naive optimism by practising our collective freedom
by Alexis Shotwell
Popular
View allIs 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
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Video by Face to Face
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
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
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
African proverbs provide the blueprint for a meaningful life
Incorporating ancient African wisdom into wellbeing interventions could push positive psychology beyond its Western roots
by Richard Appiah
Why our flawed, flexible memories come with social benefits
Though relationships are grounded in shared memories, some gaps and inaccuracies can help us live well in a social world
by Gillian Murphy & Ciara Greene
How do transgender people remember their earlier selves?
Research with transgender people sheds light on the memory processes that allow any of us to navigate periods of change
by Caleb Schlaupitz
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