Death and dying
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Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how
For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started
by Joanna Ebenstein
Human nature
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For a happier life, we must balance two old psychological needs
Personal autonomy is abundant in the modern world. As a result, many of us get what we want but not what we need
by William von Hippel
Worry and rumination
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What if your worry problem is really a planning problem?
Clinicians have long recognised the link between worry and planning. New research asks what this means for managing anxiety
by Paul B Sharp
Cognitive and behavioural therapies
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Instead of wrestling with self-defeating thoughts, try this
When your own thoughts discourage and undermine you, it’s easy to get tangled. A change of strategy could get you past it
by Joe Oliver & Kristy Potter
Gender
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Too many men lack close friendships. What’s holding them back?
Some masculine norms are a straightjacket, depriving men of the connections they need. It takes bravery to leave them behind
by Angelica Puzio Ferrara
Progress and the future
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Why it’s possible to be optimistic in a world of bad news
The original optimist, Leibniz, was mocked and misunderstood. Centuries later, his worldview can help us navigate modern life
by Sumit Paul-Choudhury
Freedom and choice
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What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
Goals and motivation
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Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task
From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it
by Jonathan Rhodes
Grief
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The loss remains, so why does intense grief usually fade?
Grief’s ‘double vision’ beholds both the bereaved and dead. Recognising this duality helps explain our ability to move on
by Berislav Marušić
Values and beliefs
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Cultural taboos arise from a basic feature of the human mind
Unquestioned community rules on marriage, dining and even black cats often stem from our hunger to explain random events
by Kevin (Ze) Hong
Communication and language
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Let me open a treasure chest to explain how metaphor works
Once maligned by philosophers, metaphors are a key communication tool for extending the power of literal speech
by Elek Lane
Freedom and choice
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Relationships are important, but so is feeling free to end them
Comparing ‘relational mobility’ and people’s average happiness across different cultures reveals some intriguing patterns
by Thomas Talhelm & Liuqing Wei