History of emotions
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Schadenfreude: why do we find joy in the pain felt by others?
A brief history of schadenfreude – taking pleasure in the misfortune of another – from ancient China to Charlie Chaplin
by David P Barash
Emotions
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What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude
Influencers and self-help gurus are preaching a form of positive psychology that risks doing more harm than good
by Lucas Dixon
Emotions
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How ‘feelings about thinking’ help us navigate our world
The pleasant feeling of knowing, the frustration of forgetting, and other ‘metacognitive feelings’ serve as unsung guides
by Pablo Fernandez Velasco & Slawa Loev
Thinking and intelligence
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Philosophical reflection often begins with a disruptive mood
For many of our greatest philosophers, it was their moods, from wonder to estrangement to anxiety, that first inspired them
by Steven Segal
Shame and guilt
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Personal and political shaming is running hot, yet it doesn’t work
When passions run high so does the urge to shame wrongdoers. But if the goal is to change, shamers should think twice
by David Keen
Emotions
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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
Emotions
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Why is there such a thing as ‘true love’ but not ‘true grump’?
What makes an emotion feel true? And how is that connected to your true self? New insights on old philosophical puzzles
by Shayla Love
Emotions
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What it means for something to ‘sink in’ emotionally
The impact of important events is more than an emotion or mood – it must ‘sink in’, which is a process that unfolds in time
by Matthew Ratcliffe
Eating disorders
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Is ‘feeling fat’ really a manifestation of underlying sadness?
Patients with eating disorders who feel overweight are often told that the underlying cause is emotional. What if it’s not?
by Stephen Gadsby & Bence Nanay
Civic life
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Voting in person brings democracy to momentous life
Elections are about more than tallying votes – they offer voters a deeply felt connection to democracy and their role in it
by Emilee Booth Chapman
Music
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Can you ‘feel’ the music? You’re probably an empathetic person
People who are more empathic toward others are also more likely to have more feeling for the emotions communicated in music
by Benjamin Tabak & Zachary Wallmark
Emotions
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What makes hate a unique emotion – and why that matters
How does hating someone compare with anger, contempt or disgust? A clearer picture of what makes it unique is emerging
by Cristhian A Martínez