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Emotions

An angry mob of people jeer at a woman carrying a young baby up a cobbled street. Her head is shaved

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

A woman in a high-visibility jacket talks to two men on a street with cars and stacks of pallets in the background.

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

Painting of a woman leaning towards a man resting his head on a table cluttered with papers and books; a painting of horses racing hangs on the wall behind them.

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

Composite image showing a burning tower with smoke billowing out and a reflection of two people looking at it.

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

A person in a white T-shirt sits in a chair near a bright window, looking down at an open book while holding a pen.

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

People holding signs supporting Kennedy outdoors near Franklin Road, smiling and waving.

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

Woman with curly hair has her hands on her face, eyes closed, mouth open, and appears emotional under soft lighting.

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

A Renaissance portrait of a man with long hair and a beard, wearing a dark robe, holding a cloth, with a window showing a cityscape in the background.

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