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Emotions

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Photo of a woman playing with a smiling baby in a pram outside. The woman wears glasses and has her hair tied back.

Emotions

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Cuteness has a powerful pull, and it’s written all over your face

Our typical responses to cute things might seem cheery and unserious, but they signal something vital about us

by Makenzie O’Neil

Ancient clay figurine of a woman with a veil, arms crossed. The surface is textured. Image shows a simple, worn design.

History of emotions

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To ancient Assyrians, the liver was the seat of happiness

Cutting-edge computational techniques are shedding light on how the emotional experiences of past cultures compare to ours

by Juha Lahnakoski & Ellie Bennett

Painting of a bundle of American banknotes tied with a green ribbon pinned to a wall on a brown background.

Virtues and vices

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Greedy people might be frowned upon, but are they the winners?

Some individuals have a persistent tendency to want ever more stuff and status. Psychologists are examining the lives they lead

by Karlijn Hoyer

Photo of two people embracing one another, with a hand gently placed on the back of a person wearing a blue jacket.

Decision-making

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Going with your gut feels good, but it’s not always wise

Research is revealing the mood benefits of making intuitive decisions, but some situations call for an analytical approach

by Carina Remmers

Photo of a person falling near running bulls on a cobblestone street during a bull run event, with legs and hooves in motion.

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

Photo of a smiling person taking a selfie indoors, wearing a blue and yellow jumper, with plants and a clock in the background.

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

Black and white photo of a woman covering her mouth with her hand in a crowded room.

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

Black and white photo of a person and a dog standing apart on a wet beach with waves in the background.

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

Black and white photo of a crowd of people walking down a cobblestone street with buildings in the background.

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

Photo of people in high-vis vests sitting on a road, engaged in discussion, with cars and wooden 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 over a seated man at a desk with papers, a horse race painting in the background.

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

Photo of a burning tower with smoke, reflects a man and woman standing nearby in an urban setting.

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