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Thinking and intelligence

Photo of a person in a yellow T-shirt with a large black letter Q standing among seated people at an indoor event.

Thinking and intelligence

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The surprising role of deep thinking in conspiracy theories

People who endorse and spread outlandish theories aren’t gullible, they’re drawn to the intoxicating lure of discovery

by Stephen Gadsby & Sander Van de Cruys

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Creativity

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Your 10-step plan for achieving a creative breakthrough

We often think of Aha! moments occurring by fluke, but there are evidence-based ways to make it more likely they will occur

by Nick Kabrél

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Thinking and intelligence

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A love for thinking brings benefits way beyond school and work

Having a passion for mental effort – a trait that’s distinct from being intelligent – has some wide-ranging upsides

by Josephine Zerna

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

Photo of a young child in a classroom sitting at a table playing with a padlock, with blurred shelves and children in the background.

Thinking and intelligence

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Innovative three-year-olds expose the limits of AI chatbots

New experiments show that very young children are better at solving creative puzzles than ChatGPT and other AI models

by Shayla Love

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Sports and games

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Sport shows how to use performance benchmarks in a positive way

IQ scores and other contextless benchmarks are suffocating and misleading. We should look to sport for a healthier approach

by Leif Weatherby

A woman seen from behind talks on a mobile phone while distractedly running her hand through her hair

Worry and rumination

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If thinking is rational, what makes overthinking irrational?

A philosophical perspective on overthinking offers fresh insights into the mental processes involved in anxiety and OCD

by Pablo Hubacher Haerle