How to make someone feel seen and heard

Validation skills are not only useful for therapists. Learn them and you’ll improve your personal and work relationships

by Caroline Fleck

A young boy smiling, resting his chin on his hands, looking at a marshmallow on a table.

FOCUS AND ATTENTION

What the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology

Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can

by Tyler W Watts

Three women chatting and laughing on stone steps at night with people relaxing in the background.

GENDER

Is being single a happier experience for women or men?

More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it

by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald

Photo of two boys playfully confronting each other on a leaf-covered path beside a fence in autumn.

PARENTING AND FAMILIES

Trapped with no escape: the hidden problem of sibling bullying

When brothers and sisters victimise each other, the harms can be serious. But it’s never too late to heal old wounds

by Kristen Cvancara

Photo of people in a sunny square with bikes and scooters, near Les Tontons and a large building advertisement in Bordeaux.

STORIES AND LITERATURE

Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back

Our stories help us make sense of a chaotic world, but they can be harmful and restrictive. There’s a liberating alternative

by Karen Simecek

A cheerful picnic by a river with adults and children relaxing on blankets under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

HUMAN NATURE

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

Photo of a street with vintage cars, motel signs and a person leaning on a truck holding a broom under a blue sky.

FOCUS AND ATTENTION

How to alter the passage of time to feel fast or slow

Knowing the psychology behind why moments drag or whizz by can give you a degree of control over your experience of time

by Martin Wiener

Coloured electron microscope image of bacteria and fungi; round green/yellow cells and rod-shaped pink structures on a textured surface.

FOOD AND DRINK

How to maintain a healthy gut

With a few lifestyle and dietary changes, you can protect your gut microbiome, boost your immunity and improve your mood

by Vincent Ho

Black and white photo of an elderly man with glasses and a moustache wearing a suit, sitting in a patterned chair.

THINKERS AND THEORIES

‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84

Video by Face to Face

Photo of people viewing tall abstract sculptures in a dimly lit gallery with silhouetted artwork on the walls.

COMPASSION AND EMPATHY

How to see the humanity in anyone

Practising a form of ‘deep curiosity’ can help you connect with yourself and others, even if they’re on the ‘other side’

by Scott Shigeoka

Photo of a beachside blackboard offering a humorous deal near a weathered pier, stating “£100 receipt given for every £10 spent.”

ANXIETY

If you think you are ‘just not a math person’ then think again

Understanding how mathematics anxiety takes root points to ways to overcome it, opening up new opportunities and pastimes

by Nathan T T Lau & H Moriah Sokolowski

Photo of a bookstore entrance at night with people walking by and a person reading among book trolleys on the pavement.

THE SELF

What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?

Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward

by Christoph Heine

Four women outside wearing summer outfits with skyscrapers and a construction crane in the background; one woman is shown smoking.

FRIENDSHIP

Is it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?

Many think the answer is obvious: we ought to cut immoral people out of our lives. But that isn’t necessarily the best option

by Yiran Hua

A woman on a laptop in a modern café with wall art, a large cactus and pendant lights above.

WORRY AND RUMINATION

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

Photo of a woman in a colourful striped dress smiling as photographers take pictures at a crowded event.

THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE

Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?

Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it

by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King

Photo of an aeroplane parked at Bologna Airport with the terminal and control tower in the background.

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

Speaking a different language can change how you act and feel

For many multilinguals, switching between tongues can lead to shifts in personality, revealing the malleability of the self

by Antonella Gismundi