Relate

The bonds that tie us: family, friendships, love and community

A dog with a leash standing on a carved wooden bench in front of a field and bare trees under a cloudy sky.

Dog day blues

We were a new stepfamily, and only the puppy was missing. With Elsa, we lobbed a grenade into the mix

by Lily Dunn

Photo of cars covered in protective plastic inside a showroom with reflections of bare trees in the glass facade.

Asteroid economics: why we’re shopping our way through Armageddon

We must escape the psychological trap where grave warnings about existential threats trigger ever more destructive behaviour

by M I Krueger

A person in a high-vis vest wearing a mask standing in front of shelves filled with food products.
ETHICS

Why do we hesitate to talk about our own good deeds?

Disclosing acts of kindness could encourage even more altruism – if we can find a way around the awkwardness

by Jerry Richardson

Illustration of two people standing in a forest, at the top of a waterfall, with a dog below; money is washing away down the waterfall into a pond, as well as a car and house pictured in the pond below.

Money

When an investment tanked and buried us in debt, we had to face the truth of how we’d gotten there

by Carol Berkower

Three adults with babies seated in a waiting room, smiling and interacting, with colourful posters on the wall.

We’re learning just how early in life empathy starts to move us

What contagious crying, comforting hugs and other cute behaviour in infants tells us about the roots of emotional connection

by Zanna Clay & Carlo Vreden

Guides

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A man with crossed arms and a serious expression wearing an apron stands in the doorway of a restaurant with checkered curtains and menu on display.

What to do when someone goes on the defensive

Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology

by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall

Photo of a waiting room with focus on a black hat. A woman reads papers and another looks at her phone in the background.

How to chat with almost anyone

It can be awkward at first, but people are more open to conversation than you think – and it could lead to deeper connection

by Michael Yeomans

Popular

A man with crossed arms and a serious expression wearing an apron stands in the doorway of a restaurant with checkered curtains and menu on display.

What to do when someone goes on the defensive

Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology

by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall

An elderly man smiling broadly with sunglasses on, reclining on a floral lounge chair beside an elderly woman outdoors.
LOVE

Does it matter if your romantic partner is similar to you?

From traits like extraversion to specific habits, there are many ways a couple can match. New research tests whether it helps

by Phuong Linh L Nguyen & Moin Syed

Medieval manuscript illustration of three figures talking: a man, a knight with a shield and a shovel-bearer, set in an ornate border.

How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries

The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies

by Bénedicte Sère

Illustration of person climbing through a window which takes the place of one square in a giant period table, through the window is a city scene.
HOME

Lab at the edge of the world

When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued

by Lea Page

Photo of a waiting room with focus on a black hat. A woman reads papers and another looks at her phone in the background.

How to chat with almost anyone

It can be awkward at first, but people are more open to conversation than you think – and it could lead to deeper connection

by Michael Yeomans

Photo of a person carrying a child with blue star shorts on their back, walking on a path lined with green plants.

A sister who wasn’t ours

We were her foster family for two and a half years. We had no claim to her, but she became part of us

by Kelsey Day

People in a small, well-lit Japanese restaurant or bar, with a menu on the wall and beverages on the counter.

A little Japanese trick for saying ‘no’

If an outright refusal feels rude but you don’t want to have to explain, here’s how to say ‘no’ the Japanese way

by Richard Fisher

Three adults with babies seated in a waiting room, smiling and interacting, with colourful posters on the wall.

We’re learning just how early in life empathy starts to move us

What contagious crying, comforting hugs and other cute behaviour in infants tells us about the roots of emotional connection

by Zanna Clay & Carlo Vreden

Popular

View all
A man with crossed arms and a serious expression wearing an apron stands in the doorway of a restaurant with checkered curtains and menu on display.

What to do when someone goes on the defensive

Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology

by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall

An elderly man smiling broadly with sunglasses on, reclining on a floral lounge chair beside an elderly woman outdoors.
LOVE

Does it matter if your romantic partner is similar to you?

From traits like extraversion to specific habits, there are many ways a couple can match. New research tests whether it helps

by Phuong Linh L Nguyen & Moin Syed

Medieval manuscript illustration of three figures talking: a man, a knight with a shield and a shovel-bearer, set in an ornate border.

How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries

The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies

by Bénedicte Sère

Illustration of person climbing through a window which takes the place of one square in a giant period table, through the window is a city scene.
HOME

Lab at the edge of the world

When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued

by Lea Page

Notes to self

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Three people chatting at a rustic bar in a pub, with a brick interior and various decorations.

Our relationships, in five dimensions

by Matt Huston

Videos

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Oil painting diptych of a man rowing a boat and a woman in blue with a green background.
LOVE

Two lives drift apart and come together in a love story told one brush stroke at a time

Directed by Ian Bruce

Abstract line drawing of a running figure with scattered symbols on a white background.
HOME

In an elegy for his childhood home, a filmmaker constructs a lyrical collage of memory

Photo of a person holding a tortoise above a container with leaves against a tiled wall.
Psyche Exclusive

High in the Alps, Kathleen takes extraordinary steps to keep a pet safe through the winter

Illustration of a scoreboard at Barclays Center showing a man with raised arms, surrounded by an arena.

A dancing NBA superfan on the joy of spaces that let us go wild and get weird

A cyclist on a yellow bike passing a closed fast food shop with a yellow and maroon facade and a one-way sign.

A detour home, through Portuguese

Losing my mother tongue was painful and humiliating. Could learning a new language help me heal?

by Frances Nguyen

Medieval manuscript illustration of three figures talking: a man, a knight with a shield and a shovel-bearer, set in an ornate border.

How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries

The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies

by Bénedicte Sère

Photo of a red-eyed tree frog with vivid green, blue and orange colouring, perched on a branch in a lush forest setting.

Dangerous things

Like the red-eyed tree frog tadpoles, my son and I fell into a new beginning

by Heather Swan

Two people at a cafe table, one holding a cigarette. Blurred foreground and background create a candid atmosphere.

When talking brings you relief, brain syncing may be at work

Something curious happens in two people’s brains during supportive interactions. It could help explain their emotional power

by Yarden Avnor & Simone Shamay-Tsoory

Photo of a person carrying a child with blue star shorts on their back, walking on a path lined with green plants.

A sister who wasn’t ours

We were her foster family for two and a half years. We had no claim to her, but she became part of us

by Kelsey Day

A man with a beard sitting on a sofa with two young children, one resting on his head, in a room with bookshelves.

Being a dad has made my brain younger

As the father of twins, I could hardly feel more frazzled. But my brain age might paint a different, more youthful, picture

by Christian Jarrett

Photo of a group of dogs running on grass in a park with a graffitied wall and pavement in the background.

Feral knowledge

I wrote a book about dogs as pets. But I truly understood them only after I was bitten by a street dog

by Margret Grebowicz

Illustration of person climbing through a window which takes the place of one square in a giant period table, through the window is a city scene.
HOME

Lab at the edge of the world

When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued

by Lea Page

Black and white photo of a man and woman sitting under an umbrella; the woman leans on the man’s shoulder.

True contact is found in silence

For Emil Cioran, ‘true contact’ with another is the deep intimacy that emerges through mute togetherness

by Sam Dresser

A traffic light showing a green transgender symbol in front of a historic city square with statues and buildings.

To see your home city anew, try this

See a city through a visitor’s eyes to capture feelings you’ve lost, or never had – it’s the vicarious construal effect

by Elena Seymenliyska

Four people enjoying churros with coffee at an outdoor cafe table, engaging in conversation and laughter.

Are people less talkative these days?

A study explores how many words people use a day, whether women really speak more than men, and whether we’re talking less

by Matt Huston

People sitting around a table reading books with a tablet and mugs visible.

How to cultivate collective intellectual humility

Being smart is knowing what you don’t know. From work meetings to book clubs, use these tips to boost your group’s thinking

by Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso & Mark Alfano

An elderly man smiling broadly with sunglasses on, reclining on a floral lounge chair beside an elderly woman outdoors.
LOVE

Does it matter if your romantic partner is similar to you?

From traits like extraversion to specific habits, there are many ways a couple can match. New research tests whether it helps

by Phuong Linh L Nguyen & Moin Syed

Two colourful birds on a branch one with wings spread against a blurred background.

I’m trying a different approach to listening

Practising Carl Rogers’s unconditional positive regard helps me be more compassionate and less judgmental – of myself too

by Molly Williamson

Water swirling around a concrete structure in low light, creating a reflective and slightly turbulent surface.

Girl in the water

I’d saved someone from drowning. Had I done the right thing?

by James McConnachie

Black and white photo of an older man who is Christopher Walken in a suit gesturing while speaking into a microphone.

The voices that stick in our minds

Are the most memorable voices just the ones we hear frequently? Or is there some other quality they have?

by Matt Huston