Conflict and conflict resolution

A person in a blue jacket standing thoughtfully on a train platform next to the tracks.

How to respond to offensive comments in a thoughtful way

When someone insults you or people you care about, this advice can help you figure out whether to speak up and what to say

by Alicia del Prado

Photo of two smiling people in waterproof jackets on a rainy beach, grey skies in the background.

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

People at night in front of St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow with a woman waving a large Russian flag in the foreground.

Does national humiliation explain why wars break out?

For a nation, humiliation isn’t just a feeling – it’s a story. Understanding this can help countries move beyond aggression

by Raamy Majeed

A photo of a person sitting at a table in a cosy café setting. The background is softly blurred, showing shelves and decor.

Why being snubbed can make you feel so hurt and enraged

The psychology of ostracism helps explain why you can sometimes shrug it off, yet other times feel the urge to lash out

by Christiane Büttner

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

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 person in a white vest and jacket with folded hands and a tattoo, viewed through a mesh screen.

Restorative justice fits human nature more than retribution does

As recognised by ancestral wisdom and Indigenous practices, our need to repair relationships is a deep-rooted instinct

by Flavia Corso

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

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

Illustration of a person pushing a large boulder up a boat’s bow over stylised blue waves.

How to forgive (even if they’re unrepentant)

Feeling ill will toward someone who harmed you is natural but draining. You can let it go, whether you reconcile or not

by Richard S Balkin

Photo of a young girl doing homework at a table with adult guidance, holding a pencil over an open notebook.

Why are tiger parents willing to trade love for success?

Growing up under tiger parenting, I’ve seen that pushing a child to succeed often fails – and isn’t worth the emotional cost

by Louis Li

Photo of two people sitting on a park bench, one with their arm around the other, surrounded by grass and fallen petals.

Why that hard conversation will probably go better than you think

If you’ve delayed raising a touchy issue, fearing it will backfire, new research could give you the confidence you need

by Matt Huston

Photo of a rural road with a steep hill warning sign marked 1:4 surrounded by green landscape under a blue sky.

How to take the high road

When someone provokes you, it’s easy to react without thinking. Learn to slow down and respond in ways you’ll be proud of

by Alissa Hebbeln & Russell Kolts

Illustration of a person listening with a hand cupped to their ear, surrounded by soft pastel colours.

Why listening well can make disagreements less damaging

Offering undivided attention and curiosity not only lowers the temperature of a conversation but can change its outcome

by Guy Itzchakov

Photo of a person standing behind frosted glass in an office, obscured by the glass’s patterns.

How to deal with being bullied at work

You might understandably feel trapped and powerless, but there is a range of steps you can take to improve your situation

by Pat Ferris

Photo of three women talking through open windows, showing interaction between apartments in a residential building.

Improve your relationships with the science of perspective-taking

Social psychology research is breaking down the process of perspective-taking and revealing ways to help us get along better

by Hunter Gehlbach

Photo of a person collecting rubbish, including cans, on a snowy mountain peak with a mountainous landscape in the background.

It’s not only political conservatives who worry about moral purity

You might think the political Right is more focussed on morals than the Left. But purity is a pervasive political value

by Kurt Gray, Will Blakey & Nicholas DiMaggio

Photo of people in aprons smiling and chopping vegetables in a kitchen setting.

How to survive and thrive through divorce

Take heart: there are ways to protect yourself and any children involved, and prepare for more joyful chapters ahead

by Lisa Herrick