Psychology

Get to know your own mind—and improve your mental health—with the latest findings on human brains and behavior.

Latest in Psychology

Happy young adult man listening to music with headphones and mobile phone celebrating and dancing outdoor against yellow background. Youth lifestyle concept

4 surprising scientific benefits of music

A close-up photograph of a young child with blonde hair smiling broadly, revealing several missing front baby teeth. The child is playfully covering their eyes with both hands, with a plain grey wall in the background.

Why do we even have baby teeth?

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Female young behind book with face covered for a red book while smiling

How to rebuild your reading habits

Two dogs sitting in half open door looking curiously to the left

Dogs act like toddlers when trying to help humans

Interior of classic opera house

Color plays an unsung role in how we enjoy concerts

Professional male musician creates new song for music album by playing synthesizer in studio. Top view at angle on head of bald man in headphones who sits at microphone and presses keys of synthesizer

Can’t stop humming that tune? Thank math.

African striped mouse and pups

Biologists discover gene that may determine ‘good’ and ‘bad’ dads

Example of paired images used during free-view eyetracking study. These image pairs focused on participant reactions to spider versus other arthropods – (A) spider versus butterfly, (B) spider versus insect, (C) spider eyes versus insect eyes, (D) spider versus non-spider arachnid, and (E) spider versus myriapod. We also included a paired image of (F) scorpion versus non-scorpion arachnid to gain insight into whether participants respond differently to spiders versus scorpions (e.g., d vs. f).

Psychologists made people look at spiders. They didn’t like it.

a white dog with ears perked up and wide eyes against a blue background

Cortisol could impact your dog’s behavior

By Laura Baisas

Poison warning label layered atop brown hair

Hair samples reveal the benefits of lead regulation

A vibrant stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. In the center, a young wizard is being sorted under a floating hat by a man in a brown suit. Four large, illuminated banners representing the Hogwarts houses—Gryffindor (red), Ravenclaw (blue), Hufflepuff (yellow), and Slytherin (green)—hang from the gothic arches of the Great Hall, while students in robes watch from the sides.

A Harry Potter quiz may predict your career prospects

By Clarissa Brincat

An x-ray image of the brain showing a blue outline of a person's upper skull and bright, glowing yellow brain.

What’s a false memory? Psychologists explain how your brain can lie.

By RJ Mackenzie

a grandmother and grand child lay with colorful blocks

Babysitting grandkids can boost brain health

By Laura Baisas

a man anxiously sitting in front of a computer with his hand over his mouth

It’s not in your head. Fear drives decision making.

By Laura Baisas

Yellow bananas arranged against a blue background

Penis size may matter more to men than women

a brown cow with a large stick in her mouth and mountains in the background

Veronika the Cow shocks scientists by using a tool

By Laura Baisas

Close up of man's hands reaching into box of apples at orchard

Test your apple farming skills with this free video game

a dog surrounded by stuffed animals

Super smart dogs learn by eavesdropping

By Laura Baisas

A stylized digital collage featuring chess pieces, including a red king, set against a target-like background of concentric circles and a red-and-white checkered pattern.

Chess or video games—which actually makes you smarter? The answer may surprise you.

By Clarissa Brincat

Hand holding TV remote in front of out of focus TV screen

A little TV after a long day is good for your brain