Psychology(Page 6)

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

Latest in Psychology

weighted blanket

What the science actually says about weighted blankets What the science actually says about weighted blankets

Basket of pomegranate fruits with glass bottles of tea on a light purple and seagreen background

Four plants that are scientifically proven to be therapeutic Four plants that are scientifically proven to be therapeutic

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

older woman facing a happy lamp

Can a happy lamp help cure your winter blues? Can a happy lamp help cure your winter blues?

By Erin Fennessy

two people looking bored

There’s a right and wrong way to be bored There’s a right and wrong way to be bored

By Sara Chodosh

anxious woman holding herself and looking off in the distance

How to keep your anxiety from spiraling out of control How to keep your anxiety from spiraling out of control

By Sara Chodosh

A person in glasses and a buttoned shirt tossing a handful of colorful confetti in the air

A psychologist explains how hope can make a difference in impossible times A psychologist explains how hope can make a difference in impossible times

By Jacqueline S. Mattis/The Conversation

Stressed? Try screaming. Yes, really. Stressed? Try screaming. Yes, really.

By Sara Kiley Watson

A helicopter with a person on the hoist below it.

Stay calm under pressure with lessons learned in the world’s most stressful careers Stay calm under pressure with lessons learned in the world’s most stressful careers

Fidget spinner spinning on a hand

Fidgeting can relax your body and brain—if you do it right Fidgeting can relax your body and brain—if you do it right

By Stan Horazek

Boost your mood with emotional brain training Boost your mood with emotional brain training

By Laurel Mellin/The Conversation

a woman lays back in a bath tub while looking relaxed

To take the most relaxing bath ever, add some healthy tips To take the most relaxing bath ever, add some healthy tips

By Rachel Feltman

a woman sits with her eyes closed and her hands folded in front of her to meditate

How to make the most of meditation with science How to make the most of meditation with science

By Jessica Boddy

a woman standing up and smiling in group therapy

Forgiving people is good for your health. Here’s how to do it. Forgiving people is good for your health. Here’s how to do it.

By Rachel Feltman

a woman holds a book and a mug of liquid on her lap

Stuck at home? Trick your brain into treating a staycation like the real thing. Stuck at home? Trick your brain into treating a staycation like the real thing.

By Eleanor Cummins

collage image showing people hugging and planting trees, with a 100 dollar bill surrounding them

How to spend your money for maximum happiness How to spend your money for maximum happiness

An illustration of a mustached individual getting up from an arm chair and getting a bowl full of ice cream from the freezer

Does free will actually exist? It’s complicated. Does free will actually exist? It’s complicated.

By Sara Kiley Watson

National guard members salute a veteran who died from COVID-19 at the Javits Center field hospital in New York City

Eight reasons COVID-19 has hit veterans particularly hard Eight reasons COVID-19 has hit veterans particularly hard

By Jamie Rowen/The Conversation

MIT Press Reader illustration

How the objects we hold become extensions of our bodies How the objects we hold become extensions of our bodies

By Michael J. Spivey/MIT Press Reader

Tyler Spangler illustration

What happens when psychedelics make you see God What happens when psychedelics make you see God

By Sarah Scoles

An illustration of a hand dropping a pink envelope into a box

Five election misinformation campaigns to avoid resharing Five election misinformation campaigns to avoid resharing

By Starbird, West, & DiResta/The Conversation

A hand holding several small brown mushrooms

Oregon just voted to legalize magic mushrooms. Here’s what that actually means. Oregon just voted to legalize magic mushrooms. Here’s what that actually means.

By Rachel Feltman

a person texting

Heavy media multitasking might make you more forgetful Heavy media multitasking might make you more forgetful

a woman standing calm and happy in the sunlight

Fight election season burnout with these mental health tips Fight election season burnout with these mental health tips

By Rachael Zisk

A Black family enjoying the beach with their toddler

How to find joy during tough times How to find joy during tough times

By Angela Gorrell/The Conversation

A small monkey looking surprised

The truth about reading body language The truth about reading body language

By Ramin Skibba/Undark

Outdoor time can be very beneficial for boosting mental health during the pandemic, experts say.

What mental health professionals have learned six months into pandemic care What mental health professionals have learned six months into pandemic care

By Marion Renault

MC Wolfman illustration

Why do we see ghosts? Why do we see ghosts?

The US-Mexico border wall in Tijuana and San Diego

How border walls trick the human brain and psyche How border walls trick the human brain and psyche

By Jessica Wapner

A row of Barbie dolls with fake blood

Playing bad can shape behavior, but not in the way you think Playing bad can shape behavior, but not in the way you think

By Erin Blakemore

CDC Director Robert Redfield and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci in 2018

The CDC thinks 90 percent of the US could still catch COVID-19 The CDC thinks 90 percent of the US could still catch COVID-19

By Purbita Saha

Nature walks can trigger feelings of awe, but you can achieve the feeling inside, too.

Regular doses of awe can do wonders for emotional health Regular doses of awe can do wonders for emotional health

Why do we love game shows like ‘Jeopardy!’ so much? Why do we love game shows like ‘Jeopardy!’ so much?

By Alex Schwartz

person under stress

Social distancing can make living with eating disorders harder Social distancing can make living with eating disorders harder

Muti illustration

How Disney fools your brain to make lines feel magically short How Disney fools your brain to make lines feel magically short

By Sara Kiley Watson

Family sitting and talking.

How to talk to kids about the coronavirus and other bad news How to talk to kids about the coronavirus and other bad news

By Sara Kiley Watson

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, destroyed homes and lives.

Earthquakes can cause serious psychological aftershocks Earthquakes can cause serious psychological aftershocks

winter ultramarathon

These ultramarathoners say life is easier after running 40 miles on frozen backwoods trails These ultramarathoners say life is easier after running 40 miles on frozen backwoods trails

anatomy of a laugh

Why does laughing feel so stinkin’ good? Why does laughing feel so stinkin’ good?

By Sara Chodosh

Smoke during sunset.

It’s time to grieve the world we’ve lost to climate change—and start to move on It’s time to grieve the world we’ve lost to climate change—and start to move on

By Eric Holthaus

A mural in Minneapolis, Minnesota, commemorates George Floyd, who was killed while being restrained by city police officers in May.

Resharing videos of violence against Black people can spark more trauma Resharing videos of violence against Black people can spark more trauma

By Candice Wang

A group of five teen walking down the street

LGBTQ+ alliance groups can have a positive effect on entire student populations LGBTQ+ alliance groups can have a positive effect on entire student populations

A father and son standing on the balcony

Your kids aren’t growing up too quickly, but your brain sure thinks they are Your kids aren’t growing up too quickly, but your brain sure thinks they are

By Keith Payne/The Conversation

four hands with different skin colors next to each other on a table

Anti-Black bias affects just about everyone. What’s the best way to deal with implicit racism? Anti-Black bias affects just about everyone. What’s the best way to deal with implicit racism?

By Candice Wang

several police officers standing in a road holding weapons

Can implicit bias training help cops overcome racism? Can implicit bias training help cops overcome racism?

By Candice Wang

Nature helps nurture relationships between incarcerated mothers and their children Nature helps nurture relationships between incarcerated mothers and their children

By Julie Stevens/The Conversation

A person planning out a solution on a wall.

Logic problems to challenge your bored brain Logic problems to challenge your bored brain

By Claire Maldarelli

Why we evolved to feel empathy during pandemics and other disasters Why we evolved to feel empathy during pandemics and other disasters

By Peter Sterling/MIT Press Reader

Stuart Patience illustration

This staircase goes on forever. Or does it? This staircase goes on forever. Or does it?

By Sara Kiley Watson

a smiling woman

Eight science-backed tricks to make you feel less sad Eight science-backed tricks to make you feel less sad

By Rachel Feltman

"Bedlam" tackles the systemic failures and cultural taboos of treating mental health conditions. It airs on PBS tonight at 10 p.m. EDT.

Meet the health care workers and patients on the front lines of another national crisis Meet the health care workers and patients on the front lines of another national crisis

By Purbita Saha

Porn is helping people cope with the pandemic Porn is helping people cope with the pandemic

By Joshua B. Grubbs/The Conversation

We once thought nostalgia was a disease, but it might be key to our survival We once thought nostalgia was a disease, but it might be key to our survival

By Eleanor Cummins

A woman in red with her head in her hands in front of a laptop

A panic attack can mimic the symptoms of COVID-19. Here’s what to do about it. A panic attack can mimic the symptoms of COVID-19. Here’s what to do about it.

By Rachel Feltman

Sleeping baby with small teddy bear

COVID-19 is separating parents from their newborns COVID-19 is separating parents from their newborns

By Katharine Gammon/Undark

two people holding hands in the sunset

How to quarantine with your partner without destroying your relationship How to quarantine with your partner without destroying your relationship

By Rachel Feltman

Worker sitting at Mac laptop with wireless headphones on

Listening to music helps you work, sometimes Listening to music helps you work, sometimes

By Manuel F. Gonzalez & John R. Aiello/The Conversation

Verónica Grech illustration

A popular autism drug for children isn’t as safe as its label indicates A popular autism drug for children isn’t as safe as its label indicates

By Hannah Furfaro/Spectrum News

Kea parrot with black token.

Kea parrots use statistics to get what they want Kea parrots use statistics to get what they want

By Sara Kiley Watson

Superstar singer Taylor Swift at a music festival

Eating disorders are about emotional pain, not food Eating disorders are about emotional pain, not food

By Michele Patterson Ford/The Conversation

Natalie Andrewson illustration

This sound illusion puts the scary in scary movies This sound illusion puts the scary in scary movies

By Sara Chodosh

man sniffing his armpit

Smell loss is an invisible disease with devastating impacts Smell loss is an invisible disease with devastating impacts

By Carl Philpott/The Conversation

People climbing up a hill

There isn’t much science supporting wilderness therapy for teens There isn’t much science supporting wilderness therapy for teens

By Adiel Kaplan/Undark

coal power plant emitting smoke

We save lives and crops every time a coal plant closes We save lives and crops every time a coal plant closes

Natalie Andrewson illustration

I built a room so quiet you can hear your own blood I built a room so quiet you can hear your own blood

By Eleanor Cummins