Psychology (Page 8)

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

Latest in Psychology

Why do clowns creep us out?

Why do clowns creep us out?

By Frank T. McAndrew/The Conversation

New research links air pollution to increased risk of depression and bipolar disorder

New research links air pollution to increased risk of depression and bipolar disorder

By Nicole Wetsman

person playing chess

Why the smartest people can make the dumbest mistakes

By David Robson

You might be withholding life-threatening information from your doctor without knowing it

You might be withholding life-threatening information from your doctor without knowing it

Rodent astronauts suggest trips to Mars will make us anxious, forgetful, and afraid

Rodent astronauts suggest trips to Mars will make us anxious, forgetful, and afraid

By Charlie Wood

Medications could affect how you react to a heatwave

Medications could affect how you react to a heatwave

By Marion Renault

Anorexia may be more complicated than we thought

Anorexia may be more complicated than we thought

The wrong kind of sleep could keep you dwelling on bad memories

The wrong kind of sleep could keep you dwelling on bad memories

Pre-ordering groceries could lead to healthier choices

Pre-ordering groceries could lead to healthier choices

By Anya Samek/The Conversation

serotonin molecule structure

Treating depression takes much more than serotonin

By Grace Huckins

The World Health Organization knows ‘burnout’ is a problem—but is it a disease?

The World Health Organization knows ‘burnout’ is a problem—but is it a disease?

By Sara Chodosh

Connecting the dots on hurricanes and mental health issues

Connecting the dots on hurricanes and mental health issues

By Nicole Wetsman

City life damages mental health in ways we’re just starting to understand

City life damages mental health in ways we’re just starting to understand

By Kate Baggaley

Feel like time is flying? Here’s how to slow it down.

Feel like time is flying? Here’s how to slow it down.

By Steve Taylor/The Conversation

Mourning a fictional character is perfectly valid

Mourning a fictional character is perfectly valid

By Eleanor Cummins

baby steps across football field

This woman counted literal baby steps, and they walk farther than you’d think

By Sara Chodosh

pedestrian with backpack waiting to cross the street

What will it take for humans to trust self-driving cars?

A new drug for postpartum depression could help everyone

A new drug for postpartum depression could help everyone

By Nicole Wetsman

Psychosis is the last marijuana side effect you should be worried about

Psychosis is the last marijuana side effect you should be worried about

The science of serial killers is changing

The science of serial killers is changing

By Kate Baggaley

A woman administers a nasal spray

The first new FDA-approved antidepressant in decades goes up your nose

family covered in flour while baking

This untranslatable Danish word is the key to lowering stress

By Marie Helweg-Larsen/The Conversation

The scientific reason you find that Momo picture so creepy

By Stan Horaczek

‘Shock therapy’ isn’t as scary as its name—or the movies—suggest

‘Shock therapy’ isn’t as scary as its name—or the movies—suggest

By Nicole Wetsman

pushing buttons

5 facts about button-pushing, from a true expert

By Rachel Plotnick/The Conversation

woman exercise depression mood

Exercise really does seem to help with depression

By Sara Chodosh

When faced with tough choices, your brain secretly tips the scales

By Charlie Wood

man snapping selfie in front of the Colisseum

If you want to remember an event, don’t take a picture

By Giuliana Mazzoni/The Conversation

Maybe we should all be using Facebook Messenger Kids

By Eleanor Cummins

Elon Musk is wrong. Working extremely long hours doesn’t make you better at your job.

Elon Musk is wrong. Working extremely long hours doesn’t make you better at your job.

By Nicole Wetsman

Shut off your notifications

Start the year by turning off your phone notifications

By Eleanor Cummins

five identical men in white turtlenecks look confused

People with extreme political views have trouble thinking about their own thinking

Library books collective memory

How long can an event hold humanity’s attention? There’s an equation for that.

By Eleanor Cummins

Lack of sleep looks the same as severe anxiety in the brain

Lack of sleep looks the same as severe anxiety in the brain

By Dana G. Smith

Why do we go Black Friday shopping?

Why do we go Black Friday shopping?

By Sara Chodosh

How to deal with seasonal affective disorder and stay alert this winter

How to deal with seasonal affective disorder and stay alert this winter

By Eleanor Cummins

How elite athletes keep their heads in the game

A field of lavender, with a large tuft of lavender in the foreground.

Lavender might actually help you relax

By Jillian Mock

Three artificial intelligence and tech tools trying to boost people’s mental health

Three artificial intelligence and tech tools trying to boost people’s mental health

Sans Forgetica font sample

This wacky-looking font can help you remember what you read

By Eleanor Cummins

Is your brain ready for YouTube’s new mini-player?

Is your brain ready for YouTube’s new mini-player?

By Eleanor Cummins

Your brain and body remember trauma differently than other events

Your brain and body remember trauma differently than other events

By Jacek Debiec/The Conversation

Twitter Timeline

Twitter will let you see your feed in chronological order again—here’s how and why

By Stan Horaczek

7 famous psych studies with troubling backstories

7 famous psych studies with troubling backstories

By Eleanor Cummins

girl listening to headphones

ASMR videos are just beginning to whisper their anti-anxiety secrets to scientists

By Thomas Hostler/The Conversation

Humans have a hard time ‘killing’ robots, especially when they beg for their lives

Humans have a hard time ‘killing’ robots, especially when they beg for their lives

By Eleanor Cummins

Your first memory probably isn’t yours, no matter how real it seems

Your first memory probably isn’t yours, no matter how real it seems

By Sara Chodosh

rollercoaster emotions

Rollercoasters are stressful and that’s why you like them

By Richard Stephens/The Conversation

The science of superstition

The science of superstition

By Neil Dagnall and Ken Drinkwater/The Conversation

Why suicide is on the rise in the U.S.—even as it falls in Europe

Why suicide is on the rise in the U.S.—even as it falls in Europe

By Steven Stack/The Conversation

mom child holding hands

These 1950s experiments showed us the trauma of parent-child separation. Now experts say they’re too unethical to repeat—even on monkeys.

By Eleanor Cummins

Our brains can’t quit our gadgets—that didn’t happen by accident

Our brains can’t quit our gadgets—that didn’t happen by accident

By Eleanor Cummins

The World Health Organization now recognizes video game addiction

The World Health Organization now recognizes video game addiction

By Rachel Feltman

Why your brain loves mac and cheese more than macaroni or cheese alone

Why your brain loves mac and cheese more than macaroni or cheese alone

By Claire Maldarelli

spoons full of condiments

The weirdest things we learned this week: fake memories, sperm is not full of tiny men, and how ketchup makes the grade

By Rachel Feltman

a hydrogen balloon on its side

The weirdest things we learned this week: underwater horse videos, the call of the void, and an ill-fated, icy balloon trip

By Rachel Feltman

Pro basketball players’ synchronous movements might help us predict the next NBA champ

Pro basketball players’ synchronous movements might help us predict the next NBA champ

By Dana G. Smith

social isolation

Americans spend more time alone than ever—but that doesn’t mean we’re lonely

By Sara Konrath/The Conversation

beagle lying on carpet

A pet’s death can hurt more than losing a fellow human

You’re extremely gullible and there’s probably not much you can do about it

You’re extremely gullible and there’s probably not much you can do about it

By Lisa Fazio/The Conversation

IQ is a really stupid concept

IQ is a really stupid concept

By Sara Chodosh

a man reading a phone

Our brains love spreading lies all over the internet

By Rachel Feltman

The right kind of pessimism can have a positive effect on your life

The right kind of pessimism can have a positive effect on your life

By Fuschia Sirois/The Conversation

Thrill-seeking personalities can help Olympic athletes win gold

Thrill-seeking personalities can help Olympic athletes win gold

By Kenneth Carter/The Conversation