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

man sniffing his armpit

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

By Adiel Kaplan/Undark

coal power plant emitting smoke

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

By Eleanor Cummins

man eating fast food hamburger

Reverse your bad habits with just a handful of tiny changes

Should parents lie to kids about Santa Claus? We asked the experts.

Should parents lie to kids about Santa Claus? We asked the experts.

By Eleanor Cummins

a woman with her eyes closed listening to something with headphones

Listen to this shiver-inducing introduction to the science of ASMR

By Popular Science Team

embarrassed person

Why do other people’s embarrassing acts make us cringe?

By Benjamin Powers

kid eating cake

How your tongue tells your brain what you’re tasting

By Alex Schwartz

a clump of dried brown mushrooms

The FDA is fast-tracking a second psilocybin drug to treat depression

By Rachel Feltman

Jacques Kleynhans illustration

Why you’re powerless to ignore a crying baby

By Sara Chodosh

bench next to a path in the middle of a forest with sunlight shining through

Nature saves us trillions of dollars in healthcare

Veteran demand for mental healthcare is rising, but the VA isn’t prepared

By Purbita Saha

Kids these days only seem dumb if you think you’re a genius

Kids these days only seem dumb if you think you’re a genius

By Sara Kiley Watson

Baseball’s black magic: How psychology, math, and culture created a curse-ridden sport

Baseball’s black magic: How psychology, math, and culture created a curse-ridden sport

By Jessica Boddy

What astronaut diaries tell us about the perils of a mission to Mars

What astronaut diaries tell us about the perils of a mission to Mars

By Sarah Scoles

Super rodents, atomic math, and Marilyn Monroe: everything you need to know about moles

Super rodents, atomic math, and Marilyn Monroe: everything you need to know about moles

By Tom McNamara

DNA databases may deter criminals, but at what cost?

DNA databases may deter criminals, but at what cost?

By Oscar Schwartz/Undark

Despite appearances, your cat does love you

Despite appearances, your cat does love you

Why some experts are trying to redefine suicide

Why some experts are trying to redefine suicide

By Temma Ehrenfeld/Undark

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