Psychology

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

Latest in Psychology

two donkeys looking directly at the camera in a green field with a blue sky

Why using a donkey to treat whooping cough makes sense

By Laura Baisas

a mom and daughter camping with their dog. a tall mountain is in the foreground

Pet dogs can help teens’ mental health

By Laura Baisas

A dramatic, low-light photo of a person with dark skin against a blue background, experiencing intense distress or pain. They are clenching their jaw and holding their hands to the sides of their head, with blurred motion around their head suggesting movement, panic, or disorientation.

What happens to your body during a panic attack?

a scared man with several dental tools in his mouth

Quieter dental drills may be on the horizon

By Laura Baisas

a chimpanzee in green grass

Chimpanzees shock biologists with rational thinking

By Margherita Bassi

a family talking around the dinner tableSkynesher via Getty Images

Science confirms hand gestures make you seem more persuasive

By Margherita Bassi

Golden retriever sitting on couch in front of laptop

Golden retrievers and humans share ‘striking’ genetic similarities

A white woman with brown hair wearing a grey sweater and yellow coat holds of a pine branch to her nose and smells. She seems to be walking down a sidewalk. There's an out of focus wire fence behind her and what looks like a street to her left. She looks happy and content as she smells the pine branch. There are more out of focus pine trees and branches behind her.

Why smelling a pine tree can instantly lift your mood

By Jennifer Byrne

an illustration of a baby, a young woman, and adult woman, and an elderly woman walking

Your brain changes at 9, 32, 66, and 83

By Laura Baisas

Man listening to headphones while writing at desk

Humans sync their blinks and brain waves to a song’s beat

Man with his head down on his desk in front of laptop from stress

The 100 life decisions people dread most, according to psychologists

a catering table set up with large plates of food

Gastronomists study 100 years of menus to reveal food’s political power

By Laura Baisas

Playful young woman hiding face under blanket while lying in cozy bed, pretty curious girl feeling shy peeking from duvet, covering with white sheet, head shot close up. Top view

4 research-backed ways to beat the winter blues in the colder months

By Gio Dolcecore / The Conversation

A vintage photo collage featuring an oval cut-out image of seven people—three men and four women, who appear to be young college students—dressed in 1920s-era clothing. They are standing close together and looking at the camera. The background is a texture of yellowed, old newsprint with blurred text about a sleep experiment.

In 1925, seven students went 60 hours without sleep—for science

By Bill Gourgey

A close-up photograph of a young girl's face peering out from under a large, white duvet or blanket. She is lying in bed, holding the blanket close to her chin, and has a frightened expression. The background is dark, emphasizing the light on her face.

Why you ‘see’ things in the dark, according to an ophthalmologist

By Diana Hubbell

A panoramic, dark, and eerie photograph of a dense forest shrouded in thick fog or mist. The trees are tall and silhouetted, with a single, dark, cloaked figure standing in a patch of brighter light at the center of the path, creating a spooky and mysterious atmosphere.

What Americans fear most in 2025

Group of people speaking in conference room, out of focus image

Men speak with a vocal fry just as much as women

A photograph of a young couple sitting close together in a dark movie theater, looking scared or startled during a film. The man on the left has his hands covering part of his face, grimacing, while the woman next to him is covering her face with one hand. They are sharing a large bucket of popcorn.

Is fear contagious?

By Sarah Philip

Woman leaning back in office chair at desk looking out window

Deep sighs are not only satisfying—they’re healthy

Dubai chocolate is a dessert prepared with milk and dark chocolate, roasted shredded wheat, pistachio paste and tahini.

Why foods like Dubai chocolate go viral