Psychology

New Research

Grief May Not Make Artists Better

New research shows that bummed-out artists aren’t necessarily better ones

January 8, 2016

New Research

Dogs Mimic Each Other’s Expressions, Too

The behavioral findings hint that dogs, like humans, might be capable of their own form of empathy

December 22, 2015

New Research

These Parrots Use Pebbles as Tools to Grind up Seashells

Polly want a mineral supplement?

December 18, 2015

New Research

Finally There’s a Scientific Theory for Why Some Words are Funny

The science behind Dr. Seuss

December 7, 2015

New Research

Shock Waves May Create Dangerous Bubbles in the Brain

Lab experiments show how people who survive explosions may still carry cellular damage that can cause psychological problems

November 25, 2015

Cool Finds

The Hidden Costs of Having a Gifted Child

Exceptional talent in children can be a source of financial and emotional stress for parents who don’t feel equipped

November 17, 2015

New Research

Talking Is the Latest Tool for Battling Seasonal Depression

A large-scale study suggests that talk therapy may have longer-lasting benefits than light boxes for treating wintertime blues

November 5, 2015

New Research

People Who Believe in Ghosts Are More Fearful Overall

New research finds a link between paranormal beliefs and fears of things like natural disasters

October 30, 2015

Five Things We’ve Learned About Fear Since Last Halloween

Including why screams get our brain’s attention and why a drop of “love hormone” in our nose could make us less fearful

October 30, 2015

Can an App Help Detect Autism?

Duke University researchers are using facial expression-tracking technology to screen for autism spectrum disorders

October 21, 2015

New Research

Where Do Hallucinations Come From? It May Just Be What You’ve Seen

It may be our brains overriding what is there with what it expects to see, according to new research

October 19, 2015

The Innovative Spirit

New Software Makes Cyberbullies Think Twice

Teen programmer Trisha Prabhu created a program called ReThink to make cyberbullies reconsider before posting cruel messages

October 15, 2015

New Research

What’s Beautiful? It Depends on What Your Eyes Have Already Beheld

Opinions about beauty may be shaped just as much by past social interactions as by our genes

October 1, 2015

New Research

Babies Time Their Adorable Smiles to Manipulate Adults

By timing their grins, babies can get adults to grin

September 30, 2015

The Innovative Spirit

Can a Video Game Teach You to Manage Stress?

“Nevermind,” a video game controlled by a player’s heart rate, aims to help people deal with trauma

September 28, 2015

New Research

Reaching the End of a Task Makes People More Likely to Cheat

A study shows that when given a repetitive task and the ability to get away with cheating, people will be sneaky

September 17, 2015

New Research

Horror Films for Apes Are Teaching Scientists About Long-Term Memory

Eye tracking during scary shows helped scientists reveal that great apes can access memories of single significant events

September 17, 2015

“Hidden Brain” Podcast Will Make You Think Twice About Your Unconscious Mind

In the new NPR program, correspondent Shankar Vedantam connects rigorous science with people’s everyday experiences

September 4, 2015

New Research

Winning Really Does Taste Sweet, Because Emotions Change Taste Perception

A study of hockey fans sampling ice cream may offer clues to the origins of emotional eating disorders

September 3, 2015

New Research

Scientists Replicated 100 Psychology Studies, and Fewer Than Half Got the Same Results

The massive project shows that reproducibility problems plague even top scientific journals

August 27, 2015