Psychology

Americans See Scientists As Smart, But Not Trustworthy

Scientists, along with lawyers and engineers, are viewed as competent but lacking in warmth

Dreams Escalate in Weirdness As the Night Wears On

Early in the night our dreams are grounded in reality, but by the end, anything goes

As soon as Wonder Woman appeared in Sensation Comics, beginning with her cover debut in 1942, she caused a stir. "Wonder Woman is not sufficiently dressed," one bishop groused.

The Surprising Origin Story of Wonder Woman

The history of the comic-book superhero's creation seven decades ago has been hidden away—until now

This Website Wants to Make Your Major Life Decisions for You

The site could help people who just want their decisions validated or who honestly have no idea what to do with themselves

Dog Movies Create Ten-Year Spikes in Breeds' Popularity

"Lassie" alone led to a 40 percent increase in the number of border collies that families adopted

When We're Lonely, Inanimate Faces Come Alive

Our minds are less particular about the source of comfort when we are craving contact with others

Why Networking Can Make You Feel Dirty

Pursuing relationships to forward your career aspirations triggers a sense of moral disgust

Cockatoos Learn to Use Tools by Watching Each Other

With a teacher, Goffin cockatoo learn to use new tools more quickly

Why Environmentalists Should Keep Quiet About Geoengineering

If it seems like there's a technological fix, people lose interest in helping

The Brain Will Go to Amazing, Sometimes Scary Lengths to Preserve Its Self-Constructed Narrative

Your life narrative gives meaning to chaos

Action Movies Encourage Charged-Up Viewers to Overeat

People watching action flicks ate nearly twice as much as those viewing a talk show

A protestor holding his hands up chants "Hands up, don't shoot" as SWAT police unit stands guard during protests against police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, the United States, around midnight of Aug. 18, 2014.

Walking in Formation Makes Men Feel More Powerful

Men who walk in lockstep see outsiders as less threatening

A wolf yawning in the snow near Hesse, Germany.

Yawning Spreads Like a Plague in Wolves

Evidence of contagious yawning in chimps, dogs and now wolves suggests that the behavior is linked to a mammalian sense of empathy

How do you want to behave today?

Give Someone a Virtual Avatar and They Adopt Stereotype Behavior

People behave differently depending on the appearance of their digital avatar

Why You Look Like Your Dog

It's all in the eyes

The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Not Real

The biggest meta-analysis of research to date indicates that practice does not make perfect

Our Personalities Are Most Stable in Mid-Life

In some ways, our 80-year-old selves mirror our 20-year-old selves

Losing Weight Makes People Healthy—But Not Necessarily Happy

The relationship between losing weight and being happy is not at all straightforward

This Mathematical Equation Predicts Momentary Happiness

Keeping your expectations low, it seems, is key to achieving fleeting satisfaction

Suicide Risk Could Soon Be Predicted Through a Blood Test

Elevated levels of stress-related chemicals in the body seem to correlate with suicide

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