Psychology

I Stopped Drinking Before I Could Stop Lying

By Sarah Levy

What Curse Words Share Across Languages

By Jeffrey Kluger

6 Ways to Give Better Gifts—Based on Science

By Angela Haupt

The Tricky Truths Behind America’s Mood-Perception Gap

By Karl Vick
More in Psychology

How to Actually Change Someone's Mind

Go in calm, practice empathy, and open the door to introspection.

By Angela Haupt

Ambition Is Out

Why some people are renouncing ambition in the workplace—and what they're embracing instead

By Jamie Ducharme

How Listening to Silence Changes Our Brains

Quiet is increasingly scarce in the modern world.  But growing evidence shows that we need it for our health and cognition. 

By Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz

How Psychology Can Help Fight Climate Change

Experts at the American Psychological Association's meeting explain how psychology can change minds about climate crises.

By Angela Haupt

Why Online Shopping Makes You So Happy

Experts explain the psychology behind online shopping—and tips to show restraint.

By Angela Haupt

Love Languages Actually Do Improve Your Relationship

Research links relationship satisfaction to whether partners use each other's preferred love language.

By Angela Haupt

8-Month-Old Babies Recognize Wrongdoers and Seek to Punish Them

The new study suggests morality is innate

By Jeffrey Kluger

Why We Remember Music and Forget Everything Else

Psychologists say it's no surprise that we have such a strong memory for music and can easily recall lyrics and melodies, even if we haven’t heard them in years.

By Nayantara Dutta

Why Do We Turn to the Word 'Surreal' During Disasters

Following the terror attacks that took place Sept. 11, 2001, people across the country began searching Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary for the same word. The word was not “rubble,” or “triage,” or even “terrorism,” but “surreal.”...

By Jess McHugh

Darwin, Expression, and the Harmful Legacy of Eugenics

After mapping facial musculature, Darwin went on to create a study that spanned species, temperament, age, and gender

By Jessica Helfand / The MIT Press Reader

Why Some People Love Black Friday—and Others Hate It, According to Psychologists

Including ways for you to comfortably participate in the bargains

By Michael Breazeale, Mississippi State University / The Conversation

Why Are You So Afraid of Clowns? Here's What Psychologists Say

"There's this inherent mistrust"

By Megan McCluskey

The Science Behind Why People Gossip—And When It Can Be a Good Thing

Gossip. All humans partake in some form, despite the age-old adage, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Whether it’s workplace chatter, the sharing of family news or group texts...

By Sophia Gottfried

How Bullying May Shape Adolescent Brains

The findings echo previous research, which demonstrated similar changes from neglect or abuse by caregivers

By Rod McCullom / Undark

Conspiracy Theories Might Sound Crazy, But Here’s Why Experts Say We Can No Longer Ignore Them

Conspiracy theories, both powerful and enduring, can wreak havoc on society. In recent years, fringe ideas prompted a gunman to storm a Washington, D.C. pizzeria and may have motivated another to fatally shoot 11 worshippers...

By Melissa Chan

Here's Why Area 51 Conspiracy Theories Are So Popular

'There's a thin crust of rationality over a molten core of crazy'

By Jeffrey Kluger
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