The ‘contexual-binding theory’ suggests memories are easier to retrieve when your brain is in a similar context to when the memory was first formed. Food for thought if you’re cramming for an exam.
Despite its huge complexity, your brain directs its neural traffic in relatively straightforward ways when approaching cognitively demanding tasks such as puzzles.
We know that pigs or dogs will never understand prime numbers. Some philosophers think that concepts like consciousness are similarly inaccessible to humans.
Honeybees are good at maths, but it was thought they could only count to four. That is, unless you present them with a task in which they are punished with a bitter-tasting drink for getting it wrong.
Do you often forget where you put the keys or what you were looking for in the fridge? It’s not necessarily a sign of cognitive decline – it might just come down to being tired, stressed or worried.
There are reasons to be skeptical, of both the quality of the evidence presented so far and the questionable assumptions that underlie claims of improved cognitive function after brain training.
Workplaces the world over tune their thermostats to 22C, because this supposedly optimises mental performance. But the factors that underpin a productive office are much more complicated.
Even when everything’s going great in your relationship, you likely harbor some ambivalence toward your partner deep down. Psychology research suggests it’s not just OK, but normal.
Bee brains contain less than one million neurons. Despite this, new research shows the honeybee can use symbols to perform basic maths, including addition and subtraction.
Research suggests people intuitively draw a distinction between what is known and what is believed. Recognizing the difference can help in ideological disagreements.
Decades of psychological research suggests humans are rather irrational. But a new approach, borrowing an idea from artificial intelligence, challenges this notion.
Our everyday lives are full of decision dilemmas. To understand why we make particular choices, scientists investigate how our brain deals with uncertainty.