To compensate for unmet social needs, people project lifelike qualities onto objects to feel connected. But this doesn’t fully meet people’s needs, so they collect more and more objects.
Missing a meal can certainly push you toward a bad mood. But new research identifies in what kind of situations hunger is most likely to tip toward hanger.
People with congenital heart disease are at greater risk of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Scientists are beginning to discover why.
Artūrs Logins, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
If you’re committed to a belief, it’s hard to let go. Psychology and philosophy provide different ways to think about how skeptics respond to counterevidence.
Dehumanizing insults have become more common in political discourse. Psychology research has shown that they can prime us for violence – and even change our brains.
Does your child hate their visits to the pediatrician? Do they psyche themselves into a panic that the shot will hurt? The best strategy to calm an anxious child may be to reframe their expectations.
Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation; Michael Lund, The Conversation; Wes Mountain, The Conversation, dan Julie Carli, The Conversation
The explainer episode
The Conversation, CC BY67,5 MB(download)
Today on Trust me, I'm An Expert, we're explaining the tricky topics: what is quantum mechanics? What does the research say about lone actor terrorism? And why do people like pimple popping videos?
Positive emotions, such as passion, have an established foothold in airport books on great leadership and executive coaching seminars. However, overemphasising “positive” emotions can be problematic.
Few can resist an assessment that promises to reveal your hidden, true self. But new research suggests that people mistakenly believe difficult to answer questions offer deep insights.
Alberto Cardaci, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Catholic University of Milan
Under some circumstances, people may feel wealthier than they actually are and this makes them psychologically more prone to increase their spending, as well as their borrowing.
Though the World Health Organization has declared “gaming disorder” an addiction, its – and others’ – concerns about technology use and alleged addiction don’t hold up to scholarly scrutiny.