Calorie counts on menus and food labels may not help consumers choose healthier foods, new research shows

Knowing how many calories a food contains has become a familiar part of eating. But it may muddy rather than clarify a person’s understanding of how healthy that food is.

Deidre Popovich, Associate Professor of Marketing, Texas Tech University • conversation
May 12, 2025 ~5 min

Feeling FOMO for something that’s not even fun? It’s not the event you’re missing, it’s the bonding

Across a series of studies, researchers dug into what really triggered FOMO – and what worked to fend it off.

Cindy Chan, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Toronto • conversation
April 2, 2025 ~8 min


The psychology behind anti-trans legislation: How cognitive biases shape thoughts and policy

Two social psychologists explain the ways unconscious biases influence how people think and can fuel discrimination against transgender people and other minority groups.

L. Alison Phillips, Professor of Psychology, Iowa State University • conversation
March 14, 2025 ~11 min

Can you sleep your way to better decision making? Here’s what the science says

The typical advice is to take a break and come back to the problem tomorrow with a fresh start.

Dan Denis, Lecturer in Psychology, University of York • conversation
Nov. 11, 2024 ~7 min

Bees have irrational biases when choosing which flowers to feed on − just like human shoppers do

Context, perceptions and expectations affect the choices both bees and people make.

Claire Therese Hemingway, Assistant Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee • conversation
Sept. 26, 2024 ~6 min

Why so many people drown at the water’s edge

Around 40% of drownings occur when people aren’t planning to be in the water, and men are 80% more likely to drown than women.

Jill Nash, Senior Lecturer, Bournemouth University • conversation
July 25, 2024 ~8 min

How to decide how to vote – a psychologist’s advice

Don’t ignore your emotions. They can be important clues as to how politicians are trying to sway you.

Smadar Cohen-Chen, Senior Lecturer in Social and Organisational Psychology, University of Sussex • conversation
June 26, 2024 ~6 min

Biden and Trump may forget names or personal details, but here is what really matters in assessing whether they’re cognitively up for the job

Decision-making abilities are critical to a president’s performance.

Leo Gugerty, Professor Emeritus in Psychology, Clemson University • conversation
June 10, 2024 ~11 min


Seven reasons more female leaders would be a positive step for the climate

Research shows that men and women have different perspectives on climate, with huge implications in terms of policymaking. For that reason, diverse leadership is essential.

Paola Profeta, Dean for Diversity Inclusion and Sustainability, Professor of Public Economics, Director of Axa Research Lab on Gender Equality, Bocconi University • conversation
March 7, 2024 ~7 min

AI could improve your life by removing bottlenecks between what you want and what you get

Life is full of hidden bottlenecks that result from logistical trade-offs between efficiency and your unique needs and desires. AI promises to change this taken-for-granted equation.

Bruce Schneier, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School • conversation
Dec. 21, 2023 ~10 min

/

3