Go ahead, enjoy your memes – they really do help ease pandemic stress

Social media during the pandemic is not all doom scrolling and despair. Lighter memes have psychological benefits.

Jessica Myrick, Professor of Media Studies, Penn State • conversation
Nov. 2, 2021 ~6 min

New research suggests cat and dog 'moms' and 'dads' really are parenting their pets – here's the evolutionary explanation why

Human beings evolved to nurture – and that drive can extend to children who aren’t your own and even to members of other species.

Shelly Volsche, Clinical Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Boise State University • conversation
Oct. 28, 2021 ~9 min


From Tarantino to Squid Game: why do so many people enjoy violence?

We may not be attracted to movie violence as much as people think.

Simon McCarthy-Jones, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Trinity College Dublin • conversation
Oct. 27, 2021 ~9 min

A quick guide to climate change jargon – what experts mean by mitigation, carbon neutral and 6 other key terms

The language around climate change can feel overwhelming. A psychology and public policy expert breaks it down in plain English.

Wändi Bruine de Bruin, Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology and Behavioral Science, USC Price School of Public Policy, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences • conversation
Oct. 26, 2021 ~10 min

What causes ADHD and can it be cured?

Even when the condition lasts a lifetime, there are behavioral treatments and prescription drugs that make it easier for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to thrive.

Gregory Fabiano, Professor of Psychology, Florida International University • conversation
Oct. 25, 2021 ~7 min

People use mental shortcuts to make difficult decisions – even highly trained doctors delivering babies

It’s human nature to unconsciously rely on quick rules to help make spur-of-the-moment decisions. New research finds physicians use these shortcuts, too, which can be bad news for some patients.

Manasvini Singh, Assistant Professor of Health Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst • conversation
Oct. 14, 2021 ~10 min

Do you really need more petrol, or toilet paper? There are better ways to take control in a crisis

As continued panic buying will only perpetuate any fuel shortages, it’s important to think about what can be done to curb it.

Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, Reader in Consumer Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University • conversation
Oct. 1, 2021 ~5 min

Changing your mind about something as important as vaccination isn't a sign of weakness – being open to new information is the smart way to make choices

People tend to stick with their stated beliefs. But here’s how external forces like vaccine mandates can push people to do something they don’t want to do – and provide some face-saving cover.

Art Markman, Professor of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts • conversation
Sept. 23, 2021 ~8 min


Work-life balance: what really makes us happy might surprise you

Tipping the scales away from work may not be the wisest way to recalibrate your work-life balance.

Lis Ku, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, De Montfort University • conversation
Sept. 22, 2021 ~7 min

Psychological 'specialness spirals' can make ordinary items feel like treasures – and may explain how clutter accumulates

Have you ever bought an item and then just not gotten around to using it because the time never felt right? New studies suggest an explanation for what researchers call nonconsumption.

Jacqueline Rifkin, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Missouri-Kansas City • conversation
Sept. 22, 2021 ~7 min

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