Embarrassed? Why this feeling might actually be good for you

Embarrassment is a universal, visceral and oddly contagious emotion that has importance socially and psychologically.

Laura Elin Pigott, Senior Lecturer in Neurosciences and Neurorehabilitation, Course Leader in the College of Health and Life Sciences, London South Bank University • conversation
June 23, 2025 • ~7 min

Anger is a flow of emotion like water through a hose − at work, it helps to know when to turn it up or down and how to direct it

By thinking of the flow of anger, you can unpack its key dimensions: its path and intensity. Is the stream pointed effectively? Is its strength appropriate?

Ray Friedman, Professor of Management and Professor of Asian Studies, Vanderbilt University • conversation
March 6, 2025 • ~8 min

Emotions change our perception of time – as demonstrated on The Traitors

In moments of high emotion we lose track of time.

Ruth Ogden, Professor of the Psychology of Time, Liverpool John Moores University • conversation
Jan. 24, 2025 • ~6 min

Awkwardness can hit in any social situation – here are a philosopher’s 5 strategies to navigate it with grace

Awkwardness is what happens in social interactions when you suddenly find yourself without a script to guide you through.

Alexandra Plakias, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Hamilton College • conversation
Nov. 22, 2024 • ~7 min

Some people love to scare themselves in an already scary world − here’s the psychology of why

Scary movies and haunted houses can actually be a coping mechanism that helps you survive.

Sarah Kollat, Teaching Professor of Psychology, Penn State • conversation
Oct. 18, 2024 • ~9 min

Mixed emotions – neuroscience is exploring how your brain lets you experience two opposite feelings at once

Bittersweet experiences aren’t uncommon. Do people ever truly feel both positive and negative at the same exact moment, or do we just switch quickly back and forth?

Anthony Gianni Vaccaro, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Psychology, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences • conversation
Sept. 23, 2024 • ~9 min

What is love? A philosopher explains it’s not a choice or a feeling − it’s a practice

What makes a relationship last when feelings fade or circumstances change? Can you force yourself to love someone you hate or don’t care about?

Edith Gwendolyn Nally, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Missouri-Kansas City • conversation
July 29, 2024 • ~9 min

Are you really in love? How expanding your love lexicon can change your relationships and how you see yourself

Words have power, and what vocabulary you have at your disposal to describe your relationships with other people can shape what directions those relationships can take.

Georgi Gardiner, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Fellow of the University of Tennessee Humanities Center (UTHC), University of Tennessee • conversation
Feb. 12, 2024 • ~10 min

Anger, sadness, boredom, anxiety – emotions that feel bad can be useful

Lots of people will do a lot to avoid feeling negative emotions. But researchers are figuring out how these unpleasant feelings actually have benefits.

Heather Lench, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University • conversation
Feb. 8, 2024 • ~9 min

Why do people have different tastes in music? A music education expert explains why some songs are universally liked, while others aren't

Lots of factors can influence your music taste, from your age and where you’re from to the personality traits you have.

Jane Kuehne, Associate Professor of Music Education, Auburn University • conversation
Jan. 22, 2024 • ~8 min

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