The Best Articles in Psychology

Researchers studying the Flynn effect have found that scores on IQ tests have actually increased over time.

When we face overwhelming stress, disconnecting can be a coping skill.

Is therapy's goal subjective happiness, objective well-being, or meaningfulness?

This article discusses self-actualization, where self-actualization research stands today, and why self-actualization is important.

There are no quick fixes for low self-esteem: There’s no profound insight your therapist can give you that will suddenly improve your self-esteem There’s no secret mantra that will unlock your inner…

«If you spend your entire childhood learning that you’re not good enough or not lovable, that’s not something that’s going to change overnight.»

If you struggle with chronic anxiety, self-doubt, and low confidence, one of the hidden drivers could be a habit of reassurance seeking...

«surprise is an emotional amplifier: take any difficult emotion, add surprise, and the emotional intensity becomes much greater.»

Understanding and changing the environment in which habits form is a critical step when it comes to breaking unwanted behaviors and forming healthy ones.

«Another path to habit change involves friction: in other words, making it difficult to act on undesirable habits and easy to act on desirable ones.»

Admitting wrongdoing isn’t a failure, it’s an opportunity.

«Fetterman’s research shows admitting wrongness actually improves our reputation. By owning up to our errors, others see us as friendlier and more agreeable.»

Self-compassion techniques aren’t self-indulgent – they’ll tame your inner critic while helping you change for the better

«So I dedicated 10 minutes to sit down and reflect on the same questions I ask my clients to help them clarify their values. These were my answers:»

“Self-knowledge… is not an aim in itself, but a means of liberating the forces of spontaneous growth. In this sense, to work at ourselves becomes not only the prime moral obligation, bu…

«under the forces of convention and compulsion; it requires living amicably with who we have been in order to fully live into who we can be.»

It seems everyone thinks the world is full of terrible people. But in fact people are mostly good, even if we all have the capacity to be shitty to one another sometimes.

«researchers found that most of these online conflicts were not fought by those who started them. They were fought by the innocent bystanders»

When even everyday social situations make you feel self-conscious and afraid, it’s time to try these well-tested techniques

Ever notice how you slowly start talking and acting more like the people you spend the most time with? This phenomenon, known as "behavioural contagion,” can shape our actions and habits in powerful…

«Try to notice when your actions and reactions are truly original, or if you're simply acting out a pattern you've seen in the past.»

What does secondhand embarrassment say about your own anxieties and biases?

Procrastination is your body and your brain trying to communicate a state of emotional struggle. Ignoring that message leads to more negative emotions, but embracing procrastination and trying to…

«consider each emotion in the model to identify whether you’re procrastinating because the task is difficult, unclear, scary or tedious»

Can higher expectations actually create better outcomes? Here's what the priming effect is and how to use it to your benefit in business:

Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, became stuck in Antarctic ice. Before long it was crushed, ruined. Shackleton and his 27-man crew then spent 19 months – from January 1915 to August 1916 –…

«Happiness is a fleeting emotion, because it’s triggered by a contrast in circumstances, but you quickly adapt to whatever new circumstances you’re in.»

Avoiding our emotions is not good for our mental health. A psychologist explains how to break the habit and embrace your vulnerability.

«Identify where you feel the sensation; locate it precisely, one place at a time—not just “My muscles are tense,” but which ones and where»

Text a friend, write a thank-you note, compliment a stranger — people appreciate these gestures.

I am an unequivocal rationalist and yet I still want to see something strange and wonderful in life’s weird coincidences

Being emotionally intelligent matters most during conflict. And if we master that, it can lead to very good results. Here's how to improve...

Check these building habits strategies if you had problems with making habits stick in the past. They are especially useful for busy adults.

«Try to embrace the 2-day rule. That is, you never miss a habit you want in your life twice in a roll.»

The Harvard Study of Adult Development has established a strong correlation between deep relationships and well-being. The question is, how does a person nurture those deep relationships?

«Loneliness has a physical effect on the body. It can render people more sensitive to pain, suppress their immune system, diminish brain function, and disrupt sleep»

When the going gets tough, the tough get philosophical.

«The right perspective in which to think about grief is that it is a manifestation of persisting love,”»