The Best Articles in Psychology
The most useful articles and videos in Psychology from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Psychology Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved in Psychology by Refind users in 2023 so far.
Videos
Watch a video to get a quick overview.
Authenticity and Purpose
Purpose is foundational at home and at work. When we can show up as our true selves in both of those places, that is authenticity. + + +Simon is an unshakabl...
Why you struggle to stay motivated.
Go to our sponsor https://betterhelp.com/aliabdaal for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen a...
How to win a negotiation, with former FBI hostage chief Chris Voss
Negotiation isn’t about logic & reason. It’s about emotional intelligence, explains former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss.Subscribe to Big Think on YouTub...
How we handle secrets from a young age. #shorts
We all have secrets. The average person has as many as 13 secrets at any given time. Usually, we hold secrets to protect something, such as our reputation or...
What is ...?
New to Psychology? These articles make an excellent introduction.
An Introduction to the Flynn Effect
Researchers studying the Flynn effect have found that scores on IQ tests have actually increased over time.
What Is the Dissociative Mind?
When we face overwhelming stress, disconnecting can be a coping skill.
What Is The Goal of Psychotherapy?
Is therapy's goal subjective happiness, objective well-being, or meaningfulness?
What is Self-Actualization? A Psychologist's Definition [+Examples]
This article discusses self-actualization, where self-actualization research stands today, and why self-actualization is important.
How to ...?
How to Improve Your Self-Esteem in 5 Minutes or Less
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.»
How to Stop Reassurance Seeking
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.»
How to break unhealthy habits: Stop obsessing over willpower and focus on routines
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.»
How to admit you’re wrong
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.»
How to be kinder to yourself
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:»
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds in Psychology on Refind.
What It Takes to Grow: Pioneering Psychoanalyst Karen Horney on the Key to Self-Realization
“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.»
Why We Forget That Most People Are Good
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»
How to overcome social anxiety
When even everyday social situations make you feel self-conscious and afraid, it’s time to try these well-tested techniques
How Mirror Neurons Explain Our Urge to Copy Others
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.»
The unbearable allure of cringe
What does secondhand embarrassment say about your own anxieties and biases?
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles in Psychology—all under 10 minutes.
Why we wait: Understanding the emotions behind procrastination
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»
The Priming Effect: How Expectations Become Reality
Can higher expectations actually create better outcomes? Here's what the priming effect is and how to use it to your benefit in business:
What Makes You Happy
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.»
Four Ways We Avoid Our Feelings—and What to Do Instead
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»
Small acts of kindness matter more than you think
Text a friend, write a thank-you note, compliment a stranger — people appreciate these gestures.
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles in Psychology.
How should we understand the weird experience of coincidence?
I am an unequivocal rationalist and yet I still want to see something strange and wonderful in life’s weird coincidences
New Neuroscience Reveals 7 Secrets That Will Make You Emotionally Intelligent
Being emotionally intelligent matters most during conflict. And if we master that, it can lead to very good results. Here's how to improve...
Building Habits Strategies To Try (After Failing To Build Habits In The Past)
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.»
What the Longest Study on Human Happiness Found Is the Key to a Good Life
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»
Life Is Hard. And That’s Good
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,”»
Thought Leaders
We monitor hundreds of thought leaders, influencers, and newsletters in Psychology, including:
Joshua Becker
Inspiring people to own less and live more at Becoming Minimalist. Founder of @TheHopeEffect. New book: Things That Matter: http://amzn.to/3CnseuR

Dan Ariely
Professor, Scientist, Bestselling Author, Experimentalist at heart.

Dr. David Ballard
Business and Psychology | Evidence-based strategies for employee well-being and organizational excellence. Former head of @APA's Office of Applied Psychology.

Aleks Krotoski 😷💙
Social psychologist. Pillowfort Productions. New: Real Money, the Hunt for Tether's Billions w@tortoise. Ongoing: @BBCRadio4's Digital Human. I drive electric.
Elemental
Wellness, backed aggressively by science. A new publication from @Medium. Find us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/elemental
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Psychology, including:
Aeon+Psyche
Aeon is a magazine of ideas and culture. Psyche is our sister magazine focused on the human condition. Visit http://aeon.co and http://psyche.co for more.
Ness Labs
The learning community for ambitious knowledge workers. Join us to think better, learn faster, and work happier: http://nesslabs.com/membership 🧠✨
Mark Manson
3x #1 NYTimes bestselling author. Best known for F-Bombs and uncomfortable truths. Giving life advice that doesn't suck since 2008.
Tiny Buddha
Get Tiny Buddha’s Inner Strength Journal: Creative Prompts & Challenges to Help You Get Through Anything: http://bit.ly/3amsm5Q
Greater Good
Your source for the Science of a Meaningful Life | Based @UCBerkeley | Home of the #happinesspod | Click link for more
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Who are the thought leaders in Psychology?
We follow dozens of thought leaders in Psychology, including Joshua Becker, Dan Ariely, Dr. David Ballard, Aleks Krotoski 😷💙, Elemental.
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