The Best Articles in Psychology

Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things…

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.

«Instead, we concoct more compelling explanations, like saying we drink coffee to ease our morning fog.»

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:»

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.»

Many diets fail because of emotional or psychological obstacles. These 3 tips will help you overcome them and stick to your diet for good.

«Hunger is what you feel when you need food. Craving is what you feel when you want food.»

Feeling conflicted can be even more distressing than feeling bad. Here’s how to manage it.

«Researchers in 2017 showed that people can find a deeper sense of purpose when contemplating both their happy and sad emotions about a particular occurrence»

There’s a simple science to contentment – it’s about reframing your time around life’s little pleasures. Read on for how to be happier.

For five years in a row, Finland has been ranked the No. 1 happiest country in the world. A Finnish philosopher and psychology expert shares the habits that make people in Finland so exceptionally…

«There's a famous line by a Finnish poet: "Kell' onni on, se onnen kätkeköön." Roughly translated, it means: Don't compare or brag about your happiness.»

A new field of psychology has begun to quantify an age-old intuition: Feeling awe is good for us.

«Francis Bacon, described wonder as “broken knowledge” — a facet of the human condition, in other words, that defied his scientific method»

The ancient philosopher Epicurus had some tips on how to be happier. And they're all about having fun. Here's what he had to say...

«Seek “Enough”: Satisfaction beats success. What we call “success” is often just slavery to Corrosive desires»

Motivation only starts to build again once we have taken the first steps and gained some momentum in our task. It's all about getting started and consistently taking action, making sure we get back on…

«three innate psychological needs which must be satisfied to enhance self-motivation and mental health: competence, autonomy and relatedness.»

Being resilient means that you are able to deal with challenges and overcome setbacks. Learn more about resilience and characteristics of resilient people.

«Some of the main characteristics of a person who has resilience are awareness, self-control, problem-solving skills, and social support. Resilient peopl»

In his 2022 book "Life is Hard", philosopher Kieran Setiya explores the nature of loneliness, and what people often misunderstand about it.

«To be friendless is to feel oneself shrinking, disappearing from the human world. We are made for love; and we are lost without it.»

Visuals for thought…

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.»

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,”»

Eight studies reveal a (possibly universal) bias in human imagination

«We figured that judgments must be built on comparisons: to say that something is bad is really to say that it’s worse than something else.»

Learn more about external validation. Why we crave it. Why it can be a good. And how to heal from constantly needing external validation.

Our world is awash with a rainbow of colours, but certain shades can have a surprising impact on our ability to concentrate, our mood and even our taste.

«And if you want a child to concentrate, you might consider painting a classroom in a vivid palette and so bolster their reading scores.»