Current reporting, research and professional developments across Psychology, curated for psychologists and behavioral-health professionals.
Updated June 30, 2026 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods Most relationship advice focuses on creating positive experiences together: date nights, vacations, shared hobbies, or meaningful conversations. But new research suggests…
A study of relationships uncovered a hidden pattern that keeps showing up in people's romantic lives.
Creatine is best known as a muscle-building supplement, but scientists are now investigating whether it could also help treat depression by boosting the brain's energy supply. A new review examined five randomized…
Why would anyone choose to feel fear? Researchers uncovered an unexpected psychological payoff.
The unconscious brain appears to be far more capable than scientists once believed. Researchers found that patients under general anesthesia could still process language at a sophisticated level, distinguishing nouns…
Far from being a luxury, cultivating joy, meaning and connection is a powerful route to a better life.
Researchers found that the happiest and unhappiest moments share something unexpected in common.
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical conceptsThis week’s question: Are there places on Earth…
It’s tempting to treat overwhelm with clever fixes – but that might be part of the problemAccording to my Instagram feed, I am not doing enough. Not spending enough, not saying enough, not taking enough care. I feel more…
Why do scary movies thrill some viewers and send others running for the hills? Our writer gets to the bottom of his fear of the genre – with the assistance of Freud, clinical researchers and his six-year-old selfI am six…
Ditch the old myth that only willpower drives success; a revolutionary psychological insight demonstrates that careful planning is the key to reaching your objectives. By formulating 'if-then' plans, ...
Scientists have mapped the self-reinforcing loops keeping young adults trapped in a cycle of poor sleep and low mood.
What if consciousness isn’t limited to brains like ours? Philosophers Eric Schwitzgebel and Jeremy Pober argue that consciousness could arise in many different forms of life, even in beings built from radically different…
Scientists have discovered a tiny group of neurons in an ancient brain region that acts like a built-in focus filter, helping the brain ignore distractions and zero in on what matters most. When researchers temporarily…
Unintentional injuries kill 20 US children every day. Building a family culture of safety can help them learn to make wise choices.
My ideal client is someone who knows that something in their life isn’t working as it should — perhaps they’re feeling ...
You know that being active during the day is good for your mind and body both now and in the long run. But just telling yourself ...
Motivation is less fragile than people think. More often, what causes it to fail is the result of years of gradual erosion caused by a very specific habit.
Parents and educators sometimes avoid having conversations about grief with children because they don’t know what to say. Here are some tips for how to approach it.
A new study suggests that learning and remembering speech relies more on how the brain processes sounds and sensations than on the areas that control mouth and face movements. The discovery could reshape speech therapy…
Guilt and shame from being rejected, discriminated against or bullied as a child can carry into adulthood. But making meaning from these experiences can help with healing.
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical conceptsReaders reply: Is ‘ripen at home’ fruit the…
As newborn neurons make their way through the developing brain, they must squeeze through incredibly tight spaces to reach their final destinations. Researchers discovered that this physical journey routinely causes some…
Psychology suggests that fathers who repair broken items instead of replacing them are rarely being cheap or stubborn. More often, they are preserving something far greater than the object itself. In ...
Of all the characteristics we might prize in a leader – competence, integrity, careful judgment, ethical courage – why do people rate charisma so highly?
A sport psychologist takes a look at disruption, tactical creativity and controlled mind-wandering in the modern game.
Rest can feel uncomfortable when society treats effort as evidence of commitment.
Big decisions are messier than they look, but there are things you can try before taking the leap – or not.
To the designer Susan Kare, designing icons was about solving ‘the little puzzle of making an image fit a metaphor’. Forty years later, that challenge remains.
Exposure to a common plastic chemical before and shortly after birth may have lasting effects on behavior. Researchers found that male rats exposed early in life to DEHP—a plasticizer used in products ranging from…
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