Articles tagged with psychology

New research suggests less-creative people do more innovative thinking when they are told individualism is the norm, and instructed to conform.

A lot of people say they watch the Super Bowl mostly for the ads. But it turns out a good game surrounding those ads makes them seem better.

How to spot thrill-seeking men on the dance floor, “sweet” personalities in public, and bidding fever on eBay.

New research finds problems that require a flash of illumination to solve are best approached during the time of day when you’re not at your peak.

Politicians take note: Research shows the fine line between claiming regret and taking responsibility.

New research suggests the mere idea of an encounter with a woman can impair men’s cognitive performance.

How hard is it to design a humanlike robot? Harvard’s Steven Pinker highlights how simple human accomplishments represent formidable robotics challenges.

New research finds we’re better able to identify genuinely creative ideas when they’ve emerged from the unconscious mind.

New research from France finds students learned more when a videotaped lecture was underscored with classical music.

New research from Germany finds honing one’s music or sports skills enhances at least one important mental ability.

New research from Norway finds a steep drop in interest in art, literature and classical music among college students between 1998 and 2008.

Research finds child sex-abuse victims discuss their experiences in greater detail after drawing a picture of the traumatic events.

Psychologists tie the reluctance to protest Wall Street bailouts to a deep-seated need to justify the status quo.

New research suggests details of decisive games fade more quickly from the memories of the losing team’s fans.

New research finds we’re more likely to believe a piece of false information conveyed in a television drama after two weeks have passed.

Reparative or conversion therapy’s efforts to “pray away the gay” come a cropper when examined with a skeptical eye.

Data from major soccer tournaments suggest a sports team’s history of failure can impact the performance of players — even those who didn’t participate in the futile earlier effort.

When signs prohibiting certain behaviors are blatantly ignored, it inspires others to act in antisocial ways.

New research from Britain finds music lovers are increasingly crossing genres, but they remain divided in their tastes.

A look at 25 NHL seasons finds players wearing black jerseys receive more penalty minutes than those wearing white.

New research finds we tend to perceive negative emotions in the partially covered face of a veiled woman.

The new science of optogenetics is amending neuroscience’s focus on cutting and chemicals to shine a light directly on the brain.

Researchers report that reading literature depicting aggression can impact how those readers respond to provocation.

Newly published research suggests lactation increases aggression.

When it comes to classical pianists like Yuja Wang, what you see influences what you hear.

Is your co-worker gay — or are you unsure? The answer could impact your job performance.

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful — and the subject of much research after a hundred years in existence.

New research explains how feelings of boredom can both strengthen solidarity within your in-group and heighten hostility toward outsiders.

A study finds girls’ stress levels decrease after speaking with mom, but not after text messaging.

Studies looking at the brains of people playing a fairness game found very different responses between Buddhist meditators and other participants.

New research finds people who feel a strong connection with their social group are more likely to dehumanize outsiders.

A new study finds nearly three-quarters of Americans remain “very in love” after a decade of marriage.

The golden rule has some effectiveness as a therapeutic tool, even in treating combat stress.

It may not be recognized by the AMA, but nature deficit disorder is raising Cain with children in the industrialized world — and it can be fought.

A framework for what motivates rigidity among politicians helps explain the current debt ceiling debate and suggests how to resolve it.

Despite its martial traditions, Germany has lagged in coming to grips with post-traumatic stress disorder.

New research recording physiological reactions of museum-goers suggests we respond to art with our bodies as well as our brains.

“If everybody had an ocean …” perhaps Western militaries could start addressing cases of combat stress without medication, trading hang fire for hang 10.

A Midwestern university experiments in teaching empathy not merely through classroom curriculum, but by having students live the lives of the working poor.

A widely read 2009 study described a decline in self-reported well-being among American women. Newly published research finds this trend also holds true for men.

Allergan lowers BMI requirement and raises questions about its effectiveness and appropriateness.

A glimpse at the epigenetics of post-traumatic stress disorder suggests that the physical markers for PTSD may show up across generations.

New research finds grocery shoppers who carry grocery baskets are more likely to purchase unhealthy food than those pushing a shopping cart.

New research links creativity with lower levels of honesty and humility.

The hippocampus, a structure inside the brain, shrinks after psychological trauma, which hints that a pharmaceutical cure may address post-traumatic stress disorder.

New research suggests men lose status if their supervisor holds a position traditionally occupied by a member of the opposite sex.

“Project Nim,” a documentary film examining the story of Nim Chimpsky, a chimpanzee who learned to communicate with people using sign language, reveals more about people than other primates.

New research from Finland finds people with a high BMI take longer to notice hidden food items.

A clear consensus exists among researchers that playing violent video games is a risk factor for aggressive attitudes and behavior.

New research finds a link between long-term party affiliation and the prospect of being drafted into the Vietnam War.

What prompts people to share information? New research suggests catalysts can include anxiety, amusement — or even a brisk walk.

New warning labels will begin to adorn cigarette packs and advertisements. For some smokers, death-related warnings actually increase cigarettes’ appeal.

New research finds women can better judge whether a man is straight as they approach peak ovulation — or are in a romantic mood.

British researchers report on one promising way to get more people to agree to donate their organs after death.

A study of 9-month-old babies found they prefer the brighter paintings of Picasso to the subtle shadings of Monet.

Accidental death rates are higher in states where challenges to one’s masculinity are taken seriously.

Philosophers’ views on freedom and moral responsibility are influenced by inherited personality traits. If they can’t be objective, can anyone?

Did you see that movie about the moron? If so, it may have negatively impacted your own intelligence, according to new research from Austria.

A study of contestant behavior on the popular game show “Jeopardy!” suggests women tend to hedge their bets when facing male opponents.

New research from Israel suggests exposure to sarcasm may enhance creative thinking.

Sports fans control more of what happens on the court or on the field than they realize. Now if they could just applaud good decisions over flashy bad ones.

New research finds people primed to think in terms of action are more certain of their opinions and less likely to seek out dissenting views.

New research reveals why food labeled “healthy” is unsatisfying.

New research finds moral disgust can elicit a physical reaction, changing our evaluation of a beverage.

Canadian researchers report floating in an isolation tank increased the technical skill level of young jazz players.

Angry citizens, new research confirms, are motivated citizens. But they are not motivated to seek out new information. But anxious citizens do.

Brain-scan research from Mexico suggests women’s neural systems respond more robustly to images that evoke compassion.

With cellphones increasingly dominating every aspect of U.S. life, some researchers are wondering what happens when we go cold turkey.

Whether it’s Osama’s death throes or Obama’s birthplace, a wealth of academic research shows that people believe today what they believed yesterday — even increasingly outlandish conspiracy theories.

A raft of potentially therapeutic pharmaceuticals got left on the shelf in the backlash against the 1960s recreational drug explosion. Researchers are raising their own consciousness about which psychedelics might have real value.

New research suggests white audiences tend to stay away from movies featuring minorities due to the assumption that they are not the films’ intended audience.

Researchers debating the effect of “leadership decapitation” of terrorist organizations have come to very different conclusions.

New research suggests being informed of one’s environmental footprint can have the opposite of the intended effect.

Law professor Robert Benson — part of the panel that offered Frank Gehry the first big commission to draw international attention to his architecture in 1979 — talks to the world-class architect about the benefits of “creative play.”

New research links the cost of community college tuition rates with drinking and drug use by teenagers.

New research suggests people are more likely to endorse conspiracy theories if they would be willing to personally participate in such a conspiracy.

Impediments to easy understanding — hard-to-read fonts, hard-to-follow lectures and lessons that are all too soon forgotten — may be the key to really learning something.

New research from Singapore suggests touching a stuffed animal can counteract the tendency of ostracized people to engage in antisocial behavior.

What constitutes torture? New research finds the answer varies with the level of pain one is currently feeling.

New research finds a shift in emphasis in pop song lyrics over the decades, from “we” to “me.”

New research suggests people reject evolutionary theory because, as a way to think about life and death, it doesn’t provide the emotional solace we seek.

A psychology study from Hong Kong suggests that, among men, the impulses to make love and war are deeply intertwined.

Academics come to semantic blows over challenging the baby boom orthodoxy that physical punishment for children is always a bad idea.

New Harvard University research suggests childhood memories stimulate selflessness.

New research from Australia suggests Facebook users are more extroverted and narcissistic than Internet users not plugged into the social network.

Those tone-deaf belters humiliating themselves for our amusement help explain why we think we’re better than the experts.

New research finds even nonexperts can differentiate between masterful abstract art and similar works painted by a child or an animal. See for yourself with our enclosed art quiz.

New research suggests e-mail is an all-too-effective way of spreading false political rumors.

New research finds Republicans scoff at “global warming,” but are much more receptive to the notion of “climate change.”

New research finds the well-documented link between religiosity and happiness applies only to those whose faith is robust.

New research suggests women turn down offers of casual sex for one good reason: They suspect — with some reason — they won’t enjoy it.

Where a name appears in the alphabet may help explain how someone responds to waiting.

Is IBM’s Watson on the verge of human-like intelligence?

Forty may be the new 30, but young people don’t take kindly to elders trying to pass for their peers.

In the recessionary times, it rings true that the best places to work don’t always offer the biggest paychecks or the most pingpong tables.

New research finds when we make amends to assuage our guilt, a third party often pays the price.

We can learn from Ray Allen, Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, even if we can never hope to beat them on the court.

An evolutionary theorist provides evidence that intelligent individuals are more likely to enjoy purely instrumental music.

New research suggests watching local television news leads to fatalistic beliefs regarding cancer.

What’s one way to convert climate change skeptics? By making them sweat.

Every January we’re treated to a display of superstitious rites that lie forgotten the rest of the year.

New research finds physical suffering reduces feelings of guilt.

Studies find a decline in Asian-American students’ success once they move away from home and go to college.

Does the Tiger Mother get it right? While some view Asian-Americans as pushy, stressing their children into exceptional achievement, research doesn’t bear out that stereotype.

A study of football fans finds that when we desire a given outcome, we are biased to believe it will occur.

Researchers find marriages tend to be more satisfying for both spouses when the wife is thinner than the husband.

New research finds using bargain-brand products may deflate your self-image.

Although it’s fun and science-y to know how the physical brain parses data, most of us really should be more interested in what the mind is doing.

Newly published research finds people give more generously to relief efforts following natural disasters, effectively penalizing the people caught up in man-made catastrophes.

Rather than accepting or rejecting controversial findings — like Daryl Bem’s upcoming paper on ESP — based on preconceived notions, how about approaching them with scientific scrutiny?

Researchers find physical elevation seems to trigger pro-social behavior.

A look at swimmers competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics concludes they gave their best performances when their efforts were essential for a team win.

Newly published research suggests keeping a potential romantic partner guessing can pique his or her interest.

Miller-McCune’s Web editor loves all of his progeny, especially these — and these, and those.

New books “Self Comes to Mind” and “On Second Thought” examine the origins of consciousness, and the unconscious pulls that influence our behavior.

A new look at classic 19th-century novels reveals an understanding of behavior that largely mirrors the findings of modern psychological research.

Chess player Bobby Fischer’s tortured life illustrates why promising young talents deserve better support programs.

Retired military officers consistently report better health than their lower-ranking counterparts.

Research shows the names of Israeli military campaigns are cleverly designed to push the citizenry’s emotional buttons.

White college students exposed to images of a Confederate flag judged a black person more harshly and expressed less willingness to vote for Barack Obama in 2008.

Miller-McCune.com’s resident skeptic, just as you might expect of a Scorpio, will have no truck with horoscopes or astrology.

A startling proportion of the population, the existentially indifferent, demonstrates little concern for meaning in their lives.

Participants in a study were far more likely to “remember” a fictional news event when a headline was accompanied by a tangentially relevant photograph.

Researchers find that assuming a powerful body position helps you feel powerful, act more self-confident and raise testosterone.

The people who jumped to their death from the Golden Gate Bridge over the past decade are significantly older than their counterparts of a generation ago.

New research finds physically attractive people are viewed both more positively and more accurately.

The way Americans often squirm when terms like race and diversity are introduced suggests that even many best-intentioned approaches to these defining issues are all wrong.

Disney’s animated films perpetuate the stereotype that beautiful people are smart, superior and successful, according to new research.

An evolutionary psychologist proposes a new framework for understanding the root causes of our political beliefs.

Mythology aside, not everyone who listened to that famous ‘War of the Worlds’ radio broadcast went bonkers.

New psychological research finds credit cards make people more likely to bolster their fragile egos by purchasing luxury items.

New research suggests one reason our political discourse is so loud and angry: Planting seeds of doubt leads people to more vigorously advocate for their cherished beliefs.

A design researcher suggests people look for the same qualities in products as they do in their partners.

Fad dieting failures reveal Americans attitudes toward food and themselves.

New research finds confronting a man about his sexist language can have surprisingly positive results.

New research finds the elderly have a psychological incentive to embrace cultural conservatism: Such beliefs prop up their self-esteem.

Women are more likely to engage in problematic shopping behaviors during certain times in their menstruation cycle, according to newly published research.

For men and women in leadership positions usually occupied by the other gender, a single mistake is seen as evidence of incompetence.

New research finds that, under certain conditions, a dip in self-confidence can increase one’s performance level.

New research finds we trust experts who agree with our own opinions, suggesting that subjective feelings override scientific information.

Newly published research finds men are as willing as women to apologize. But they’re less likely to believe a particular incident warrants contrition.

A new study of factors that contribute to a film’s popularity suggests the sex appeal of stars outweighs identification with the lead character.

New research finds Jewish-American families are more likely than those of other faiths to give to charities focusing on basic needs such as food and shelter.

When the world turns its mean side to the public, rumors amplified in the Internet/cable news age often slip past our critical thinking skills.

German researchers, analyzing the content of text messages sent on 9/11/01, report that while sadness and anxiety levels remained stable through the day, anger steadily increased.

A sense one’s life has meaning increases one’s allure in social situations, according to new research.

Social scientists have determined that desperation is a poor substitute for the bandwagon in getting the base out on Election Day.

Want to get those creative juices flowing? Try having someone scowl at you.

Recent scholarship and popular journalism both suggest an unappealing future for American boys: You’re screwed.

Flight attendants benefited emotionally when their primary focus shifted from courtesy to safety, a new paper suggests. Steven Slater may be an extreme example of that ability to unwind.

New research links diabetic symptoms with a reduced likelihood of forgiving others.

Researchers report effects of the “trust hormone” get negated when a partner is perceived as dishonest.

New research shows that consumers identify with and choose brands they see as the underdog.

A new study reveals that the color red makes men more alluring to women.

New research from France finds restaurant patrons exposed to music with pro-social lyrics are more likely to leave tips.

A new study compares teachers’ assessments of schoolchildren with interviews given by those same people as adults. It suggests our personalities are pretty much set early on.

If something has been around longer, it must be better. New research suggests we hold onto that bias even in instances where quality has nothing to do with longevity.

New research suggests one reason women are underrepresented in science and math is they see such careers as impeding their desire to help others.

New research suggests viewing the television drama ‘Lie to Me’ increases suspicion of others, but lessens one’s ability to detect lies.

New research suggests men opt for foods associated with a masculine identity — even if it means passing up something they prefer.

What are the fundamental forces that drive human behavior? A group of evolutionary thinkers offer an answer by revising one of psychology’s most familiar images.

A new study from — where else? — France suggests listening to love songs may increase women’s receptivity to amorous advances.

A researcher finds focusing on humans rather than animals helps students grasp some of the fundamental concepts of evolutionary theory.

How you ask, what you ask and when you ask can all affect what you get in conducting polls.

Assuming the role of a violent policeman in a video game softens one’s judgment of police brutality in real life.

New research suggests the use of red ink by teachers to correct students’ work may result in harsher evaluations.

Hand washing may help us emotionally disconnect from past decisions. But it may also increase feelings of moral superiority.

Evolutionary theory suggests younger siblings take more risks. New research finds that is true — at least on the baseball diamond.

New research suggests compassion helps buffer women against the physical consequences of emotional stress.

New research from Australia finds racists mistakenly tend to believe they’re less prejudiced than their neighbors.

How do you get kids to do their homework? Help them shape a positive but realistic image of themselves as successful adults.

Can some forms of physical contact make you more likely to exhibit risk-taking behavior? So maybe the meltdown is mom’s fault.

In Texas, one county’s experiment in evidence-based probation reform has cut recidivism and revocations, saved money and served as a model for other jurisdictions.

Two new studies — one sociological, another using brain scans — document and help explain our lack of empathy for perceived outsiders.

New research finds exposure to a bare, illuminated light bulb — a universal symbol of bright ideas — is a catalyst to reaching insights.

A newly published meta-analytic review states emphatically that players of violent video games are at greater risk of engaging in aggressive behavior.

Experiments on canines suggest self-control, in both humans and animals, is related to blood glucose levels.

Newly published research describes two innovative methods to inspire creativity: Compare and contrast different cultures, or think of yourself as a 7-year-old.

New research supports the notion that we fixate on enemies, and inflate their power, as a defense mechanism against generalized anxiety.

An American academic finds people can somewhat accurately predict your political affiliation by your looks alone.

Surprising new research suggests non-experts’ receptiveness to modern artworks may be lessened when contextual information is presented.

Political activists — even the angry ones, but not the daring ones — are happier than the average person.

New research suggests locating polling places in churches may affect how people vote on social-values issues.

Overweight is the new normal in America. So why do we still share an immediate, negative reaction toward the obese?

New research finds upward physical movements inspire positive memories.

New research finds a sense of purpose developed during college years sticks with you and helps shape adult behavior.

Perfectionism can be positive or negative, depending upon whether you’re striving to live up to your own high standards or straining to meet the expectations of others.

How to change minds about the need for health care reform? Get out your handkerchief.

A new study finds that people watch the news more for affirmation than for information.

A new study finds that using motor skills while being asked to change behavior makes it more likely you’ll follow the advice.

Challenging tests and falling short may be hard on the ego, but they can do more than mere studying for eventually getting it right.

Conservative ideas, like support for the status quo and justifications for inequality, can make the world seem like a more secure place for those who don’t like uncertainty.

Giving a name to a difficult concept or nuanced research may make it easier to recall but a new study suggests it may also devalue the results.

While our kids may drive us crazy, a prominent researcher given a big new prize hopes to spend his money finding out if that’s universal.

It’s long been noted that power corrupts, but it also makes people hypocrites, too.

New research suggests the contemplation of compassion can negate the power of threat to increase support for conservative values.

Long after the benefit concerts are finished, the victims of hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis suffer severe emotional aftershocks. Is there a better way to respond to disaster?

A patient’s attitudes and beliefs don’t appear on any medical chart, but new research finds they influence the course of recovery.

A leading canine researcher says dogs understand more than 150 words and can count up to four or five. He has compiled a list of the world’s smartest dogs. See if your pooch cracks his Top 7.

Why are suicide rates in the military going up? A new analysis suggests combat training meant to override feelings of fear and pain may be a key factor.

Social psychology finds a thread linking opposition to health care reform and climate change — and a possible way around the problem.

Collective guilt regarding climate change can be a catalyst to individual action, but new research suggests eliciting that emotion can be tricky.

Just how toxic is the term “tax?” A newly published study suggests its use decreases support for climate change initiatives.

In sizing up a possible opponent’s intentions, men make snap judgments based on the shape of the guy’s head.

Studies are finding that the pain relief induced by placebos may come from releasing the body’s own chemical pain relievers.

New research finds black women are more likely to go unnoticed and unappreciated than black men or whites of either gender.

Can compulsively searching, instead of merely surfing, lead to greater cognitive benefits for netizens?

The realization there’s a lot of competition out there for a mate appears to increase one’s religious intensity.

Since the First World already mucked up the climate, animal nature dictates that developing economies are piqued at having to clean up.

Trying to take the pulse of how much race matters, a study looking at prejudice and the president finds a persistent residue of racism in how health care reform is viewed.

The 2007 Virginia Tech massacre resulted in widespread psychological distress among the university’s students — whether or not they witnessed the incident firsthand.

Life-threatening illnesses can disrupt even the most stable marriages, but new research suggests that men are far more likely to divorce a terminally ill spouse.

Is it possible to feel less pain if you look directly at the affected area? Take two drops of Murine and call us in the morning.

In tandem with the news aggregator NewsTrust, Miller-McCune.com is searching for the best journalism on psychology, especially the psychology of the culture wars, out there. Give us a hand.

Talking on your cell phone can distract you from your surroundings — even if they include a unicycling clown.

Working to accomplish your goals may cause you stress in the moment, but will increase your overall happiness.

Researchers looking at al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein explore why it is that people often steadfastly believe something even when they’ve been shown it ain’t so.

An overlooked component of the health care debate is our tendency to justify the status quo.

The tendency to fault others for our own failures can spread like a virus.

Psychologist Todd Kashdan explores the many benefits of cultivating curiosity.

In a German study, the notion of ongoing Holocaust-related suffering among Jews apparently increased feelings of anti-Semitism.

A wine-tasting experiment finds that in judging one item against another, the first and last have a distinct advantage over those stuck in the middle of the pack.

Research suggests certain mental games may help chocolate lovers resist the temptation to overindulge.

Two psychologists show that our concepts of morality and sin are mentally associated with lightness and darkness, with potentially troubling implications for criminal justice.

New research supports the idea that memories of negative emotions, and the events that triggered them, can be suppressed.

New research suggests workers paid an hourly wage are more likely than salaried individuals to associate money with happiness.

University professor Loren Toussaint wants to spread the tangible benefits of forgiveness.

Guest blogger Tom Jacobs says psychology provides some suggestions as to why so many artists transgress ethical boundaries.

Two new studies suggest older people have difficulty suppressing stereotypes, which means many may become prejudiced against their will.

What’s your idea of an ideal mate? The answer may depend upon whether your stomach is rumbling.

A new study links bullying behavior by adolescents to the perception they are not treated fairly by their parents.

Overcoming inertia on climate change is unlikely to take place through the time-honored methods of hectoring and lecturing. Perhaps a little salesmanship and psychology is called for.

In a sequel to an experiment from the days of silent film, a multinational team of psychology researchers has shown that we perceive emotions based on what we bring to the table.

Does absurdist literature make you smarter? Giraffe carpet cleaner, it does!

The media are belatedly acknowledging a racial subtext to many anti-Obama protests, thanks to what one scholar calls the ‘drip’ factor.

Does acting violently make us animals? A study finds that idea reduces right-wingers’ support for war.

New research finds love inspires creativity, but thoughts of sex stimulate analytical thinking.

New research finds males mistakenly believe aggressive behavior is admired.

A group of psychologists argue that during Hurricane Katrina, those who stayed in New Orleans had a very different sense of their options than those who oversaw the evacuations or those watching from afar.

Weighty new research suggests holding a heavy object engages the mind.

New research suggests our brains react almost instantaneously to statements that challenge our moral values.

A sense of entitlement, whether through beauty or brawn, goes hand in clenched fist with anger, a provocative new study suggests.

New research finds those who feel a strong connection to the natural world have a more caring attitude toward others.

A new study finds 18-month-olds who were subtly introduced to the concept of togetherness were far more likely to help someone in need.
 

Ancient Greek wanderers knew something modern mortgage agents and serial snackers don’t: It’s easy to overestimate your willpower to resist.

Power tends to bend a person’s moral outlook, making one less likely to believe bending the rules is acceptable behavior.

Wondering if she is gay? Your first instinct is probably right.

A new study finds people forced to decide between two unpalatable choices are judged harshly, no matter which option they pick.

Seeing an angry face on a black man makes whites more likely to view other African-American males as threatening, a new study finds.

The stereotype of the self-absorbed orchestra conductor appears to be off-key.

The fanatical thinking that leads to militant extremism is a seductive narrative that may have a surprisingly widespread low-level resonance in the general population, finds one study.

It takes two to tango, but do it poorly and you end up dancing with yourself.

Study shows that encounters with perceived racial discrimination caused high levels of stress and depression in highly educated African Americans.

New research conducted in the U.S. and Iran suggests religious hard-liners’ positions can be softened if the appeal is couched in a respect for their beliefs.

Opinion: A psychologist regrets that angry minorities from all sides of the Mideast conflict seem intent on drowning out calls for peace supported by the majority of the communities they claim to represent.

A pinch of passion goes a long way: Researchers are showing that paint-by-numbers performances, from symphony halls to training grounds, are less well received than mindful renditions.

A new study finds a strong relationship between a nation’s unemployment rate and the percentage of its citizens who take their own lives. But surprisingly, the link can be either positive or negative, depending upon the wealth of the individual country.

Perfectionism, as a way of life, tends to be self-defeating. New research suggests it may also be deadly.

We’ve long known that high-pressure jobs can be hazardous to one’s health. New research suggests that, for working mothers, employment-related stress may also be detrimental to their children’s intellectual development.

A drug used to treat alcoholics and heroin addicts shows promise in treating those addicted to theft.

A new study suggests the color red can serve as a danger signal to our unconscious minds, making people more likely to take actions that enhance their safety.

A new study says patients with chronic pain who manage to accept their condition, and the negative aspects that result from it, reap a wide variety of benefits.

People who are generally pessimistic, anxious or prone to depression have an above-average chance of dying at every stage of their adult lives, according to a new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic.

Excessive atonement can result from inextinguishable guilt, report two researchers who have named the effect after a perpetually apologetic character from the Harry Potter series.

Sarah Palin’s attractiveness may indeed have affected the 2008 presidential race — by making voters less likely to support the GOP ticket.

Try not to pass by a gym on your way to lunch — at least if there are signs in the window promoting the benefits of exercise. You may end up eating more.

Two academics studying psychology conclude that when self-control has been weakened by depletion of its resources, selfish and dishonest behavior may readily ensue.

Most of us put a lot of thought into making a major purchase, carefully considering the pros and cons of our various options before making a decision. New research suggests we’re doing it all wrong.

Two new studies of psychological stress provide another reason we all need to unwind, and suggest an effective way of doing so.

Revenge may not be all that sweet after all. New research finds that, at least in some cases, punishing a person who has wronged us simply prolongs our pain.

Flaws in human vision produce incorrect “out” calls by tennis referees at Wimbledon.

Women, according to the cliché, are attracted to powerful men — those who have achieved success and made it to the top of their field. It turns out that is only partially true. According to new research, a man’s desirability depends on how he achieved his high status.

The ‘Bradley Effect’ may be kaput, but the ‘Turban Effect’ is alive and kicking.

If you arrogantly proclaim, ‘We’re No. 1,’ it’s probably because you know darn well you’re not.

Soldiers of Conscience, a PBS documentary, examines the ethics and emotional cost of killing on the battlefield.

Inevitably, some voters will cast votes against Barack Obama because he is black. But research suggests he has options for reducing prejudiced voting in November.

In Europe and elsewhere, governments are using ideas from the new science of well-being to try to make citizens more content. Will America follow their lead?

New research suggests every choice made depletes our store of mental energy, lessening our ability to control impulses.

Students who were taught that free will is an illusion were more likely to cheat on tests, according to new research.