FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·August 1, 2025·4 min readEmpathy Can Be Emotionally ConditionedEmpathy isn't just innate — it can be trained by associating another person’s happiness with personal rewards. In this study, participants observed a character experiencing good and bad moments, which were paired with gains or losses in their own rewards.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 28, 2025·6 min readWomen’s Scent During Ovulation Alters Male Stress and AttractionCertain scent compounds in female body odor, which increase during ovulation, can subtly influence male perception and stress levels. When these compounds were added to model armpit odors, men found the scents more pleasant and rated images of women as more attractive and feminine.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 26, 2025·3 min readChildhood Trauma May Rewire Brain for Lifelong AggressionAggression isn’t just a behavioral issue—it has deep neurobiological roots, especially when shaped by early-life trauma. New research is investigating how childhood adversity rewires brain circuits that control emotion, memory, and attention, increasing the risk of impulsive and pathological aggression.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·July 26, 2025·6 min readHow the Brain Reactivates Emotional ExperiencesA new study using direct recordings from human brains reveals how the amygdala and hippocampus coordinate to form and retrieve emotional memories. During aversive memory encoding, high-frequency gamma activity in the amygdala shapes hippocampal responses, which are later reactivated in the hippocampus—but not the amygdala—during memory recall.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 25, 2025·6 min readDiscovering Life’s Meaning Through Emotion and ExplorationA new philosophical theory proposes that the meaning of life isn’t something static, but something we feel out as we move through life with different emotional stances. Dubbed the "Geographic Model of Meaning in Life," this concept likens our search for meaning to a blind person probing space with a cane—meaning emerges through that very exploration.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 23, 2025·4 min readEmotional Pain Brain Circuit Drives Cocaine RelapseA new study reveals that a brain circuit driving negative emotions during cocaine withdrawal plays a key role in relapse. Researchers found that this “anti-reward” network becomes hyperactive during abstinence, amplifying distress and pushing users back toward the drug.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 22, 2025·7 min readWhy the Psychopathic Brain Struggles With Emotion and ControlNew research reveals how structural brain connectivity shapes psychopathic traits and externalizing behaviors. Using advanced connectome modeling, scientists identified two key networks: one tied to impaired emotional processing, the other to poor attentional control.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·July 21, 2025·3 min readRight-Sided Brain Pathway Linked to Social DominanceA new study uncovers how brain anatomy relates to social dominance in primates. Researchers found that the uncinate fasciculus, a tract tied to emotion and memory, strongly correlated with dominance behaviors in squirrel monkeys. This link was especially pronounced in the right hemisphere, aligning with human findings on social aggression.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 18, 2025·5 min readHow the Brain Decodes Social Emotions and AnxietyThe anterior temporal lobe (ATL) plays a key role in interpreting social hierarchies and facial emotions, offering insight into anxiety and mood disorders. A research project used advanced imaging techniques to overcome past challenges in studying the ATL, revealing its strong activation during social and emotional decisions.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 16, 2025·5 min readWhen Tears Seem Honest: Context Shapes How We Judge CryingNew research reveals that our perception of others’ tears as sincere or manipulative depends heavily on context. Tears were judged more honest when shed in non-manipulative situations and by those less expected to cry, such as men or individuals perceived as less warm.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 10, 2025·5 min readLearning Music Boosts Kids’ Wellbeing, Confidence, and BelongingA new study highlights the powerful role of music learning in improving children’s social, emotional, and educational wellbeing. Beyond listening or casual participation, learning music builds self-confidence, emotional awareness, and a sense of belonging.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePainPsychology·July 10, 2025·6 min readBrain Pathway Reveals How Pain Feels EmotionallyPain is more than a physical signal — it also carries emotional weight that shapes our response and memory of discomfort. A new study identifies a group of neurons in the thalamus that directly links pain signals to the brain’s emotional center.Read More