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social behavior

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·May 30, 2026·10 min read

Model Identifies the Exact Threshold for Optimal Ambition

A new study leverages sequential search modeling to demonstrate that optimal human ambition rests squarely in the middle: strictly above average but strictly finite.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 21, 2026·8 min read

Emoji-Based Test Screens Kids’ Social Skills

A new study introduces a highly reliable, 9-question screening tool designed to evaluate the social skills of children aged 3 to 5.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 20, 2026·10 min read

Parent Disapproval Destroys Childhood Best Friendships

While maternal disapproval is highly effective at destroying childhood best friendships, it carries devastating hidden costs. By tracking 394 public-school students, investigators proved that maternal condemnation triples the odds of a friendship's demise by steadily degrading its internal environment and eroding perceptions of mutual support.

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Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 7, 2026·8 min read

Psilocybin Dampens Aggression and Attack Behaviors

New research shows that low doses of the psychoactive compound can reduce high-energy aggressive behaviors in mangrove rivulus fish while keeping social communication intact, offering a new vertebrate model for studying the drug's impact on social conflict.

This shows a man and a disinterested woman and a heart.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2026·5 min read

Sexual Arousal Distorts the Perception of Romantic Interest

New research shows that when faced with ambiguous romantic cues, aroused individuals are significantly more likely to overestimate a partner's interest, potentially leading them to ignore mixed signals in early courtship.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·February 19, 2026·7 min read

Twin Enzymes Rewire Your Brain for Interaction and Memory

Twin enzymes, different worlds. Scientists have discovered that MNK1 and MNK2 act as the brain's specialized switches for memory and social curiosity.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 10, 2025·6 min read

Positive Imagining Changes the Brain in Seconds

Vividly imagining a positive interaction with someone can increase how much you like them — and even alter how your brain stores information about that person. During imagined encounters, participants developed stronger preferences, and brain scans revealed activity patterns similar to those seen when people learn from real rewarding experiences.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 13, 2025·6 min read

Why Sharing Good Deeds Feels Bad

New research shows that people often feel worse when telling others about their good deeds than when keeping them private or discussing personal achievements. Across five studies, participants predicted more shame and embarrassment when sharing altruistic acts, partly because they feared appearing motivated by social credit.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 11, 2025·6 min read

AI Models Form Theory-of-Mind Beliefs

Researchers showed that large language models use a small, specialized subset of parameters to perform Theory-of-Mind reasoning, despite activating their full network for every task. This sparse internal circuitry depends heavily on positional encoding, especially rotary positional encoding, which shapes how the model tracks beliefs and perspectives.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 9, 2025·8 min read

Shyness May Originate in the Cerebellum

New research reveals that trait shyness is linked to reduced spontaneous neural activity in the cerebellum, a brain region traditionally associated with motor control but increasingly recognized for its role in emotion and social cognition. Using resting-state fMRI and ReHo analysis, researchers found that shy individuals exhibited lower synchrony in the cerebellar Crus I region.

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Featured Neuroscience

·October 2, 2025·6 min read

Teen Solitude Linked to Measurable Changes in Brain Networks

Adolescents who regularly choose solitude over social connection show measurable differences in brain structure and function, according to a large neuroimaging study. Brain scans revealed altered activity and weaker connections in regions tied to social and emotional processing, with changes spanning multiple cognitive networks.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 20, 2025·5 min read

Dementia Prevention Must Begin in Childhood, Not Just Midlife

A large international study shows that the accumulation of social hardships across life—known as the social exposome—has lasting effects on the brain. Adverse exposures, including low education, food insecurity, and limited healthcare, were linked to cognitive decline, mental health issues, and altered brain structure and function.