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This shows faces expressing different emotions.

·December 22, 2025·9 min read

Smiling Faces Trigger Mimicry, and Make Us Trust Them More

People instinctively mimic others’ facial expressions, but new research shows we do this far more with joyful faces than with sadness or anger—and that the intensity of mimicry predicts how much we trust someone. Across three experiments using EMG and behavioral tasks, participants copied smiles more readily and rated smiling individuals as more attractive, confident, and trustworthy.

This shows a dad and child surrounded by money and dark clouds, implying financial assets do not really affect mental health outcomes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 31, 2025·6 min read

Poverty Isn’t the Key Driver in Family Mental Health Struggles

A large-scale longitudinal study challenges the assumption that poverty amplifies the link between parental distress and child mental health problems. Using advanced statistical modeling, researchers found that financial hardship did not influence the reciprocal relationship between parents’ and children’s mental health.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 31, 2025·5 min read

Kindness Sparks Cooperation by Boosting Social Connectedness

New research reveals that everyday niceness—like warm tones, smiles, and active listening—can significantly improve teamwork and increase willingness to cooperate. These small acts foster a sense of social connectedness, which serves as the bridge between kindness and collaboration.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 9, 2024·5 min read

Older Adults Are Risk-Takers Who Learn and Adapt Quickly

New research challenges stereotypes about older adults, revealing that they are more willing to take risks than younger individuals and are equally adept at resisting manipulation. Using gambling tasks, researchers found that while older adults initially made more mistakes, they quickly improved with practice, achieving decision-making proficiency comparable to younger participants.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 18, 2024·5 min read

Virtual Peer Pressure: How Avatars Affect Our Moral Choices

Researchers explored how group dynamics, including virtual avatars, impact individuals' moral judgments. The study revealed that participants often altered their opinions to align with those of a group, whether the pressure came from real individuals or AI-controlled avatars in a virtual environment.