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·April 30, 2023·5 min read

Watching Others Indulge in Junk Food Can Curb Your Appetite and Aid in Weight Loss

Studies show that advertisements showing people eating junk food can actually prompt those on a diet to eat less. The research found that the mere sight of someone eating junk food is enough to put dieters off it. This is because mental imagery, including that of food consumption, can activate similar neural networks to those linked with actual performance or experience. The findings suggest that healthy eating campaigns should include and portray the consumption of unhealthy food, as dieters consciously associate it with a failure to reach their weight loss goals.

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·April 30, 2023·4 min read

Brain Drain: Measuring the Energy Consumption of Our Thinking Minds

Our brain consumes a significant amount of energy, accounting for about 20% of the body's total energy consumption. Most of this energy is used for information processing. While research shows that increased mental activity does lead to slightly higher energy consumption, this increase is minimal, region-specific, and often offset by energy decreases in other areas. Feeling exhausted after mental activity is likely due to mental stress rather than actual energy depletion. Pacing yourself can help avoid mental overload, stress, and fatigue.

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·April 22, 2023·5 min read

500 Days of Solitude: One Woman’s Experience of Extreme Social Isolation Sheds Light on Time Perception

A woman who recently emerged from a cave after 500 days of isolation reported she rapidly lost her perception of time. Researchers explore how social isolation impacts time perception and the neurobiological mechanisms that may explain this phenomenon.

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Featured Neuroscience

·April 22, 2023·5 min read

Mental Block: The Brain Often Stops Us From Learning From Mistakes

Researchers investigate why our brains often allow us to repeat mistakes and how we can apply cognitive control to self-correct when It comes to error-making.

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·April 16, 2023·5 min read

Turning Down the Volume of Pain: How to Retrain Your Brain When You Get Sensitized

For those with chronic pain, it may be possible to retrain your brain to help manage or reduce your symptoms when you become over-sensitized to other treatment methods.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 15, 2023·9 min read

To What Extent Are We Ruled by Unconscious Forces?

Unconscious mechanisms that occur as a result of neural activity set us up for actions we are going to take. This happens before we are consciously aware of the decisions we wish to pursue.

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·April 15, 2023·5 min read

Drawing Pictures Is Great for Children’s Development

Drawing doesn't just inspire creativity in children, it also helps develop communication skills, learning, and memory.

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·April 11, 2023·6 min read

Those With Dark Tetrad Personality Traits More Likely to Catfish and Exploit Others

People who score high for "dark tetrad" personality traits, including narcissism, Machiavellianism, sadism, and psychopathy are more likely to embark on "catfishing" behaviors online as well as manipulate and exploit potential partners.

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·April 11, 2023·6 min read

Over-Emphasis on Safety Means Kids Are Becoming More Anxious and Less Resilient

Parental overprotection fosters unhealthy coping mechanisms in children, leading to an increase in depression, anxiety, and a decline in resilience.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 10, 2023·5 min read

Your Political Rivals Aren’t as Bad as You Think: Here’s How Misunderstandings Amplify Hostility

Researchers investigate why people tend to dislike others based on their political affiliations and why we believe our emotions when it comes to politics are never wrong.