FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·May 15, 2024·6 min readHow Gossip Shapes CooperationA new study explores how gossip influences cooperation and behavior. Researchers found that gossip helps maintain social order by spreading information about reputations, which encourages cooperative behavior.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·April 27, 2021·5 min readPsst! Have You Heard That Gossip Isn’t All Bad?While gossiping generally has negative connotations, a new study says gossiping can be a rich and multifaceted form of communication. Gossip can help to build social connections and improve indirect understanding about the world.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·November 18, 2017·3 min readHave You Heard? Gossiping Isn’t All BadWhile it might be said that it is wrong to gossip, new research reports talking about other people's actions isn't all bad. Researchers report those who gossip about deviant actions of others have a better understanding of social norms, and a clearer sense of what is appropriate behavior.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 24, 2023·5 min readA Helping Hand: Small Acts of Kindness Occur Every Two MinutesIn a study of people from different countries and cultural backgrounds, researchers found people tend to ask for assistance with small tasks on average every two minutes. Across cultures, people tend to positively respond to the requests of others more often than they deny assistance. The findings suggest all cultures may have more similar cooperative behaviors than prior research has established.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·March 6, 2023·5 min readBrains With Compromised Trust Settings a Warning Sign of Lurking DepressionShrunken gray matter volume in brain areas associated with social cognition and a compromised ability to trust others is linked to depression vulnerability and could be used as a biomarker for the onset of depressive symptoms, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·February 9, 2023·6 min read‘Just as Deadly’: Inside the Mind of a Female Serial KillerFemale serial killers are considered fairly anomalous. Research into females who commit serial killings has been pretty limited, until now. Researchers have identified certain characteristics of female serial killers, finding they tend to be white, married at least once, of at least average intelligence, and are more likely to be employed in healthcare professions.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·August 27, 2022·3 min readNarcissistic People Are More Likely to Be Aggressive and ViolentPeople high in narcissistic traits showed higher levels of verbal aggression, physical aggression, and other bullying behaviors. They often extend their aggression to innocent bystanders. Narcissism was associated with a 21% increase in aggression and an 18% increase in violent behaviors.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·October 2, 2021·7 min readThe Neurobiology of Memes and Conspiracy TheoriesThe propensity to believe in conspiracy theories may be a result of genetic determination, cognitive capacity, and affective reactions. Researchers found the representation of memes acts as neural network attractor states in the brain, linking them with the formation of conspiracy theories.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·June 30, 2021·5 min read‘Cheating’s Ok for Me, but Not for Thee’ – Inside the Messy Psychology of Sexual Double StandardsBoth men and women play a role in perpetuating attitudes toward sex that are hypocritical and logically inconsistent, researchers say.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·April 24, 2021·5 min readYou Don’t Have a “Male or Female Brain”: Studies Weaken Theories of Human Brain Sex DifferencesRecent studies dispel the myth of sexual dimorphic brains.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·February 9, 2021·4 min readMean or Nice? These Traits Could Make or Break a Child’s FriendshipsOne child's behavioral traits drive another child's friendship experience over time. Children with mean friends report an increase in friendship negativity over time, while those with nice friends report a decline in negative relationship emotions.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·November 29, 2019·5 min readYour big brain makes you human – count your neurons when you count your blessingsStudy looks at the evolutionary development of the human brain.Read More