
Placebos Work Even When You Know
Patients told they were getting a placebo still reported improvements at a much higher rate than patients who were not treated. Karen Hopkin reports
Patients told they were getting a placebo still reported improvements at a much higher rate than patients who were not treated. Karen Hopkin reports
What is the telltale clue to a genuine smile? Recent research finds positive correlations with this honest show of emotion. Christie Nicholson reports
Letters to the editor about the July/August 2010 issue of Scientific American MIND
Psychodynamic therapy has been caricatured as navel-gazing, but studies show powerful benefits
My last post talked about the depressing lack of progress in treatments for depression and other common psychological disorders. Talking cures and antidepressants alike are subject to the "dodo effect," which decrees that all therapies are roughly as effective—or ineffective—as one another...
Research released today in Nature Neuroscience finds that we are are more likely to be tricked by a visual illusion if we have a smaller amount of brain real estate devoted to visual processing...
You've heard that misery loves company. Enjoying others' misery does, too
The emerging field of cultural neuroscience reveals fascinating differences in brain function between cultures and environments. Christie Nicholson reports
In emergencies, people don't panic. In fact, they show a remarkable ability to organize themselves and support one another
In a matter of hours, mind-altering substances may induce profound psychological realignments that can take decades to achieve on a therapist's couch
A subject in a study of the effects of hallucinogens on brain chemistry recounts her mystical, life-changing experiences under the influence of psilocybin
More evidence for the long-suspected physiological link between inventiveness and mental illness
A study proposes that fear-based messaging about an issue like global warming may encourage the audience to dismiss it. Christie Nicholson reports
A recent Swedish study finds that teenagers put most of the blame for bullying behavior on the bully or the victim, and not on their peers or the school environment. Christie Nicholson reports...
Feelings of rivalry can change our thoughts and behavior
Generosity is sometimes unwelcome
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