Psychology

A new book explores the science of trash talk—and why some people are more immune to it than others

Cultivating intellectual humility can offer individual and social benefits, a psychologist explains

Lacking money makes people focus on the present—but lacking water makes them plan for the future

A long-term decline in unsupervised activity may be contributing to mental health declines in children and adolescents.

Scientists can finally predict a chemical’s odor without having a human sniff it

Thinking about a range of emotions as friends rather than foes improves the quality of our life

Equanimity, a key ingredient of mindfulness meditation, helps people face life’s ups and downs

Some of the tens of thousands of suicide deaths in the U.S. each year would not have happened if people in the community had been schooled to provide advice about gun safety

Scary play lets people—and other animals—rehearse coping skills for disturbing challenges in the real world

Deception researchers investigate under what circumstances we are liable to let loose a whopper

From Gilgamesh to Star Wars, the narrative blueprint underpinning many heroic tales can offer a powerful way to reframe experiences

Students often receive feedback that conveys expectations linked to their socioeconomic background