by Allie Volpe Vox Most of us would like to believe we’re good listeners — but the truth is, we all struggle to really pay attention when someone else is talking. “Most of the time when you ask people, ‘How well do you think you’re doing at listening to people?,’ they’re going to …
Category Archives: psychology
What The British Mean When They Say ‘Sorry’
by Mike MacEacheran BBC In the UK, sorry is not simply an apology, it’s a cultural reflex – a five-letter pressure valve used to soften requests, smooth over awkwardness, fill conversational gaps and avoid the national horror of seeming rude. It is perhaps no coincidence that such famously polite characters as Paddington and …
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Pleasures And Benefits Of Soaking In The Rain
by Ally Hirschlag BBC It was the sixth straight day of the heat index topping 100F (38C) in New Milford, Connecticut, when the sky turned a sickening shade of puce. I was leading an outdoor theatre workshop, and noticed campers gawking at an ominous, miles-long shelf cloud advancing overhead. Then a thunderclap shook …
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The Case Against Daylight Savings Time
By Morgan Coulson Johns Hopkins University On Sunday, most of the US will advance their clocks one hour for daylight saving time (DST). The change means disruptions in the sleep patterns of over 300 million people—the effects of which will doubtless be felt and seen nearly everywhere. Surveys from the American Academy of …
The Science Behind Our Human Emotions
by Dictionary Scoop For most people, recognizing and managing emotions isn’t easy. And even if we think we know ourselves well, human emotions are a whole world waiting to be explored. From how long they typically last to how they show up in our interactions with others, science has given us fascinating insights. Join us …
A Little Fresh Air (Scientifically) Good For You
by Yasmin Rufo BBC News If you’ve ever felt calmer after a walk in the park or a stroll through the woods, it’s not your imagination – it’s biology. Spending just 20 minutes in nature can trigger measurable changes inside your body, from lowering stress hormones, to easing blood pressure and even improving …
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Is Small Talk A Big Help In Making Friends?
by Kevin Burton Are we going today from sublime to ridiculous? Or is that just my bias? Yesterday we ran part of a Los Angeles Times story about making friends in our adult years. We finish that story, by reporter Seraphina Seow today. Psychologists interviewed by The Times, offered five suggestions for …
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Rediscovering The Lost Art Of Making Friends
by Seraphina Seow Los Angeles Times A friend of mine has been hoping to make new friends as a 26-year-old. She’s made every effort to put herself out there: joined clubs, volunteered, initiated catch-ups. But every time she establishes a new connection, it wanes after a few weeks. She suspects that it may be …
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Things Get Better With Age, If You Let Them
By Hannah Singleton National Geographic While aging is often portrayed as a slow decline, scientists say that view overlooks the bigger picture. “Everyone talks about aging as this decline,” said Michelle Feng, chief clinical officer at Executive Mental Health and a licensed psychologist who specializes in geriatric psychology and medicine. “But aging …
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Truth From Bathroom Scales And God’s Scales
by Kevin Burton My bathroom scale is a talking scale. Many a time, I‘ve wished it would just shut up. It makes me want to flush the toilet and run the water faucet, maybe clear my throat once or twice to drown out the bad news. That way at least maybe my wife …
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