Psychology

Psychology

In the social distancing era, boredom may pose a public health threat

Boredom contributes to pandemic fatigue and may account for why some people don’t follow social distancing rules.

Psychology

The COVID-19 pandemic made U.S. college students’ mental health even worse

College students struggled with mental health problems before the pandemic. Now, some vulnerable students are even more at risk.

Animals

Bonobos, much like humans, show commitment to completing a joint task

Experiments with bonobos suggest that humans aren’t the only ones who can feel a sense of mutual responsibility toward other members of their species.

Neuroscience

Lonely brains crave people like hungry brains crave food

After hours of isolation, dopamine-producing cells in the brain fire up in response to pictures of humans, showing our social side runs deep.

Psychology

‘Deaths of despair’ are rising. It’s time to define despair

A sense of defeat, not mental ailments, may be derailing the lives of less-educated people in the United States.

Science & Society

‘The Origins of You’ explores how kids develop into their adult selves

A new book describes the interplay of nature and nurture as children, at least in Western societies, grow up.

Humans

Ancient sculptures hint at universal facial expressions across cultures

Interpreting the emotions carved onto sculptures from long ago offers a new way to study how humans perceive facial expressions.

Psychology

Why do we miss the rituals put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Even solitary rituals bind us to our groups and help calm anxieties. What happens when those traditions are upended?

Science & Society

Interfaith soccer teams eased Muslim-Christian tensions — to a point

Soccer bonded Christian and Muslim teammates in Iraq, but that camaraderie didn’t change attitudes.

Psychology

Monkeys may share a key grammar-related skill with humans

A contested study suggests the ability to embed sequences within other sequences, a skill called recursion and crucial to grammar, has ancient roots.

Neuroscience

How coronavirus stress may scramble our brains

The pandemic has made clear thinking a real struggle. But researchers say knowing how stress affects the brain can help people cope.

Psychology

A simple exercise on belonging helps black college students years later

Black college freshmen who did a one-hour training on belonging reported higher professional and personal satisfaction years later.