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Which Knot Is Stronger? Humans Aren’t Great Judges
Humans are pretty good at guessing whether a towering stack of dishes in the sink will topple over or where a pool ball will go when a cue hits it. We evolved this kind of physical reasoning to navigate our changing and sometimes dangerous environments. But a new study highlights one area of intuitive physics that’s deceptively difficult: judging how strong a knot is. ... If you’re surprised, you’re in good company. Researchers recently asked volunteers to look at photographs of these knots and decide which would take more force to undo.
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New Psychotherapies That Focus on Positive Experiences Could Better Treat Depression and Anxiety
... CBT is the gold standard therapy for treating depression and anxiety, one or both of which will afflict around 20 percent of people during their lifetime. It may be the best remedy we have, a growing number of scientists say, but it doesn’t help everyone. Research shows that only half of patients benefit and that only half of those who do benefit do so long-term. CBT does reduce symptoms such as low mood and fearfulness. For many, however, it doesn’t restore positive feelings such as happiness or excitement.
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How to Complain Better and Strengthen Relationships
... Marital researcher John M. Gottman found that even in successful long-term relationships, 69 percent of conflicts remain unresolved due to fundamental differences in personality, lifestyle preferences or values. Rather than seeking a “fix,” strive for mutual understanding in common areas of conflict like sexual desire, parenting, finances, housework and time spent with others. Gottman also found that ongoing expressions of respect, humor and affection are essential to a happy relationship. Feeling understood means being willing to listen without being reactive, defensive or critical. No small feat, but the benefits are huge.
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The Secret to Lasting Love Might Just Be Knowing How to Fight
If you love someone, learn how to fight with them. Counterintuitive though it may seem, that's the advice of world-renowned relationship researchers and clinical psychologists Julie Schwartz Gottman and John Gottman. "Conflict really has a purpose," says John Gottman, "and the purpose is mutual understanding." In the 40 years they've dedicated to the study and practice of fostering healthy, long-lasting relationships, the Gottmans have found that the happiest and most successful couples don't avoid conflict, fear or anger – they just know how to fight fairly and productively.
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The Loneliness Cure: How to Break the Cycle and Build Connections
A recent Gallup Poll showed that 1 in 5 American adults reports feeling lonely every single day. It's something that former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called a "national epidemic of loneliness and isolation." We hear from Murthy about the broader impact of loneliness. Then, experts say that loneliness and social isolation carry the same health risks as smoking. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychology and neuroscience professor, joins us to discuss how to break the cycle of loneliness and build more social connections in our lives.
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Try This One Way to Build Better Relationships, According to Science
As relationships evolve and mature, conversations between many couples devolve into discussions of checklists, tasks and events, but not the relationship itself, said Julie Gottman, a clinical psychologist. “They’re in danger of becoming a managerial relationship,” added her husband, John Gottman, a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Washington. The Gottmans are co-founders of the Gottman Institute and conduct research on marriage and relationships. ...
