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2 Reasons Why We Need to Spend More Time Thinking About Nothing, According to a Psychologist
According to a classic study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, it is likely that the more we use our brains, the less age-related cognitive decline we experience. But what does this really mean? Does it mean that we all need to become around-the-clock thinkers and information processing machines? Probably not. Humans are expected to keep up with the blazing speed of technological advancement today. This inevitably leads to the fast-paced life we are all familiar with. Given the relentless pace of modern life, it is unsurprising that the prevalence of mental illness is increasing. ...
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The Curious Personality Changes of Older Age
You’ve probably heard the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” An awful phrase, I know, but it speaks to a common belief about older adulthood: that it’s a time of stagnation. A time when we’ve become so set in our ways that, whether we’re proud of them or not, we’re not likely to budge. Psychologists used to follow the same line of thinking: After young adulthood, people tend to settle into themselves, and personality, though not immutable, usually becomes stabler as people age. And that’s true—until a certain point. More recent studies suggest that something unexpected happens to many people as they reach and pass their 60s: Their personality starts changing again. ...
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Understanding Childhood Adversity Across Time and Cultures
Podcast: Children have faced threats and deprivation at varied levels across time, favoring the ability to tailor development to different conditions. Researchers Willem Frankenhuis and Dorsa Amir discuss their findings.
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New Research in Psychological Science
A sample of research on brain-to-brain synchrony, learning from novel metaphors, how thinking about god encourages prosociality, subjective age, generational differences in shyness, and much more.
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Water-Scarce Cultures Value Long-Term Thinking More Than Their Water-Rich Neighbors Do
Even in modern environments with easy access to water, cultural responses shaped by historical water scarcity still influence individuals’ decision-making processes.
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New Content From Current Directions in Psychological Science
A sample of articles on parental burnout, motivated egalitarianism, the philosophy of perception in the psychologist’s laboratory, facing the unknowns in data analysis, and much more.
