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2 Eye-Opening Findings That Challenge Our Perception of Loneliness
We don’t need science to tell us that being around our loved ones is good for our health, but it’s nice when research confirms our experience. A 2023 paper published in Science Advances found that people who had stronger social bonds, whether with their friends and family or with an extended group like their government or country, were less likely to be anxious or depressed compared to those who didn’t. The study also found that people who had an easy time connecting with society reported higher levels of well-being. These findings shed light on the importance of social bonds for our mental and emotional health.
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A Psychologist Offers Advice on Redefining Life After Divorce
You’ve probably heard the rather alarming statistic that half of all first marriages end in divorce. In fact, the shift in American attitudes toward marriage over the last decade is palpable. Census data reveals that the rates of marriage and divorce have both declined between 2009 and 2019. This signals two important things to us: Fewer people are opting to commit to a traditional marriage No married couple is immune to relationship issues that can lead to divorce For many married people, the role of being a “husband” or a “wife” is an important part of their identity, and divorce can throw a wrench in their life as they know it.
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Best Of: The Myers-Briggs Test, the Grieving Brain, Common Myths, More
Podcast: Excerpts from our first 100 episodes: a skeptical look at the Myers-Briggs test, what happens in the grieving brain, common myths of psychological science, and more.
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Saw It Coming? Research Reveals Why Some Breakups Feel Eerily Predictable
Relationships can be complex and unpredictable, and sometimes the ending of one can catch us completely off guard. Shedding light on this phenomenon, a study, conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire, reveals the impact of hindsight bias on our perception of relationships. Hindsight bias refers to our tendency to believe that we “knew all along” that a particular event was bound to happen, but only after it has already occurred. For the study, published in Social Psychological Bulletin, the researchers recruited 515 adults and presented them with a story about a fictional couple.
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How Susceptible Are You to Misinformation? There’s a Test You Can Take
Many Americans seem to worry that their parents or grandparents will fall for fake news online. But as it turns out, we may be collectively concerned about the wrong generation. Contrary to popular belief, Gen Zers and millennials could be more susceptible to online misinformation than older adults, according to a poll published online on June 29 by the research agency YouGov. What’s more, people who spend more time online had more difficulty distinguishing between real and fake news headlines.
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The New Promise of Psychedelics
Recently there has been a remarkable renaissance of medical research into psychedelic drugs, which were widely banned a half-century ago. The risks and dangers of these drugs still need to be better understood, but it’s becoming clear that they may have important potential benefits. New studies suggest that psychedelics, carefully administered in controlled settings with trained therapists, can help treat mental illnesses like depression, addiction and PTSD. But just how do psychedelics achieve these therapeutic effects? A new study in the journal Nature by the neuroscientist Gul Dolen at Johns Hopkins and colleagues tackles this question.
