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Are We Still Monogamous? And 6 Other Questions to Ask Your Partner.
The past two-plus years have been universally tumultuous, and couples therapists say they have been dealing with the fallout in their practices every day. Even now, when the pandemic no longer dominates daily life, many Americans continue to work, shop and do so much online that they count on their partners to meet their social and emotional needs. “In my office, I see the burden this trend places on primary romantic relationships,” said Laura Silverstein, a licensed clinical social worker and the author of “Love Is an Action Verb.” She co-owns a practice in Pennsylvania that has been struggling to keep up with the demand. ...
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The Challenge of Waiting, in Any Culture
Fifty years ago, Walter Mischel and colleagues wanted to measure how well young children could resist temptation. He invented the famous “marshmallow” test. Children could either eat one marshmallow right away or wait 15 minutes and get two marshmallows. Four-year-olds agonized over the decision, sitting on their hands or turning their heads away from the tempting treat, but still most of them gave in. As researchers tracked the children over the following decades, it turned out, remarkably, that the children who waited longer also did better in school and life later on. But why did some children wait longer than others?
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How ‘Ghosting’ Is Linked to Mental Health
Check your phone. Are there any unanswered texts, snaps or direct messages that you’re ignoring? Should you reply? Or should you “ghost” the person who sent them? Ghosting happens when someone cuts off all online communication with someone else without an explanation. Instead, like a ghost, they just vanish. The phenomenon is common on social media and dating sites, but with the isolation brought on by the pandemic — forcing more people together online — it happens now more than ever. I am a professor of psychology who studies the role of technology use in interpersonal relationships and well-being.
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New Content From Perspectives on Psychological Science
A sample of articles on psychologists with lived experience of psychopathology, resilience to stressors, the evolutionary value of warmth, and biases and validity in graduate-school admissions.
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New Research Examines the Reluctance We Feel Before Offering Support to Someone in Need
A new study published in Psychological Science urges us not to think twice about offering support or condolences to a friend or acquaintance in need. The study suggests that we have a tendency to underestimate how positively recipients respond to our expressions of support. ...
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Culture Affects Kids’ Ability to Delay Gratification
Overcoming impulses to enjoy immediate rewards in order to get later benefits is fundamental to achieving goals. Researchers often measure the delaying of gratification with well-known “marshmallow task,” in which children must resist the urge to eat one treat now in order to get more treats later. Individual differences in this task predict important later life outcomes such as academic success, socioemotional competence, and health, many researchers agree.
