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All in the Mind
BBC Radio: Hot chilli sauce and a computer game called Cyberball are tools in the lab of psychologist Kip Williams. He explains his research on ostracism to Claudia Hammond. Listen to the broadcast: BBC Radio
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Happiness Has a Dark Side
It seems like everyone wants to be happier and the pursuit of happiness is one of the foundations of American life. But even happiness can have a dark side, according to the authors of a new review article published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. They say that happiness shouldn't be thought of as a universally good thing, and outline four ways in which this is the case. Indeed, not all types and degrees of happiness are equally good, and even pursuing happiness can make people feel worse. People who want to feel happier can choose from a multitude of books that tell them how to do it.
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Shop For A Psychotherapist To Avoid The Lemons
NPR: Turn on a TV talk show and you'll think that everyone in America is in need of mental health counseling. But there are hundreds of different kinds of therapy out there, and it's hard to know which ones work. Researchers have put a lot of effort into testing different forms of psychotherapy, and they have solid evidence of what works, particularly for common mental problems like depression and anxiety. But despite that, people can't presume they're going to get the right psychotherapy, according to Alan Kazdin, a clinical psychologist who directs the Yale Parent Center and Child Conduct Clinic. Read the whole story: NPR
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Friday the 13th superstitions? Not me, knock on wood
MSNBC: We humans are a superstitious lot, believing that Friday the 13th is bad luck and finding a penny is good luck. Many superstitions stem from the same human trait that causes us to believe in monsters and ghosts: When our brains can't explain something, we make stuff up. In fact, a study last year found that superstitions can sometimes work, because believing in something can improve performance on a task. Here, then, are 13 of the most common superstitions. Read the whole story: MSNBC
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Friday the 13th: somewhere between religion and superstition
The Washington Post: Of all the traditional Western superstitions, Friday the 13th has the strongest connection to religion and the Christian faith in particular. Over the years, there have been a variety of theories of the origin the Friday the 13th superstition, but like many explanations of folk practices and beliefs, these accounts often have the flavor of post-hoc, just-so stories with little to back them up. Some commentators point to Norse mythology and the killing of the benevolent god Baldur by the evil Loki, who crashed a gathering of twelve gods in Valhalla to form an unlucky grouping of thirteen.
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The Ties that Bind: Grandparents and their Grandchildren
Close your eyes for a moment, open your treasure trove of memories and take a step back in time to your childhood. Do you remember your grandfather gently scooping you up into his warm and comforting embrace? Or sitting by your grandmother’s side as she lovingly baked pies chock full of delicious, juicy warm apples sprinkled with crumbly cinnamon bits?
