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That Tip-Of-The-Tongue Feeling May Be an Illusion
Sometimes you know there’s just the right word for something, but your brain can’t find it. That frustrating feeling is called the tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) state—and for decades psychologists assumed it was caused by a partial
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People Differ Widely in Their Understanding of Even a Simple Concept Such as the Word ‘Penguin’
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “penguin” as “any of various erect short-legged flightless aquatic birds (family Spheniscidae) of the southern hemisphere.” That description seems simple enough, but definitions are not what people have in
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The Difference Between Speaking and Thinking
Language is commonly understood as the instrument of thought. People “talk it out” and “speak their mind,” follow “trains of thought” or “streams of consciousness.” Some of the pinnacles of human creation—music, geometry, computer programming—are
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Events Serve as “Stepping Stones” en Route to Retrieved Memories
Research suggests that people use event boundaries as “stepping stones” to scan their memories when attempting to recall certain facts or bits of information.
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Was I Happy Then? Our Current Feelings Can Interfere with Memories of Past Well-Being
One reason happiness can seem so elusive is that our current feelings can interfere with memories of our past well-being. Analysis of four longitudinal surveys.
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Up-and-Coming Voices: The Science of Creativity
Previews of relevant research by students and early-career scientists.
