General Psychology

Instagram Likes Activate Reward Regions of Teen Brain

Instagram Likes Activate Reward Regions of Teen Brain

Getting an Instagram like is basically the same as winning a dollar or eating an Oreo as far as your brain is concerned. At least, that's what a study by a team ...
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What Happens to Compulsive Shoppers?

What Happens to Compulsive Shoppers?

A little shopping can be a healthy pick-me-up. For some people, though, the desire to buy becomes an outright compulsion that causes serious problems in their lives. It's estimated that about 5 ...
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Parental Monitoring Can Stop Impulsive Children From Overeating

Parental Monitoring Can Stop Impulsive Children From Overeating

That moment when part of you wants another chocolate chip cookie and part of you knows it's probably time to call it quits. One one hand: that smooth chocolate and that soft ...
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Sunlight and Greenery Make a Difference in the Workplace

Sunlight and Greenery Make a Difference in the Workplace

Sitting in a gray room with no windows isn't anyone's idea of a good time. And according to some new research published in PLoS ONE, it's not anyone's idea of a productive ...
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Being Sensitive to Rejection Can Put You at Risk for Depression

Being Sensitive to Rejection Can Put You at Risk for Depression

Well, no kidding! Of course people who are more sensitive to rejection are going to get depressed more easily – I don't need a study to tell you that! But here's the ...
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Smiling Means Different Things in Different Cultures

Smiling Means Different Things in Different Cultures

Max Eastman once wrote that "a smile is the universal welcome," but it turns out the universal welcome might not be so universal. Although previous research has suggested that smiling can make ...
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4 Benefits of Self-Affirmation

4 Benefits of Self-Affirmation

Having a sense of who you are and what matters to you can make a lot of things easier. One way to solidify this sense of self is to reflect on your ...
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Here's What Happened When Japan Renamed Schizophrenia

Here’s What Happened When Japan Renamed Schizophrenia

One of the things that keeps mental illness stigma alive is that many psychiatric terms are widely misused. For example, many people still think "schizophrenia" refers to having multiple personalities or that ...
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Cultural Ideas About Ownership Influence Memory

Cultural Ideas About Ownership Influence Memory

What does it mean to own something? It depends what society you're in. In Western culture, ownership is strongly linked to ideas about individualism and personal identity. But the same isn't necessarily ...
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Oxytocin Helps Dogs and People Bond

Oxytocin Helps Dogs and People Bond

Oxytocin, sometimes called the "love hormone," plays a key role in human bonding. It's involved in trust, empathy, romantic attachment and other pro-social emotions and states of mind. Interestingly, oxytocin isn't just ...
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