THRIVE Blog

Articles, videos, and research on what makes life worth living. What it means to thrive is different for everyone so AllPsych's Thrive Blog is designed to help you understand the foundations of what it means and what it takes to thrive so you can begin applying them to your own life. Make sure to check out our THRIVE Courses where you can add action to your knowledge and start improving your well-being.

When Does Comfort Food Really Comfort?

Of the different ways we might deal with negative emotions, eating isn’t necessarily the healthiest. Sure, we might want to reach for a candy bar when we’re feeling down, but eating too ...
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September 5, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Emotion-Affective Psychology, Health Psychology, Nutrition, Positive Psychology

Optimists Live Longer. Why?

There’s a new study out that’s been getting some media attention. In the study, researchers found that people who are more optimistic are more likely to make it to the age of ...
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August 28, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Health Psychology, Lifespan, Optimism, Positive Psychology

When Do Children Learn to Influence Others With Gifts?

Adults give gifts for different reasons, some of which are altruistic, and some of which are less so. One of the less altruistic reasons adults give gifts is when they want something ...
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August 26, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Altruism, Children, Developmental Psychology, learning, Positive Psychology, Relationships,

Optimism and Life Satisfaction Go Together in Schizophrenia

Psychologists have been optimistic about the power of optimism, and a new study provides more evidence consistent with the idea that optimism might have far-reaching mental health effects. In the study, researchers ...
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August 13, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Clinical Psychology, Optimism, Positive Psychology, Schizophrenia

Anticipating Future Nostalgia

We’ve all had the experience of looking back and feeling nostalgic about a particular time in our lives. A slightly more complicated feeling is looking forward to the future to imagine how ...
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August 5, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Cognitive Psychology, Positive Emotions, Positive Psychology

A Gallery of Psychologically Soothing Images

Some pictures have the power to evoke a sense of peace and relaxation in us. Seeking out that feeling is what’s behind Project Soothe, in which psychology researchers at University of Edinburgh ...
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August 2, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Art, Positive Psychology, Relaxation, Resilience

Distinguishing Narcissism and Self-Esteem

Everyone wants to feel good about themselves. But when does feeling good about yourself cross the line into feeling better than other people? There are different ways of thinking about the difference ...
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July 24, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Clinical Psychology, Narcissism, Positive Psychology, Self-Esteem

Praising Hard Work Can Make Infants More Persistent

When you were a kid, maybe you read The Little Engine That Could, a story about a modest train locomotive whose persistence pays off. One possible reason for this story’s popularity is ...
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July 22, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Grit, Infants, Parenting, Positive Psychology

A Tip to Find Meaning in Stressful Situations

When we encounter stressful situations in life, sometimes we’re able to turn them into something more than stressful situations. They can become stressful situations that add something to our life and that ...
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July 4, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Clinical Psychology, Meaning, Positive Psychology, Stress & Anxiety

The Psychology of Eating Insects

The next big thing to hit the dinner table isn’t necessarily going to be so big, and it might just have six legs. According to a recent report from investment bank Barclays, ...
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July 2, 2019 / Neil Petersen / Health Psychology, Nutrition, Positive Psychology, Relationships