Posts by Neil Petersen

Think 140 characters can’t say much about you? There are some psychologists out there who disagree with you. In a new study, researchers took to Twitter to analyze the differences between tweets from people who are satisfied and dissatisfied with their lives. To find people in both categories, the researchers looked for tweets that related…

Imagine being totally absorbed in an activity you enjoy. Time melts away. You lose your sense of self-consciousness. You’re in the zone. Mihály Csíkszentmihályi popularized the idea of “flow,” the state of mind you enter when you’re engaged in something rewarding and completely engaging. Some of the characteristics of flow are: You’re absolutely focused. What…

Good news if the cruel world of online dating has you down. In a new study, researchers from University of Sydney have given everyone who’s ever been rejected online a ready-made rationalization. Many online dating platforms will show you someone’s picture and let you make a yes/no decision: interested or not interested, attractive or not…

Who doesn’t love some good music? Well, actually there are people who legitimately dislike music. But for most of us, listening to music feels good and releases dopamine in our brains. There’s also growing evidence that both playing and listening to music can improve our overall mental health. For this reason, many scientists over the…

Dreams are weird. Everyone knows that. But the truth is that dreams are even weirder than most people realize. Although scientists still aren’t sure why people dream, they’ve discovered some interesting things in the process of trying to figure it out. Here are 5 strange facts about dreams: 1. Whether you dream in color depends…

Just emailed someone wishing them a “happy birhtday”? You can consider that friendship finished. Researchers from University of Michigan have just released the results of a study looking at the vitally important issue of whether people think less of you as a result of your typos. And it turns out that what you’ve feared all…

You might already know that possible symptoms of schizophrenia can include delusions and hallucinations. But did you know that in some situations people with schizophrenia actually have a better grasp on reality that those without the disorder? Specifically, people with schizophrenia seem not to be susceptible to some kinds of optical illusions. Researchers have long…

Researchers working to determine whether abusive bosses share certain personality traits have ended up with some unexpected findings. Going into the study, the team of psychologists from University of Cambridge in the UK and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium guessed that if abusive supervisors had any personality trait in common, it would likely be low…

Forgetting gets a bad rap. We think of remembering as inherently better than forgetting. After all, no one aspires to be forgetful, right? But forgetting is actually one of the most important skills there is. It’s the way we move on from traumatic events and stay focused on the positive. Imagine trying to live your…

With winter here, many people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or just feel a little melancholy and low in a colder, darker time. For many readers, books are a go-to all-natural antidepressant. Stories are powerful mood uplifters—through a book you can be transported far away: to a warmer climate, to a passionate love affair, to…