Posts Tagged ‘Relationships’
Emoji Use Correlates With Dating Success
With the rise of smartphones and online dating, texting with potential dates has become an important part of seeking out a relationship. Now, a new study suggests that having a good emoji game goes together with dating success. In a series of experiments, researchers at Indiana University and Lake Forest College surveyed people about their…
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People Can Detect Envy, but Only in Other People They Know
Ever get the feeling that other people become jealous when something good happens to you? It’s exceptionally hard to know or sure, because most people aren’t open about being envious. As far as the seven deadly sins go, envy is one that can be very quiet. Most people conceal any feelings of envy that arise,…
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Phubbing Destroys Relationships
Consider this your annual AllPsych public health announcement about the negative effects of phubbing. In early 2018, I wrote about the dangers of phubbing – that is, of snubbing people by going on your phone. A year and change later, there’s more research out on the topic. That research gives us new evidence that everything…
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Where Do Pointing Gestures Come From?
Pointing is a basic type of human communication. Before they start talking, babies start pointing. A pointing gesture can mean different things, such as “look at that?” or “what is that?” or “I want that!” There’s something fundamental about these uses of pointing. Even apes use pointing for multiple functions such as drawing someone’s attention…
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The Top Reasons for Divorce
The odds of a marriage splitting up are basically as good as a coin flip. In the United States, almost half of married couples are headed for divorce. Unlike the results of a coin flip, a divorce is often something you can see coming. With divorce so common, maybe you’ve wondered what the top reasons…
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Why Do People Gossip?
Gossip can range from benign to harmful, and it occurs in a variety of settings from the workplace to our personal lives. So what makes this behavior so pervasive? A new study from researchers in Germany has some answers to this question. Let me tell you about all the juicy details you just have to…
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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, edible insects are on pace to become a $8 billion market by 2030. Predictably, that got people’s attention. Eating insects will soon go…
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Body Temperature, Stress and Social Connection
When we say that someone is “warm,” we can mean that in a literal, physical sense. We might also be saying that they’re friendly, sociable and kind. This link between temperature and psychological state isn’t just metaphorical. Psychologists have found several ways in which body temperature and emotions actually do correlate with each other. One…
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Why Do Rich People Lie More?
With great power doesn’t necessarily come great honesty. It turns out that wealthier people are more likely to engage in several different kinds of unethical behavior. A 2012 study showed, for example, that people in higher socioeconomic classes were more likely to break traffic laws, cheat in order to win prizes, lie in negotiations, and…
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People Probably Agree With You Less Than You Think
If there’s one thing people never lack, it’s biases in how we think. One of these biases is what psychologists call the false consensus effect, where people tend to overestimate the extent to which other people share their views. To put it another way, people tend to assume that everyone else thinks the way they…
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