Posts Tagged ‘Relationships’
When a First Impression Misleads
To some extent, we all judge based on first impressions. But that doesn’t mean we judge accurately. A new study from researchers at University of Bologna suggests that our initial judgments about whether someone is trustworthy can influence our ability to read their emotions. Psychologists have known that we tend to make snap judgments about…
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The Psychology of Choosing a Seat
You walk into a crowded café. There are two empty seats. Which one do you choose? There are a surprising number of psychological considerations that can go into this choice. If you’re like me, you’re probably going to choose the seat that is the furthest from everyone else in the café. Call me antisocial, but…
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Feeling Grateful vs. Feeling Indebted
“Thanks! I owe you!” Maybe you’ve said that when someone has done a favor for you. Feeling thankful and feeling like you owe someone are related to each other, but it turns out these two emotions aren’t quite the same. Interestingly, feeling grateful seems to be a more other-focused emotion while feeling in debt to…
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6 Predictors of Relationship Satisfaction
Happy Valentine’s day! Or is it? That might depend on how satisfied you are with your relationship. It’s hard to define what makes a good relationship, but scientists have a few ideas. Here are 6 factors that have been linked to relationship satisfaction. 1. Knowing your partner’s emotions It’s easier to navigate a relationship when…
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How Have Social Attitudes Changed in the Last Decade?
People’s attitudes toward different social groups tend to change over time. But how have people’s attitudes in the United States changed in recent years? A pair of researchers from Harvard University decided to tackle this complex question by asking an average of 3,700 people every month for a decade, essentially, how racist, homophobic, agist and…
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Social Ostracism Linked to Internet Addiction
To understand people’s online behavior, it’s worth looking at what’s happening in their offline lives. That’s one takeaway from a new study published in the journal Psychiatry Research showing a relationship between social ostracism and internet addiction. Previous research has suggested that social factors play into excessive internet usage. As the authors point out, studies…
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The Link Between Emotional Regulation and Social Support
It’s easy to think of managing our emotions as something we do as individuals. In reality, though, the input we receive from others makes a difference in how we regulate our emotions. While our emotions our personal, they’re also tied up with the people around us. Psychology studies looking at the relationship between emotional regulation…
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Extraversion: Can You Fake It ‘Til You Make It?
Our society tends to value people who are social, outgoing, and action-oriented – that is, extraverts. Indeed, there’s plenty to like about being extraverted. Extraverts enjoy higher levels of happiness on average, partly because they have higher levels of social support. But is extraverted behavior an ideal that we should all strive for? In the…
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The Science of Having Sex With Your Ex
Some psychology studies provide practical insights with obvious applications in everyday life. Today brings an example of one of those studies, in the form of a paper titled Pursuing Sex With an Ex: Does It Hinder Breakup Recovery?, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior. The study investigated – well, pretty much exactly what the title…
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The Health Benefits of Playfulness
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It also makes him less healthy, less physically fit and less likely to lead an active life. That second part isn’t from the original proverb. Rather, it’s from a study published this month in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. In the study, researchers looked to…
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