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Why People Feel Nostalgic for Terrible Times
... Psychologists define meaning as the feeling that one’s life is significant, coherent, and purposeful, says Constantine Sedikides, a psychologist at the University of Southampton, in the U.K. And many times, our actions during a challenging time meet this definition—they are significant, coherent, and purposeful. Turning points in our lives usually provide fodder for nostalgia—and they are rarely drama-free. Reminiscing about a difficult experience reminds you that at least you survived, and that your loved ones came to your aid. “The fact that those people did those things for you, or were there for you, reassures you that you have your self-worth,” Batcho said.
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Beyond Focus: How Attention Shapes Learning Differently for Children and Adults
Podcast: This episode explores whether children’s weaker selective attention is a hidden strength by addressing findings on attention, memory, and childhood learning.
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Examining How Personality Type Influences Symptoms of Depression
Unique personality traits could be affecting how individuals manage their experience of depression.
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The Psychology of ‘Shared Silence’ in Couples
A couple sits together on a sunny park bench. He appears to be studying the passing clouds; she’s absorbed in a novel. Some passersby might think, How sweet. Others might see them as bleak. ... Weinstein and colleagues “are really looking at a topic that has received not nearly as much attention as it deserves,” says Northwestern University psychological scientist Claudia Haase, who wrote a 2023 article in the Annual Review of Developmental Psychology on how couples become better at managing their emotions as they grow older. In her current work, she studies couples interacting in a lab.
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Which Knot Is Stronger? Humans Aren’t Great Judges
Humans are pretty good at guessing whether a towering stack of dishes in the sink will topple over or where a pool ball will go when a cue hits it. We evolved this kind of physical reasoning to navigate our changing and sometimes dangerous environments. But a new study highlights one area of intuitive physics that’s deceptively difficult: judging how strong a knot is. ... If you’re surprised, you’re in good company. Researchers recently asked volunteers to look at photographs of these knots and decide which would take more force to undo.
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New Psychotherapies That Focus on Positive Experiences Could Better Treat Depression and Anxiety
... CBT is the gold standard therapy for treating depression and anxiety, one or both of which will afflict around 20 percent of people during their lifetime. It may be the best remedy we have, a growing number of scientists say, but it doesn’t help everyone. Research shows that only half of patients benefit and that only half of those who do benefit do so long-term. CBT does reduce symptoms such as low mood and fearfulness. For many, however, it doesn’t restore positive feelings such as happiness or excitement.
