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The Language of Emotion
When people describe feeling “angry” or “distressed” or “dejected,” what do they really mean? Psychologists vigorously debate whether the words individuals use to describe their emotions actually reflect fixed states in the brain, or are
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How Useful Is Fear?
Franklin D. Roosevelt no doubt meant to be soothing when he insisted, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” A quick and terrifying tour through the academic literature on fear, though, reveals
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Why ruthlessness is a net negative in politics
What’s the right way to exert political influence? Is it more effective to be selfless and virtuous, or forceful and ruthless? Recent research we’ve conducted of the behavior of US senators reveals something surprising: Being
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Why It Seems as if Everyone Is Always Angry With You
Why do you look so angry? This article hasn’t even begun and already you disapprove. Why can’t I ever win with you? I see it in your face. If this sounds unfamiliar, good for you.
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Can you improve your emotional intelligence?
You might think you’re fairly intelligent, but are you emotionally intelligent? It’s our emotional intelligence that gives us the ability to read our instinctive feelings and those of others. It also allows us to understand
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Imagining a Positive Outcome Biases Subsequent Memories
Results from two studies suggest that imagining an upcoming event may ‘color’ memory for that event after the fact.