Heaps of research suggest that social relationships make people happier—but which relationships, specifically? A guilt-ridden afternoon with a mother-in-law might not have the same effect as drinks with a best friend. A “fair-weather friend” stands by your side only during good times. Recently a group of researchers set out to determine whose More
Emotion recognition is a hot new area, with numerous companies peddling products that claim to be able to read people’s internal emotional states, and AI researchers looking to improve computers’ ability to do so. This is done through voice analysis, body language analysis, gait analysis, eye tracking, and remote measurement of physiological signs like pulse and breathing More
Software that purportedly reads emotions in faces is being deployed or tested for surveillance, hiring, market research, and more. But a report in Psychological Science in the Public Interest finds that facial movements are an inexact gauge of a person’s feelings, behaviors or intentions. More
The most popular class in the history of Yale University was inspired by a paradox: Even when people, conventionally speaking, succeed—get into a top college, make lots of money, or accumulate prestige and accolades—they are often left feeling unsatisfied. It’s a problem that may be particularly acute at a place More
APS Past Board Member Gün R. Semin is exploring what he calls the “invisible orchestra” of bodily scents related to happiness, fear, and other emotional experiences. More
Consumption habits may play a stronger role than income itself in how people feel about their lives, a study suggests. More
