Social scientists have long documented the ‘warm glow’ of altruism, a good feeling that comes from doing a good deed. But ...

Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can ...

Research on how we perceive the rate of change shows how you can be strategic about goal tracking and boost your motivation ...

Mental health awareness may be having unintended consequences – the conversation needs to shift from vibes to precision ...

Friendship is a force that runs deep through the human soul. It fosters trust, emotional balance and mutual support. It binds individuals and shapes communities, both in ordinary times and in moments ...

Katia Ariel is a writer, editor and educator. She is the author of The Swift Dark Tide (2023) and Ferryman: The Life and Deathwork of Ephraim Finch (2025). She lives in Melbourne, Australia.

A lot of people think they know how to sharpen pencils, but… they don’t.’ A guide to doing it right, by an artisanal pro ...

Most cults don’t make the headlines. Here’s how to identify, and avoid, control by psychologically coercive social groups ...

Shame swamps any redeeming traits you might have thought you had. Slow down to interrupt the loops that cause self-hatred ...

In 392 CE, the Roman emperor Theodosius I outlawed one of the oldest and most well-established mystery cults in the Greek-speaking world, the Eleusinian Mysteries, which had taken place for more than ...

Material possessions can be powerfully alluring – whether it’s buying new stuff we don’t need or can’t afford, or holding on to things for way too long. At the extremes, these inclinations can become ...