In Love and War

Rethinking the way we treat ourselves.

by Juliana Breines

What Does Good Feel Like?

We all want to feel good, but the meaning of good differs in striking ways depending on who we are and where we're from. Read More

How to End a Bad Relationship for Good

Sometimes we find ourselves in relationships that make us miserable more than they make us happy, relationships that we know in our hearts are not right, yet still have a hold on us. Here are some strategies you may not have considered before for ending things for good and getting on with your life. Read More

Do It For Future You

Why do we have so much trouble doing what's best for ourselves in the long run? It may be because our future selves seem like strangers to us. Read More

You Are What You Say

Outside of high school English classes, most people don't give much thought to pronouns, prepositions, and other "function words." They seem to be no more than fillers for the important content words. But it turns out that our usage of these invisible words has psychological significance, revealing something about power, personality, and romantic compatibility. Read More

Do Women Want To Be Objectified?

In a recent interview, actress Cameron Diaz controversially said "I think every woman does want to be objectified." Decades of research has documented the many ways that objectification can be harmful. So why would anyone voluntarily choose to objectify themselves? Read More

She Asked For It: The Impact of Rape Myths

During election season, some politicians made headlines for controversial statements related to rape and pregnancy. Many have questioned whether these statements reflect underlying belief systems that could be harmful to women and men alike. Recent research examines the implications of holding erroneous beliefs about rape. Read More

For the Love of Humanity

The us vs. them mentality seems to be an intractable part of human nature. But for some people, everyone is considered family, no matter who they are or where they're from. A new scale was recently developed to measure this personality trait and find out how it shapes behavior. Read More

How to Make Time Stand Still

The demands of modern life can leave us feeling chronically short on time. New research suggests a potential antidote that doesn't require canceling any plans. Read More

My Favorite Unromantic Theories of Love

Why are we drawn to certain people and not others? What makes us fall in love—and stay in love? Poets delve into the mystery of love with sonnets and musicians seek to capture its subtle essence in song. Social and personality psychologists, on the other hand, like to break love down into shapes, colors, and equations. Read More

The Dangers of Self-Forgiveness—And How to Avoid Them

The ability to forgive oneself for mistakes, large and small, is critical to psychological well-being. But self-forgiveness has a dark side. Read More

The Self-Esteem Playlist

Feeling down on yourself? Make a self-esteem playlist! It might sound silly, but music can have powerful effects on mood. Here are some ideas... Read More

When "He's Just Not That Into You" Backfires

Whether or not it's true, telling yourself "he's just not that into me" can sometimes do more harm than good. Read More

The Probability of Your Existence

We often take even the most basic aspects of life for granted. What happens when we shift our perspective? Read More

Mr. Rogers and the Psychology of Neighborly Love

As much as we extol Mr. Rogers and his legacy, most of us do little more than pay lip service to his ideals, despite our best intentions. What's getting in the way? Read More

Five Guilty Pleasures You Should Stop Feeling Guilty About

As we grow up, we learn the hard truth that everything that feels good isn't necessarily good for us, and we come to equate pleasure with self-indulgence, sinfulness, and guilt. Focusing solely on superficial pleasures may not bring lasting fulfillment, but making room for the occasional indulgence can do us more good than we realize. Read More

There's Nothing Wrong With Turning Red: How Embarrassment Helps Us

As anyone who has ever been told, “You’re blushing!” knows, displays of embarrassment can become mortifying events of their own. According to recent research, however, revealing embarrassment is nothing to be ashamed of, and in certain ways it might even serve us well. Read More