Neuronarrative

Musings on the complicated business of thinking

by David DiSalvo

How Uncertainty Overpowers Evidence in Matters of Health

Few of us are comfortable with uncertainty in any form, least of all when the status of our health is branded with the scarlet question mark. A new study in the journal JAMA suggests that fear of uncertainty is fueling a psychological dynamic that's leading to more and more invasive procedures--whether or not we need them. Read More

Disruptive Technology Meets the Immigration Imagination

One can look around any city or town in America and find evidence to support the argument that new digital technology is truly dangerous to the human condition. Good examples range from obesity and onset diabetes linked to the sedentary entertainment habits of young children who incessantly play video games, to incidents of texting drivers causing fatal collisions. Read More

Extroverts and Introverts, Make Way for the Ambiverts!

We like to think that personality is a game of extremes, but the truth is quite the opposite. Read More

10 Reasons Why We Struggle With Creativity

Anyone who says “I don’t have a creative bone in my body” is seriously underestimating their skeleton. More to the point, they are drastically undervaluing their brain. Read More

Love in the Time of Neuroscience

What do the neurobiological underpinnings of love got to do with it? Quite a lot. But, understanding the nuts and bolts of love need not drain it of its power and magic. Read More

The Top 10 Challenges for Brain Science in 2013

2012 was a big year for brain science and psychology developments. In this article, I'm focusing on what I think are some of the biggest challenges facing these fields in 2013 and years to come. Read More

10 Reasons Why Some People Love What They Do

In my research on work satisfaction, I’ve come across a few gleaming nuggets of a subject that eludes most of us – what makes some people truly love their jobs. And by “love” I don’t mean that they never have a day when they’d rather be doing anything but their job, but rather that they experience a consistent contentment with the work they do. Read More

Bad Science Revelation of 2012: Reparative Therapy is a Lie

In 2001, Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, psychiatrist and professor emeritus of Columbia University, presented a paper at a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association about something called “reparative therapy” for gay men and women. In 2012, his conclusions drastically changed. Read More

10 Dumb Things I've Learned From Brilliant People

Brilliant, or would-be brilliant people, are frequently great at getting others to listen to them and follow their lead -- but for everyone else that isn't necessarily for the best. Read More

The Top Psychoactive Drug Story of 2012: Bath Salts

Bath Salts stole headlines for several weeks in 2012, so in this (perhaps the last article on the topic of year?), let's get right to the point about exactly why these drugs are dangerous. Read More

Why Creating an Impromptu Brain Sync is Good Neural Medicine

By making a decision to help and then following up that decision with action, you’ve synced your believing brain with that of the driver. You believe that offering assistance, even at some risk to yourself, to help this person succeed is worthwhile, and your belief is bridging the gap between the two of you. Read More

10 Truths I've Learned from People Who Didn't Go To College

From an early age my perspective was steeped in wisdom from those who never went to college but managed to live fulfilling lives just the same. Here are ten things they and others I’ve encountered along the way have taught me. Read More

Need a Self-Control Boost? Gargle with Lemonade!

If you're struggling to keep your self-control on track, keep a bottle of lemonade made with real sugar handy. You won't have to drink it, just swish and gargle when you're feeling like giving up. Read More

10 Ways Your Brain Is Smacking You Around

Brains — can’t live with them, can’t live without them. We’d be nowhere without the marvel of evolution in our skulls, but sometimes our brains act in ways not in our best interests, and that’s when we have to remember that not every message coming from the control center is accurate or beneficial. Read More

Study Finds the Unexpected in the Brains of Spirit Mediums

Something peculiar is going on inside the brains of experienced spirit mediums, and no one is quite sure how to explain it. Read More

Switching Off Bad Habits, a True Possibility?

Could we one day switch off bad habits in our brains? New research suggests that this possibility, as far fetched as it may seem, is plausible. Read More

What Caffeine Really Does to Your Brain

Is that morning cup of Joe really the delicious stimulant you think it is, or are most of us in the dark about how caffeine really affects our brains? Read More

Starting Over One Thought at a Time

Scott’s situation is atypical, but it offers an example that all of us can learn from – a blueprint for what is necessary to overcome the obstacles that immediately appear whenever we are trying to push ahead, achieve, and accomplish. Read More

What Eating Too Much Sugar Does to Your Brain

Overeating, poor memory formation, learning disorders, depression—all have been linked in recent research to the over-consumption of sugar. And these linkages point to a problem that is only beginning to be better understood: what our chronic intake of added sugar is doing to our brains. Read More

How to Tell if Someone is Lying to You Online

Most of us are horrible lie detectors in face-to-face interaction, and we’re even worse when it comes to knowing if someone is lying online. New research suggests, however, that there are certain linguistic signals we can look for to determine if someone is trying to hoodwink us. Read More

What Is Science-Help?

Since the publication of my book, "What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite", I’ve given several interviews, and during each one I’ve been asked to elaborate on a term I used in the book’s introduction and closing chapter: “Science-help.” Read More

Ten Impressive Psychology Studies from 2011

Several great psychology studies were conducted in 2011 and it's hard to choose just ten to write about. In a list that's anything but exhaustive, here are the studies that impressed me the most from the past year. Read More

Why Moral Self-Regulation Makes Your Brain Happy

The subtlety of the moral self-regulation effect is on the level of background noise—it's happening all the time and we rarely give it a second thought. Read More

Study: Trick Your Brain at Lunch and Lose Weight

Could losing weight be as easy as soup and crackers for lunch a few times a week? A new study from researchers at Cornell University suggests that it is, but for a reason that may not seem immediately obvious. Read More

The Tornado Is Never Far for Those with Anxiety

A few years ago I was diagnosed with something called Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Just hearing the term made me skeptical, since it sounded so, you know, general. It struck me as a catch-all "disorder" to label everyone for whom a specific disorder doesn't apply. Read More

Narcissists Already Know What You Think of Them, But Do They Care?

Are pathological narcissists blind to their affliction? In the parlance of the DSM-IV, is narcissism a true personality disorder or a character disorder? Read More

Not All Crying Is Depression: Understanding Pseudobulbar Affect

You're having a calm discussion with a friend about a topic you don’t find emotional whatsoever, and you notice that tears are welling up in your friend’s eyes. You ask your friend if you inadvertently said something hurtful, and the reply is, “No, I really don’t know why I’m reacting this way, I’m fine.” Read More

Five Things “Angry Birds” Will Teach You About Life

Feeling bad about spending so much time playing "Angry Birds"? Take heart. The game is teaching you lessons about life you may have not even considered. Read More

The Power and Perils of Being Born 'Gifted'

We've all seen examples of incredible talent wasted—of the kid who was told from an early age how smart, athletic, artistic, etc. she is, but never develops those abilities beyond a basic level. According to everyone around these kids they were destined for greatness, but eventually they learned—often too late—that destiny is overrated. Read More

What Kind of Adapter Are You?

Your adaptive style is what you do with the 'You' as you face the vicissitudes of living. Without this capacity to adapt, our natural style doesn't stand a chance. Life throws too many complex obstacles our way to never make adjustments. To adapt is to live. Read More