The Bejeezus Out of Me

Startling behavioral science.

Rebecca Coffey

Cover photo.

Romantic Desperation and Erotomania in The Woman in the Park

Can garden-variety heartbreak become dangerous to both lover and beloved? A thrilling new novel builds its mystery on a delusional disorder called erotomania.

College? We Don't Need Yer Stinkin' College

The college admissions scandal has me thinking: Sometimes, to love is to worry, especially when you're the mother of a high school senior who may or may not be college bound.

Beyond the Best Interests of the Migrant Child

What could we be doing to emotionally help the children in tent cities?

Conservative Voters and the Messy "Down There"

What lies behind political conservatism—and behind transphobia and homophobia? Peoples' attitudes towards toilet seats may hold a clue.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Meet Stormy Daniels

Madonnas, whores, and slut shaming in the political discourse.

The Social Vagina

Women are getting nips and tucks on their genitalia. Does the law even allow this? Think: What's the difference between a cosmetic clitoridectomy and female genital mutilation?

Film Review: Moving Stories

“Moving Stories” shows dance as a soft power helping people that political and social failures have hurt.

Should President Trump Shave His Head?

Going proudly bald signals dominance, masculinity, confidence, and physical strength. Shellacking sparse hair does not.

The Human Ape

When it comes to sexual politics, why do even the good guys act like apes?

What Do the Milwaukee Cannibal and Roy Moore Have in Common?

And where do JFK and FDR fit in?

Old Marshmallow Experiment Illuminates Trump's Weaknesses

What does research into "delay discounting" tell us about Trump's "Achilles heel?"

Intimacy Across Cultures—and Species

Do you like gentlemanly/ladylike kisses or meaty, beastly ones? And what might that say about you as a human—and about humans as a species?

America's Founding Fathers Meet the Father of Psychoanalysis

"Hamilton" just swept the Tonys. What did America's founding fathers know that Freud knew, and that we should all celebrate about free speech ... and desire?

Man’s Best Friend Meets Man's Best Robot

Scientists have distilled the elements of dogs’ behavioral language for use in robots.

A Human Face on Survival Guilt

Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Here is the story of Sande Boritz Berger's discovery of family history.

Sigmund Freud Had Penis Envy

May 6th is Sigmund Freud's 160th birthday. Let's start the celebration with some secrets. Freud had plenty.

Molesley’s Dilemma

Downtown Abbey's Molesley finally got his dream job—after spending years working at a lowly, "make-do" one. How do employers today respond to evidence of make-do jobs on résumés?

And Spread Sunshine All Over the Place

A new study shows that taking careful, daily notice of beauty in human behavior, in nature, and in the word in general can boost happiness. Is that something to worry about?

The Naked Truth About the Wives of Tall Men

Time and again studies have shown that women prefer tall men. But are the wives of tall husbands actually happier?

Men's Top-Dog Power Gestures Make Them Seem Untrustworthy

In a new study, male speakers making lots of wide-reaching arm gestures (like Trump's) were generally seen as dominant. But they were also seen as fakers.

Listen to Your Parents! (It’s Good for Them)

Speaking from life experience may help people feel socially connected as work wind downs and the nest gets empty.

Punching Anti-Gay Hate Right in the Nose

One amazing organization providing safety and support to homeless LGBTQ kids was bombarded by hate — by a church. What happened next will knock your socks off.

The Worst State in the Country for LGBT Rights?

Oklahoma's legislators are currently considering 25 bills that would threaten LGBT rights. Don't they know what Sigmund Freud learned—the hard way?

10 Things About Sigmund Freud You'll Wish You Hadn't Learned

December 3 is the 120th anniversary of Anna Freud's birth. What most people don't know is that the secrets she held threatened to shake the foundation of her father's legacy.

Who Would Jesus Stone?

Classic nonviolence is far from passive. It is smartly aggressive. To get under their oppressors’ skin, civil rights and social reform leaders have had to be psychologically astute. (“What will get their goats them this time?”). And, apparently, thinking that way works. A growing body of research suggests that nonviolence is more effective than violence.

The Elephant in Sigmund Freud's Consulting Room

Anna Freud may be Patient Zero in the on-gong debate about gay conversion therapy.

Men in Red

Men, listen up. You know those red power ties you wore a few years ago? They’re probably still at the back of your closet. They may work for you on Tinder ... only not in the way you expected.

Meet the Femme Fatale

According to research from the University of Liverpool, narcissistic women often use emotionally manipulative tactics like threatening blackmail or vowing to harm themselves.

Is Spanking Bad for Children and Families?

Since 1997 studies have consistently shown that spanking doesn’t have much of a positive effect on behavior. Meanwhile, it can harm parent-child communication and can lead a child into patterns of anxiety and aggression. So why do so many of us do it? What "no harm" and "good for them in the long run" myths have we bought into?

Mean vs. Kind Humor

Are “affiliative” and “self-enhancing” forms of humor healthier than “aggressive” and “self-defeating” forms?

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