The Human Beast

Social Media

Why Teens Love and Hate TikTok and Instagram

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on April 11, 2024

Social media may play a major role in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, but platforms like TikTok and Instagram are habits that are hard to break.

Social media may play a major role in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, but platforms like TikTok and Instagram are habits that are hard to break.

Social Media

The Social Media Mob

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on March 21, 2024

The Internet adds new twists to mob psychology, but the beast remains much the same.

The Internet adds new twists to mob psychology, but the beast remains much the same.

Social Life

How People Become Emotionally Invested in Hate

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on February 15, 2024

Factional hatred has a powerful emotional hold over us even though it hurts us practically, psychologically, and somatically.

Factional hatred has a powerful emotional hold over us even though it hurts us practically, psychologically, and somatically.

Narcissism

Why Narcissism Is Rising

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on February 1, 2024

There was a steady increase in narcissism among college students from one decade to the next. Why are young people so obsessed with themselves compared to earlier generations?

There was a steady increase in narcissism among college students from one decade to the next. Why are young people so obsessed with themselves compared to earlier generations?

Environment

How We Destroy the Environment by Flying

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on January 24, 2024

Even keen environmentalists continue to fly despite increasing their carbon footprint. How can psychologists account for such cognitive inconsistency?

Even keen environmentalists continue to fly despite increasing their carbon footprint. How can psychologists account for such cognitive inconsistency?

Cognition

How Physical Activity Sharpens the Mind

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on January 11, 2024

Movement shapes our thinking. This truth cuts across neuroscience, clinical psychology, exercise physiology, and the psychology of aging.

Movement shapes our thinking. This truth cuts across neuroscience, clinical psychology, exercise physiology, and the psychology of aging.

Neuroscience

Exercise May Turn Fat Into a Weight Regulator

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on December 8, 2023

Researchers are discovering ways that white fat gets changed into beige fat, which burns energy rather than storing it.

Researchers are discovering ways that white fat gets changed into beige fat, which burns energy rather than storing it.

Career

Work Addiction, What It Is, Where It Came From

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on November 17, 2023

Addiction to work seems normal in the U.S. and other developed countries, but it is not healthy.

Addiction to work seems normal in the U.S. and other developed countries, but it is not healthy.

Aging

The Secret of Long Life in Places Like Okinawa and Sardinia

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on October 25, 2023

Communities where loneliness is rare foster exceptionally long lives. Their health-promoting practices minimize loneliness.

Communities where loneliness is rare foster exceptionally long lives. Their health-promoting practices minimize loneliness.

Evolutionary Psychology

Dog Domestication Changed Both Our Brains

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on October 6, 2023

Dog domestication reduced the brain size of humans as well as dogs.

Dog domestication reduced the brain size of humans as well as dogs.

Narcissism

Why Narcissism Plus Fame Can Mean Violence

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on September 24, 2023

A Personal Perspective: Famous people have a license to behave badly and may feel that rules do not apply to them. One result is conflict with authority. Another is violence.

A Personal Perspective: Famous people have a license to behave badly and may feel that rules do not apply to them. One result is conflict with authority. Another is violence.

Social Networking

The Harm Done by Social Media

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on August 23, 2023

Technology is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. Yet, social media has disrupted modern societies in many ways, some of them harmful.

Technology is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. Yet, social media has disrupted modern societies in many ways, some of them harmful.

Diet

Obesity as a Disease of Civilization

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on August 9, 2023

When it comes to being overweight, we experience the wrong sort of guilt.

When it comes to being overweight, we experience the wrong sort of guilt.

Artificial Intelligence

Some Reasons Not to Fear Artificial Intelligence

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 26, 2023

Paranoia about artificial intelligence includes the view that it will attack our individuality by outdoing human creativity and ingenuity. Such fears may be overblown.

Paranoia about artificial intelligence includes the view that it will attack our individuality by outdoing human creativity and ingenuity. Such fears may be overblown.

Environment

Nature Often Defies Sharp Categories

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 18, 2023

In the natural world, sharp division into categories reflects how our minds work more than what is actually there.

In the natural world, sharp division into categories reflects how our minds work more than what is actually there.

Loneliness

Why We Are Lonely and What to Do About It

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on July 7, 2023

Our subsistence ancestors likely did not suffer from loneliness. So why has social disconnection become such a threat?

Our subsistence ancestors likely did not suffer from loneliness. So why has social disconnection become such a threat?

Diet

Why Sugar Is So Dangerous

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on June 6, 2023

Excessive sugar consumption is one of the primary challenges to health in modern societies. Sweetness is highly attractive, but sugar is a risk factor for leading causes of death.

Excessive sugar consumption is one of the primary challenges to health in modern societies. Sweetness is highly attractive, but sugar is a risk factor for leading causes of death.

Loneliness

Why Loneliness Is a Killer

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on May 24, 2023

Loneliness is more dangerous than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. This is a sobering conclusion at a time when loneliness is increasing in the U.S., particularly for the young.

Loneliness is more dangerous than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. This is a sobering conclusion at a time when loneliness is increasing in the U.S., particularly for the young.

Diet

Is It a Mistake to Exercise for Weight Loss?

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on May 18, 2023

Physically active communities experience lower levels of obesity. So how could a Time magazine article advise people not to exercise for weight loss?

Physically active communities experience lower levels of obesity. So how could a Time magazine article advise people not to exercise for weight loss?

Gender

Green Spending and Gender

Nigel Barber Ph.D. on May 10, 2023

Much consumer spending is discretionary, so changing habits can help protect the planet, but men and women approach environmentally-conscious spending in different ways.

Much consumer spending is discretionary, so changing habits can help protect the planet, but men and women approach environmentally-conscious spending in different ways.