Recent Posts

When Pain Becomes Purpose

What if your past pain could lead to stronger relationships and a deeper sense of purpose? Discover how childhood trauma can fuel growth, empathy, and healing in your life.

What if your past pain could lead to stronger relationships and a deeper sense of purpose? Discover how childhood trauma can fuel growth, empathy, and healing in your life.

When Your Friend Is Gone but You Survived

Nobody wants to talk about survivor guilt, yet it is more pervasive than most recognize and leaders can take a role to ameliorate its effects.

Nobody wants to talk about survivor guilt, yet it is more pervasive than most recognize and leaders can take a role to ameliorate its effects.

Help Me if You Can

Helping is not unique to humans. Chimps, dogs, and mice do it too.

Helping is not unique to humans. Chimps, dogs, and mice do it too.

How Can Social Supports Save Us?

Some people claim that they are better off being alone, away from other people. There may be another side to this view.

Some people claim that they are better off being alone, away from other people. There may be another side to this view.

We Can Have an Impact

A Personal Perspective: Decency becomes a growing intention, one person at a time, one situation following another.

A Personal Perspective: Decency becomes a growing intention, one person at a time, one situation following another.

How to Consider Moral Development When Parenting

We hope our children all develop great morals. Here is how you can help.

We hope our children all develop great morals. Here is how you can help.

How Lonely Are We and Why Does It Matter?

The sense of loneliness spiked during COVID and continues to harm our society and health. Who is most affected and what should we do to fight this trend?

The sense of loneliness spiked during COVID and continues to harm our society and health. Who is most affected and what should we do to fight this trend?

A Brief Review of Anna Freud's Concept of Altruistic Surrender

Giving until it hurts may seem virtuous, but it may be a manifestation of defense mechanisms erected in response to covert, overly harsh self-criticism.

Giving until it hurts may seem virtuous, but it may be a manifestation of defense mechanisms erected in response to covert, overly harsh self-criticism.

Fix Annoying Things, Close Drawers, Do Small Favors

A Personal Perspective: Dramatic changes have real appeal. Declutter the whole house! But making many small changes will have a much bigger impact over time.

A Personal Perspective: Dramatic changes have real appeal. Declutter the whole house! But making many small changes will have a much bigger impact over time.

Can 25 Cents Cause a Chain Reaction of Connection?

Personal Perspective: COVID-19 and politics have built walls in our society. Sharing a grocery cart that costs you a quarter is a good first step toward breaking down those barriers.

Personal Perspective: COVID-19 and politics have built walls in our society. Sharing a grocery cart that costs you a quarter is a good first step toward breaking down those barriers.

Do We Make Better Choices When It's All About Us?

Every day we make choices that affect us and choices that affect others. New research using animal behaviour reveals which we are better at and how choices link to autistic traits.

Every day we make choices that affect us and choices that affect others. New research using animal behaviour reveals which we are better at and how choices link to autistic traits.

Choose Psychological Growth, for Everyone’s Sake

When we delay psychological growth, waiting until we feel totally secure, we let down ourselves, others, and the world. Psychological growth is not selfish.

When we delay psychological growth, waiting until we feel totally secure, we let down ourselves, others, and the world. Psychological growth is not selfish.

Are You Being Controlling Through Your Gifts?

Are your holiday gifts truly spreading joy—or do they come with strings attached, unconscious expectations, or even subtle attempts at control?

Are your holiday gifts truly spreading joy—or do they come with strings attached, unconscious expectations, or even subtle attempts at control?

We Need Transcendence and Service to Others to Be Fully Human

Human beings need security, growth, "transcendence," and to be of moral service to others and the world. Conditions in life, and in our psyches, often block our need fulfillment.

Human beings need security, growth, "transcendence," and to be of moral service to others and the world. Conditions in life, and in our psyches, often block our need fulfillment.

Being “There” for Others: What’s in It for You?

Other-oriented approaches and prosocial behaviors can offer mutual benefits, improving a person's well-being and life satisfaction. Here's how it works.

Other-oriented approaches and prosocial behaviors can offer mutual benefits, improving a person's well-being and life satisfaction. Here's how it works.

Bullying Hurts Your Health. Kindness Boosts It.

Our brain and body health are impacted by whether or not we bully others or treat them with kindness. Bullying puts your health at risk while kindness gives it a boost.

Our brain and body health are impacted by whether or not we bully others or treat them with kindness. Bullying puts your health at risk while kindness gives it a boost.

What’s Your Kindness Quotient?

We care about our neighbors 74 percent as much as we do ourselves.

We care about our neighbors 74 percent as much as we do ourselves.

3 Ways to Turn Stress Into Action

If you're feeling overwhelmed by circumstances outside your control, turn bad stress into good stress and make your stress response work for you through action and finding meaning.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by circumstances outside your control, turn bad stress into good stress and make your stress response work for you through action and finding meaning.

Can Appearing Too Altruistic Hurt Your Online Dating?

It's good to do good. But can trying to look too much like a do-gooder be bad or your online dating prospects?

It's good to do good. But can trying to look too much like a do-gooder be bad or your online dating prospects?

Acts of Kindness Can Counter Disconnection and Distress

These kindness practices can help you strengthen your sense of connection to others—and yourself—even while you also respond to difficult circumstances.

These kindness practices can help you strengthen your sense of connection to others—and yourself—even while you also respond to difficult circumstances.

People With a Sweet Tooth May Also Be Sweeter People

A sweet proof of "conceptual metaphor theory."

A sweet proof of "conceptual metaphor theory."

Forgiveness: Good for Them or Good for You?

"Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies." –Nelson Mandela

"Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies." –Nelson Mandela

Four Powerful Ways to Cope with Survivor's Guilt

Struggling with survivor's guilt after a hurricane? Learn three powerful ways to cope, heal, and turn your guilt into purpose.

Struggling with survivor's guilt after a hurricane? Learn three powerful ways to cope, heal, and turn your guilt into purpose.

Hurricane Relief and the Cognitive Dissonance of Accepting Aid

Helping the victims of the recent catastrophic storms requires that we achieve unity both with each other and within ourselves.

Helping the victims of the recent catastrophic storms requires that we achieve unity both with each other and within ourselves.

There Are Two Types of Happiness, but Only One Lasts

Balancing hedonic pleasure with eudaimonic fulfillment.

Balancing hedonic pleasure with eudaimonic fulfillment.

7 Psychological Strategies to Instantly Improve Your Day

The social psychology of mood change often involves strategies that are rewarding to ourselves and others.

The social psychology of mood change often involves strategies that are rewarding to ourselves and others.

Failure to Replicate the "Identified Victim Effect"

We conducted several replications and a reanalysis of a meta-analysis on the classic identified victim effect and found no support for the original, seminal findings.

We conducted several replications and a reanalysis of a meta-analysis on the classic identified victim effect and found no support for the original, seminal findings.

Reducing Self-Interest for Meaningful Connections

By taking a closer look at self-interest, you can better prioritize the welfare of your community and others.

By taking a closer look at self-interest, you can better prioritize the welfare of your community and others.

We Teach Them to Roll Over, They Teach Us Empathy

Children high on the empathy spectrum are more likely to have successful interpersonal relationships. How can we foster empathy in children? Let them help take care of Fido.

Children high on the empathy spectrum are more likely to have successful interpersonal relationships. How can we foster empathy in children? Let them help take care of Fido.

How Does Morality Develop and Differ as We Age?

Morality is a fundamental aspect of human experience. To address global challenges, we need to use science to understand how morality develops and differs across our lives.

Morality is a fundamental aspect of human experience. To address global challenges, we need to use science to understand how morality develops and differs across our lives.