Recent Posts

Do Octopuses Mean to Deceive?

Cephalopods like octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid display a range of deceptive behaviors, which may rely on sophisticated cognitive abilities such as Theory of Mind.

Cephalopods like octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid display a range of deceptive behaviors, which may rely on sophisticated cognitive abilities such as Theory of Mind.

Are Narcissists Really That Bad at Reading Others?

Findings on excessive self-focus and social perceptions.

Findings on excessive self-focus and social perceptions.

When You Stop Doing, Life Speaks

You're always doing. What if the key to clarity and connection isn't striving, but the courage to do nothing? Stillness is where your natural intelligence finally speaks.

You're always doing. What if the key to clarity and connection isn't striving, but the courage to do nothing? Stillness is where your natural intelligence finally speaks.

The Eternally Returning Mind

What if the universe has no beginning or end—and consciousness returns with each cosmic cycle?

What if the universe has no beginning or end—and consciousness returns with each cosmic cycle?

Judgment Is Secretly Ruining Your Life

Judgment doesn’t promote growth. It stunts it.

Judgment doesn’t promote growth. It stunts it.

Wake Up, People! Get Your Thinking Brain Going!

When you're feeling angry, your thinking brain is less functional, and you often behave poorly. The collective future requires that we re-engage our thinking brains—soon.

When you're feeling angry, your thinking brain is less functional, and you often behave poorly. The collective future requires that we re-engage our thinking brains—soon.

A Mind-Mapping Technique to Find the Missing

A criminal psychologist adapts an effective tool from counter-terrorism for the search for missing people and bodies.

A criminal psychologist adapts an effective tool from counter-terrorism for the search for missing people and bodies.

Sensing Time: A Feeling of Being Alive

The ancient answers to old questions about time are tangled in newer theories of body rhythms.

The ancient answers to old questions about time are tangled in newer theories of body rhythms.

The Psychology of the Stock Market

The stock market reflects collective behavior shaped by psychology and code.

The stock market reflects collective behavior shaped by psychology and code.

What Makes the World: Mind or Brain?

Common sense tells us that brains and minds are not the same. Is this really true?

Common sense tells us that brains and minds are not the same. Is this really true?

Cults, Sex, and Neurodivergent Individuals

The unique traits of autistic individuals can ease the path into harmful cults and, in turn, put individuals at risk of sexual exploitation.

The unique traits of autistic individuals can ease the path into harmful cults and, in turn, put individuals at risk of sexual exploitation.

Is Artificial Intelligence Replacing Your Therapist?

Is AI replacing your therapist? Not if you look closer.

Is AI replacing your therapist? Not if you look closer.

If Humans Had Souls, Would They Be Quantum?

Quantum computing challenges our understanding of time, consciousness, and reality.

Quantum computing challenges our understanding of time, consciousness, and reality.

Mindfulness Is Necessary but Not Sufficient for Well-Being

How, why, and when to cultivate mindful awareness.

How, why, and when to cultivate mindful awareness.

Can Social Anxiety Make Us Better at Reading Minds?

Social anxiety comes with increased aversion towards social uncertainty. To reduce this ambiguity, people resort to egocentric thinking, which undermines their true understanding of other minds, despite their increased interest.

Social anxiety comes with increased aversion towards social uncertainty. To reduce this ambiguity, people resort to egocentric thinking, which undermines their true understanding of other minds, despite their increased interest.

Treating the Neurons and Mental States

Personal Perspective: The heart of treating brain injury may be treating the injured neurons and the resultant mental states, both.

Personal Perspective: The heart of treating brain injury may be treating the injured neurons and the resultant mental states, both.

Does the Brain Create Consciousness?

Consciousness may be a narrative constructed by our inner thoughts.

Consciousness may be a narrative constructed by our inner thoughts.

The Dead Internet Theory: Why Being Online Feels Empty

Dead Internet Theory explains why online networks feel empty and how algorithms replace human connection, teaching us to interact with predictive models instead of real people.

Dead Internet Theory explains why online networks feel empty and how algorithms replace human connection, teaching us to interact with predictive models instead of real people.

Why 'Lizard Brain' Deepens Anxiety and Depression

Depressed, anxious, and stuck? Your "lizard brain" may be part of the problem. New research shows how the amygdala helps us to figure out others’ mental states.

Depressed, anxious, and stuck? Your "lizard brain" may be part of the problem. New research shows how the amygdala helps us to figure out others’ mental states.

One Brain-Tool Is the Foundation of Every Human Relationship

Theory of mind is the foundation of human interaction. You control no one but influence everyone. You get to choose the kind of influence you want to be.

Theory of mind is the foundation of human interaction. You control no one but influence everyone. You get to choose the kind of influence you want to be.

Theory of Mind Is the Building Block of Human Interaction

"Theory of mind" is a clunky scientific term to describe that we cannot see someone else's mind so we have to guess, to theorize, what they think or feel — especially about us.

"Theory of mind" is a clunky scientific term to describe that we cannot see someone else's mind so we have to guess, to theorize, what they think or feel — especially about us.

Terminal Lucidity, Brain Injury, and the Self

Personal Perspective: Terminal lucidity challenges orthodoxy by asking how a person with severe or prolonged brain damage can suddenly be their pre-morbid self.

Personal Perspective: Terminal lucidity challenges orthodoxy by asking how a person with severe or prolonged brain damage can suddenly be their pre-morbid self.

The Winding Path to Achievement

The road to achievement is rarely a straight line. It is a journey filled with twists and turns, shaped by the relationships we cultivate and the experiences we share.

The road to achievement is rarely a straight line. It is a journey filled with twists and turns, shaped by the relationships we cultivate and the experiences we share.

This One Truth Applies to All of Us

Personal Perspective: We use theory of mind to assess what other people think or feel as well as what they think or feel about us.

Personal Perspective: We use theory of mind to assess what other people think or feel as well as what they think or feel about us.

Using Theory of Mind to Enhance Connection

Just three simple words can keep a conversation going and help you be perceived as a caring person with ever-increasing value.

Just three simple words can keep a conversation going and help you be perceived as a caring person with ever-increasing value.

Development of the Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale

A short measure of adults’ motivation for intellectual engagement and a willingness to evaluate information could prove valuable in explaining some social attitudes and beliefs.

A short measure of adults’ motivation for intellectual engagement and a willingness to evaluate information could prove valuable in explaining some social attitudes and beliefs.

The Value of Projecting Peace

Personal Perspective: Everyone has a story to tell. But you will never hear their story if you approach them with anger.

Personal Perspective: Everyone has a story to tell. But you will never hear their story if you approach them with anger.

Why Humans Have Thousands of Tools and Other Animals Do Not

Some animals communicate with others and use a few tools, which may be signs of culture. But humans have hundreds of millions of cultural products. Why the enormous difference?

Some animals communicate with others and use a few tools, which may be signs of culture. But humans have hundreds of millions of cultural products. Why the enormous difference?

Can Artifical Intelligence Be Conscious?

Can artificial intelligence become conscious? How do we test this? What does this mean for society?

Can artificial intelligence become conscious? How do we test this? What does this mean for society?

How to Treat Your Mind Better

Like your morning coffee or yoga practice, making an effort to be more mindful and aware of your thoughts throughout the day can be a powerful way to treat your mind better.

Like your morning coffee or yoga practice, making an effort to be more mindful and aware of your thoughts throughout the day can be a powerful way to treat your mind better.