Out of the Ooze

Health

Why Moaning Makes Us Feel Better

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on March 7, 2025

Moaning is an underappreciated tool that helps us through some of the best and worst moments of life.

Moaning is an underappreciated tool that helps us through some of the best and worst moments of life.

Personality

Why Some People Are More Easily Creeped Out Than Others

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on July 19, 2024

How easily you get creeped out by strange people and places may be related to how you handle uncertainty in other areas of life.

How easily you get creeped out by strange people and places may be related to how you handle uncertainty in other areas of life.

Evolutionary Psychology

Is There an Ideal Size for Human Social Groups?

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on May 16, 2024

The maximum number of individuals one can maintain any sort of meaningful social relationship with at any given time appears to be about 150. What are the implications of this?

The maximum number of individuals one can maintain any sort of meaningful social relationship with at any given time appears to be about 150. What are the implications of this?

Education

How to Get Started on Your First Psychology Experiment

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on May 15, 2024

Students often feel stuck at the beginning of their research projects; here is a strategy to keep moving forward.

Students often feel stuck at the beginning of their research projects; here is a strategy to keep moving forward.

Academic Problems and Skills

How Do Psychologists Decide What to Study?

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on May 14, 2024

A Personal Perspective: People, including psychologists, are drawn to topics relevant to issues in their own lives. But is this the primary force driving psychological research?

A Personal Perspective: People, including psychologists, are drawn to topics relevant to issues in their own lives. But is this the primary force driving psychological research?

Aging

How Old Is "Old Enough to Die"?

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on January 31, 2024

What would we be willing to do, or not do, to buy more time? And how much more time would be needed to make the expense and suffering inherent in such measures worthwhile?

What would we be willing to do, or not do, to buy more time? And how much more time would be needed to make the expense and suffering inherent in such measures worthwhile?

Evolutionary Psychology

Why Helping Other People Also Helps You

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on January 22, 2024

Individual sacrifices for the good of the group help a group succeed; this trickles down and benefits the individuals in the group as well.

Individual sacrifices for the good of the group help a group succeed; this trickles down and benefits the individuals in the group as well.

Evolutionary Psychology

How Natural Selection Turned Us Into Busybodies

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on January 4, 2024

Our inability to walk away from gossip is as much of a part of who we are as our inability to resist doughnuts or sex—and for the same reasons.

Our inability to walk away from gossip is as much of a part of who we are as our inability to resist doughnuts or sex—and for the same reasons.

Social Life

How Humans Came to Love Gossip So Much

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on August 1, 2023

It is precisely because humans are uniquely hardwired to be fascinated by gossip that we have such a tormented relationship with it.

It is precisely because humans are uniquely hardwired to be fascinated by gossip that we have such a tormented relationship with it.

Loneliness

Why We Feel Younger as We Get Older

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on May 9, 2023

The tendency for people to feel younger than they actually are seems to be increasing over time.

The tendency for people to feel younger than they actually are seems to be increasing over time.

Bias

Why We Are Suckers for Conspiracy Theories

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on April 25, 2023

The fact that any of us can be suckers for even the most outlandish conspiracy theory can be traced to inherent cognitive biases we all share.

The fact that any of us can be suckers for even the most outlandish conspiracy theory can be traced to inherent cognitive biases we all share.

President Donald Trump

Why "Snitching" Makes Us So Uncomfortable

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on April 3, 2023

The psychological tension between loyalty to the group vs. loyalty to an individual creates mixed feelings about those who implicate colleagues in wrongdoing.

The psychological tension between loyalty to the group vs. loyalty to an individual creates mixed feelings about those who implicate colleagues in wrongdoing.

Confidence

How to Get Other People to Like You

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on March 14, 2023

Getting people to admire you can be very different from getting people to like you. Which behaviors lead to one versus the other?

Getting people to admire you can be very different from getting people to like you. Which behaviors lead to one versus the other?

Attachment

Why Gossip Feels So Good

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on March 1, 2023

It is a highly unusual person who can walk away from a juicy story about an acquaintance. Is there a chemical explanation for this?

It is a highly unusual person who can walk away from a juicy story about an acquaintance. Is there a chemical explanation for this?

Career

How We Manage the Spaces in Our Lives

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on February 20, 2023

Human interaction would be chaotic if we were unable to exert some control over the places where we live and work. How do we manage it?

Human interaction would be chaotic if we were unable to exert some control over the places where we live and work. How do we manage it?

Stress

Why Are We So Territorial?

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on October 24, 2022

There is a tendency to think of territorial behavior as a bad thing that causes conflict and aggression. In fact, exactly the opposite is often true.

There is a tendency to think of territorial behavior as a bad thing that causes conflict and aggression. In fact, exactly the opposite is often true.

Evolutionary Psychology

5 Ways Our Intuition Leads Us Astray

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on October 10, 2022

Do you go with your gut and feel confident about your judgment in social situations? You may want to be just a bit more cautious.

Do you go with your gut and feel confident about your judgment in social situations? You may want to be just a bit more cautious.

Relationships

Does Exceptional Success Require Sacrificing Other Things?

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on October 7, 2022

It is widely believed that high-achieving people must make sacrifices that undermine their relationships and well-being. Exciting new research suggests that this may not be true.

It is widely believed that high-achieving people must make sacrifices that undermine their relationships and well-being. Exciting new research suggests that this may not be true.

Body Language

3 Keys to the Power and Meaning of Eye Contact

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on September 2, 2022

Eye contact amplifies both positive and negative emotions. Sometimes disconcerting, sometimes welcome, our gaze says a lot.

Eye contact amplifies both positive and negative emotions. Sometimes disconcerting, sometimes welcome, our gaze says a lot.

Friends

How We Really Choose Our Friends

Frank T. McAndrew Ph.D. on August 25, 2022

Calling someone a "friend" elevates them to an important status in our life. How do we decide where to draw the line?

Calling someone a "friend" elevates them to an important status in our life. How do we decide where to draw the line?