The Top Posts of 2013

Check out the reads that caught our attention this year.

8. Trust Your Gut? Not So Fast

By Katherine Ramsland Ph.D.

The celebrated sense of rightness just affirms your subjective frame.

1. Why Couples Decide They're Incompatible

By Alex Lickerman M.D.

How incompatibility arises from a basic psychological bias

3. Does Trying to Be Happy Make Us Unhappy?

By Adam Grant Ph.D.

Searching for happiness might lead us to misery.

4. What Women Find Sexy

By Vinita Mehta Ph.D., Ed.M.

Why are women attracted to certain physical characteristics in men?

12. Happiness Versus Well-Being

By Gregg Henriques Ph.D.

We should be emphasizing well-being, not happiness.

5. Can Video Games Make You Smart?

By Art Markman Ph.D.

Or at least more flexible?

2. Nine Ways to Become Smarter Than You Think

By Jonathan Wai Ph.D.

Better thinking, with or without technology.

6. Why Women Are More Sexual in Some Societies

By Nigel Barber Ph.D.

Raising the sexual temperature.

9. Katy Perry’s Performance Was Racist

By Ravi Chandra M.D., D.F.A.P.A.

And here is the reason why.

10. Schools Are Good for Showing Off, Not for Learning

By Peter Gray Ph.D.

Here’s one explanation of the education gap, and why it keeps increasing.

11. The Neuroscience of Calming a Baby

By Christopher Bergland

New study explains why babies calm down when they are carried.

7. The High Cost of Facebook Exhibitionism

By Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D.

Over-sharing on Facebook can hurt you.

13. Seven Good Things About Feeling Bad

By Douglas T. Kenrick Ph.D.

The bright side of sadness

21. You Don’t Have to Believe Your Thoughts

By Toni Bernhard J.D.

Learn to question the validity of the stressful stories you tell yourself.

14. Why People Don't Acknowledge You

By Leon F Seltzer Ph.D.

How important is it that you get recognition from others?

16. The Penis Sizes of 1,661 Men

By Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H.

Average length, circumference, ranges, and more.

17. 20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating

By Emma M. Seppälä Ph.D.

Meditation boosts your health, happiness, and success!

25. Trick Yourself Into Making Your Resolution Stick

By Juliana Breines Ph.D.

Can reverse psychology help you with your New Year's Resolution?

18. How to Manage Your Partner's Bad Moods

By Alex Lickerman M.D.

Resisting another person's unhappiness requires a well-considered strategy

15. The NIMH Withdraws Support for DSM-5

By Christopher Lane Ph.D.

A humiliating blow to the APA

19. Seven Habits of Emotionally Healthy People

By Guy Winch Ph.D.

How to treat injuries and improve resilience

22. Why Does This Baby Cry When Her Mother Sings?

By Siu-Lan Tan Ph.D.

Communicating emotion through face and melody

23. Chronic Illness? A Not-To-Do List

By Toni Bernhard J.D.

Stay away from these behaviors.

24. A Secret Message from the Past

By Mark Banschick M.D.

...scrawled in a 19th century schoolbook

20. Simple RuIes for a Remarkable Relationship

By Harriet Lerner Ph.D.

Coupling up is complicated; the rules for making it work are not.