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Is kindness contagious? Research says yes.

Is kindness contagious? Research says yes.

Episode two of "Is Love Actually?" explores why helping others makes us happier and how one simple gesture can create a ripple effect.

The Psychology Behind How We Make Everyday Choices

The Psychology Behind How We Make Everyday Choices

In the realm of psychology, decision-making is understood as a fundamental cognitive process. It is the mental activity that culminates in choosing...

Paul Dolan and Colleagues' Research Qualifies 'Silver Medal Paradox' in Olympic Athlete Happiness Study

Paul Dolan and Colleagues' Research Qualifies 'Silver Medal Paradox' in Olympic Athlete Happiness Study

Research conducted by Paul Dolan and his colleagues in 2021 has added a significant qualification to the long-held 'Silver Medal Paradox,' which suggests that Olympic bronze medalists are generally happier than silver medalists. Their study, published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, found no universal happiness advantage for bronze medalists over silver medalists. However, the research did observe that when the performance gap between athletes was particularly narrow, their emotional responses diverged. This nuance indicates that the perceived happiness difference is not a constant but rather context-dependent, specifically influenced by the closeness of the competition. Earlier studies, such as a 1995 landmark research by Medvec, Madey, and Gilovich, initially proposed that silver medalists might focus on narrowly missing gold ('I almost won gold'), leading to disappointment, while bronze medalists might focus on securing a medal ('At least I won a medal'), leading to relief. Dola...

How Language and Culture Shape the Way We Understand Reality

How Language and Culture Shape the Way We Understand Reality

Post-structuralism is a significant philosophical movement that emerged in France during the 1960s. It fundamentally questions the idea of objectiv...

How Your Brain Turns Thoughts Into Words Before You Speak

How Your Brain Turns Thoughts Into Words Before You Speak

Psycholinguistics, also known as the psychology of language, is a field dedicated to understanding the intricate relationship between linguistic fa...

Herbert Simon Research Institute Engages in Interdisciplinary Social Inequality Research at Tilburg University

Herbert Simon Research Institute Engages in Interdisciplinary Social Inequality Research at Tilburg University

Konrad Turek, an Assistant Professor at the Human Resource Studies Department at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, is actively involved in interdisciplinary research on social inequality at the Herbert Simon Research Institute. Dr. Turek, a sociologist, social researcher, and data analyst, focuses his research on evolving and aging labor markets, life course inequalities, lifelong learning, aging policies, age stereotypes, age management, and retirement patterns. His expertise lies in quantitative methodology and statistics, including longitudinal and multilevel analysis, mixture models, structural equation models, and Bayesian statistics. He also explores agent-based and simulation techniques in social research. Prior to his current role, Dr. Turek worked at the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) and the University of Amsterdam.

How Moral Injury Complicates Heroism in Wicked: For Good

How Moral Injury Complicates Heroism in Wicked: For Good

Beyond 'good' and 'evil,' the story of Wicked offers a powerful look at moral injury, exploring how its heroines are wounded by their own choices.

MindFirst Founder Chris Misselbrook Develops Neuro9™ Framework for Mental Fitness

MindFirst Founder Chris Misselbrook Develops Neuro9™ Framework for Mental Fitness

Chris Misselbrook, founder of MindFirst, has developed the Neuro9™ Mental Fitness Framework, a comprehensive approach to understanding and improving mental fitness. This framework emerged from Misselbrook's personal experience with burnout in 2018 and his subsequent study of psychology, physiology, and human performance. Neuro9™ integrates nine interconnected components across three dimensions: Body (Recovery, Exercise, Nutrition), Brain (Emotions, Thoughts, Identity), and Being (Relationships, Purpose, Direction). Misselbrook, who has a background in Exercise and Sport Science, drew parallels between physical fitness training and the need for a structured approach to mental well-being. He observed that many talented professionals struggle not from a lack of ability, but from overworking, self-doubt, and neglecting essential recovery and relationships. The Neuro9™ framework aims to provide a practical method for individuals to identify areas for development in their mental fitness, moving beyond generic ad...

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Gaming Pieces in Kublai Khan's Sunken Invasion Fleet off Japan

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Gaming Pieces in Kublai Khan's Sunken Invasion Fleet off Japan

Archaeologists investigating a Mongol invasion ship from 1281 off the coast of Japan have discovered 34 gaming pieces, including five dice and 29 rectangular stones. The discovery, announced in October 2026, marks the first time such gaming artifacts have been found among the Mongol invasion shipwrecks in the area. Professor Yoshifumi Ikeda of Kokugakuin University, along with researchers from the Matsuura City Board of Education, examined the stern of a ship located about 150 meters from shore at a depth of 18-19 meters. The ship, potentially 30 meters long, could be the largest of the three invasion wrecks identified in the region. The gaming pieces, resembling those used in traditional Chinese games like Tianjiu, were found alongside iron objects believed to be food containers, a grinding bowl, and a knife, suggesting the stern housed a food preparation area. This finding leads archaeologists to hypothesize that those tasked with food preparation may have played games during breaks.

Archaeological treasures uncovered beneath Kabul's crumbling ancient fortress

Archaeological treasures uncovered beneath Kabul's crumbling ancient fortress

The imposing fortress of Bala Hissar in the Afghan capital Kabul has endured centuries of upheaval and war

Painstaking rescue of Kabul’s crumbling Bala Hissar fortress reveals 2,000 years of Afghan history

Painstaking rescue of Kabul’s crumbling Bala Hissar fortress reveals 2,000 years of Afghan history

The imposing fortress of Bala Hissar in the Afghan capital Kabul has endured centuries of upheaval and war

Oil dependence is bad for the climate and the economy, UN chief tells COP31

Oil dependence is bad for the climate and the economy, UN chief tells COP31

By William James and Ezgi Erkoyun ANTALYA, Turkey, Nov 10 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took aim at oil companies making billions of dollars in profits while families, businesses and governments suffer, as he used the COP31 climate conference to criticise fossil fuel