psychology

Wild Paper Claims Psychopathy May Not Be a Mental Disorder, But Something Else

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For more than half a century, the kinds of antisocial personality traits we think of as psychopathic – such as a lack of remorse, aggression, and disregard for the wellbeing of others – have been associated with mental illness.   The line between broken and useful traits can be hazy in biology, leaving open the … Read more

Psychology: Non-pilots think they can land a plane after watching a YouTube video

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A psychological study shows people can be over-confident in their ability to perform tasks for which they have no formal training Humans 16 March 2022 By Christa Lesté-Lasserre Pilot working through a simulation a simulation exercise Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Wire/Alamy People can be so confident they can teach themselves skills they actually lack – … Read more

Lose yourself: How transcendent experiences can boost your well-being

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A growing body of evidence suggests that doing things that make your sense of self fall away can make people happier, less stressed and even kinder to others. Here’s our short guide to achieving this state Health 2 March 2022 By Jess Craig Simon Shim/Unsplash A FEW years ago, psychiatrist Roland Griffiths published the results … Read more

Orangutans can learn how to use stone tools as hammers and knives

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Captive orangutans that had never seen stone tools could work out how to use them to hit or cut things – but they couldn’t get the hang of making them Life 16 February 2022 By Michael Marshall Orangutans live in trees and rarely encounter stones MERVYN REES/Alamy Stock Photo Captive orangutans that had never seen … Read more

Interoception: This ‘sixth sense’ could be key to better mental health

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How our brains interpret signals from within the body has a surprisingly big influence on the mind, an insight that is leading to new ways to tackle conditions like depression, anxiety and eating disorders Health 2 February 2022 By Caroline Williams Brett Ryder LYING in the dark, my senses are straining for inputs and finding … Read more

Think yourself younger: Psychological tricks that can help slow ageing

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How old you feel matters for how long you will live. Here’s how you can reduce your psychological age Health 17 March 2021 By Graham Lawton People who feel younger than their years tend to live longer skynesher/Getty Images “AGE is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” This … Read more