A study published in Psychological Science evaluated the link between happiness and personality traits in 973 twins. The authors found that happiness was heritable, and that it showed genetic linkage to certain personality traits. Those who were extroverted, open, agreeable and conscientious were more... Read more →

There’s something undiscriminating about change. Regardless of age, social status, education, or upbringing, most people’s first reaction to change is usually one of resistance. It doesn’t seem to matter if the change is positive or even if the change is backed up by substantial evidence,... Read more →

Don’t you think empathy is the ideal cure for war and domestic violence? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could teach empathy to the whole world today, right now? Well, here’s a step in that direction. A set of seven studies explored ways that we can feel more empathic and less vengeful by... Read more →

We’ve examined the common reasons people stop taking anti-depressants. That’s part of this puzzle. We’ve looked at the difficulty of proving the type of depression an individual has. Now, let’s answer the big question: why does the “cause” of depression really matter?... Read more →

It’s not unusual for people to stop taking their anti-depressants. And while this can be confusing and frustrating to others, a careful consideration of the reasons behind this common occurrence can help end this cycle. Called non-compliance, researchers have concluded that people stop taking medication... Read more →

Recently I read an AP article entitled Experts: Troubled patients may go off meds. This article used the recent college shootings by Steven Kazmierczak as an example of someone who stopped taking a psychiatric drug and then “lost it.” In a nutshell, the article goes on to explain reasons... Read more →

Scientists at Leeds University, England believe that they have found the answer to how a lot of our unconscious actions are generated — by simply following our herd of brethren! A new study demonstrates that it only takes about 5% of people to have a decisive influence on the direction that a crowd... Read more →