Toxic positivity is the belief that someone should remain happy, no matter the reality of their situation. This irrational life outlook plays into our fear and desire to avoid experiencing negative situations or emotions. In the workplace, toxic positivity-based company cultures can lead to distrust, guilt, and concerns over sharing…
If you’re starting to feel weary of virtual meetings while working from home or keeping in touch with friends and family post-COVID, it’s possible that you’re experiencing Zoom fatigue. Though Zoom fatigue may make us anxious while interacting with others, our anxiety may come across as standoffish or disinterested, which…
Small actions or behaviors that skirt the boundaries of our relationship and test the limits of our partner’s trust are known as micro-cheating. When we know something will hurt our partner (i.e flirting with coworkers) and we do it anyway, that behavior is ultimately unhealthy for our relationship’s long-term health. …
Halloween is one of the most popular U.S. holidays—this October, we’re set to spend a whopping $10 billion on treats, Halloween costumes, and decorations. The psychology behind Halloween costumes is intriguing: Studies show that when costumes render us anonymous, we may feel more confident displaying malicious behavior towards others. More…
Even though most of us are comfortable with binge-watching a TV series, the thought of playing video games might seem out of the question. Part of our hesitancy comes from the stereotypes that we hold about gaming and those who play—but our outdated misconceptions shouldn’t hold us back from picking…
Community values are reflected in our norms about social sanctions and third party punishments (TPPs). Our online interactions with celebrities reveal shifts in a society’s moral codes. “Cancel culture” can indicate a time-honored practice of regulating social behavior or pure trolling. Gossip, concept creep, and identity can also feed into…
This year, “Hot Girl Summer” has a different meaning — in a post-pandemic world, it’s about self-assurance and self-compassion as we face what we’ve been through and acknowledge the mental challenges ahead. There are (at least) five mental obstacles that we have to navigate during our reemergence, one being anxiety:…
Since the spring of 2020, the way we socialize has been turned on its head. Social distancing has drastically cut down our interactions with each other, and there has been great discussion about how the pandemic may be affecting our mental health. But there’s one group of people no one…
Your daily screentime average is up 25% from last week. My screentime has been increasing weekly—and my iPhone loves to let me know it. If I had to guess, this is likely the case for many other people right now, too. We’re stuck at home; we’re bored; we’re checking news…
Due to COVID-19, many of us are forced to stay at home for the foreseeable future either alone or with a couple friends or family members. In either case, we’re struggling with social distancing as we adjust to a new normal; feelings like anxiety and loneliness overwhelm us. Many of…
Autism is a developmental disorder that impairs one’s ability to communicate and interact with others. If your child has autism, you can take a few simple steps to help them feel more comfortable in social situations and interact well with others. First, equip them with heuristics for talking with others:…
Do you want to be the most approachable person in the room? Follow these four tips. One, keep an open body position. Your arms should be loose, your head and eyes level with the room. This will communicate confidence and invite people to talk to you right off the bat….