Being labeled as stubborn is common over the course of our lives; however, the reasons behind our stubborn behavior can vary and may have unique psychological drivers. It’s important to note that being stubborn isn’t always a bad thing—there are both beneficial and detrimental motives for stubbornness. It’s okay to…
Q: I have a friend that I think might be a manipulative narcissist and we definitely aren’t on good terms right now. They’re part of a larger group of friends that I hang out with pretty often. Basically, they tend to monopolize all of our conversations, and usually only talk…
Each decade presents a new set of generational differences that create friction between older adults and youth. Even though each age group faces a similar set of generational differences, as people get older they tend to become just as cynical of the younger generation as those before them. A 2019…
The widespread use of the term “vibe” has taken the concept of human “energy reading” mainstream. You can explain vibe awareness in some intriguing ways, attributing emotional transfer to everything from precognitive perception to panpsychic reality. Certain holistic therapies like Reiki and acupuncture aim to work directly with the…
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…