Is There Really a Loneliness Epidemic? What 10 Major Studies and Surveys Actually Say
One in six people worldwide feel lonely, says the WHO. But is loneliness actually rising, and where did the 15-cigarettes line come from? We read the data.
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First Impressions Form in 100 Milliseconds. Here’s How Often They’re Wrong
Your brain sizes up a stranger’s face in about a tenth of a second. The science of first impressions says that verdict is quick, confident and surprisingly shaky.
The Famous Jam Study Says Too Much Choice Freezes You. The Real Answer Is Messier
Across 50 later experiments, the average effect of more options was almost zero. Four conditions decide when a long menu really does stop you.
That Ache for the Past Was Once a Disease. Now It Seems to Keep You Warm
In 1688 a Basel dissertation called it an illness. Today’s labs find nostalgia eases loneliness and can make a cold room feel warmer.
The Wobbly Shelf You Built Feels Priceless. Psychologists Call It the IKEA Effect
People paid 63% more for a plain box they had built themselves. Stop two steps short of finishing, and that premium collapses.
Does Wearing Red Make You More Attractive? The Rise and Fall of the Red Effect
In 2008, psychologists said red made women more attractive to men. Then the replications came in. Here is what survived, and what to wear on a date.
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: The Science of Stealing Back Your Night
Staying up late to reclaim time the day took from you has a name, and a growing body of research. Here is why we do it and what genuinely helps.
The Messy Desk Myth: What Really Happened When Scientists Tested Clutter and Creativity
A famous study said a messy room makes you more creative. A larger replication, a crisis in psychology and a misattributed Einstein quote tell a different story.
The Stranger on the Train: Why We’re So Wrong About Talking to People We Don’t Know
We assume strangers want to be left alone. A decade of experiments, from Chicago trains to London commuters, says we have it almost exactly backwards.
Phubbing: What Happens to a Relationship When Your Partner Keeps Checking Their Phone
Almost half of adults in one study said their partner snubbed them for a phone. Here is what researchers found it does to a relationship.