human behavior

Has an old photo ever stopped you in your tracks, flooding you with memories so vivid you could almost step back into that moment? Or maybe a familiar song came on the radio and suddenly you were transported to a different time, a different version of yourself. That rush of…

When our loved ones are away, there can be times when we miss them so much it hurts. We reminisce about having them near and recall the times we shared. But in some situations, the relationship just… ends. Whether it’s due to death, a breakup or divorce, military service, or…

Nothing else has the ability to power us through our workouts and make awkward elevator rides a little bit more bearable. That’s right; it’s hard to imagine a world without music. It’s probably an understatement to say that music is taken for granted; we don’t always recognize the mental sway…

Dopamine is probably the only neurotransmitter that could be considered a household name. News sources, tech bros, and mental health outlets toss the word around like a frisbee. Everyone and their dog seems to know what dopamine is—a feel-good chemical that’s produced in the brain, which rewards us for performing…

In case you missed it, there’s a place on the internet called r/AmItheA**hole (AITA) which aims to determine which party should be blamed in ethical disputes. For example, someone posts the following (paraphrased) moral quandary on Reddit’s AITA forum: “My friend’s baby was crying, so I gave her a sip…

Ask anyone headed to watch the next Marvel flick: It’s hard not to idolize the heroines and heroes within the realms of popular fiction. Whether they’re on the silver screen, in books,  TV series, or even video games, many of us admire these depictions of larger-than-life characters. But, even though…

Toxic relationships are everywhere: We can have an unhealthy attachment to our parents, our partners, even our phones— anything that we interact with, really. Yet rarely do we take a look at our friends. This might be important, considering they’re the people we often vent to about everything (and everyone)…

It’s day 2 after your arrival home from a fun, meaningful, and memorable vacation. You’re back at work and you feel down, almost disassociated from the business around you. Everyday reality feels drained of color and emotion. Unofficial diagnosis: You have the post-vacation blues. But what if you’ve just returned…

Willpower is often thought of as an “x” factor—an unquantifiable, but powerful force that, if only we could capture it, could allow us to conquer our vices and achieve our goals. Willpower is perhaps the most romanticized of all psychological traits, but rarely have we stopped to pose the question:…

Your shoulders are hunched and your breathing is shallow, thumb propelling you through a dismal newsfeed with expert strokes. Each headline spells disaster for another city, species, or group of people, and we sink a little deeper into the tarpit known as doomscrolling. It’s a familiar scene: Whatever you name…

I spend a lot of my time writing and utilizing my imagination. I can create a writing prompt out of almost anything. When I daydream, my creativity goes wild. I live in my fantasy land, conjuring up ideas for my next article or blog post. As I daydream, I attempt…