Mind & Behavior

Mind & Behavior

Study the science of how we think, feel, and act, with insights that help you better understand yourself and others.

A silhouette of a person experiencing a near-death encounter in front of a fire.
Millions of people have had a near-death experience, and it often leads them to believe in an afterlife. Does this count as good proof?
A man with long hair and a beard, embodying the concept of free will.
A volley of new insights reignites the debate over whether our choices are ever truly our own.
Two hands reaching for a speech bubble.
Many conversations start awkwardly and derail from there, but a few simple techniques can put them back on track.
A man in a suit experiencing eudaimonic happiness while jumping in the air with a briefcase.
Between the hedonic and eudaimonic life, there's a happy medium to be found.
A somber painting of a man standing alone in a tranquil field.
Omer Bartov, who spent decades studying the unspeakable horrors of genocide, shares how his studies have impacted his own mental health.
An image of a star in space.
From how life emerged on Earth to why we dream, these unanswered questions continue to perplex scientists.
A family walking down a dirt road.
Is it better to be the oldest sibling, the youngest, or in the middle?
A woman and an octopus gracefully intertwined in a mesmerizing scene.
A controversial new philosophy paper tries to bring our moral prejudices to heel. Should it?
An image of a blue, yellow, and green cell.
The bots started as windpipe cells, yet they helped nerve cells repair and grow.
A hand is pointing at a diagram illustrating the tyranny of small decisions.
Acting "little and often" has huge consequences and they're not always good — but awareness yields solutions.
A man in an astronaut suit is waving to the camera, showcasing his leadership as he navigates outer space.
Former spacewalker Mike Massimino tells Big Think how NASA missions shaped great leaders.
Santa Claus hanging from a hazardous chimney.
With any occupation comes a risk of health and safety hazards. When it comes to being Santa Claus, the challenges are unique.
A man with glasses is smiling for the camera, showcasing his ability to operate at all levels.
In a guest essay for Big Think Business, Pedro Franceschi — co-founder and co-CEO of Brex — explains why deftly navigating between vision and details is crucial for successful leaders.
A man with glasses and a brain in front of a yellow background.
6mins
There are three kinds of memory that all work together to shape your reality. Neuroscientist André Fenton explains.
Unlikely Collaborators
A person's hand is holding a piece of paper.
It has already been trialed in people and could give us a better way to analyze and stimulate the brain.
A black and white photo of a person in pajamas reading a book.
Even before birth, our brains are taking note of the languages we hear.
Xiaomi redmi note 3 smartwatch with blood pressure device integration.
Embedded in a cell phone or in accessories such as rings, bracelets or watches, the novel tools aim to make it easier to manage hypertension. But they must still pass several tests before hitting the clinic.
A rat is floating in front of a DNA screen, exhibiting an autistic behavior.
The study is a solid step toward developing gene therapies against neurodevelopmental disorders.