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 man and a woman holding hands in front of an orange background.
The existential philosopher argued that an authentic and meaningful life is measured by choice.
A statue of a man sitting under a night sky filled with stars.
Philosophers Massimo Pigliucci and Greg Lopez discuss how Stoicism can help us gain perspective on our emotions and act with intention in the world.
a woman with red hair and yellow glasses.
A new study from Finland suggests that we all process the behavior of others using the same neural networks.
a painting of a boat floating on a body of water.
Spiritual experiences can be explained in terms of a highly evolved brain. But they also can be extremely meaningful.
John Templeton Foundation
Three illustrated human brains in a row on an orange background.
7mins
You’ve heard about your "lizard brain." But what about the other two?
John Templeton Foundation
a statue of a man with no shirt on.
10mins
People are having less sex than ever. 3 experts explain the keys to maintaining a passionate relationship.
a glass of red liquid sitting on top of a table.
Is blood the key to anti-aging, or just another lucrative biotech opportunity?
A digital art image of a human made of small white blocks.
Brain-computer interfaces could enable people with locked-in syndrome and other conditions to "speak."
a painting of a group of people riding horses.
Evolutionary pressures drove the formation of tribes who encoded their values in myths and symbols. Was this cooperation cursed?
A woman climbing up the side of a mountain.
A part of human nature needs to be challenged and feel strong. Today, we fulfill that need with "surrogate activities."
An abstract figure with a pale face holds its head and screams on a bridge, with swirling blue, orange, and black lines in the background.
9mins
No, emotions don’t happen TO you. Here’s what happens instead.
a skeleton is shown in a red light.
Would you confess your crimes to a skeleton with "an unnatural ghastly glow"? One inventor thought you would.
a drawing of a green speech bubble.
It’s the paradoxical observation that the more we try to process, the less we actually can.
a man standing in front of a white light.
We commonly stereotype psychopaths as criminals, but there are probably more in upper management.
A surreal painting shows a large distorted human face with closed eyes, supported by sticks, floating above a calm landscape with a boat and building in the background.
4mins
Ancient societies revered dreams. Modern science tells us why.
a painting of a wooden judge's hammer.
Memory, responsibility, and mental maturity have long been difficult to describe objectively, but neuroscientists are starting to detect patterns. Coming soon to a courtroom near you?
A person standing in the ocean captured in a haunting black and white photo.
The dying brain experiences a surge of electrical activity. Could this help explain the mysterious phenomena of near-death experiences?
a painting of two women sitting next to each other.
Emotion dysregulation has been linked to unhealthy risk-taking, relationship challenges, and negative physical health outcomes.
a blurry image of a man standing in front of a blue background.
A recently identified stage of sleep common to narcoleptics is a fertile source of creativity.