Science of Us – What Studies Say About Human Behavior & Productivity

NYMag.com Daily Intelligencer Vulture The Cut Science of Us Select All Grub Street The Strategist

My Account My Profile My Comments My Reviews My Friends

Like Us Follow Us

Newsletter

The Latest Insights Into Human Behavior, Delivered Daily

Enter your email Thank you for signing up! An error occurred. Please try again.

NYMag.com
Daily Intelligencer
Vulture
The Cut
Science of Us
Select All
Grub Street
Bedford & Bowery

Like Us Follow Us

Newsletter

The Latest Insights Into Human Behavior, Delivered Daily

Enter your email Thank you for signing up! An error occurred. Please try again.

The Phenomenon of ‘Bud Sex’ Between Straight Rural Men

When Trump’s America Doesn’t Feel Like Home Anymore

Predict Your Scores on an Important Personality Test

9:00 a.m.

How a Vegan Diet Affects Your Body’s Ability to Heal Itself

By Stephanie Bucklin

The science on diet and injury recovery is still pretty murky.

Read More »

8:00 a.m.

What Makes Kids Stop Believing in Santa?

By Cari Romm

It’s more complicated than just growing up.

Read More »

Yesterday at 3:54 p.m.

The Older You Are, the Better Excuse You Have for Being Late

By Cari Romm

Blame it on your brain’s changing internal clock.

Read More »

Yesterday at 12:26 p.m. public health

More Evidence That Violence Is Contagious

By Drake Baer

Like smoking or obesity, it travels along social networks.

Read More »

Yesterday at 10:41 a.m. self-care

Saunas Help Your Brain, Says Deeply Finnish Study

By Drake Baer

More bathing, less Alzheimer’s.

Read More »

Yesterday at 10:18 a.m.

The Potential Danger in Therapy Apps Like Talkspace

By Drake Baer

If someone is contemplating suicide, is a text message enough?

Read More »

Yesterday at 8:00 a.m. personality psychology

Can You Predict Your Scores on an Important Personality Test?

By Jesse Singal and Ashley Wu

The Big Five framework has been embraced by many personality psychologists as an important way to measure human personality.

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 4:51 p.m.

To Save Money, Pay Attention to Your Mood

By Cari Romm

Certain emotional states make for better shopping decisions.

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 3:42 p.m. philosophy of science

A Few Reasons Science Is Afraid of Animal Consciousness

By Drake Baer

Or: Does a duckling think?

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 11:23 a.m.

Even Cavemen Brushed Their Teeth — and They Probably Had Better Teeth Than You

By Cari Romm

A scientist used fossilized plaque to figure out ancient oral hygiene.

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 10:18 a.m. religion

Most Non-Christians in the U.S. Celebrate Christmas

By Drake Baer

Over 80 percent!

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 10:12 a.m.

What Is the Speed of Thought?

By Jeff Wise

It takes half a second for sensory information to be incorporated into conscious experience. So, in a sense, the future has already happened.

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 9:00 a.m. animal intelligence

Octopuses Are ‘the Closest We Will Come to Meeting an Intelligent Alien’

By Drake Baer

You don’t want to be speciesist about consciousness, do you?

Read More »

12/20/2016 at 8:47 a.m.

When Trump’s America Doesn’t Feel Like Home Anymore

By Cari Romm

Four disillusioned voters talk about no longer feeling connected to the places that shaped their lives.

Read More »

12/19/2016 at 2:41 p.m.

Pretending to Be Busy Is a Status Symbol

By Cari Romm

Whether or not you actually have a lot going on matters less than seeming like you do.

Read More »

12/19/2016 at 1:50 p.m.

Scientists Finally Figured Out How Pregnancy Changes a Woman’s Brain

By Lisa Ryan

Pregnant women lose gray matter in the “social cognition” part of their brains.

Read More »

12/19/2016 at 1:46 p.m.

How to Have an Emotional Meltdown at Work and Get Away With It

By Melissa Dahl

It’s worth a try.

Read More »

12/19/2016 at 1:13 p.m. cognitive behavioral therapy

For Social-Anxiety Disorder, Talk Therapy Is More Effective Than Pills

By Drake Baer

The medication “camouflages” the fact that patients can learn to regulate their anxiety themselves.

Read More »

12/19/2016 at 11:38 a.m.

Learning a Language Makes You Better at Handling Ambiguity

By Drake Baer

Because you’re not going to know everything.

Read More »

12/19/2016 at 9:00 a.m.

The New Alternative to ‘Female Viagra’ Is Zapping the Brain

By Lilly O'Donnell

Researchers are working on a form of electroconvulsive therapy to help women with low sex drives.

Read More »

12/18/2016 at 8:00 p.m. sexuality

The Phenomenon of ‘Bud Sex’ Between Straight Rural Men

By Jesse Singal

“I don’t want the effeminate ones, I want the manly guys … If I wanted someone that acts girlish, I got a wife at home.”

Read More »

12/16/2016 at 4:13 p.m. evolutionary psychology

Not All Critiques of Evolutionary Psychology Are Created Equal

By Jesse Singal

It’s important to separate good-faith critics of specific arguments from those who deny evolution can explain any sex differences.

Read More »

12/16/2016 at 10:58 a.m.

How Your Brain Controls the Speed of Time

By Jeff Wise

Why does reality seem to slow down in moments of extreme peril? Can the mind really bend time? Here’s the neuroscience behind the phenomenon.

Read More »

12/16/2016 at 10:00 a.m. linguistics

Emoji Have a Dual Nature

By Drake Baer

Depending on what they’re describing, people write with emoji using one of two logics.

Read More »

12/16/2016 at 9:04 a.m.

8 Therapists on Postelection Anxiety — Their Clients’ and Their Own

By Alexa Tsoulis-Reay

It’s been a busy month.

Read More »

12/16/2016 at 8:24 a.m.

Scientists May Have Found a Way to Reverse Aging

By Lisa Ryan

A new gene therapy made mice look younger and live longer.

Read More »

12/15/2016 at 6:26 p.m.

Most People Don’t Think Lying by Omission Is More Honest Than Plain Old Lying

By Cari Romm

Unless you’re the one who’s doing it.

Read More »

12/15/2016 at 4:41 p.m.

There Are Only Two Kinds of Terrible Bosses

By Cari Romm

And knowing which category yours falls into can make it easier to deal with them.

Read More »

12/15/2016 at 12:01 p.m. xenophobia

Many People Are Overestimating How Many Muslims There Are in Their Country

By Jesse Singal

Mix fear-mongering with a certain cognitive quirk, and this is the sort of thing that happens.

Read More »

12/15/2016 at 11:25 a.m.

There’s Another Big Window for Learning After Childhood

By Drake Baer

Your brain keeps changing.

Read More »

12/15/2016 at 9:13 a.m.

You Can Be Lazy and Learn a New Language at the Same Time

By Melissa Dahl

There are times when it’s best to put down the Duolingo.

Read More »

12/15/2016 at 8:24 a.m.

The FDA Warns That Anesthesia Can Harm the Brains of Children Under 3

By Lisa Ryan

The warning extends to pregnant women in their third trimester.

Read More »

12/14/2016 at 5:29 p.m. work

Bosses Micromanage When They Feel Powerless

By Drake Baer

Do you agree with this statement: “In my relationships with others, I can get them to listen to what I say.”

Read More »

12/14/2016 at 4:47 p.m. brain scans

Running Lots Connects Your Brain Regions

By Drake Baer

More jogging, more brain connections.

Read More »

12/14/2016 at 4:36 p.m.

There Are at Least 59 Types of Obesity, According to Researchers

By Susan Rinkunas

And they probably require different treatments.

Read More »

12/14/2016 at 8:10 a.m.

Why Humans (and Other Large Animals) Shrink When They Live on Islands

By Stephanie Bucklin

And rodents get bigger.

Read More »

12/14/2016 at 7:40 a.m. pizzagate

To Understand Pizzagate, It Helps to Understand Cults

By Jesse Singal

Just about anyone can, under the right circumstances, start believing some crazy and potentially dangerous stuff.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 5:19 p.m.

How to Get the Psychological Boost of Retail Therapy Without the Guilt

By Cari Romm

Think of a spending spree like a diet cheat day: something to plan for in advance.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 5:16 p.m. system 1 and system 2

The ‘Ticking Time Bomb’ Is Brilliant Psychological Manipulation

By Jesse Singal

If someone’s trying to get you to make a decision from a place of urgent fear, you should ask yourself why.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 4:20 p.m.

A Brief Reminder That Paternal Leave Is the Last Bastion of the Patriarchy

By Drake Baer

Time off cuts both ways.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 3:38 p.m.

American Babies Are Getting Less Fat

By Drake Baer

Nutrition works.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 3:01 p.m.

A Simple Tweak to Make Customer-Service Calls a Little Less Painful

By Cari Romm

And to get what you want from the person on the other end of the line.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 2:50 p.m. self-help

Status Anxiety About Happiness Is a Dumb American Habit

By Drake Baer

Are you happy enough?

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 12:51 p.m.

Teens Now Associate ‘Smoking’ With Marijuana, Not Cigarettes

By Susan Rinkunas

Someone call Merriam-Webster.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 10:37 a.m. surveys

Happiness Is Love (and Making More Money Than Your Friends)

By Drake Baer

According to a gigantic survey.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 9:00 a.m.

5 Science Books We Loved This Year

By Science of Us

Perfect gifts for the nerds in your life.

Read More »

12/13/2016 at 8:29 a.m. happiness

Why Danes Think They’re Always The Happiest Country

By Drake Baer

Trust, welfare, and community seem to be good things.

Read More »

12/12/2016 at 5:27 p.m.

To Be More Productive, First Figure Out Your Productivity Style

By Cari Romm

Are you more about the results or the process?

Read More »

12/12/2016 at 4:42 p.m.

Scientists Can Hack Your Brain to Help You Forget Your Fears

By Cari Romm

It’s a trickier form of exposure therapy.

Read More »

12/12/2016 at 4:19 p.m. media

Fox News’ ‘War on Christmas’ Is Brilliant Psychological Manipulation

By Drake Baer

“In effect, watching Fox News makes less religious people as concerned about secularization as those who go to church frequently.”

Read More »

Get Science of Us Top Stories Delivered Daily

Thank you for signing up! An error occurred. Please try again.

Our Writers

Melissa Dahl

Jesse Singal

Cari Romm

Drake Baer

Most Viewed Stories

The Phenomenon of ‘Bud Sex’ Between Straight Rural Men

Can You Predict Your Scores on an Important Personality Test?

Octopuses Are ‘the Closest We Will Come to Meeting an Intelligent Alien’

Here’s the Most Effective Way to Say No to Things You Don’t Want to Do

5 of Humanity’s Best Ideas of What Dreams Actually Are

Greatest Hits

An MIT Scientist Claims That This Pill Is the Fountain of Youth

How Neuroscientists Explain the Mind-Clearing Magic of Running

So Apparently There Are 4 Kinds of Introversion

How Exercise Shapes You, Far Beyond the Gym

5 Leading Theories of What Dreams Actually Are

Newsletters Facebook Twitter Instagram RSS Feedly

Privacy Terms Sitemap Media Kit Ad Choices About Us Contacts Feedback We’re Hiring!

© 2016, New York Media LLC. View all trademarks

LOG IN
REGISTER

Social Account

or

Remember Me Forgot Password?

Sign up with a social account:

Don’t worry. We will never post to your social media account without your permission.

or create an account

Female Male

NYMag.com may email me about new site features and special offers. By creating an account, you agree with the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

We’ve sent a registration confirmation email to .

Please follow the instructions in the email within 48 hours to complete your registration.

Forgot Your Password?

Enter your email address or username and we’ll email instructions on how to reset your password.

This username or email is associated with a Facebook account.

Log in with your social account:

Check Your Inbox

We’ve sent you an email with instructions on how to reset your password.

Choose a Username

Your username will appear next to your comments.

Email:

By creating a NYMag.com account, you agree with the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

You already have an account registered under . You can link your Facebook account to your existing account.

No, Sign In

Welcome! You are now a registered user of NYMag.com, TheCut.com, Vulture.com, ScienceOfUs.com and GrubStreet.com.

Want more? Subscribe to our daily newsletters.

Daily Intelligencer
Constant news updates on politics, business, media, and real estate.
Vulture
Breaking news and analysis on all the latest TV, movies, music, books, theater, and art.
The Cut
Get the latest fashion, beauty, and shopping news and recommendations.

No Thanks

We're sorry. You must confirm your registration within 48 hours of submitting your registration request. Please register again.

You are already registered. Please log in.

Reset Your Password

Enter a new password

Your password has been successfully changed.

Please log in.