Psychology

There was a time when people believed the brain couldn’t change. That once you hit adulthood, your mental wiring was fixed. But we now know that’s not true. Your brain is constantly adapting—reshaping itself based on what you do, think, and experience. What Is Neuroplasticity? Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change. Whether you’re picking…

We’ve all felt that strange limbo when something ends, but the new thing hasn’t fully arrived. Anthropologist Arnold van Gennep introduced the concept of liminality in 1909, describing these transitional spaces as vital phases for change and growth. Since then, researchers—including Victor Turner—have shown that being “betwixt and between” can spark key insights about who…

Ever noticed how some people seem completely absorbed by social media, constantly checking their phones at 2 AM, seemingly anxious about how they’re perceived? It turns out there might be more to that behavior than just bad habits. I recently came across a fascinating study by Nancy Yang and Bernard Crespi that explores how social…

We’ve all been there—jumping to conclusions about someone’s behavior without knowing their backstory. Whether it’s misunderstanding a friend’s last-minute cancellations or labeling a barista as “rude,” we often forget to look at what might be happening behind the scenes. The difference between shallow judgments and genuine empathy lies in how we frame each situation—do we…

Ever noticed a smiley face in your morning toast or a figure hidden in the bark of a tree? Our brains are surprisingly good at finding familiar shapes in unexpected places, even when there’s no real pattern there. This quirky ability is tied to how our minds are wired to seek order and meaning in…