Psychology Archives

6 Hormones That Make You Happy: Keys to Wellbeing

What are the hormones that make you happy? How do these hormones affect your wellbeing? Hormones that make you happy, or neurochemicals, dictate your overall sense of wellbeing, including how motivated you feel to complete your goals and which good (or bad) habits you adopt in daily life. The Art of Impossible author, Steven Kotler, says generating all six types of hormones that make you happy is the key to living a more fulfilling life. Read on to learn the different types of hormones that make you happy and their impact on wellbeing, according to Kotler.

How to Break the Cycle of Anxiety in 3 Steps

Are you wondering how to break the cycle of anxiety? How does anxiety lead to other problems? In Unwinding Anxiety, Dr. Judson Brewer gives practical advice for dealing with anxiety. Brewer’s guidelines for overcoming anxiety are based on his definition of anxiety as a habit loop. Let’s look at how to break the cycle of anxiety in three steps.

The Importance of Play in Early Childhood

What is the importance of play in early childhood? How does playtime affect a child’s focus? Stolen Focus by Johann Hari says that playtime is crucial for a child’s cognitive skills. How children spend their time contributes to rising levels of difficulty in paying attention. Learn how changing a child’s lifestyle and playtime can affect them.

Debunking the Left Brain/Right Brain Myth

Are there really right-brained and left-brained people? What are the characteristics associated with right- and left- brain dominance? In pop psychology, people are described as either left-brained (analytical and orderly) or right-brained (creative and imaginative). However, this distinction doesn’t actually have any basis in neuroscience. The left brain/right brain myth has long been debunked, although we still use these terms to describe personality and thinking style. Here’s why the left brain/right brain theory is moot.

The Link Between Social Interaction and Mental Health

How does a lack of social connection affect your mental health? Why is it important to maintain social connections throughout life? Psychological research increasingly shows that social connection is important for your psychological well-being. Strong social connections are a better predictor of long, happy lives than social class, intelligence, or genetics. Keep reading to learn about the link between social interaction and mental health.

Psychology: Where Do Emotions Come From in the Brain?

Where do emotions come from in the brain, according to psychology? Do emotions come from a specific brain region? According to neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, emotions cannot be linked only to a certain part of the brain, like your amygdala. Rather, Barrett has found a more complex explanation for how your brain processes emotion. Keep reading for Barrett’s groundbreaking explanation of where emotions come from in the brain.

5 Long-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Are you getting enough sleep? What are the long-term effects of sleep deprivation? According to Johann Hari in his book Stolen Focus, one of the factors contributing to the attention crisis is sleep deprivation. He believes we’re not getting enough sleep and we’re suffering from five dangerous effects. Continue reading for the five long-term effects of sleep deprivation.

How Our Brains Learn: The Key to Mastering New Skills

How do our brains learn new things? Why does knowing how our brains learn help you master new skills quickly? According to Steven Kotler, elite performers achieve seemingly impossible feats because they consistently perform at the peak of their capabilities and push themselves to exceed their potential. Kotler argues that understanding how our brains learn is the key to unlocking high-performance habits. Keep reading to find out how our brains learn, including how to learn more effectively, according to Kotler.

How Emotions Are Made: Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Answer

Looking for an overview of Lisa Feldman Barrett’s book How Emotions Are Made? What are Barrett’s key takeaways about emotions in psychology? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, Lisa Feldman Barrett challenges the status quo relating to our psychological understanding of emotions. Barrett’s concepts of emotion, while controversial, give new insight into how emotions are made in the brain—and her answers might surprise you. Keep reading for an overview of the key concepts in How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett.

Are There Benefits of Anxiety? Ph.D. Answers

Are there benefits of anxiety? Why do some people believe anxiety helps them? In Unwinding Anxiety, Dr. Judson Brewer claims that many people object to receiving anxiety treatment because they believe there are benefits to anxiety. However, he disputes these claims. Learn why Brewer suggests there are no advantages to anxiety.