Chatting to complete strangers might seem like a social taboo, but it can bring a surprising range of positive benefits More people live in urban settings than ever before. 54% of the world’s population now live in cities, surburbs and towns, and that number is expected to continue rising. The global population shift from the rural …
How does being polite help us overcome everyday disagreements? According to French philosopher Andre Comte-Sponville, “morality starts at the bottom – with politeness. But it has to start somewhere.” The point is that we are not born virtuous, we have learn to be so – and practising politeness is one of the ways to develop a robust code of ethics to guide us …
Read morePoliteness: the secret weapon to winning an argument?
The tradition of story-telling and using fiction to explain human behavior is as old as human civilization itself. Over time, storybooks took the place of the village story-teller; and provided all the same benefits. Generations of children developed a sense of right and wrong through the tales and fables their parents helped them read. Adults used novels to entertain themselves and …
Committing to a relationship is not for the faint-hearted. So how do those annoyingly perfect couples manage to make it work so well?. Thankfully, science is starting to reveal the habits and behaviours that encourage relationships to flourish. So to supercharge your relationship in 2016 here are 18 incredibly simple to implement relationship hacks you can put into practice NOW! …
Our own facial expressions play an essential part in understanding other people’s emotions Human learn to show emotions through facial expressions very early in life. Babies learn how to express happiness and sadness by mimicking their caregivers’ expressions. Sharing smiles and eye contact forms a huge part of the bonding process between parent and child. …
Read moreFacial feedback theory: how Botox makes you less empathetic
Psychopathic personality traits are common amongst business leaders Thanks to the entertainment industry, most people are quite familiar with the term ‘psychopath’. We think of a psychopath as a dangerous, scary person who is out to wreck vengeance; or someone who is disturbed enough to carry out horrific acts of violence. But most psychopaths are not homicidal …
Scientists are starting to untangle some of the mysteries about how and why we fall, and stay in love Artists and scholars alike have been trying to unravel the mysteries of love and romance for centuries. And now science has joined the quest. With techniques ranging from social surveys to brain imaging, researchers are beginning to discover exactly how …
The more people witness someone’s distress, the less likely it is that any one individual will offer assistance. On a spring morning in 2010, near the corner of 144th Street and 88th Road in Queens, New York , an argument broke about between a man and a woman. As the dispute escalated it became clear …
Read moreThe Bystander Effect: Why good people turn a blind eye
