Behavioral Psychology

Behavioral Psychology

A sculpture depicts a human head with the top open like a birdcage. A lone white feather, symbolizing lost motivation, lies on the ground outside the cage on a blue background.
Big Think recently spoke with behavioral scientist and author Katy Milkman about what really motivates us and steers our behavior.
Close-up of a person's beard and glasses on the right side with numbers "7", "30", and "65" shown in varying typographical styles across the center, subtly referencing the 7-38-55 rule. The background is abstract with dark and light tones.
If words are really only 7% of communication, then why would anyone need to learn a foreign language?
Nobody likes the uneasy feeling of being watched — so can there be any workplace benefit to the all-seeing eye?
A book titled "Cultures of Growth" by Mary C. Murphy lying on a dark blue fabric surface.
Psychologist Mary C. Murphy explains why growth-mindset teams outperform those centered around a lone genius.
A pixelated image of a person in a white hoodie walking in the woods, with the person's face obscured by pixelation. The background features reddish handwritten text overlay.
Public mass shooters almost always have worldviews shaped by the "3 Rs": rage, resentment, and revenge.
A toothbrush with blue and white bristles, topped with a large dollop of minty toothpaste.
Claims circulating on the Internet — some from dentists' websites — suggest toothpaste isn't necessary for dental health. Is that true?
Collage of a young person's face with abstract red scribbles and geometric shapes symbolizing ADHD.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been a controversial diagnosis since it was first described, back in the 1940s.
Two identical twin men in boxing gear standing next to each other.
Is it genes or their special bond that drives identical twins to offend at similar rates?
A statue of a man with his hands on his head, symbolizing regret.
A simple dice game shines a bit of light on the psychology of regret.
A person holding a gold trophy under a cloudy sky.
An MIT study finds the brains of children who grow up in less affluent households are less responsive to rewarding experiences.
A man, engaged in the act of reading, is seated at a table with a newspaper in front of him.
To solve “addition bias” don’t punish people who subtract — call in the “friction fixers” instead.
An image of a brain exhibiting the tetris effect.
Prolonged and repetitive tasks rewire us in profound ways – which can be a force for good at work.
A man waving an american flag in front of a group of people.
People who score high in "obsessive passion" can become rigidly consumed by ideological causes — sometimes dangerously so.
A man in a trench coat, expressing his thoughts clearly with his hands up in the air.
Actor and science communicator Alan Alda shares his three rules of three for effective and empathic communication.
A family walking down a dirt road.
Is it better to be the oldest sibling, the youngest, or in the middle?
A soccer goalie displaying action and focus standing in front of a net.
We often assume that movement means progress and that doing something is better than doing nothing. That is often not true.
Taylor Swift shines on the red carpet
We are wired to value things more when we work hard at attaining them — even if, objectively, they aren't worth that much.
A woman eagerly listening to feedback while sitting at a table with a laptop.
“Feedback is a gift,” is an easy bumper sticker to apply, but a harder philosophy to put into execution in your real life.
A statue of three monkeys covering their faces.
We all have a place in our lives where we look the other way and pretend everything is fine. It's a built-in excuse to act selfishly.
A group of people utilizing effective communication skills sitting around a table in a meeting.
Clear communication is good for business and life — but compelling communication can take you to another level.
A man sitting at a table with a cup of tea, experiencing chronic pain.
Chronic pain is often driven by brain processes that can be reprogrammed.
Two crows perched on a branch.
They're not just watching you; they're also calculating.
An American Bully dog with a leash in the woods.
When the UK bans the American Bully XL this year, it won't rely on science to identify them.
A man sitting on a bench with his dog.
Over a third are worried that vaccines can cause "canine autism."
Two men sitting in an orange jail cell.
Simple "nudges" to remind people to show up for court could help keep thousands out of jail.
Bruce Lee executing a pain-free kick in a bedroom.
There’s really only one mistake you can make: continue doing the same thing you already know is hurting you and expect a different result.
A monkey engaging in gene therapy.
"They decreased their drinking to the point that it was so low we didn’t record a blood-alcohol level."
A personality-filled collage portraying a man, woman, and child.
A few key moments are linked to significant shifts in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.