While Christmas is often visualized with a heap of neatly wrapped presents under a tree, a growing body of research suggests that true happiness comes from a very different sort of gift giving. A team of psychological researchers, including Dr. Amit Kumar and Dr. Thomas Gilovich, have worked to distinguish between the happiness gained from…
Read MoreMapping Emotions in the Body
Feelings are often associated with physical reactions: terror can send chills down your spine, and love can leave you weak in the knees. A recent study has linked specific emotions to physical sensations. Researchers tested emotional responses in hundreds of subjects and then created maps identifying locations in the body where emotions cause physical changes.…
Read MoreTerror from Terrorism
Terrorism may truly be fear of fear itself. Over the past few years, terrorism attacks throughout the United States and Europe have captured the public’s imagination. While prevalent, death from terrorism is a remarkably unlikely occurrence, but it often just doesn’t feel that way. Research indicates that there is something unique about terrorist attacks that…
Read MoreThe Continuing Value of Gratitude
Hopefully, many of us have spent the last weekend giving thanks for our families, friends, and heaping turkey dinners, but don’t put all that gratitude behind you just yet. According to Dr. Robert Emmons, who studies the emotion of gratitude, cultivating this feeling can promote healthy relationships and psychological, or even physical, health. For over…
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