Searching for happiness: What makes life meaningful?

Recently I’ve been contemplating giving up on the modern world and moving to a cabin in the woods. I mean – what is with all of this techno...

5 Ways Gratitude Can Backfire

Gratitude is good. Good for your health and well-being. Good for your relationships. In fact, I've written about the benefits of gratitu...

4 Ways to Boost Gratitude on Valentine's Day

Today's post is the second in a two-part series on Gratitude. Yesterday I discussed research I've done on how gratitude helps us ho...

To Have and To Thank: Gratitude Helps us Hold onto our Relationships

I n honor of St. Valentine, today's post is the first in a two-part series on why gratitude may be a key ingredient in successful relati...

Sour in the Sun? 3 Unexpected Ways the Weather May Affect Your Mood

Warm Weather = Happy Amie Last weekend I returned from the tropics to find myself outside the San Francisco airport basically barefoot in su...

PYM: Holiday Edition

Looking for your perfect holiday? The holidays are upon us, which can mean family, fun, food, and cheer. But also, stress, anxiety, conflict...

The secret to flourishing? Science says it's in the numbers

Flourishing is in the numbers When it comes to human flourishing, science is getting pretty specific. Over the course of our daily lives, we...

The power of image: Does TV influence our view of the presidential candidates?

A family mesmerized by JFK during the first televised debate In 1960, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon engaged in the first televised presi...

Gender Bias in Academics Continued: An Experimental Test in the Hard Sciences

Why are women underrepresented in the STEM fields? A recent advisory council to the President concluded that at the current rate of training...

What Do Letters of Recommendation Reveal About Gender Bias?

Source Over the past month I have been putting together materials to apply for professorships. Much like applying to college or graduate sch...

The "Cohabitation Effect": The Consequences of Premarital Cohabitation

Source According to the U.S Census, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. With such a high rate of divorce, a bit of skepticism and c...

Behind the Scenes of Psychological Research: What Does the Future Hold?

Since starting this blog, I’ve told you about interesting and hopefully useful research findings. But today I wanted to take a step back an...

Wedding Bell Blues: Dealing with Post-Wedding Depression

First comes marriage. Then what? You’ve been planning your wedding for months, possibly even years. The big day came, it was magical, and no...

After the Sacrifice: Doing it for the Right Reasons

This is the third in a three-part post on sacrifice in relationships. In   Part I , I talked about the pros and cons of sacrificing for the ...

Is He Worth it? Six Questions to Ask When Sacrificing in Relationships

This is the second in a three-part post on sacrifice in relationships. In Part I , I talked about the pros and cons of sacrificing for the o...

The Pros and Cons of Sacrificing for the Ones We Love

This is the first in a three-part post on sacrifice in relationships. Today, in Part I, I talk about the pros and cons of sacrificing for th...

When Good is Bad and Bad is Good: Beyond "Positive" Psychology

What is the prescription for optimal living? The burgeoning field of positive psychology appears to have many of the answers: We should be ...

Friday Fun: A Week in the Life of a Grad Student

As a graduate student, I don't punch a clock or fill out a time card. Although I have a faculty advisor, I don't have a boss - no on...

It's lonely at the top: Power makes you mistrusting

It's lonely at the top Power is desirable – it helps us achieve goals, frees us from many social constraints, and allows us to be oursel...

The Secret to Maintaining Sexual Desire?

How many pennies are in your jar? Soon after I got engaged, a married friend told me about the Penny Game. In this game, a newlywed couple p...