The Helpful Brain

Punishment

Do Adolescents Learn Better From Reward or Punishment?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on December 7, 2023

Does learning from rewards and punishments differ from childhood to adolescence? Does our tendency to act change, too? We examine new research on adolescent learning.

Does learning from rewards and punishments differ from childhood to adolescence? Does our tendency to act change, too? We examine new research on adolescent learning.

Environment

How Extreme Heat Can Affect Your Mental Health

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on August 16, 2023

Feeling hot? The science behind how heatwaves change our mental health and how we can make a difference

Feeling hot? The science behind how heatwaves change our mental health and how we can make a difference

Boredom

Why We Get Bored and How to Overcome It

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on June 27, 2023

What is boredom? By understanding the latest science, we can take steps to overcome boredom and avoid the negative consequences it can have.

What is boredom? By understanding the latest science, we can take steps to overcome boredom and avoid the negative consequences it can have.

Environment

3 Ways Psychology Can Help to Reduce Climate Change

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on March 27, 2023

Psychology can help to reduce climate change by understanding motivation, mental health, and the spread of misinformation.

Psychology can help to reduce climate change by understanding motivation, mental health, and the spread of misinformation.

Education

The Science Behind Learning From Other People’s Advice

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on March 15, 2023

Should people learn from social advice or other sources? Our new research shows that humans find social advice more reliable. Here's why.

Should people learn from social advice or other sources? Our new research shows that humans find social advice more reliable. Here's why.

Education

Improve Your Academic Success This Year

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on February 3, 2023

Want to achieve academic success this year? Helping others could also be a way to help ourselves.

Want to achieve academic success this year? Helping others could also be a way to help ourselves.

Teamwork

The Science of Choosing Between Cooperation and Competition

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on December 16, 2022

How do you decide whether to cooperate or compete with others? New study reveals brain activity during social interactions.

How do you decide whether to cooperate or compete with others? New study reveals brain activity during social interactions.

Friends

4 Ways the Festive Season Can Bring People Together

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on December 5, 2022

How to strengthen your relationships and form new ones during the holidays.

How to strengthen your relationships and form new ones during the holidays.

Psychopathy

Understanding Antisocial Behaviour and Psychopathy

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on October 27, 2022

Defining and diagnosing disorders of antisocial behaviour or psychopathy can be highly controversial, but new advances in science might have the answer.

Defining and diagnosing disorders of antisocial behaviour or psychopathy can be highly controversial, but new advances in science might have the answer.

Adolescence

Why Do Teenagers Take More Risks?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on September 30, 2022

Adolescence is often associated with dangerous risk-taking. Why is this period of life a time of risky and impulsive behaviors?

Adolescence is often associated with dangerous risk-taking. Why is this period of life a time of risky and impulsive behaviors?

Memory

How to Better Remember the Past

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on September 27, 2022

Forgetting things that are important? Go back to where they happened.

Forgetting things that are important? Go back to where they happened.

Persuasion

The Science Behind Social Influence

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on August 11, 2022

Why do we follow the crowd? Social influence improves our learning, but it can also backfire.

Why do we follow the crowd? Social influence improves our learning, but it can also backfire.

Health

3 Reasons You Want to Read This Post

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on June 29, 2022

How do we choose what information we want to know? The answer has implications for our mental health, physical health, and social relationships.

How do we choose what information we want to know? The answer has implications for our mental health, physical health, and social relationships.

Altruism

Are Poorer People More Generous?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on June 21, 2022

If you have less, do you give more? Here are 3 ways that wealth affects generosity.

If you have less, do you give more? Here are 3 ways that wealth affects generosity.

Empathy

4 Reasons We Give to Charity

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on May 10, 2022

What motivates you to donate to good causes? Recent survey results and research in psychology highlight multiple possible reasons.

What motivates you to donate to good causes? Recent survey results and research in psychology highlight multiple possible reasons.

Oxytocin

Could Oxytocin Change How Our Brains Learn to Help Others?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on March 31, 2022

Recently published research reveals what happens to our brains and how we learn about others if we are given a dose of oxytocin through the nose.

Recently published research reveals what happens to our brains and how we learn about others if we are given a dose of oxytocin through the nose.

Education

How Does Learning Change as We Age?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on March 2, 2022

How does learning change with age? Here are some insights from science for how people learn across their lifespan.

How does learning change with age? Here are some insights from science for how people learn across their lifespan.

Health

Are Older People More Helpful?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on January 31, 2022

As the population ages, will the world become more helpful or more selfish?

As the population ages, will the world become more helpful or more selfish?

Neuroscience

3 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Gift

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on December 16, 2021

Struggling to choose the right gifts? These 3 tips from psychology and neuroscience could help.

Struggling to choose the right gifts? These 3 tips from psychology and neuroscience could help.

Decision-Making

How Willing Are We to Protect Others?

Patricia Lockwood, Ph.D., and Jo Cutler, Ph.D. on December 6, 2021

Using psychology to understand how and why we act to help others, and how to encourage behavior change, is essential if we want to end the pandemic.

Using psychology to understand how and why we act to help others, and how to encourage behavior change, is essential if we want to end the pandemic.