It's not just in movies where nerds get their revenge.
When faced with a difficult decision, we try to come up with the best choice by carefully considering all of the options, maybe even resorting to lists and lots of sleepless nights.
Some argue that happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.
The prolific life has been characterized by abundant inventiveness and limitless creativity, and has been enshrouded in a veil of mystery - the sources of artistic inventiveness are too often viewed as out-of-reach for the average person.
Most self-help books on the subject offer tips on how to maximize one’s bliss, but one study suggests that moderate happiness may be preferable to full-fledged elation.
Students, athletes and performing artists are often advised to imagine themselves performing successfully. But is that motivation influenced by what perspective they take when imagining their performance?
Why do "Aha!" moments sometimes come easily - and sometimes not at all?
Styles change and fashions evolve. But why do some things become more popular than others?
Psychological scientists have found that the size of different parts of people's brains correspond to their personalities; for example, conscientious people tend to have a bigger lateral prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in planning and controlling behavior.
Most of us experience ‘gut feelings’ we can’t explain, such as instantly loving -- or hating -- a new property when we’re house-hunting or the snap judgments we make on meeting new people.
Research has highlighted the fact that we have many blind spots when it comes to understanding our patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.
In the not-too-distant past, young people aspired to become lawyers and doctors. Now they yearn to achieve the celebrity of a Mark Zuckerberg or Oprah Winfrey -- and these goals extend to adults as well.
But after studying common roadblocks to problem-solving, a cognitive psychology researcher has developed a toolkit for enhancing anyone's skills.
When dreaming is believing: Dreams affect people's judgment, behavior
Whether it's sports, poker or the high-stakes world of business, there are those who always find a way to win when there's money on the table.
Iconoclasts are individuals who do things that others say can't be done.
People who work hard at improving a skill or ability may experience stress in the moment, but experience greater happiness on a daily basis and longer term. Here's why.
Do you have difficulty saying “no”? Are you always trying to be nice to others at the expense of yourself?
What should you do when you really, REALLY have to go? Make important life decisions, maybe?
Worried you won't meet your goal? According to research, you'll be more likely to succeed if you make specific plans to implement it.
Scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," the belief that one has control over one's own life — three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression.
Although the marketing slogan suggests that Barbie can "Be Anything," girls who play with this extremely popular doll see fewer career options available to themselves compared to boys.
You might think that a loving partner helps keep you on track -- say, when you want to stick to your jogging or concentrate on your studies.
The color red can affect how people function: Red means danger and commands us to stop in traffic.
When the St Louis Cardinals lost the World Series, just how much shame did the players feel?
Members of a group or team will work harder when they're competing against a group with lower status than when pitted against a more highly ranked group.
Lying about performance on one task may increase creativity on a subsequent task by making people feel less bound by conventional rules, according to research.
Whether you are a habitual list maker, or you prefer to keep your tasks in your head, everyone pursues their goals in this ever-changing, chaotic environment.
Want to quickly improve your happiness and satisfaction with life? Then the pen may be a mighty weapon.
When we're waiting in line or sitting in a boring meeting, time seems to slow down to a trickle. And when we get caught up in something completely engrossing - a gripping thriller, for example - we may lose sense of time altogether.