You’re preparing for a big event: a presentation, say, or a tennis match or a piano recital. Your mind wanders, envisioning every possible outcome. But what do you imagine? Do you picture yourself in ...

What do you see when you stare in the mirror? I don’t ask this as a philosophical question, more a literal one. Do you like the way you look? Do you immediately notice flaws – a nose you wish was ...

To be liked by others is often treated as a paramount aim. The quest for social approval begins in childhood, and it continues in a range of ways throughout the lifespan as people try to find their ...

A filmmaker takes a leap of faith when he decides to risk ridicule and make a serious film about UFO sightings ...

A few years ago, Jessica Pan – a young journalist living in London and with the world at her feet – found herself at a low point. Life had become predictable and samey. ‘I realised that I was using ...

If you’re an overthinker, you’ll know exactly how it goes. A problem keeps popping up in your mind – for instance, a health worry or a dilemma at work – and you just can’t stop dwelling on it, as you ...

Watson’s treatment is revealing of society’s wider attitude toward single people. In 2019, she told Vogue that this ‘subliminal messaging’ was so strong that it had seeped into her psyche causing her ...

Have you ever had a decent conversation in a lift? If not, join the club – being in a lift with a stranger is a universally awkward experience. One reason is the typical duration of a lift journey – ...

Does psychology truly improve wellbeing? Or merely help us adjust to an ‘insane’ system? Erich Fromm on mental health in 1960 ...

A criminal investigation is a complex, multifaceted problem-solving challenge. Detectives must make critical decisions rapidly – sometimes involving life and death, based on limited information in a ...

Struggling to change in the ways we want to is a common human experience. Many of the practical steps required aren’t easy or fun. This makes motivation a challenge. No matter our excuses – not enough ...

I envy voracious book readers. They seem worldly and wise. Also, whatever is happening in their lives, they’re never completely on their own – they always have their books. My mother is one of these ...