How accurately can we guess another person’s emotional state from just looking at their eyes? Without looking at the rest of their face, or other parts of their body, can we correctly determine a person’s inner state, desires or intentions? Why not test yourself online with this test developed by Dr. Simon Cohen-Baron (Ali G/Borat’s real life cousin– I kid you not!). I found this challeng...

When people think of psychology, they usually have a short list of terms that they know (or think they know) about the subject, including: relationship counseling, subliminal messages, Sigmund Freud, and personality testing. I was quite the same when I first attended school, so when I had the chance to enroll in a third year personality course, I couldn’t wait to learn about something that was...

Do you love feeling nostalgic? Perhaps it’s the smell of summer turning into fall, or winter to spring. Or maybe it’s visiting your elementary school or driving past an old residence. There’s something special about experiencing a sensation that’s instantly familiar to you, but one that hasn’t been felt for so long. I don’t know exactly what nostalgia is, but I imagine it as a patter...

Ever wonder why we feel guilt? What’s the point of this emotion and how did it develop in humans? Using evolutionary psychology we can shed some light on this mystery. Suppose your group’s hunting party is away catching boar in the jungle, and you begin to eye your vacant neighbor’s hut for items he might not notice missing. After stealing some spearheads and berries, you feel something wr...