Cognitive Science : From Neuroscience to Education

Many studies find that religious people on average are happier. But since not all religious people are happier, and not all religious beliefs seem to lead to happiness, we have to search for the “active ingredient” in what aspect of religion might increase feelings of well-being.

spirituality can focus us on larger causes than our own personal welfare, and this can give us purpose and meaning

People meet other like-minded people at church, and in many instances can count on those folks when they need help

If you have to choose between buying something or spending the money on a memorable experience, go with the experience.

Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife Several great psychology and

Playing video games could be an unlikely cure for psychological trauma.

In this study, subjects were randomly assigned to view a picture of a woman or a picture of this same woman wearing a headscarf in the style of some Islamic women.

(First percentage: uncovered; second percentage: covered.) Age 36 or older: 15% vs. 30% Marital status is single: 59% vs. 25% Assuming woman is married, she is not working outside the home: 12% vs. 47% A good mother: 33% vs. 45% A devoted wife: 26% vs. 51% Lively: 60% vs. 40% Has a sense of humor: 61% vs. 37% Always looks on the bright side: 60% vs. 43% Might be the life of the party: 26% vs. 6% Sticks to a tight circle of people: 24% vs. 43% Keeps to herself: 8% vs. 22% Strict: 2% vs. 23%

People can reduce their sensitivity to pain by thickening their brain, according to a new study published in a special issue of the American Psychological Association journal

central brain regions that regulate emotion and pain were significantly thicker in meditators compared to non-meditators

The implication for personal habits and habit change is clear: Others get used to our habits.

What this means for habit change: When you start to change one of your habits, it will be disturbing to those around you. After all, they've come to expect certain behaviors from you and now they can no longer expect them. That will be upsetting to people who are close to you, even if they are expressing their support.

Your attempt to change a habit means that others will need to work at their lives too.

human brain is specially tuned to remember things that are out of the ordinary

Only relevant information receives a 'memory boost' by the reward system, which includes the nucleus accumbens," he noted, so people are more inclined to remember incidents from which they might learn something new

What is less well known is that our noisy Western way of life is harming each and every one of us, not only by damaging our hearing, but by boosting stress levels to the point where our general physical and psychological health is affected.

can boost stress hormones, blood pressure, arterial hypertension, and heart rates

all of us need, to some extent, to create a personal silence