The human memory system is a vast, ever-changing web that reacts to every new experience. Most experiences are too fleeting to leave a noticeable trace on the web, but some alter the shape of the network so that they live on as enduring memories. RECALLING THE CONTEXT OF AN EVENT IS ALMOST AS EFFECTIVE IN TRIGGERING […]

Most of us find that talking through problems with a friend will help us feel more relaxed and clearer in our minds. The various forms of psychotherapy can be seen as more formal versions of this type of communication offered by experienced professionals. Psychotherapy – sometimes known as talking therapy – can be a powerful

Your view of the world and what happens to you is colored by the way that you think. People who are negative thinkers may be more realistic than positive thinkers on some issues, but negative thinking can lead to an unnecessarily gloomy view of life. And when it comes to health, it seems there may

One of our greatest mental gifts is our reasoning ability, which enables us to make decisions and judgments based on the evidence before us. Cognitive therapy can be used to harness our mental powers to improve our health and quality of life. Psychologists use the term ‘cognition’ to refer to the information-processing ability of the

Pain is one of our most useful survival mechanisms. What you feel as pain, however, does not necessarily match up with what is happening to your body, because pain is – like everything we experience – ‘all in the mind’. Sometimes, stubbing your toe lightly on a chair can make you cry out in pain,

The average three-pound human brain may lack the speed of a hard drive and microprocessor, but its flexibility outstrips that of the computer every time. Machines that can think and remember are still science fiction, but researchers are developing systems that bring them a step closer. Computers are often used as an analogy for human

Animals have memories, but do they have human-like memories? Although they can recognize, associate, and use memory to understand the world, animals seem to lack the power to recollect and think about the past in a reflective, autobiographical way. Animals display surprising powers of memory – none more so than chimpanzees, a species very closely

When we ‘see things with our own eyes, we may feel that our recollection of events cannot be doubted. Yet psychologists have discovered that our openness to suggestion and confusion about where and when we saw what can make us unreliable eyewitnesses. Imagine that you have witnessed a theft, and the police have asked you

To keep your brain healthy, a good balance of nutrients – proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, plus vitamins and minerals – is essential. The right balance in your diet can protect your mental faculties. Proteins are vital for the brain since neurons, like all our cells, are made from them. Proteins are made from chains of

Pleasure is a matter of personal taste because we all enjoy different things. Still, it is also an experience we have in common that forms part of the emotional vocabulary of all cultures. A genuinely healthy lifestyle involves embracing pleasure, not rejecting it. Most people engage in activities that they find pleasurable – such as