This past year was one of foundation-building for the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. We executed a lot of plans we had for our websites, laying the groundwork for growth and diversification. This foundation included expanding our editorial staff, redesigning our magazine, launching the new GGSC site, and updating our online gratitude journal, Thnx4. (And before all that, we launched Greater Good in Action—also foundational.) In 2018, we’ll build on those foundations: adding more video and podcasts, diversifying the kinds of writing we publish, and making content even more shareable.
Readers’ Picks
Here are the 10 most popular Greater Good articles from the past year, according to Google Analytics.
10. Can the Science of Lying Explain Trump’s Support?, by Jeremy Adam Smith: Most people think lying is wrong—unless it’s for a “good” cause. This may explain why Donald Trump gets away with it.
9. Are You Having Enough Sex?, by Kira Newman: Recent research sheds light on a question that obsesses many people.
8. How to Stop Passive Aggression from Ruining Your Relationship, by Andrea Brandt: Learning to express anger in a healthy way will help couples resolve conflicts, instead of letting them simmer.
7. Three Surprising Insights about Success and Happiness, by Kira Newman: The path to a healthy, successful, and meaningful life may not be what we expect.
6. Our Favorite Books of 2017, by Jill Suttie et al.: Greater Good‘s editors pick this year’s most thought-provoking, important, or useful nonfiction books on the science of a meaningful life.
5. Can You Change Your Personality?, by Jill Suttie: A new review of many studies suggests that our personality isn’t as unchangeable as we think.
4. Five Ways to be Fully Authentic, by Christine Carter: How do you stay true to yourself without letting others down? Here are tips to get started.
3. How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain, by Joel Wong and Joshua Brown: New research is starting to explore how gratitude works to improve our mental health.
2. Why Are So Many Adults Today Haunted by Trauma? (Q&A with Gabor Mate by Jenara Nerenberg): Our political and social systems don’t support fundamental human needs—which affects our ability to deal with traumatic events.
1. How to Handle a Toxic Relationship, by Christine Carter: When a relationship is causing you stress and suffering, follow these five steps to find more peace.
Editors’ Picks
We polled our staff and editorial advisors on their personal favorites from the past year—and came up with more you might also consider reading, listed by number of votes they received.
Can the Science of Purpose Help Explain White Supremacy?, by Jeremy Adam Smith: A sense of purpose makes us physically and psychologically stronger. But what if your purpose is hateful and destructive?
What Solar Eclipses Can Teach Us about Being Human (Q&A with Kate Russo by Kira Newman): Psychologist Kate Russo unpacks the human response to a total solar eclipse.
The Psychology of Taking a Knee, by Jeremy Adam Smith and Dacher Keltner: The backlash against protests by Colin Kaepernick and other athletes raises scientific questions about body language, power, and group dynamics.
What to Do When You Hate the One You Love, by Amie M. Gordon: It’s a thin line, says an old song and some new research. Here are seven ways to keep bad feelings from getting out of hand.
Three Greater Good Lessons from the Golden Gate Warriors, by Jason Marsh: The NBA Champions are a case study in mindfulness, empathy, and cooperation.
Five Ways Feeling Good Can be Bad for You, by Kira Newman: Recent research suggests that the quest for constant bliss is misguided.
Five Ways to Reduce Racial Bias in Your Children, by Jill Suttie: How do we combat racial prejudice? New research reveals how parents influence the formation of bias in children.
Three Things I Learned from Teaching Happiness, by Emiliana Simon-Thomas: Emiliana Simon-Thomas shares the key truths about happiness that are most meaningful to learners.
Seven Ways to Stand Up Against Sexual Harassment, by Elizabeth Svoboda: Allegations against Harvey Weinstein raise the question: What should you do if you witness someone being sexually harassed?
Why Curious People Have Better Relationships, by Jill Suttie: Research suggests that being curious might be a social glue that strengthens our relationships.
How to Raise Kids Who Are More Tolerant Than You, by Maryam Abdullah: This is a time of intense political partisanship. How can we avoid feeding hate and distrust in our children?
Did you have any favorite Greater Good articles? Please do nominate your own favorites in a comment.
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