Ten Inspiring Signs of Progress From 2024
These positive stories—from scientific breakthroughs to advancements in justice and equality—make us feel uplifted and hopeful for the future.
In Memory of Three Great Psychologists We Lost This Year
Greater Good honors Frans de Waal, Daniel Kahneman, and Philip Zimbardo.
The Top 10 Insights from the “Science of a Meaningful Life” in 2024
Our team names the most provocative and influential findings published during this past year.
What Can We Learn From the Joy of Rats?
Neuroscientists have taught rats to drive little cars in the lab—and they can teach us something about anticipation and joy.
Do We Need to Love Ourselves Before We Love Others?
New research is beginning to investigate the links between self-compassion and compassion toward others.
What’s Giving Us Hope Right Now?
Researchers, nonprofit leaders, and other experts share what keeps them optimistic about a better future for American society.
The Psychology of Scary Movies and Haunted Houses
Why do we scare ourselves for fun? A controlled scary experience can leave us exhilarated, relaxed, and more resilient in the face of fear.
Happiness Break: Sketching Serenity With Chris Murchison
A guided drawing meditation to help you break out of stale thought patterns and maybe even enter a state of flow. No talent required.
How to Find Your Purpose in Life
Are you struggling to discover your purpose? That may be because you feel isolated from other people. Here's how you can overcome that.
How to Stop Overthinking Your Happiness
The search for happiness can make you unhappy—but there is a research-tested solution.
Why Are Some People Happy Even as They’re Dying?
Research suggests that people nearing death talk about their experience as more positive than we imagine it would be.
Empathy Quiz
How well do you feel and understand what others are feeling?
The Top 10 Insights from the “Science of a Meaningful Life” in 2024
Our team names the most provocative and influential findings published during this past year.
What’s Giving Us Hope Right Now?
Researchers, nonprofit leaders, and other experts share what keeps them optimistic about a better future for American society.
Why Meditation Might Need a Warning Label
Research suggests that meditation can sometimes be harmful for certain people—and can even make mental health problems worse.
What If You Pursued What’s Interesting Instead of Happiness?
A new book explores why we should seek a “psychologically rich life” and how to do it.