How Kids Learn What Emotions Really Mean

Key Questions Answered Q: Why do young children struggle to recognize adult emotions?A: Young children rely heavily on facial perception and haven’t yet developed the conceptual knowledge needed to fully…

Empathy Can Be Emotionally Conditioned

Key Questions Answered Q: Can empathy be learned through emotional reward?A: Yes. The study found that when someone else’s joy is consistently paired with personal reward, the brain begins to…

Women’s Scent During Ovulation Alters Male Stress and Attraction

Key Questions Answered Q: What did the study find about female body odor during ovulation?A: Researchers identified three specific scent compounds that increase during ovulation and found they made armpit…

Childhood Trauma May Rewire Brain for Lifelong Aggression

Key Questions Answered: Q: What brain region is being studied to understand aggression?A: Researchers are focusing on the thalamic nucleus reuniens, which connects memory, emotion, and decision-making areas of the…

Discovering Life’s Meaning Through Emotion and Exploration

Key Questions Answered: Q: What is the “Geographic Model of Meaning in Life”?A: It’s a conceptual framework proposing that life’s meaning is not fixed but emerges as individuals explore their…

How Music Can Emotionally Reshape Your Memories

Summary: A new neuroscience study reveals that music can alter the emotional content of our memories when played during recollection. Participants who listened to emotionally charged music while recalling neutral…

Verbal Abuse in Childhood Rewires the Developing Brain

Summary: New neuroscience research highlights how verbal abuse in childhood can alter brain development and increase the risk of mental health issues later in life. Children who are routinely shamed,…

Emotional News Alters Men’s Financial Choices

Summary: New research reveals that men are more likely than women to let emotions from unrelated situations affect their financial decisions. After watching emotional news stories, men opted for safer…

Oxytocin Influences Social Behavior and Emotional Response

Summary: New research reveals how oxytocin profoundly influences social behavior and emotional responses in the brain. Animal models have shown how this hormone impacts social fear and how chronic stress…

Depression Alters Brain Circuits, Heightening Negative Perception

Summary: Scientists have identified how depression alters the brain’s response to positive and negative stimuli, particularly in the amygdala, a key emotional processing center. The study found that depression reduces…