Psychology

If you’ve ever walked into a room and instantly felt you’re on the same wavelength with someone, you’re not imagining it. New research into interpersonal neural synchronization suggests that two brains can rhythmically align during natural conversations and collaborative tasks, creating a kind of shared mental tone that makes a connection feel almost inevitable. In short, the science behind that “click” points to real, measurable brain activity aligning between people, a phenomenon that researchers are just beginning to understand in practical, everyday terms.

A global meta-analysis of studies on personality and sexual behavior finds that people with higher levels of psychopathic traits tend to be more open to casual sex without emotional intimacy. The synthesis, drawing on 48 samples and more than 15,000 participants, reports that in the majority of studies, psychopathy was linked to an unrestricted sociosexual orientation — a readiness to engage in sexual activity outside long-term, emotionally connected partnerships. The average effect size is described as medium, which in personality research signals a meaningful, not trivial, association. The authors note that the strength of the link varied by the psychopathy assessment tool used and that gender did not significantly alter the relationship.

A recent study testing an ayahuasca-inspired combination of psychedelic compounds raises questions about a long-held belief: that psychedelic experiences reliably unlock creative thinking. While the research suggests there are nuanced changes in how people think during and after the experience, it does not support the idea that psychedelics universally boost creativity. For Thai readers—whether in education, mental health care, or cultural life—this finding arrives at a moment when creativity is celebrated as a driver of innovation, while public policy and family decisions around psychedelic use remain highly careful and regulated.

Smiles aren’t a universal mood booster after all. A recent set of experiments suggests that when a smile is forced or fake, it can actually worsen emotional well-being, while authentic smiles tied to real happiness can lift mood. This finding arrives at a moment when many Thai families, workplaces, and schools rely on courteous smiles to navigate daily life, social harmony, and respectful communication. The new research offers a nuanced view: smiling can be good, but only when it reflects genuine feeling or is used thoughtfully in social contexts.

A rising voice in workplace communication says three phrases many professionals slip into every day are quietly eroding credibility, particularly for women seeking to speak up or lead. The message comes from Kate Mason, PhD, a former world champion debater turned executive coach and founder of Hedgehog + Fox, who argues that these “minimizing” phrases—meant to be polite or considerate—often backfire, signaling that what you’re about to say is unworthy of serious attention. In her view, the pattern, which she labels an “imposing syndrome,” can constrain careers and widen gaps in presentation, influence, and advancement. Mason’s new insights appear in her latest work, and they sharpen a timely question for Thai workplaces: how often do everyday courtesy phrases undermine the very leadership and expertise many employees bring to their teams?

A new 2025 study conducted by researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Israel uses a fresh approach to understand a familiar human experience: emptiness. By asking participants to rate how empty they felt several times a day, the researchers painted a picture of how this feeling waxes and wanes, and how it relates to impulsive behaviors. The headline takeaway is that emptiness is not unique to borderline personality disorder, though it can play out quite differently there. In people with borderline personality disorder, emptiness tends to be a chronic backdrop that can spike impulsive actions when the feeling is strongest. Yet the study also shows that emptiness can occur in anyone on any given day, and the link to impulsivity is not a simple one-to-one relationship. For Thai readers, this research arrives with clear relevance: it speaks to daily mental health realities in families, schools, clinics, and communities where emotional struggles are often kept private.

A new international study on the origins of the Ostrich Effect—our tendency to dodge information that could help us—points to a developmental window when people begin avoiding useful news. The lead of the research suggests this avoidance emerges relatively early in life and intensifies through adolescence, continuing into adulthood. In practical terms, it means decisions about health care, vaccination, screening, and even how communities respond to public health guidance can be shaped by a person’s comfort with information, not just by the information itself. For Thai families navigating complex health choices—from routine screenings to managing chronic conditions—these findings could reshape how messages are designed, delivered, and trusted.

A recent wave of brain-health research spotlights two everyday beverages as the most promising allies for cognitive wellness: coffee and tea. As Thai households juggle work, study, and family life, these findings offer practical guidance on how sipping habits could support mental sharpness, mood, and resilience—without resorting to drastic lifestyle changes. The central message from the latest synthesis is clear: moderation matters, as does timing, and the right choices can contribute to brain health over the long haul.

A recent surge of scrutiny over trauma care reveals a surprising and troubling trend: trauma has become a global, lucrative market. A feature in a major newspaper outlines how the word once reserved for war, abuse, and other unspeakable harm has evolved into a buzzword powering training programs, consulting services, apps, and high‑priced conferences—sometimes charging as much as £900 for a single ticket. For Thai readers, the story cuts straight to a familiar tension: how to balance the genuine need for effective, evidence‑based care with concerns about over‑commercialization, access, and value for money in a country where mental health resources remain unevenly distributed and stigma still lingers in many communities.

A recent ecological momentary assessment study of U.S. veterans with elevated PTSD symptoms suggests that cannabis may be linked to short-term relief of PTSD symptoms, but the authors caution that this does not prove lasting benefit or a recommended therapy. In the study, days when veterans reported more PTSD symptoms tended to be followed by days with higher negative affect, and vice versa. On days when participants reported being high from cannabis for longer periods, they also tended to report fewer PTSD symptoms and lower negative affect, but these changes appeared to occur within the same day rather than persist across days. The study, published in Psychiatry Research, offers a nuanced picture of how daily mood and symptom fluctuations relate to cannabis use in a real-world setting. It is important to stress that the observed patterns do not establish causation and that the effects were modest, with several caveats.

A new theoretical model from researchers at McGill University and the University of Toronto reframes gaslighting as a learned manipulation strategy rather than a mysterious personality flaw. The study suggests that gaslighters exploit the brain’s natural learning mechanisms to gradually erode a target’s confidence in their own perceptions. In practical terms, this means gaslighting can unfold as a subtle, repeated pattern that shifts what someone believes about what is real, who is trustworthy, and where blame belongs. The lead author explains that when you trust or love somebody, you expect them to behave in a predictable way; gaslighters act in an atypical, surprising manner and use that surprise to direct the learning of the people they target. This framing marks a shift from purely emotional abuse toward a cognitive process that can, in principle, be understood, anticipated, and countered.

A curious new meme has roared across global social feeds, and Thai teens are riding the wave. The “6-7” trend began with a December 2024 rap track and exploded onto TikTok and Instagram in early 2025, with millions of short videos echoing the same four syllables. What started as a cryptic line tied to a Chicago street has become a lighthearted, ubiquitous catchphrase that adolescents use in a variety of playful, sometimes nonsensical contexts. A leading commentator on trends in youth culture notes that the phrase now means whatever the user wants it to mean, underscoring a fundamental truth of memes: meaning evolves as it spreads. In short, 6-7 shows how a single line can transform into a social phenomenon simply through automated re-creations, remixes, and the attention of highly connected online communities.

A new psychology study is drawing attention to a troubling link between daily workplace burnout and the emergence of extremist attitudes. Researchers followed more than 600 workers who logged their burnout symptoms and emotional states in real time. On days when burnout peaked, participants showed a higher likelihood of justifying extremist ideas or violence against perceived sources of distress. The researchers describe this as a “burnout to extremism” pipeline, backed by three established theories that explain how chronic workplace strain can erode meaning and tilt thinking toward radical beliefs.

A growing wave of interdisciplinary research suggests that consciousness may emerge from a dynamic loop among the brain, the body, and the surrounding world—not simply from neural activity inside the skull. This body-brain-environment perspective challenges the long-held view that awareness resides exclusively in the head and invites readers to rethink everyday experiences of thinking, feeling, and deciding. For Thai readers, where mindfulness, community, and family play central roles in daily life, the idea has immediate resonance: awareness may unfold through physical sensation, social interaction, and the spaces we inhabit as much as through brain signals alone.

A growing body of research suggests that messiness is not a moral failing or a lack of character, but a byproduct of how our brains manage attention, creativity, and daily life. Rather than a simple sign of laziness, clutter can reflect a complex mix of life stages, personality traits, mental health realities, and cognitive differences. This shift in thinking arrives at a moment when Thai households juggle remote work, online learning, and crowded spaces, making it more important than ever to understand what clutter really signals. In Thailand’s family-centered culture, where respect for elders and harmony at home shape daily routines, the news offers a timely prompt to rethink how we design study corners, workstations, and living rooms to support everyone’s needs without stigma.

A new study suggests that breath-based meditation can nudge the brain into a deeply relaxed yet awake state. Researchers tracked 43 experienced practitioners of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga with electroencephalography, or EEG, while they moved through the technique’s distinct phases. A control group of 10 participants listened to calming music for the same duration. The findings, reported in a peer-reviewed neuroscience journal, offer a potential low-cost mental health strategy at a moment when Thai families increasingly seek accessible ways to manage stress, anxiety, and mood concerns amid a stretched healthcare system.

In the newest synthesis of minds and habits, intelligence isn’t a fixed trait you’re born with or a skill you somehow magically earn. Growing evidence suggests our effective intelligence—the real-world cognitive edge we use daily—depends far more on daily habits, sleep, physical activity, and deliberate practice than on raw, innate IQ alone. For Thai readers, this reframing lands directly in a culture that prizes learning, discipline, and family responsibility, because it implies meaningful ways to boost thinking power within reach of students, workers, and older citizens alike. The lead message from recent discussions around this line of thinking is simple: you may not control your brain’s hardware, but you can tune the software, and over time those tweaks add up in surprising, practical ways.

A monumental international study surveying nearly 73,000 first-year university students across 18 countries has found that emotional abuse is the strongest predictor of suicidal thoughts, surpassing other well-known risk factors such as depression and anxiety. The research, described as the largest-ever examination of this issue among college entrants, also identified childhood adversity and certain mental health disorders as significant contributors to elevated risk. For Thailand, where youth mental health has increasingly captured policy and public attention, the findings carry urgent implications for universities, families, and communities that shape the emotional climate in which young people grow up and learn.

A growing body of research is drawing attention to a parenting dynamic that often goes unrecognized at home: when children take on adult responsibilities or emotions to support a pressured family system. Known as parentification, this pattern can feel like a natural part of family life in the moment, yet it may set a child on a path toward emotional and relational difficulties years later. A trauma therapist who studies family life cautions that the harm is not a one-off episode but a long tail of effects that can shape mental health, self-identity, and intimate relationships long into adulthood.

A growing wave of people sign up for meditation apps, hoping to ease stress and sharpen focus. Yet most subscribers abandon their practice within days, sometimes within a single week. The pattern is not unique to one country or one app. Across the world, researchers have repeatedly found that engagement drops off quickly after onboarding. The core challenge is simple: motivation fades, goals are too ambitious, and the digital nudge that sparked initial curiosity loses its pull as daily life reasserts itself. For Thai readers, this isn’t just a tech issue. It intersects with family routines, workplace rhythms, and culturally rooted ideas about self-discipline, mindfulness, and community support. When designed thoughtfully, meditation apps can become a practical ally rather than a fashionable detour, turning a glossy concept into a sustainable habit that fits into Thai homes, temples, and classrooms.

A recent examination of a long-standing demography myth is stirring conversation among health and policy researchers: life expectancy at birth is not a prophecy about how long you or your family will live. The latest analysis argues that even when national life expectancy was low, many people survived childhood and lived well into old age. For Thai readers, where aging is increasingly a waking policy and family concern, the insight offers a clearer lens for planning health services, pensions, and elder care in a society that values family unity and reverence for the elderly.

A new study from the University of Cambridge reveals that adolescents become significantly more motivated to chase rewards after only a few hours of social isolation. The research shows that a brief period without contact can heighten a teen’s drive to obtain rewards—ranging from social interactions to money and other pleasures—raising important questions about how isolation, digital life, and family dynamics shape youth behavior. The findings also highlight a potential double-edged sword: the same urge to reconnect could propel positive social reengagement, or lead to riskier choices if healthy outlets aren’t available. In addition, the study found that giving teens access to virtual social interactions during isolation can lessen feelings of loneliness and blunt the surge in reward-seeking, suggesting that digital connections can buffer some of the negative effects of loneliness.

A fresh wave of research is challenging the blanket judgment that binge-watching is inherently harmful to well-being. Reports emerging from academic circles in recent months suggest that, for some people, watching multiple episodes in one sitting can provide a mood lift, stress relief, and even a sense of social connectedness. Yet researchers are quick to add a caveat: these potential benefits appear to come with clear limits and are closely tied to how, when, and what people watch. In short, binge-watching is not a universal remedy for happiness, but under the right conditions it can function as a restorative activity alongside a balanced lifestyle.

A wave of recent research is reinforcing a familiar idea many Thai families hold close: being in a supportive, loving relationship can be good for your health. While researchers caution that the strongest health benefits come from high-quality, stable partnerships rather than the mere presence of romance, the emerging evidence points to a range of potential advantages. From lower stress and better sleep to more resilient immune responses and healthier lifestyle choices, the science is painting a nuanced portrait of how romantic bonds may influence physical and mental well-being. In Thailand, where family and faith traditions shape everyday life, these findings carry particular resonance for couples, caregivers, and policymakers seeking to promote healthier communities.