#Psychology

In a discovery that stretches the boundaries of memory research, scientists have recently shed light on “jamais vu”—the rare and unsettling feeling that something deeply familiar suddenly appears strange or unrecognizable. While most Thais are familiar with the spine-tingling phenomenon of déjà vu, the eerie sense that one has lived through a moment before, its lesser-known counterpart, jamais vu, proves to be even more uncanny, and researchers say it holds important clues to the workings of the human brain (ScienceAlert).

A groundbreaking new study has revealed that not all narcissists are cut from the same cloth. Instead, there are four distinct personality subtypes linked to narcissistic traits, with experts cautioning that some individuals may project confidence while grappling with hidden insecurities beneath the surface. The findings, recently published in the Journal of Research in Personality, are shaking up the conventional scholarly understanding of narcissism and could have wide-reaching implications for clinical psychology and everyday relationships alike (psypost.org).

Researchers have uncovered new insights into jamais vu, the unsettling feeling that something familiar suddenly looks unfamiliar. While deja vu is well known in Thai culture, jamais vu is rarer and oddly more disorienting. Scientists say this phenomenon can illuminate how our brain checks reality and prevents us from slipping into automatic thoughts.

In a study that earned an Ig Nobel Prize in literature, participants were asked to repeat simple words like “door” or “the.” After about a minute, roughly 70% of people reported a strong sense of unfamiliarity and stopped voluntarily, describing experiences such as a word that “doesn’t seem right” or feeling as if it’s not really a word. The findings suggest jamais vu can reveal how our cognitive system verifies meaning and prevents us from drifting through routine without awareness.

After every major event—an election result, a surprise business failure, or even a football match—how often do we hear people say, “I knew that would happen”? This feeling of inevitability after the fact is so common that psychologists have given it a name: hindsight bias, or the “knew-it-all-along” phenomenon. Far from being a harmless quirk, hindsight bias shapes how we recall and learn from experience, affects our judgments, and even influences fields as diverse as medicine, law, and policymaking. For Thai readers navigating rapidly changing global events, understanding hindsight bias can help us make more rational decisions and avoid costly mental mistakes.

Imagine strolling through a Thai street market and spotting a finely woven silk scarf priced at 2,000 baht. Even if you suspect the true value is lower, that opening price anchors your thinking. When the seller offers a “special price” of 1,200 baht, it often feels like a bargain, even if the scarf’s worth hasn’t changed. This negotiation ritual illustrates the anchoring effect—a subtle mental shortcut that steers our choices.

Availability bias shapes everyday decisions in Thailand, from schooling choices to health care and commuting during the rainy season. People tend to rely on information that is easiest to recall rather than the most relevant data. This mental shortcut, also known as the availability heuristic, influences judgment in subtle and powerful ways.

When Thai news repeatedly highlights certain events, like dengue outbreaks, parents may overestimate their child’s risk even if local numbers show a lower incidence. Such shortcuts help in routine tasks but can produce systematic errors in judgment.

Confirmation bias, a deeply rooted psychological phenomenon, explains why we tend to focus on information that agrees with our pre-existing beliefs and ignore or discredit evidence that challenges them. In everyday life, this invisible force shapes not only our individual decisions but also the way Thai society interprets news, politics, and even the stories we tell ourselves about our health and well-being. The significance of understanding confirmation bias is becoming increasingly clear in an era where information is abundant but polarization is rising, both globally and in Thailand.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a psychological phenomenon where people with limited knowledge or skill in a particular area often overestimate their own abilities, while those who are more competent may actually underestimate themselves. This effect, first identified by researchers at Cornell University in 1999, has become a widely discussed topic in psychology, workplace training, and even daily Thai culture, as it sheds light on why some individuals appear inexplicably confident about topics they barely understand, while experts may downplay their own expertise [thestandard.co], [themomentum.co], [thaipublica.org].

A major international study challenges the idea of a universal formula for happiness. Published in Nature Human Behaviour, the research finds that well-being arises from a mix of external circumstances and internal attitudes, with each person following a distinct path to life satisfaction. In Thailand, where happiness is both a personal and public concern, the findings invite policymakers, educators, and health professionals to rethink how well-being is cultivated.

Data from more than 40,000 participants across Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Australia tracked individuals for up to 30 years. The analysis examined overall life satisfaction as well as satisfaction in health, income, housing, work, and relationships. Results reveal a striking variety: roughly equal shares of participants derived happiness from external conditions (bottom-up), internal qualities like resilience and mindset (top-down), a combination of both (bidirectional), or other factors not fully identified by researchers.

Every day, people in Thailand—like in many countries—make decisions, big and small, often based on the information that comes most readily to mind. Whether it’s choosing a school, selecting healthcare options, or even deciding which road to take during rainy season, human judgment is rarely as objective as we might assume. One powerful but often unnoticed force at play is “availability bias,” a psychological phenomenon that shapes thinking and behavior based on the information most easily recalled, rather than all relevant facts [Simply Psychology], [Encyclopedia Britannica].

A growing body of research highlights how growing up with persistently negative parents can have significant and lasting effects on children, even shaping behaviors and well-being well into adulthood. According to insights from psychologists featured in Parade’s recent article, individuals raised in such environments often manifest distinct emotional and behavioral patterns, prompting renewed calls in Thailand and globally to address the intergenerational impacts of parental negativity on mental health Parade.

The relevance of this issue resonates strongly in Thai society, where family ties and respect for elders are central cultural values. However, new research demonstrates that a family environment dominated by criticism, pessimism, or negativity can inadvertently sow long-term challenges for children. These challenges can manifest as self-doubt, chronic anxiety, difficulties in forming relationships, or a tendency to expect the worst, potentially hindering personal growth and success.

Confirmation bias makes people seek and remember information that fits their preconceptions, while discounting evidence that contradicts them. For Thai audiences, this invisible force shapes how we read health guidance, politics, and daily news in a crowded information landscape. Understanding it is crucial as Thailand embraces rapid digital change and growing polarization.

At a basic level, confirmation bias means we look for supporting evidence, interpret ambiguous data to fit our views, and recall memories that reinforce our beliefs. Decades of research show the brain prioritizes consistency over objective truth, influencing judgments in health, law, and public discourse. In fast-moving information environments, these tendencies can distort how we interpret new health advisories or political developments.

Growing evidence shows that children raised in consistently negative environments may carry emotional and behavioral patterns into adulthood. Psychologists cited in recent analyses note that persistent parental negativity can influence self-esteem, trust, and resilience, prompting renewed discussion worldwide and in Thailand about the intergenerational effects on mental health.

In Thai society, where family bonds and respect for elders run deep, these findings resonate with everyday life. A consistently critical or pessimistic home atmosphere can seed lasting challenges. Adults may experience self-doubt, anxiety, relationship difficulties, or a tendency to expect the worst, potentially hindering personal growth and success.

Imagine entering a Thai street market and seeing a beautifully woven silk scarf with a price tag of 2,000 baht. Even if you believe the actual value is lower, that first price sets a reference point. When the vendor offers you a “special price” of 1,200 baht, it feels like a bargain—regardless of the true worth of the scarf. This common negotiation scenario is a classic example of the “anchoring effect,” a psychological phenomenon that subtly but powerfully sways our decisions, often without us noticing.

A groundbreaking new study has found that adults who report avoidant attachment to their parents are significantly more likely to choose a childfree lifestyle, a trend that is increasingly visible in both Western societies and emerging in Thai urban areas. The research, which analyzes psychological factors influencing reproductive decisions, adds valuable context to ongoing discussions about declining birth rates and shifting family expectations worldwide.

As Thailand faces an alarming drop in national birth rates — the lowest in decades according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (Bangkok Post) — the findings are particularly relevant. While economic uncertainties and shifting societal roles have been widely acknowledged as drivers, the new study highlights the impact of family attachments and early-life emotional bonds on adult choices to remain childfree.

A recent study has uncovered that older adults tend to engage in less self-reflection about their personality traits than their younger counterparts—a finding that could have important implications for personal development, mental health, and aging in Thailand and beyond. The research, published in the journal Motivation and Emotion, explored age differences in how individuals think about and evaluate their own personalities, concluding that as people age, they become less likely to question or analyze aspects of who they are.

A sweeping international study has shattered the myth of a universal formula for happiness, revealing that the sources of well-being are as diverse as humanity itself. Published in the prestigious journal Nature Human Behaviour, this latest research demonstrates that people’s happiness can come from external circumstances, internal attitudes, or a complex interplay of both—with each person following a unique path to life satisfaction (Neuroscience News).

The significance of these findings reverberates far beyond the academic world. In Thailand, where happiness is often seen as both a public good and a personal achievement, the study challenges policymakers, educators, and mental health professionals to rethink how happiness and well-being are cultivated in society. The research calls into question one-size-fits-all approaches and highlights the need for more individualized strategies that respect the differences in what drives happiness for each person.

A new study finds that as people grow older, they engage in less self-reflection about their personality traits than younger individuals. The finding, published in Motivation and Emotion, suggests aging may bring a more stable sense of self, with less ongoing internal questioning. The research analyzed how adults across age groups think about their own traits and the extent to which they consider changes to who they are.

This insight resonates in Thai society, where elders are respected and lifelong learning is valued. Understanding how self-reflection evolves across the lifespan can inform education, workplace development, and mental-health support tailored for older adults. The key takeaway is that older adults may feel content with their identities and see less need for ongoing introspection, while still benefiting from opportunities for meaningful growth.

A well-documented cognitive bias, the Dunning-Kruger Effect, shows that people with limited knowledge in a area often overestimate their competence, while true experts may underestimate their mastery. First described in 1999 by researchers at a major U.S. university, this phenomenon now informs discussions in psychology, education, workplaces, and everyday life in Thailand. It helps explain why some individuals appear overly confident about topics they barely understand, while experts may downplay their expertise.

A concert ticket bought in advance, a rainy Bangkok morning, and a sudden illness. The urge to go to the show anyway can feel noble, but the choice mirrors a common bias: the sunk cost fallacy. People keep investing time, money, or effort into a decision because of past, unrecoverable costs. In Thailand, where perseverance is highly valued, understanding this bias helps individuals, businesses, and policymakers make wiser moves.

The sunk cost fallacy arises when past investments unduly influence present decisions. A sunk cost is money, effort, or time that cannot be recovered. Rational thinking should focus on future costs and benefits, yet research shows people often let earlier commitments distort judgment. Thai diners, project teams, and government departments are not immune, shaping outcomes across sectors. Data from reputable research teams shows how the bias operates in Thailand and around the world.

A recent study signals a link between avoidant attachment to parents and a growing preference for a childfree life. The findings suggest that early emotional bonds shape adult decisions about parenthood, adding context to declines in birth rates and evolving family norms in Thailand and beyond.

Thailand faces a significant demographic challenge, with birth rates at historic lows. Data from national planning authorities show this trend intersects with economic uncertainty and changing gender roles. The new research adds another layer, showing that family attachments in childhood may influence whether adults choose not to have children.

Imagine paying for a concert ticket, then waking up on the day of the event feeling sick as a tropical downpour soaks the city. Logic suggests you should stay home—your health is at risk, and the rain will make everything miserable. Yet, you force yourself to go, reasoning that if you don’t, your 2,000 baht ticket will be wasted. This everyday scenario, familiar to many Thais balancing spending and social obligations, illustrates the psychological trap known as the “sunk cost fallacy.” It is a common bias that leads people to continue investing time, money, or effort into a decision even when doing so no longer serves their best interest, all because they want to justify past, irretrievable investments. In a society where respect for personal sacrifice and resourcefulness is highly valued, understanding this phenomenon carries deep significance for both individual Thais and the nation as a whole.

A sweeping new international study published in Nature Human Behaviour has overturned one-size-fits-all notions of happiness, revealing that what brings joy is profoundly personal and shaped by a unique mix of external circumstances and inner mindsets for each individual. The research, based on life satisfaction surveys from more than 40,000 people across five countries and spanning up to 30 years, offers crucial insights for public health policy and individual wellbeing, including in Thailand, where social, cultural, and economic factors deeply intertwine with personal happiness.

A large, long-term study published in Nature Human Behaviour shows happiness isn’t one-size-fits-all. Joy arises from a unique mix of external circumstances and inner mindsets, and the balance varies from person to person. The research followed over 40,000 people across five countries for up to 30 years, offering insights for public health policy and individual wellbeing that resonate in Thailand too, where social, cultural, and economic factors shape daily happiness.