Archived articles

Psychology

Rope with reef knot isolated on white background.
Human perception
Judging knots throws people for a loop
Published Dec 9, 2024
Experiment reveals new blind spot in our physical reasoning: Most people cannot tell a weak knot from a strong one by looking at them
A photograph of a tree that has knots that resemble a face
Neuroscience
We see faces, everywhere
Published Winter 2024
Humans see the face of an old man in the knots of a tree, the shape of an animal in the clouds, the man on the moon. There's a word for that phenomenon: pareidolia. / Johns Hopkins Magazine
An illustration of a mom and daughter exploring the woods
Health+Well-being
Into the woods
Published June 4, 2024
"Forest bathing"—the term for immersing oneself in nature—offers health benefits to adults and children alike. Here's how to get started.
Hand holds a brown cardboard box of paper on a blue background
Shaking boxes—for science
Published Spring 2024
What shaking boxes can teach us about how our brains work / Johns Hopkins Magazine
A conceptual illustration depicts a tiny person surrounded by vastness
Awestruck
Published Winter 2023
As researchers discover the benefits of this little-understood, larger-than-life emotion, Johns Hopkins scientists figured out how to measure it. / Johns Hopkins Magazine
Illustration of people walking around with COVID virus particles
COVID-19's lasting toll on mental health
Published Nov 10, 2020
The initial coronavirus surge has passed, but the mental health fallout persists
A baby selects a toy from a selection of toys in front of him
Psychological sciences
Babies' random choices become their preferences
Published Oct 2, 2020
We assume we choose things that we like, but research suggests that's sometimes backward: We like things because we choose them, and we dislike things that we don't choose
A man rides a bicycle on a street in China
COVID-19
Study: Pandemic sparks 74% drop in overall emotional well-being
Published May 13, 2020
People who felt knowledgeable about coronavirus at time of outbreak were more likely to report having a positive emotional state
Illustration of a video game store
Game theory
Published Winter 2019
Carey Business School marketing Professor Andrew Ching finds a win-win solution to video game manufacturers' used game problem / Johns Hopkins Magazine
A baby in a swing
Brain science
Babies understand counting years earlier than believed
Published Oct 24, 2019 Video
Babies who are years away from being able to say 'one,' 'two,' and 'three' actually already have a sense of what counting means, study finds