Human Behavior

In 1962, at a girls' school in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), Africa, some schoolgirl giggles turned into a countrywide health crisis. And, to this day, the laughter remains a mystery.

By Jesslyn Shields

Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is all about slowing down and "bathing" yourself in the beauty of nature, which leads to psycho-emotional healing and stress reduction.

By Carrie Tatro

Getting lost in a book is one of life's greatest pleasures, but is a digital book just as pleasurable as a paper book? And which format is the best for learning?

By Patty Rasmussen

The term 'microaggression' has gone mainstream in the last few years. But what counts as a microaggression, and why are some experts critical of the word?

By Danielle Douez

This weekend's Powerball lottery is up to $800 million. Is that enough to get you to play?

By Dave Roos

More than 250 people in six years have died while taking selfies. Who is taking such risks and why?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

And that difference has a lot to do with dopamine — and how you respond to it.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Experts who've studied this say you have to look at several factors regarding parenting, toy guns and aggression.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The announcements of Kylie Jenner's 'surprise' baby and Beyonce's pregnancy with twins were two of the most liked Instagrams of all time. Why do celebrity babies excite the public so much?

By Alia Hoyt

Secrets can take a measurable mental and physical toll on those who keep — and share — them.

By Laurie L. Dove

The experts have determined the right age for lots of life decisions.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Americans are struggling to maintain their core values in the face of heightened political polarization.

By Yves Jeffcoat

Green spaces aren't just a city-planning gimmick. Living near birds and shrubs really does have measurable benefits, new research shows.

By Kate Kershner

Would it surprise you to learn that people who used emojis were considered more agreeable than those who didn't?

By Alia Hoyt

Spankings are common and legal in many public schools — but experts say they don't work. So why are they still a form of discipline?

By Julia Layton

If you ran into a chainsaw-swinging psychopath, you’d probably remember. But what about everyday pscyhopaths?

By Laurie L. Dove

Throwing games to make kids happy may negatively affect their ability to make important decisions — even if it does boost their self-esteem.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

According to doctors, injecting cooking oil into your muscles to make them appear larger does not work, could possibly kill you.

By Jesslyn Shields

One bad apple may indeed spoil the whole bunch, especially if it's a bunch of adolescent siblings and one of them is delinquent.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

You may have thought shotgun marriages died out following the era of peace, free love and rock 'n' roll, but in some groups, they're actually rising.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

Urine for a shock when you learn how much pee is in the average public pool. Even Olympic swimmers admit to peeing in the pool -- just like you and me.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

We blink our eyes so often, yet we usually don’t perceive that the world has gone dark, if only for a microsecond. Why is that?

By Yves Jeffcoat

A writer test-drives advice on running her life according to her biological body clock with some surprising results.

By Alia Hoyt

Who hasn't wanted to get away from it all? For British designer Thomas Thwaites, that break entailed turning himself into a goat.

By Kate Kershner

An update to a famous study shows that employers may not discriminate as much as before — with one important caveat.

By Kathryn Whitbourne