Can I ‘read’ your emotions in my body? Have you ever felt a shiver or the pricking of tears when you see someone grieving about a dead loved one? “Feeling” others’ emotions does not only happen in our heads: it affects our entire bodies. But are those changes actually informative? Julia Folz • January 20, 2022
Bullying and autism: blaming the victim? When it comes to bullying, we often focus on the victim, who is then often offered social skills training. Yet, when children with autism are bullied, is this really appropriate? Carolien Rieffe • April 01, 2019
#MeToo gives people the courage to face the consequences The #MeToo campaign has shown that sexual harassment is much more common than was previously believed. The campaign gives people the courage to share their negative experiences, because they see their friends and acquaintances also having that courage. Gert-Jan Lelieveld • November 20, 2017
Assessing stress: a matter of the heart? 'I didn’t see it coming until it was too late' – a remark I often hear from clients suffering from burnout. They had often been pushing the limits without realizing that their stress levels were building up. Bart Verkuil • March 23, 2017
Who can get it across to the voters that life is good in the Netherlands? Voters seem to be guided by their emotions rather than by the facts, and this can have consequences for democracy, Gert-Jan Lelieveld writes. For once, try focusing on the things that are going well. Gert-Jan Lelieveld • March 06, 2017
Passion for work: pleasure or pressure? As a society, we place huge importance on finding our passion: a Google search reveals over 28 million hits, and TV series that focus on work passion have never been more popular. But is being passionate about work always a good thing? Suzanne van de Groep • February 16, 2017
A crazy little thing: Cold love A fresh start to a new year. Some take it literally and take a dive in the chilling ocean. For most, the thought sends a shiver down the spine. But taking that plunge might not be a bad idea. Should exposing yourself to cold be one of your resolutions? Jochem Spaans • January 18, 2017
Hanging out with the right crowd: positive peer pressure in adolescence Peer pressure in adolescence often has negative connotations for worried parents and in the media. Jorien investigated the positive influence of peers on decision-making and examined the neural underpinnings of peer influence in the adolescent brain. Jorien van Hoorn • January 12, 2017
How to deal with the threat of terrorism in children? News of terrorist attacks is on TV almost daily, and the threat of terrorism affects everyone, including children. Being aware of our reactions and enhancing our sense of control may help us to handle both children’s fears of terrorism and our own. Evin Aktar • January 05, 2017
