Does reading fiction make you a better person?

Could reading a good book make you a better person? In a time in which our bestsellers include horrific deaths (e.g. Game of Thrones) and erotic sadomasochism (e.g. Fifty Shades of Grey), this idea may seem far-fetched.

Suzanne van de Groep • March 15, 2016

Love is in the… brain!

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Even if you don’t, you probably express your love to your partner on other occasions. Love is something we all experience in life. What happens in the brain when we’re in love?

Neeltje Blankenstein • February 13, 2016

Are teenagers really missing part of their brain?

Sabine Peters has investigated how the development of cognitive and affective brain regions relates to learning and risk-taking behavior. Brain regions for cognitive control can be recruited by children and adolescents.

Sabine Peters • January 19, 2016

Interfering with the hormonal system: oral contraceptive use

In the Netherlands, about 37 percent of women aged between 18 and 49 use oral contraceptives¹, taking them on average for 12 years of their lives. Why do so many of us interfere with our hormonal systems, and what are the effects on brain and behavior?

Jiska Peper • January 12, 2016

In love with a robot?

Getting intimate with a robot… it may perhaps seem a bit of a weird idea. Why would anybody want to?

Roy de Kleijn • November 24, 2015

Are depressive and anxiety disorders visible in the adolescent brain?

Adolescence is a period in life during which many changes occur. For most adolescents these changes just happen and have no further detrimental implications for their daily live. However, for some adolescents this period is not without consequences. Video.

Bianca G. van den Bulk • June 01, 2015

Gut feelings

The gut is rather a neglected organ in the human body and is mostly known for its role in digestion. However, scientists are increasingly becoming aware of the important influence of the gut system on emotions and related brain systems.

Jiska Peper • May 11, 2015

Within five minutes, Nico Frijda is there…

Nico Frijda, professor emeritus University of Amsterdam, passed away on April 11, just before his 87th birthday. His legacy is enormous. His book The Emotions (1986) radically changed perspectives on emotions. The amazing thing, it is still doing so today!

Carolien Rieffe • April 20, 2015

Is Alexander Pechtold the Dutch Michael Dukakis of 2015?

At the close of the pre-election debate, a poll by RTL news showed Alexander Pechtold, leader of the opposition party D66, narrowly in the lead over prime minister Mark Rutte (VVD). But from a psychological point of view Rutte was the clear winner...

Willem van der Does • March 16, 2015

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