The Mysteries of Love

Friends

The Art of the Innocent Fib

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on February 22, 2024

Master the gentle art of excuses with these harmless white lies.

Master the gentle art of excuses with these harmless white lies.

Relationships

10 Silent Signals of Relationship Dissatisfaction

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on February 21, 2024

Don't ignore these subtle signs that your partner may be pulling away or is harboring reservations about your relationship.

Don't ignore these subtle signs that your partner may be pulling away or is harboring reservations about your relationship.

Passive-Aggression

Silent Sabotage: Tackling Passive-Aggression in the Office

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on February 20, 2024

Learn to navigate passive-aggressive behavior to feel better and enjoy more success at work.

Learn to navigate passive-aggressive behavior to feel better and enjoy more success at work.

Relationships

What Does It Take to Get Out of an Abusive Relationship?

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on September 15, 2022

Getting out of an abusive relationship requires making changes to your perception of your "self," the true character of your abuser, and the reality of your abusive relationship.

Getting out of an abusive relationship requires making changes to your perception of your "self," the true character of your abuser, and the reality of your abusive relationship.

Trauma

8 Perplexing Components of Trauma

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on September 13, 2022

Trauma is one of the most overwhelming and psychologically complicated experiences you may ever undergo. Read on to learn about its eight key components.

Trauma is one of the most overwhelming and psychologically complicated experiences you may ever undergo. Read on to learn about its eight key components.

Emotional Abuse

The Relational Harms of Childhood Psychological Abuse

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on September 12, 2022

A new paper on childhood psychological abuse argues that to get the full picture of the detrimental effects of this form of abuse, we need to explore relational harms.

A new paper on childhood psychological abuse argues that to get the full picture of the detrimental effects of this form of abuse, we need to explore relational harms.

Attachment

What Prevents You From Healing From a Loss

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on June 17, 2022

What prevents us from healing from grief? A new study sheds light on this question.

What prevents us from healing from grief? A new study sheds light on this question.

Psychopathy

Psychopathy and the Mask of Sanity

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on June 15, 2022

In ˆˆThe Mask of Sanity, Cleckley famously distinguished between pathological and successful psychopaths. New research examines psychopathic traits in light of this distinction.

In ˆˆThe Mask of Sanity, Cleckley famously distinguished between pathological and successful psychopaths. New research examines psychopathic traits in light of this distinction.

Psychopathy

What Do Heroes and Psychopaths Have in Common?

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on June 14, 2022

Heroes and psychopaths have repeatedly been described in the psychopathy literature as sharing key psychopathic traits. What evidence could there be for this comparison?

Heroes and psychopaths have repeatedly been described in the psychopathy literature as sharing key psychopathic traits. What evidence could there be for this comparison?

Emotional Abuse

5 Reasons People Emotionally Abuse Others

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on January 14, 2022

Emotional abusers use hurtful words and manipulative behaviors to tilt the power balance in a relationship to their advantage.

Emotional abusers use hurtful words and manipulative behaviors to tilt the power balance in a relationship to their advantage.

Relationships

Respect (or the Lack Thereof) in Relationships

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on January 8, 2022

Respect is essential to healthy relationships. But it takes multiple kinds of respect to prevent a relationship from going sour—or worse.

Respect is essential to healthy relationships. But it takes multiple kinds of respect to prevent a relationship from going sour—or worse.

Gaslighting

How Abusers Exploit Conversational Conventions to Control Others

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on January 3, 2022

Abusers sometimes exploit common violations of conversational norms and cooperative principles to retain or regain power in their relationships.

Abusers sometimes exploit common violations of conversational norms and cooperative principles to retain or regain power in their relationships.

Stress

How the Pandemic May Have Distorted Our Sense of Time's Passing

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on December 24, 2021

Looking back at the pandemic, does it feel like time has passed more slowly than normal? Five new studies explain how our experience of time has been distorted.

Looking back at the pandemic, does it feel like time has passed more slowly than normal? Five new studies explain how our experience of time has been distorted.

Relationships

The Top 4 Reasons People Cheat on Their Partners

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on September 27, 2021

Surveys suggest that more than 60 percent of us have cheated on our long-term partner at least once. Why are so many of us unfaithful?

Surveys suggest that more than 60 percent of us have cheated on our long-term partner at least once. Why are so many of us unfaithful?

Relationships

Why Don’t We Avoid Abusive Love Like the Plague?

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on September 26, 2021

Abusive love is coupled with a brain chemistry similar to that of people addicted to cocaine.

Abusive love is coupled with a brain chemistry similar to that of people addicted to cocaine.

Relationships

Your Love Is Destroying You, but You're Unable to Leave

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on September 25, 2021

Even after years of battery, she put him on a pedestal, emphasizing how brilliant and fascinating he was, convinced in her naivete that he was her "soul mate."

Even after years of battery, she put him on a pedestal, emphasizing how brilliant and fascinating he was, convinced in her naivete that he was her "soul mate."

Narcissism

The 4 Faces of Narcissism

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on June 26, 2021

New research validates a new narcissism construct that is associated with an inflated sense of the ingroup's contributions to society and aggression toward outgroups.

New research validates a new narcissism construct that is associated with an inflated sense of the ingroup's contributions to society and aggression toward outgroups.

Dark Triad

New Study Investigates Dark Triad Traits and Link to Promiscuity

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on June 24, 2021

How the dark triad traits are linked to promiscuity remains poorly understood. New research suggests a potential mechanism.

How the dark triad traits are linked to promiscuity remains poorly understood. New research suggests a potential mechanism.

Attachment

Has Overparenting Hurt Your Ability to Love?

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on June 22, 2021

New research explores how overparenting may disrupt the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships.

New research explores how overparenting may disrupt the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships.

Relationships

The Rationality of Love

Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D on March 28, 2021

Love is irrational when it does not fit the qualities of the beloved that fueled the love.

Love is irrational when it does not fit the qualities of the beloved that fueled the love.