February 26, 2026 - 16:26

For years, renowned psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, a distinguished professor at UC Riverside, inwardly cringed at the question, "What is the secret to happiness?" As a leading scholar in the field, she found the query overly simplistic, preferring to detail the complex web of factors that influence human well-being.
Yet, her extensive research, alongside the work of other psychologists, consistently points to a profound and fundamental truth: a central pillar of lasting happiness is the feeling of being loved and having strong, secure relationships. This goes beyond romantic love, encompassing the deep bonds of family, enduring friendships, and a genuine sense of connection within a community.
Psychologists emphasize that this sense of belonging and being valued acts as a powerful buffer against life's stresses and contributes significantly to both mental and physical health. It provides a foundation of security and meaning, from which individuals are better equipped to pursue other elements of a fulfilling life, such as personal growth and purpose. While happiness is undoubtedly multifaceted, the evidence strongly suggests that feeling truly loved is not merely a part of the puzzle—it is one of its most crucial cornerstones.
August 26, 2026 - 04:12
Psychology says late-night online shopping usually isn’t about wanting things — researchers find people spend most when they feel least in control of their lives, and the cart is a small territory where you decide everythingPsychologists are taking a closer look at the late-night online shopping habit, and the findings suggest it has very little to do with actually wanting the items. Researchers have found that people...
August 25, 2026 - 12:10
Frontiers | Partial substitution in the hidden curriculum of children’s media: a comparative corpus analysis of religion-oriented and general-educational Turkish public broadcastingThe study examines partial substitution in the hidden curriculum, meaning how certain values and emotional concepts replace others depending on the broadcast context. Researchers analyzed large...
August 24, 2026 - 17:38
2 ‘Gossipy’ Habits That Mean You’re Intelligent, By A PsychologistNew research is challenging the idea that gossiping is always a toxic or shallow behavior. A psychologist`s recent findings suggest that certain types of gossip are actually linked to higher social...
August 24, 2026 - 01:05
AI Avatars Seduced Me: A Therapist's Personal ExperienceI have spent years listening to clients worry about artificial intelligence taking over the therapy room. I have nodded along when they said it felt cold, robotic, or just plain wrong. But I never...