The hottest Psychology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

Enchantment is resistance

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 4792 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Enchantment can be a form of resistance, challenging the myths that contribute to ongoing issues and inspiring new ways of being.
  2. Writers and storytellers play a crucial role in resistance by offering stories that help people imagine and desire a better world.
  3. Resistance to everyday evils can involve living differently day by day, making small changes that collectively create a positive impact.

The problem with psychology is that it has no theory

Something to Consider • 1019 implied HN points • 07 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Psychology
  1. Psychology lacks a solid theoretical framework, making it difficult to draw reliable conclusions from research. Without a guiding theory, findings can feel random and disconnected.
  2. Economics, on the other hand, is built on clear theories that help explain and predict human behavior in markets. These theories allow economists to make strong and testable predictions.
  3. A theory in economics helps researchers know what to expect, and it can influence actual outcomes in the real world, unlike the often unclear results in psychology.

Why Gregory Bateson Matters

The Honest Broker • 16822 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Gregory Bateson was a multi-talented thinker who connected many fields like biology, anthropology, and cybernetics. His wide-ranging insights help us understand the complex issues in today’s digital world.
  2. Bateson's concept of the 'double bind' reveals how people can feel trapped by conflicting demands in their lives, which can lead to confusion and distress. It's crucial to recognize these situations to find solutions.
  3. Bateson emphasized the importance of feedback loops in both technology and human behavior. When these loops are absent, systems can spiral out of control, just like some online platforms do today.

Understanding perfectionism

Austin Kleon • 2837 implied HN points • 23 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Perfectionism isn't just about wanting everything to be perfect. It's more about noticing the gap between what's ideal and what's real, which can hold people back from creating.
  2. Many people may not realize they are perfectionists until they understand the signs. Recognizing this can help in overcoming blocks to doing what you want.
  3. Embracing imperfections can actually be a more freeing approach to creativity. It allows for mistakes and messiness, which can lead to more genuine art and expression.

Weaponizing Anger, Malignant Narcissism, Logical Chimpanzees

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 1287 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Psychology
  1. Anger can be used as a powerful tool in politics. It's often leveraged to rally people and gain support for various causes.
  2. Chimpanzees have shown surprising reasoning skills, similar to young children. They can change their decisions based on new and better information.
  3. Research indicates that relationships among gay male couples are generally more stable than those between female couples. In general, women are more likely to end relationships compared to men.
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La pieuvre des désirs

L'Atelier Galita • 79 implied HN points • 09 Oct 24
🚌 Education Psychology
  1. Finding a career that fits you is sometimes hard. It's tough to know what you really love doing, even though other factors seem easier to identify.
  2. Tim Urban's idea of the 'octopus of desires' shows that our different aspirations can clash with each other. You can't easily satisfy all your desires at once.
  3. There are five types of desires: personal, social, moral, practical, and lifestyle. It's important to prioritize these to find better balance and fulfillment in your life.

The Zizians and the Rationalist death cults

Read Max • 12066 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Psychology
  1. Rationalism can lead to cult-like groups, like the Zizians, which have been tied to violence and criminal activities. These groups often arise from complex social dynamics within the Rationalist community.
  2. The Rationalist Movement emphasizes personal development and reasoning, but this can make its members susceptible to extreme beliefs and social manipulation. As a result, some might fall into harmful ideologies.
  3. Many people involved in the Rationalist community seek deep connections and self-improvement, but this often comes with pressure to conform and can push members toward risky behaviors or affiliations with dangerous groups.

Look Before You Leap

The Leap • 1738 implied HN points • 21 May 24
📚 Literature Psychology
  1. Writing is a commitment to your readers. It's important to share your thoughts and connect with them, even if it feels like work sometimes.
  2. You shouldn't wait for the perfect moment to take risks. Embrace uncertainty and jump in, even if you feel scared or unsure.
  3. This newsletter will cover various topics and ideas. It's a space for exploration, so expect different subjects and personal insights.

Truth Leaks Out

Disaffected Newsletter • 779 implied HN points • 08 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Psychology
  1. Dementia can show hidden sides of a person's personality, like how Joe Biden's ego comes through in interviews after debates.
  2. Some argue that feminism ignores basic human instincts, claiming feelings like maternal instinct are just a result of societal pressure.
  3. Covert narcissism is trickier to spot than the usual, loud types. It's important to learn how to notice it before it causes harm.

Ode to the slattern

Disaffected Newsletter • 1758 implied HN points • 14 May 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. The slattern is a unique character type in stories, often portrayed as messy and chaotic but intriguing. Many people are drawn to these flawed characters because they are relatable and fun to explore.
  2. Growing up with a complex relationship with one’s mother can shape how individuals view and mimic female figures in media. This dynamic can lead to a stronger connection with the 'bad women' archetype in pop culture.
  3. Emulating these characters can feel empowering, even if there is awareness of their flaws. Playing around with the slattern persona can be a playful way to explore one's childhood experiences and relationships.

Fairness, Cost of Glory, Bullying

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 1193 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Lower-skilled male players in gaming often bully female players more than higher-skilled players, who tend to be supportive. This pattern shows that those with less social status tend to pick on those with lower status too.
  2. People with higher IQs are less likely to engage in violent behavior. In fact, as people enter more educated environments, the chances of physical fights seem to drop significantly.
  3. Young liberals are four times more likely than young conservatives to support using violence to prevent someone from speaking publicly. This highlights differing attitudes towards free speech and conflict.

MBTI, If You Want Me Back, You Need to Change Too

Granted • 8705 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
🔬 Science Psychology
  1. Consider embracing the latest data to improve the theory by moving away from antiquated ideas and focusing on more reliable traits.
  2. Demand real evidence for efficacy by conducting randomized, controlled experiments to validate the benefits claimed by MBTI.
  3. Understand that many scientists have left MBTI due to concerns about its validity and its historical associations with racism and sexism.

Do Artists Suffer?

The Honest Broker • 9009 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Suffering is often seen as part of being an artist, but research shows it might not be true for creativity. Instead, suffering may boost ambition, especially in leaders.
  2. History shows that many successful leaders and creatives had difficult childhoods, like losing parents. This loss may actually spark creativity rather than hinder it.
  3. The idea that suffering drives creativity is backed by studies showing a link between personal loss and artistic achievement throughout history.

Highlights From The Comments On Lynn And IQ

Astral Codex Ten • 10668 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🔬 Science Psychology
  1. IQ tests may not accurately reflect a person's real-life intelligence, especially in very under-educated populations. Many factors, like lack of exposure to education, can affect test performance.
  2. Data from reliable and different sources, like World Bank statistics, often support the findings on national IQs. This suggests that there might be underlying patterns in intelligence across different countries.
  3. There's a complex relationship between IQ and practical skills. Just because someone scores low on an IQ test, it doesn't mean they're incapable in practical situations, like farming.

Why I Am A (Medieval) Catholic

Castalia • 699 implied HN points • 06 Jul 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Psychology
  1. Medieval Catholicism offers a unique way to understand psychological states using the idea of demons and possession. This approach can help explain behaviors and emotions in a way that modern labels sometimes fail to capture.
  2. The Catholic tradition emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and redemption. This is shown through stories, like Dante's, which illustrate that even the worst actions can lead to healing through understanding and acceptance of one's sins.
  3. Religious language and belief systems can provide powerful support in overcoming struggles, like addiction. Many people find that embracing a higher power helps them in their journey towards recovery and self-acceptance.

Working memory: one of the most important things to understand about learning

The Bell Ringer • 519 implied HN points • 19 Jul 24
🚌 Education Psychology
  1. Working memory is crucial for learning because it helps us hold and process information. Understanding how it works can improve teaching methods.
  2. Many teachers in the U.S. aren't trained on working memory, which limits their ability to support students effectively. Better training can help teachers use this knowledge in classrooms.
  3. Memorizing basic facts, like math facts, is important for building a strong foundation in learning. When students know these facts, they can focus on more complex problems.

Love And Liberty

Astral Codex Ten • 28494 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Libertarians lack a dedicated holiday, unlike other ideological groups
  2. Love is seen as unfair, unsafe, and resists regulation unlike many other aspects of life
  3. The idea of love remains unique in its resistance to regulation compared to other fields like art and child-rearing

Political Psychology Links, 1/12/2026

In My Tribe • 288 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
🔬 Science Psychology
  1. Many psychological findings fail to replicate, which suggests the field needs stronger methods and that folk intuitions can make it hard to tell scientific results from guesswork.
  2. Because many genes affect many traits and behavior emerges from complex gene–environment interactions, predicting disorders or specific traits from genetics is very difficult, and turning continuous traits into binary diagnoses makes the statistics less reliable.
  3. Evolutionary ideas often explain common tendencies in politics and behavior, but they are not strict rules—social institutions, personality differences, and policy choices can amplify, reduce, or reverse those tendencies.

These dreams

Disaffected Newsletter • 1079 implied HN points • 03 Jun 24
📚 Literature Psychology
  1. Some people's dreams can be really intense and dark, often reflecting unfinished business or unresolved fears from the past. They stick with you long after you wake up.
  2. Facing difficult or scary memories in dreams can be a way to process them and find some closure. It's like your mind is trying to help you deal with what happened.
  3. Even after changes in life, like therapy or distancing from harmful people, old dreams can resurface, but understanding them better can bring clarity and healing.

five (surprising) ideas from cognitive and social neuroscience

Brain Pizza • 728 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
🔬 Science Psychology
  1. When your brain is 'idle' it isn't wasted time — this mode powers social thinking and mental time travel, helping you imagine others and different moments.
  2. Social pain and physical pain share brain systems, so being excluded or hurt socially can feel much like real bodily pain.
  3. Memories are often unstable and can change when recalled, which both explains memory quirks and opens promising avenues for treating memory disorders like Alzheimer's.

The future of AI, work, and the world

Granted • 4751 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Psychology
  1. Encourage a love for learning in kids rather than pushing for practical majors. Liberal arts education is about expanding minds, not just building careers.
  2. Gain diverse perspectives to broaden your mind. Explore topics like AI, global geopolitics, and work happiness.
  3. Question the status quo in education and work. Focus on asking the right questions, embracing ambiguity, and challenging common myths.

The psychology of midlife

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 6689 implied HN points • 29 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology
  1. The midlife transition is a period of questioning and self-discovery, often coinciding with perimenopause, leading to existential angst and a search for meaning.
  2. Emotional correlates of the midlife transition can include a decline in happiness, aimlessness, self-doubt, boredom, and concerns about aging and death.
  3. Navigating the midlife transition involves embracing the challenges and exploring synchronicities, dreams, and solitude to find a new story and purpose in life.

Open Thread 390

Astral Codex Ten • 3372 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🔬 Science Psychology
  1. You can talk about anything you like in this open thread, ask questions, or share ideas. It's a great way to interact with others.
  2. There was a recent discussion about a math error in a simulation related to schizophrenia, showing the importance of accuracy in research.
  3. A user reported vision loss potentially linked to a probiotic, but many are skeptical. It's a reminder to approach health claims carefully and seek expert advice.

Public Suicide is Not a Selfless Act

Disaffected Newsletter • 2657 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Public suicide is not a selfless act and often stems from deep personal issues. It can be a cry for help that hurts others rather than a noble gesture.
  2. People who take their own lives in dramatic ways can leave lasting scars on their loved ones. This behavior is often more about their pain than about any cause they claim.
  3. Understanding the psychological struggles behind suicidal actions is important. It helps us see that those who suffer are not the only ones affected; their actions impact many others too.

Understanding The Player Brain, Pt. 1: Loss Avoidance

The Bottom Feeder • 727 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Players respond better to positive reinforcement than negative feedback. For example, changing the word 'tired' to 'rested' made a frustrating game mechanic feel rewarding instead.
  2. Humans are very sensitive to losses and will avoid losing things, even if those things aren't that important. This can lead to players hoarding items in games rather than using them.
  3. When designing games, it's crucial to understand how players feel about loss and reward. Sometimes, it's best to accept player behavior and create systems that align with their preferences.

How to Apologize

Remarkable People • 379 implied HN points • 24 Jul 24
🚌 Education Psychology
  1. A good apology has three key parts: saying 'I'm sorry', taking responsibility for what you did, and showing that you understand the hurt it caused.
  2. People often struggle to apologize because they think it makes them look weak, but admitting mistakes can actually make you stronger and more respected.
  3. Effective apologies should be followed up with actions to prevent the same mistakes, make amends, and ask for feedback to improve.

Ask Me Anything (2/2025)

Astral Codex Ten • 7433 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Subscribers can ask questions during the AMA, but only they can comment on the responses. It's a way to engage the paid supporters more directly.
  2. Some questions won't be answered, like those asking for medical advice or trying to get a controversial statement. It's about keeping it respectful and on topic.
  3. The host plans to keep up with questions until they feel like stopping, so there's a willingness to engage as long as it's productive.

You can't be too happy, literally

Experimental History • 21278 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology
  1. People tend to stay at the same level of happiness over time, despite major events happening around them.
  2. Research shows that individuals adjust to both good and bad situations, aiming to maintain a balance in their emotions like a thermostat.
  3. The mind has control systems like a furnace and an air conditioner that help modulate mood levels to prevent extreme states of sadness or euphoria.

Deserving to Win: The Ecological Invalidity of Sport

Living Fossils • 12 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26
🎾 Sports Psychology
  1. People often feel a team ‘deserved’ to win because our evolved fairness and cheater-detection instincts expect that those who pay the cost should get the benefit; when a team clearly seems to have worked harder but still loses, that mismatch feels morally wrong.
  2. Sports mimic ancestral conflict but are ecologically invalid: they reward abstract scores and inject a lot of randomness, so effort and outcome can come apart and our dominance/status systems get confused.
  3. Other evolved intuitions—like rooting for underdogs and accepting luck in some contests—make reactions context-sensitive, so fans are usually upset by the situation itself rather than angry at individual players.

Gay vs Straight Relationship Quality (Graph Dump)

Knowingless • 202 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. It compares how happy people in gay and lesbian relationships are versus people in straight relationships.
  2. The findings are based on a survey that was framed as unrelated to relationship quality, which helps reduce bias in responses.
  3. The piece uses a graph-heavy dump of data and visualizations to illustrate differences in relationship quality.

Using AI to Reveal Bad, Biased, and Bullshit Published Scholarship

Unsafe Science • 152 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🔬 Science Psychology
  1. AI tools can do careful, time-consuming critical reviews in minutes instead of days, making it possible to audit many papers quickly.
  2. Much microaggression research relies on self-reports, treats perceptions as objective facts, overstates causation from correlational data, and often uses circular logic that makes the claims hard to falsify.
  3. Scaling AI-driven critique could expose biased or low-quality scholarship and improve accountability, but its findings need human verification and there are real risks when criticism is dismissed as racism to avoid scrutiny.

Gentle Math for Meditators: Vibration

Superb Owl • 6044 implied HN points • 23 Feb 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology
  1. Everything around us vibrates, and our experiences—like thoughts and feelings—are made up of different vibrations. Understanding this can help us better describe our mental states.
  2. Waves and circles are key concepts in understanding how vibrations work. These shapes help us visualize and relate to how things move and behave in cycles.
  3. We can create different sounds and movements by combining waves. Each wave has its own properties, like size and speed, and by mixing them, we can create complex patterns like music.

Abigail Shrier: Stop Asking Kids If They’re Depressed

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2128 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
🚌 Education Psychology
  1. Asking kids repeatedly if they're feeling depressed could make them think they are. Children are very impressionable and might come to believe they have a mental illness just from being asked.
  2. Illinois has become the first state to require mental health screenings for kids in public schools. Some people worry that this could lead to unnecessary diagnoses for children who are actually doing okay.
  3. Many young people without serious mental health issues end up using therapy and medication for years. This can make them feel dependent and may even lead to more problems instead of helping them.

Clownfish Carnival

Disaffected Newsletter • 879 implied HN points • 26 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Psychology
  1. Some states are changing how we label criminals, calling them 'justice-impacted individuals' instead. This shift might confuse the moral understanding of victims and criminals.
  2. A new NBC documentary called 'Queer Planet' is being discussed, which features people talking about gender and sex. A psychoanalyst will explore what this means for our society.
  3. There's concern about the younger generation lacking proper upbringing or 'home training.' People wonder how this will affect society in the future.

America’s Families Are Not Okay

Persuasion • 2692 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology
  1. Family estrangement is becoming more common in the United States, with societal shifts and individual empowerment contributing to the trend.
  2. The impact of estrangement on both parents and adult children can lead to deep sadness, embarrassment, and longing for familial connection.
  3. While family estrangement may seem like a socially endorsed choice, it carries a heavy emotional toll, spreading through generations and leaving individuals feeling lonely and anchorless.

Pt1: Why Status Is Confusing

Knowingless • 2836 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. People have a really hard time figuring out what 'status' means. It's not just about being rich or liked; it's a mix of many things, and different groups may see status differently.
  2. We often feel uncomfortable thinking about our own status, which makes it hard to talk about openly. Many people prefer to pretend they are doing better than they really are, like saying they make six figures without sharing the exact amount.
  3. Understanding status is complex because it's tied to many aspects of life, such as power, influence, and social interactions. It’s kind of like a lens we can use to see why people behave the way they do.

Start here

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 4992 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
📚 Literature Psychology
  1. Dr. Sharon Blackie focuses on reimagining women's stories, myths, and fairy tales, emphasizing the importance of these traditions in addressing modern cultural and environmental issues.
  2. The concept of enchantment, as defined by Dr. Sharon Blackie, involves a profound connection to the world, a sense of wonder, and engagement with creativity and nature, promoting a slow and ethical way of living.
  3. Dr. Sharon Blackie offers different engagement levels through free subscriptions, paid subscriptions with exclusive content on myth, fairy tales, and psychology, and an exclusive membership called The Hearth for deeper exploration and support.

The virtue and private sorrow of Boomer Man

Jeff Giesea • 698 implied HN points • 01 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology
  1. Boomer Man is friendly and kind, often going out of his way to help others and engage in small talk. He represents a generation that values community and social connection.
  2. Despite his genial exterior, Boomer Man struggles with deeper feelings of sorrow and questions about his legacy. He grapples with issues of mortality and relevance in today's fast-changing world.
  3. Though some may see him as outdated, Boomer Man still plays an important role in society, offering wisdom and support to the younger generations. His experiences and contributions matter now more than ever.