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Melissa Hughes
Feb 74 min read
The Scientific Reality of Reality TV
There is no better way to escape our own than by tuning into someone else’s drama. But there is science behind why we love reality TV.
Melissa Hughes
Feb 53 min read
The Dark and Twisted History of Valentine's Day
Beyond the Hallmark hype of Valentine's Day, there is actually a dark and twisted history with secret weddings, evil spirits and drunken men
Melissa Hughes
Jan 42 min read
The Mystery of Roseto
Thanks to a small town of Italian immigrants, we've learned that belonging and a shared purpose contribute are sound predictors of health.
Melissa Hughes
Dec 21, 20233 min read
4 Scientific Secrets to Happiness
There is a vast body of research exploring what makes us happy and identifying key elements that are scientifically linked to happiness.
Melissa Hughes
Sep 24, 20233 min read
Storytelling Changes our Brain and our Behavior
Do you think a scientist could predict how generous someone is likely to be simply from examining brain chemistry? Recent studies say YES!
Melissa Hughes
Sep 11, 20234 min read
How the Ben Franklin Effect Makes Us More Likeable
The Ben Franklin effect is a psychological finding that when someone does us a favor they tend to view us more favorably.
Melissa Hughes
Jul 19, 20234 min read
Hedonic Adaptation: Why Money Won't Buy Happiness
Maybe you've dreamed about how happy you'd be winning the lottery. Think again. Research shows that happiness isn't a sure bet.
Melissa Hughes
Jun 2, 20233 min read
Not enough time? Try this!
Life is busy and time is a valuable resource. But the more hurried we are the more stressed we are. There's one simple act that will help.
Melissa Hughes
Mar 17, 20234 min read
The Butterfly Effect of Kindness
The world is so deeply interconnected that we may never even know the impact of a small act of kindness. kindness matters.
Melissa Hughes
Mar 16, 20224 min read
We're Better Together
At a time when everything feels upside down, we're more disconnected than ever. Times like these we need to connected the most.
Melissa Hughes
Jan 7, 20225 min read
3 Ways to Boost your Conversational Intelligence
Constructive criticism can prevent us from making mistakes in the present. But without positive feedback longterm improvement isn't likely.
Melissa Hughes
Sep 18, 20204 min read
3 Ways Kindness Changes the Brain
In a dog-eat-dog world that seems pretty mean these days, there are some brain-based reasons to show a little more kindness.
Melissa Hughes
May 27, 20203 min read
Feeling Lonely is More Than a Feeling
With Americans more physically isolated now because of coronavirus stay-at-home orders, loneliness is the second pandemic.
Melissa Hughes
May 26, 20204 min read
When the Silver Linings Tarnish
It’s hard to keep going when our brains are constantly pumping out stress hormones and on high alert.
Melissa Hughes
Jan 25, 20205 min read
The Irony of Social Media
The irony of social media lies in the illusion of connection. We look to technology to engage with others and that same technology makes it