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Psychology

Psychologists study the brain and behavior. Psychology is a relatively young scientific field, but it’s fascinated scientists for as long as physiology. The two are totally intertwined and central to a healthy life.

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All Content on this topic

A person speaking into a mobile phone

What your voice reveals about your character

We tend to connect a person's voice to their personality. But what does the voice really say about a human's character?
ScienceMay 13, 2022
Child refugees in Ukraine

The weird science of empathy

Why do we feel more empathy for some people in a crisis than others? Science has some answers.
ScienceApril 14, 2022
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Weekly roundup — Millions & millions

A diabetes medicine and a '40% increase' in birth defects? And what do we know (at this point) about stealth omicron?
ScienceApril 3, 202230:00 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

What was it about 'the slap'?

Plenty of news stories happened this week. But there was only one that everyone talked about. Why?
ScienceMarch 31, 202221:46 min
Covid-19 Special BKS

How the pandemic impacts mental health

This episode explores different ways of coping with mental health challenges during the pandemic.
ScienceMarch 24, 202226:00 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Shoul I talk to my child about war?

It's virtually impossible to avoid the topic these days. So what should you do when kids ask questions about war?
ScienceMarch 5, 202212:03 min
Mother and child in front of a laptop

Ukraine: What do I tell my kids?

COVID is far from over and already there's a new crisis: Ukraine. How do you explain it to the kids? Here are some tips.
ScienceMarch 4, 2022
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Weekly roundup — The wrong way to end things

As support drops for COVID-19 measures, the people who are violently opposed to them are gaining strength.
ScienceFebruary 18, 202230:00 min
Tavern in Bavaria, Germany, men drinking beer, / Wirtshaus in Bayern, Deutschland, Männer, die Bier trinken, Historisch, digital improved reproduction of an original from the 19th century / digitale Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhu

Were the good old days really that good?

It was all so much better 'back then'! Why do people reminisce about the past so much?
ScienceFebruary 11, 202206:33 min
Kleines Mädchen mit gelbem Pullover und Krone

Help, my child is a narcissist!

Does your child believe he or she is the center of the universe? What parents should — and should not — do.
ScienceJanuary 15, 2022
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

This one's for you

Our favorite (and not-so-favorite) YouTube comments and emails from SU listeners.
ScienceDecember 15, 202117:40 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

The test that birds can beat kids at

How do you explain the concept of time to a bird?
ScienceNovember 23, 202114:03 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Why do we eat the same thing for breakfast?

We'd never eat the same meal, day after day, for lunch or dinner. And yet somehow breakfast is just... different. Why?
ScienceNovember 4, 202110:03 min
In 2018, Portugal's football star Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during a game, pulling his face into a contortion of anger

Facial expressions tell all (if you can read them)

If the eyes are the window to your soul, the face is the frame. Facial expressions say more about you than you realize.
ScienceOctober 10, 20217 images
Covid-19 Special BKS

COVID-19 Special: Happiness

The pandemic has upended routines, and it has left many without the activities that make their lives more fulfilling.
ScienceOctober 1, 202112:01 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Is screentime bad for kids?

New research suggests that, despite spending four hours per day looking at screens, US children are developing fine.
ScienceSeptember 24, 202115:42 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Safe swimming, deep voices, anger & a correction

We love getting emails from you — and this episode is full of them. Got a question? We're [email protected]
ScienceSeptember 22, 202113:09 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Have you ever 'choked'?

A tiny bit of pressure — and something you've been good at for as long as you can remember... becomes nearly impossible.
ScienceSeptember 14, 202116:44 min
Woman holding up a sign that says "Mind your own uterus"

Abortion ban carries mental health impact

A new law in Texas bans abortions after the six-week-mark, with experts saying it will affect people's mental health.
ScienceSeptember 13, 2021
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Weekly roundup — A 'rich' life & a 3rd jab

Early data makes a clear case for a 3rd COVID-19 vaccination, and also, would you read a book about your own life?
ScienceAugust 27, 202130:00 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Is your life interesting?

You might be happy. Or feel your life is meaningful. But does it ever seem like there's something else that's missing?
ScienceAugust 26, 202122:40 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Virus-killing kids and when to quit your toxic job

Why are kids better at fighting off COVID-19? Also, if you work in a toxic environment, you should quit your job.
ScienceAugust 20, 202130:00 min
DW Sendung - Projekt Zukunft - ASMR

The ASMR video craze 

Do ASMR videos have a calming effect? One study shows they can lower your heart rate. 
ScienceJuly 30, 202105:55 min
A burned down house and bicycle in Australia

Why people risk their lives to save their homes

Despite evacuation orders, some people choose to stay and defend their home during extreme weather events.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 21, 2021
Symbolbild Smartphone statt Kommunikation

Disconnected: How phones affect our relationships

Our phones keep us connected, but one behavior in particular can affect the quality of your relationships.
ScienceMay 5, 2021
Woman wearing a facemask

COVID: 'I really struggled psychologically'

A new Oxford study has found that the consequences of a COVID-19 infection can include depression and anxiety.
HealthApril 9, 2021
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Weekly roundup — Hair, needles, boredom & dreams

Are there COVID-19 vaccines that don't use a needle? Is boredom affecting the pandemic? And how important is hair?
ScienceMarch 3, 202130:00 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

The psychology of a pandemic haircut

Even with social events canceled, human beings seem to have an irrepressible need to get their hair styled. Why?
ScienceMarch 1, 202111:33 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Weekly roundup: Social contagion & birth rates

Can a good vaccine's reputation be saved? And the pandemic is shifting demographics — but in which direction?
ScienceFebruary 23, 202130:00 min
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

COVID-19 psychology & the AstraZeneca vaccine

Would you get jabbed with AstraZeneca? Your answer probably has little to do with the vaccine's actual efficacy.
ScienceFebruary 22, 202120:42 min
Russland Rostov-on-Don | Coronavirus | Frau mit Maske

Loss of smell, taste lingers for COVID patients

Doctors fear consequences for mental health and nutrition. But it could be possible to retrain the sense of smell.
HealthFebruary 19, 2021
Volunteers from the Indonesian charity Komunitas Taufan play with kids at a hospital

Why helping others is good for you

People who volunteer report higher levels of well-being, greater life satisfaction and less depression.
ScienceFebruary 4, 2021
DW Sendung Fit und Gesund | Andrea Beetz

Animals as therapists - Our interview with an expert

How can animals be used successfully in therapy? DW reporter Mira Fricke asked psychologist Andrea Beetz.
ScienceJanuary 29, 202104:45 min
A dog and child during an animal therapy session for children with Down syndrome

Animals as therapists?

Animals aren't just great companions. Some can also support therapy and help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
ScienceJanuary 28, 2021
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

The unseen scars of COVID-19 frontline workers

Over half of the health care workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic are already suffering mental illness.
ScienceJanuary 15, 202112:02 min
Two hands held up to form a heart shape

Tips for a happy relationship — even during lockdown

Having a happy relationship is no piece of cake even in normal times. How is it possible during the pandemic lockdown?
ScienceDecember 23, 2020
BG Corona Social distancing

Cuddling despite corona

Why are hugging and touching important for people? Some tips for people who suffer from lack of touch.
ScienceDecember 17, 2020
Skin Picking

Women watch porn, too — but why?

The proportion of women in the porn-viewing audience is increasing. What does this shift mean?
ScienceNovember 26, 2020
Symbolbild Rentner Einsamkeit Armut lonely heart

Loneliness hits elderly hardest during pandemic

Elderly people have reported increased loneliness during the pandemic, which can have devastating impacts on health.
ScienceNovember 12, 2020
An elderly woman waves goodbye at a nursing home in eastern France

German MP calls for government action on loneliness

German Social Democrats MP Karl Lauterbach says the pandemic has highlighted the impact of loneliness on health.
ScienceNovember 6, 2020
Musik im Kopf

Mozart doesn't make you smart

It would have been so nice, but it’s unlikely that listening to Mozart boosts your brainpower.
ScienceNovember 6, 202005:53 min
Indonesien Corona-Pandemie | ÖPNV

Quirk in human psychology helps COVID-19 spread

If you've broken social distancing rules with friends, did it somehow feel less risky than if it was with a stranger?
ScienceOctober 26, 2020
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Horror fans & pandemic psychology

Are horror fans better prepared for a pandemic? And if so, why?
ScienceOctober 21, 202008:42 min
Vorschaubild | fit&gesund - Jacob Drachenberg Experte in Stressbewältigung

The expert’s opinion

Psychologist Jacob Drachenberg coaches people in dealing with stress. He tells us how we can rest and relax effectively in our fast-paced world.
ScienceSeptember 11, 202008:22 min
A woman covering herself on the floor, a man standing in a threatening position.

The psychology of a rapist

Sexual assault is always traumatizing and demeaning for its victims. But the motives behind it vary.
ScienceSeptember 7, 2020
A person washing hands

Coronavirus: Is OCD on the rise amid the pandemic?

For people with OCD, the extreme hygiene precautions amid the COVID-19 pandemic are nothing new.
ScienceAugust 14, 2020
Rubbish left behind following a rave at Daisy Nook Park in Manchester in the UK

COVID raves and the joy of rebellion

Across Europe, people have been going to raves and block parties, despite lockdown measures banning mass gatherings.
ScienceJuly 30, 2020
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

No longer an afterthought

Men and women experience many diseases differently, but for a long time, women have been left out of the conversation.
ScienceJuly 16, 202005:24 min
Macaque monkeys bathing in a hot spring

Monkeys and humans think more alike than we knew

A new study shows that with the right training, monkeys can learn grammar.
ScienceJuly 15, 2020
Sich schämen Scham peinlich berührt sein

Reading emotions well: A boon or a bane?

A new study shows that it is sometimes harmful to correctly assess what your partner is feeling.
ScienceJune 23, 2020