J-psych

The Psychological Impact of Social Media: Beyond Addiction and FOMO The Psychological Impact of Social Media Beyond Addiction and FOMO: A Scientific Perspective While headlines often focus on social media addiction and Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), the psychological effects of these platforms are far more complex and nuanced. Scientific research reveals a multifaceted relationship […]

The Dark Side of Resilience: When “Bouncing Back” Does More Harm Than Good The Dark Side of Resilience When “Bouncing Back” Does More Harm Than Good Resilience is often hailed as the ultimate psychological virtue—the ability to bounce back from adversity, overcome challenges, and emerge stronger. But what if our cultural obsession with resilience is

Understanding Attachment Theory: How Early Bonds Shape Adult Relationships Understanding Attachment Theory How Early Bonds Shape Adult Relationships Why do some people feel secure in relationships while others struggle with intimacy? Why do some individuals constantly worry about abandonment, while others avoid closeness altogether? The answers to these questions may lie in attachment theory—a psychological

The Science of Sleep & Memory: Why “Sleeping on It” Actually Works We’ve all heard the advice to “sleep on it” before making an important decision. But is there any scientific truth behind this common saying? As it turns out, a growing body of research in neuroscience and psychology reveals that sleep plays a fundamental

The Dark Side of Positive Thinking: When Optimism Backfires Scientific reality: Forced positivity can increase stress, impair decision-making, and damage emotional health. Neuroscience reveals why “good vibes only” often fails – and what works better. 80% Optimism Bias of people underestimate personal risks (Sharot et al., 2011) Brain Regions Involved in Optimism Bias Amygdala rACC

The Science of Emotions: How Your Brain Creates Feelings From neural pathways to facial expressions – the psychology behind emotional experiences 1. Major Theories of Emotion James-LangeBody → Emotion Cannon-BardSimultaneous Schachter-SingerCognitive Label 1884 1927 1962 Fig 1: Evolution of emotion theories James-Lange “We feel sad because we cry” Schachter-Singer Context determines emotion 2. The Emotional

How Memories Are Formed: The Neuroscience of Remembering From short-term recall to long-term storage – how your brain encodes experiences 1. The Three Stages of Memory SensoryMemory WorkingMemory Long-TermMemory Fig 1: The three-stage memory formation process Sensory Lasts 0.5-3 seconds Working Holds 7±2 items

The Science of Stress & Resilience How your brain responds to challenges – with precision-tuned diagrams 1. The Biology of Stress Hypo- thalamus Pituitary Adrenal Cortisol Fig 1: Stress response pathway (HPA axis) Acute Stress Boosts focus temporarily Enhances performance Lasts minutes-hours Chronic Stress Impairs memory Damages neurons Weeks-months duration 2. The Neuroscience of Resilience

The Science of Motivation How your brain generates drive and persistence 1. Two Types of Motivation Intrinsic Enjoyment Extrinsic Rewards Fig 1: The motivation spectrum (Deci & Ryan, 2000) Intrinsic Internal satisfaction Curiosity-driven Long-lasting Extrinsic External rewards Money/grades Short-term boost 2. The Dopamine Reward System VTA NAcc PFC Ventral Tegmental Area Nucleus Accumbens Prefrontal Cortex

The Science of Habit Formation How behaviors become automatic – with neuroscience-backed strategies 1. The Habit Loop: Cue → Routine → Reward Cue Trigger Routine Behavior Reward Pleasure Fig 1: The habit loop identified by MIT researchers Cue Time of day Location Emotional state Routine The behavior itself Can be physical/mental Reward Dopamine release Satisfies