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Study: Pets Give Us the Same Warm Fuzzies That Friends Do

A dog is man’s best friend, the old adage tells us — and, indeed, new research shows that when it comes to fulfilling our basic psychological needs, humans do benefit from their pets in much the same way they do from their friends.

Belonging Matters: How Researchers Can Halve the Race Gap in GPA

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The racial gap in achievement between African American and white college students has been stubbornly persistent, but an hour-long intervention conducted during students’ freshman year can halve the GPA lag by graduation time while simultaneously improving health, according to a new study published in Science.

Rebooting Valentine’s Day as Generosity Day

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Single? In a bad relationship? Or so in love that the idea of celebrating only your own romance on Valentine’s Day seems too small to capture the abundance of unity and connection in the world?

Misery Has More Company Than You Think, Especially on Facebook

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Have other people’s blithe Facebook updates ever made you feel like a total loser? Or have you ever felt that your best friend’s life is perfectly easy and joyful, while yours is nothing but struggle and anxiety? You’re not alone.

How Not to Feel Lonely in a Crowd

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The best cure for loneliness may not be seeking the company of others, but rather, just the opposite: focusing inward and addressing the negative thoughts that underlie loneliness in the first place.

Feeling isolated may increase cancer risk and severity

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences adds to a growing body of research suggesting that loneliness and isolation may impact cancer risk and health outcomes. This latest research, conducted by Gretchen Hermes at Yale University and Martha McClintock at the University of Chicago, analyzed how isolation might affect [...]