Millions of Canadians are lonely. This is worrisome because loneliness, defined by the World Health Organization as “the social pain of not feeling connected,” predicts both lower mental and physical health. Research shows that lacking a sense of social connection can pose an equivalent health risk to smoking 15 cigarettes per day. To combat loneliness, people are […] … learn more→

Sara and Jorge are two close friends who graduated from college at the same time. They both faced a difficult job market and struggled to find employment. However, their experiences and responses to adversity were very different. Sara decided to see the situation as an opportunity for personal growth. Thanks to her resilience and persistence, […] … learn more→

Driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) remains a problem of epidemic proportions in the U.S. and beyond. Good people who normally obey the law are prone to having one or two too many before getting behind the wheel of their vehicles. At best, the driver might get pulled over by law enforcement and arrested […] … learn more→

Over 50,000 years ago, humans started speaking and we’ve not shut up since. Sometimes, though, we struggle to remember the name of an object, a place, or a person we want to talk about. The technical term for this phenomenon is “lethologica”. While severe word-finding difficulties can be due to serious neurological issues, such as […] … learn more→

Most adults never have to take an IQ test. But tests for assessing students’ cognitive abilities, such as the cognitive ability test (Cat), are used in schools around the world. These tests are very similar to IQ tests. Taking them may be a pain for kids. Possibly, it’s an even bigger pain for parents. Just for a […] … learn more→

Many parents are worried about how much their children use social media and what content they might encounter while using it. Amid proposals to ban teenagers under 16yrs from social media and calls to better educate them about being safe online, how can you tell if your child’s social media use is already a problem? And what steps can take to […] … learn more→

The end of the school year is coming. No more early mornings and cramming for exams. No more stress about receiving grades, comparing them with classmates and teaching them at home. The start of the holidays means the end of one of the main sources of stress for teenage boys and girls. Although feeling stressed […] … learn more→

Roblox is an online platform that allows users to create games and play those designed by others. A self-described “ultimate virtual universe,” it is hard to pinpoint exactly what Roblox is: Is it a game? Is it social media? Is it a place to create content or consume media? Is it a place to shop […] … learn more→

Whether you’re left, right or ambidextrous, “handedness” is part of our identity. But a lot of people don’t realise that we have other biases too and they are not unique to humans. My colleagues and I have published a new study that shows aligning our biases in the same way as other people may have social benefits. […] … learn more→

A war has erupted around young people’s use social media and it is messy. In the United States, surgeon general Vivek Murthy has recommended cigarette packet-like warnings for platforms like Instagram to remind teens and parents social media “has not proved safe”. In Australia, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he would ban social media for those under 16 within […] … learn more→