Jaimee Bell
Big Think
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Past articles by Jaimee:
How do lie detectors work?
Three main areas of the brain are stimulated during deception: the frontal lobe, the limbic system, and the temporal lobe. → Read More
The life-long psychological effects your first love has on you
A 2005 fMRI study on couples in love found that romantic love is a motivation system that's similar to what we experience during addiction. → Read More
The signs of unhealthy power dynamics in a relationship — and how to even them out
Does your relationship suffer from unhealthy power dynamics? Here are some of the ways that psychologists conceptualize power imbalances. → Read More
Serotonin plays a key role in patience and impulse control, research says
A recent study from the Neural Computation Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University explored the possible link between a lack of serotonin receptors in the brain and impulsive behaviors in mice. → Read More
How do lie detectors work?
In a 2002 study, 60 percent of people were found to lie at least once during a 10-minute conversation, with most people telling an average of two or three lies. According to the American Polygraph Association (made up largely of polygraph examiners), the estimated accuracy of a polygraph can be up to 87 percent. → Read More
Study links 'sun-seeking behavior' to genes involved in addiction
A large-scale study from King's College London explores the link between genetics and sun-seeking behaviors. Addictions are multi-step conditions that, by definition, require exposure to the addictive agent and have also been proven to have a genetic factor. → Read More
Is it COVID-19 or anxiety? Here's how to tell the difference
Many people may be overwhelmed and experiencing higher levels of anxiety during the pandemic. Anxiety can cause symptoms that mimic (or have you worried about) coronavirus symptoms. Here's how to tell them apart. → Read More
1 in 6 school children meet criteria for mental disorder diagnosis, according to CDC study
A 2020 CDC study examined mental health symptoms in four different school districts within the United States from 2014-2018. This study found that, based on the reports from both teachers and parents, one in six students showed enough behavioral or emotional symptoms to be diagnosed with a childhood mental disorder. → Read More
Does porn cause erectile dysfunction...or not?
Erectile dysfunction (commonly referred to as ED) is the inability to get (or maintain) a full erection during normal sexual activity. While there are many things that can cause or contribute to ED, there has been wide debate over the impacts of pornography use. → Read More
Do vegetarians really have better sex than meat-eaters?
A new study that surveyed 500 vegetarians and 500 meat-eaters explains the differences in libido and sexual satisfaction between the two groups, with vegetarians coming out on top. → Read More
What is counterfactual thinking?
Can thinking about the past really help us create a better present and future? Both upward and downward counterfactual thinking can be positive impacts on your current outlook - however, upward counterfactual thinking has been linked with depression. → Read More
The psychology of narcissism explained
According to a licensed clinical psychologist, we need to change the way we define narcissism in order to recognize it more clearly for what it really is. → Read More
The psychology of psychopathy: an inside look at the psychopathic brain
Psychopathy, like many other conditions, is a spectrum. Common traits of psychopaths can include things like superficial charm, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying, manipulative, lack of remorse or guilt, lack of empathy, behavioral problems in early life, impulsivity, and shallow affect (reduced emotional responses) to name a few. → Read More
Sexual activity linked to higher cognitive function in older age
A joint study by the universities of Coventry and Oxford in England has linked sexual activity with higher better cognitive abilities in older age. The results suggest there are significant associations between sexual activity and number sequencing/word recall in men and between sexual activity and word recall in women. → Read More
How swipe-based dating apps are impacting your mental health
Swipe-based dating apps allow individuals to interact and form romantic/sexual connections before meeting face to face. Research has linked the experience of swipe-based dating apps to higher rates of psychological distress and/or depression, but there are positives as well. → Read More
Yoga may ease symptoms of depression, according to new research
According to the analysis, the more yoga sessions a person did each week, the less they struggled with depressive symptoms. → Read More
The mental and physical health benefits of ecotherapy
Ecotherapy (also referred to as nature therapy) has been proven to be effective and is used in various practices and cultures around the world—and yet, it is still one of the most under-appreciated forms of therapy. → Read More
What your morning coffee really does to your brain
With around 1.4 billion cups poured each day around the world, coffee is a major part of a lot of people's daily routines. But how does coffee impact your brain, and are you drinking it at the wrong time? → Read More
How to maximize performance and minimize stress during the COVID-19 pandemic
Knowing the difference between healthy stress (eustress) and unhealthy stress (distress) can help you maximize your performance during difficult times. COO of The Flow Research Collective (Rian Doris) explains how to find your maximum potential and harness the power of your nervous system to work for you (instead of against you). → Read More
The hunger-boredom paradigm explained by scientists
A recent study suggests we eat to escape the self-awareness that comes in moments of boredom or inactivity. Johns Hopkins University professor Susan Carnell explains there may be a neuroscientific reason why we eat to escape boredom. → Read More