I use fictional stories in general, and superhero characters and stories in particular, to illustrate what psychological research about human nature has revealed. I know, and you know, that superheroes aren't real. But good superheroes stories, like any good fiction, invite us to enter a different world. The physical trappings...

Unless you're someone who avidly avoids advertisements, you've probably seen some ads for the upcoming American film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." The film's protagonist, Lisbeth Salander (played by Rooney Mara), is a strong female character and is the focus of Larsson's three...

Recently, I went to the monthly Treasure Island Flea Market for the first time. I was amazed at the ingenuity and creativity behind some of the items for sale there, some of which were made by the people selling the items. For instance, one woman was selling recycled...

It's not uncommon for women (or even men) to bond with each other over the travails of their appearance: their hair, their clothes, their weight, their fat. Sound familiar? If so, take note. The week of Oct. 16-22 is Fat Talk Free Week. It's a week in which...

It's that time of year again. Fall is about to be upon us. Many people associate the beginning of fall and the Labor Day weekend with the start of the school year. Blank notebooks, pristine binders, new teachers, new learning. Beginnings.

Most adults don't have annual opportunities to begin...

After seeing a preview of the film Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, based on Lisa See's novel about the practice of female foot-binding in pre-revolutionary China, Arianna Huffington recently wrote a post on her thoughts about women's friendships and the ways that women...

It's normal to fantasize about a "better" version of yourself. As more heroic, smarter, powerful, successful, generous, kinder than you are. (Or more cutthroat or vengeful than you are.) These fantasies can serve as ideals of who we want to become -- and thus can be blueprints, showing us how...

If you yearn for a quieter, more peaceful era, it's not necessarily that you're looking at the past with Vaseline- and gauze-covered lenses or watching too many old television shows on Nick at Nite. Research indicates that we, as a culture, are more anxious than we used to be. What...

Most of us are juggling multiple balls throughout the day: work, home, family, relationships. We are "on the go" even when we're sitting down -- dealing with crises, or getting ready for the next thing we have to do. Unless we love what we're doing, these daily challenges can create...