Author Christian Jarrett
Christian Jarrett

Christian Jarrett

Dr Christian Jarrett is a cognitive neuroscientist, science writer and author. He is the Editor of Psyche, the sister magazine to Aeon that illuminates the human condition through psychology, philosophy and the arts. Jarrett also created the British Psychological Society's Research Digest blog and was the first ever staff journalist on the Society's magazine, The Psychologist. He is author of Great Myths of The Brain and Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change.

Recent articles by Christian Jarrett
An illustration of a dolls' house in the shape of a person's profile

6 science-backed ways to protect and improve your memory

Forgetfulness doesn't have to be an inevitable part of life
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Photo of two older ladies sat at a table, the person on the right is consoling the other person and holding her hand with her other hand around her shoulders

How should you talk to someone who has just lost a loved one?

When a loved one is processing grief, don't assume you know how they feel
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A gloomy man looking out of a window at a rainy city

How can I beat compassion fatigue?

If emotional exhaustion is dragging you down, here's what you can do about it
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A blue head on a green blue background as an illustration for lying

How to catch a pathological liar in the act

What’s different about the minds and personalities of prolific liars?
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Illustration of woman doing multiple things at once

Good habits are life-changing: A psychologist's guide to hacking your brain's autopilot

Our lives are filled with habitual behaviours, both good and bad, but how do they form and how can we build better ones?
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6 things I wished everyone knew about anxiety, by a psychologist

Here are the simple, science-backed ways of reframing your inner-demons.
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A woman sits on the floor, leaning on her bed, glumly looking at her phone.

AI therapy bots can be terrible. Unless you use these prompts

People are using AI chatbots as psychotherapists. We asked an actual therapist if that's a good idea
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A hand holding a photo showing a person walking into a town into the hills held over the same place.

Is artificial intelligence giving us false memories?

It's only a problem that could get worse
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Brown cute puppy at sunset

We’re replacing babies with dogs. And it could be making us happier

While fertility rates in the developed world are falling, more and more of us are choosing to parent pooches
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Illustration of a person walking up to Heaven in a dreamlike state.

What is it like to die? The reassuring science of near-death experiences

They leave their bodies, witness a bright light and return forever changed. But do survivors of near-death experiences truly glimpse into the great beyond? New research into the brain's final moments could decode these visions at life's edge.
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A person holding a peeled banana which has been pixelated

Here's what 'porn addiction' actually is (and how to manage it)

While a source of shame for some, there’s little hard evidence that X-rated sites are harmful or even addictive to regular users.
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Young woman smiling.

Does your name affect your physical appearance?

What's in a name? A lot, actually
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A person at a work desk surrounded by lots of different tasks and distractions.

Why do I find it so difficult to switch between tasks?

Why are we so bad at multitasking? A neuroscientist explains.
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A woman who looks sad fading away

What actually causes depression in the brain?

Depression is more complicated than you might think
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Kaleidoscope portraits of female looking up, representing personality change.

The simple ways you can change your personality, according to a cognitive neuroscientist

Want to become more confident, extroverted or assertive? Science shows that with a few simple changes, you can unlock your best self.
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A family with multiple generations having a conversation

Which generation is the most hypersensitive?

The answer isn't quite as simple as you might think.
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Don’t worry, TikTok isn’t really rotting our brains. A psychologist explains why

I'm a neuroscientist. Here's the surprising truth about TikTok 'brain rot'

A recent study suggests bingeing short-form videos is bad for your grey matter.
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Dissolving multi coloured cubes flying to the human brain.

It’s time to change your relationship with dopamine

Going on a ‘dopamine detox’ probably isn’t going to boost your mood and focus.
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Baby sleeping on dad's shoulder

How many fathers are unknowingly raising children that aren't theirs?

A surprisingly common issue that is occurring around the world.
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People forming better habits.

4 simple, science-backed ways to build habits that stick

Baby steps can make a big difference.
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Illustration of runners on an athletic track running in one direction except one competitor who runs in the opposite direction

Why do I self-sabotage so much?

Actions which hurt your chance of success can come from low self-esteem – here are a few tips to break the habit.
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A person giving feedback to a colleague.

How do I stop taking things personally?

Try not to take it to heart.
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