Humor is observed in all cultures and at all ages. But only in recent decades has experimental psychology respected it as an essential, fundamental human behavior.

Historically, psychologists framed humor negatively, suggesting it demonstrated superiority,...

How many people die in our criminal justice system each year?

It turns out it is hard to tell, and it depends who you ask.

Following the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray and many others at the hands of the police, this lack of information has emerged as one of the most pressing issues in criminal justice reform. Reading media...

Since the Affordable Care Act – or what many call Obamacare – has been labeled a failure since the day it started, according to some political types, it’s difficult to know if the recent defections by large insurance companies are really a death knell or just growing pains.

Aetna dropped a bombshell Aug. 15 when it announced that...

During the 2016 presidential election, we’ve seen an unusual amount of interest in issues regarding gender equality in the workplace. Discussions of equal pay, the glass ceiling and affordable child care are not typical talking...

From 2003 to 2009, Camp Bucca was a detention facility used by the U.S. military to house prisoners from the Iraq War. As early as 2004, news reports surfaced that the camp was the site of prisoner abuse and torture. Some military experts have linked this abuse and torture to the formation of the Islamic State, or ISIS, group.

By the end of 2016,...

This week the world once again witnessed an Islamic State’s use of at least one child bomber, perhaps two.

A child between the ages of 12 and 14 was reportedly the culprit behind a suicide attack – blowing up the wedding of Besna and Nurettin Akdogan in Gaziantep, Turkey and killing 54 people on Aug. 20.

Although now the Turkish...

This fall, we are faced with the question of who will become president. And equally important – who can vote?

Over the past decade, Republican lawmakers in more than 20 states have enacted laws making it harder to vote. In the most extreme cases, they...

Imagine you are among the legions of pundits and political commentators striving to predict the outcome of November’s presidential election. You’re not just interested in who will win – most citizens can predict that, it turns out. You want to...

When a person goes to the doctor, there’s usually one thing they want: a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is made, a path toward wellness can begin.

In some cases, diagnoses are fairly obvious. But in others, they aren’t.

Consider the following: A 50-year-old man with a history of high blood...

As a professor of Russian literature, I’ve come to realize that it’s never a good sign when real life resembles a Fyodor Dostoevsky novel.

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, with its riotous rhetoric and steady stream of scandals, calls to mind...