Gratitude is one of the most studied practices in well-being science. Join us Nov. 17 for a free 30-minute live session to practice it together: berkeley.zoom.us/mee...
Greater Good Science Center
@greatergoodmag.bsky.social
Science-based resources for a compassionate and resilient society Based at UC Berkeley
Election Day stress is real. 🗳️ Here are some science-backed resources to help you stay grounded, cope with uncertainty, and talk across differences today: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
Our monthly Happiness Calendar is a day-by-day guide to well-being. This month, we hope it helps you pause to notice good things. 🧡 greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
We’ve been nominated for a Signal Award! 🎉 Our Science of Happiness podcast series, Cities of Awe, is up for an award, and we’d love your support! 💛 Vote for us by October 15th! https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2026/limited-s...
The Signal Listener's Choice Award needs YOU
I just voted for this finalist to win a Signal Listener's Choice Award. You should too.
vote.signalaward.com
What does love look like in your life? 💛 We’re making a video celebrating all kinds of love: family, friends, pets, and more. Share a video, photo, or a few words with us at bit.ly/greatergoodlove Already posted something? Tag us! #greatergoodlove
Aging, chronic pain, and illness can bring a kind of grief we don’t often talk about. 💛 Here's what psychology teaches us about navigating changes in our bodies and finding meaning along the way. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
Can consciousness exist without a body? Hope Reese talks with neuroscientist Antonio Damasio about the science of consciousness, how it works in the body, and how it aims to keep us alive. Read their conversation: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item... @hopereese.com
What if love is the most powerful force to heal a fractured world and bring more meaning to our lives? Join the Greater Good Love Summit for an exciting day of science, stories, and inspiration! Continuing education credits & limited scholarships available. Register: bit.ly/GGLoveSummit #edusky
Can community programs help reduce gun violence? New UC Berkeley research looks at how Richmond’s community-based approach helped reduce firearm violence. Originally published by @publichealth.berkeley.edu https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_community_programs_reduce_gun_violence
Can Community Programs Reduce Gun Violence?
A new study finds that a gun violence program in Richmond, California, led to three times the national decline in violence.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
Living longer is one thing. How can we live better? Laura L. Carstensen reflects on what nearly two decades of longevity research can teach us about building healthier, more engaged lives at every age. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/as_people_live_longer_how_can_we_live_better
Our monthly Happiness Calendar is a day-by-day guide to well-being. This month, we hope it inspires you to invite someone to belong. 🤗 To open the clickable calendar, click on the image below. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
Your Happiness & Connection Calendar for September 2026
This month, invite someone to belong.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
Comparing yourself to your partner isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 💛 It can help us better understand ourselves, our partners, and even grow together. New research explores when partner comparison can be a useful tool: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item... @zachreese.bsky.social
Do You Compare Yourself to Your Partner? It’s Not All Bad
Comparison may sometimes be the thief of joy, but it’s also an important tool for making predictions and decisions in our love lives.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
"The next time a disagreement is brewing, instead of replying over text, try talking. Ten minutes of speaking could save you a lifetime of misunderstanding." greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
Is Talking or Texting Better for Disagreements?
According to a new study, spoken conversations lead to more understanding, less conflict, and more openness to other opinions.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
We hope your August is off to a positive start! ☀️ If you haven't had a chance to explore our monthly Happiness Calendar, it's a day-by-day guide to well-being designed to help you cultivate more joy. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
What helps turn a stranger into a friend? 💙 New UC Berkeley research suggests oxytocin plays an important role in how we form close friendships. Read more: greatergood.berkeley...
NBCC member Hope Reese wrote about Justine van der Leun’s "Unreasonable Women" for Greater Good Magazine:
Why Do So Many Women Go to Prison After Surviving Domestic Violence?
A new book investigates how the U.S. criminal justice system targets survivors of domestic violence to prosecute them for fighting back.
buff.ly
What if the fastest way to be more creative... was to stop trying so hard? Neuroscientists have been scanning the brains of musicians, and what they found might change how you think about creativity (thread ⬇️)
What I found when I scanned the brains of kids creating tunes on the piano
Playing improv music activates the reward system of the brain.
theconversation.com
Who is your role model and what is the role they have played in shaping where and who you are today? This is such an inspiring episode... excited to share it with you! Find it here or anywhere you listen to podcasts: greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/ite... podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
Why You Can’t Do It Alone
Can anyone truly succeed alone? We explore how role models, mentors, and strong social support make upward mobility far more possible than grit alone.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
New research explores how positive leadership may help reduce burnout, improve collaboration, and strengthen relationships within police departments and the communities they serve. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
"Kindness is swirling all around us, but the perception by ordinary people is that it's not." A new Gallup poll suggests Americans experience and witness more kindness than we might expect. greatergood.berkeley...
Can humor help us become more present, connected, and resilient? 😄 Join comedian, author, and podcaster Chris Duffy and GGSC's Kelly Rafferty, Ph.D., for a live conversation on the science of humor and how laughter can help us navigate life's challenges. Free! www.eventbrite.com/e/greater-go...
Fear may grab our attention, but research suggests joy is what helps us make sustainable climate choices. 🎧 In this new episode, scientists share how reframing climate action around happiness instead of guilt helps us build healthier habits. greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/ite... (1/7)
Detailed Spinning World Globe
Alt: Detailed Spinning World Globe
static.klipy.com
Our monthly Happiness Calendar is a day-by-day guide to well-being. This month, we hope it helps you build a better future together. 🌎 Get for the free clickable calendar here: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
When I turned 40, I kept waiting for the narrative around middle age to catch up with me—the whole “downhill from here” thing. It never did. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
Why Midlife Might Actually Be Awesome
From stronger relationships to deeper purpose, research finds that midlife may come with unexpected gains.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
Reconciliation in Rwanda is just one example of what can happen when people come together in dialog to create forgiveness and reconstruction. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
Is There Hope for Forgiveness After Group Violence?
Reconciliation work in Rwanda can serve as a model for what political forgiveness could look like between groups in conflict.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
What does forgiveness look like after the worst loss imaginable? When Maria's brother was killed, she was left with a difficult request he had made years before: forgive the person responsible, and help others do the same. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
How I Practiced Forgiveness When It Hurt the Most
When "the Compassion Guy" was killed, his sister was presented with the ultimate test of forgiveness and compassion.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
You know social media affects your mood. But do you know why and what's actually happening in your brain? greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...
How Social Media Brings Out the Worst in Us
A new book argues that social media does more harm than good and we might be happier and healthier using it less.
greatergood.berkeley.edu
Why does soccer make people happier? "There’s also a psychological phenomenon known as basking in reflected glory (BIRGing)... The thought is, ‘Because I’m associating with winners, I get glory as well.'" www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a715364...
There’s a Science-Backed Reason Soccer Makes People So Happy—And It’s Not What You Think
Come for the sports talk, stay for the BIRG-ing, collective effervescence, and emotional contagion discussion.
womenshealthmag.com
Although we are wired to connect with others, we don’t always prioritize social connection in the midst of our busy lives. Here are some specific, science-based activities for cultivating more social connection... (1/5)