The Modern Heart

Animal Behavior

8 Reasons Your Cat Will Always Be Your "Baby"

Karen Wu Ph.D. on December 27, 2021

Why are cat owners so obsessed with their fur babies? Evolutionary forces and psychological biases may be at play.

Mating

Are Men Really More Attracted to Fertile Women?

Karen Wu Ph.D. on November 14, 2021

Do fertile women really attract more men? A recent study used speed dating to examine whether women closer to ovulation received more dates.

Pregnancy

Top 17 Fears of New Fathers During Pregnancy

Karen Wu Ph.D. on December 27, 2020

Why is fatherhood so scary? Researchers analyzed Reddit posts on the subreddit PreDaddit and found the top 17 fears of new fathers.

Personality

8 Factors That Contribute to a Cat’s Personality

Karen Wu Ph.D. on November 29, 2020

What determines a cat’s personality? A recent study reviewed research from the last three decades and identified eight important factors.

Bias

3 Reasons People Don't Adopt Black Cats

Karen Wu Ph.D. on October 25, 2020

Why don’t people want to adopt black cats? Researchers identified three reasons for the “black cat bias”, or people's prejudice against black cats.

Genetics

Why Orange Cats Are So Special, According to Science

Karen Wu Ph.D. on September 27, 2020

Are orange cats really as special as they seem? Researchers discovered that orange cats may indeed differ from others in their behavior.

Personality

What a Cat’s Personality Says About Their Owner

Karen Wu Ph.D. on September 6, 2020

Researchers found that a cat’s personality and well-being can be traced back to the owner’s personality traits.

There is no need to see your partner through rose-colored glasses

Relationships

Idealization Is Unnecessary in Romantic Relationships

Karen Wu Ph.D. on July 19, 2020

Should you look for a partner who idealizes you? A new study suggests not.

Personality

Cat Breeds and Their Personalities, According to Research

Karen Wu Ph.D. on June 17, 2020

Does nurture or nature matter more for a cat’s personality? Researchers studied the personality of breeds and the heritability of behavioral traits.

Boredom

13 Research-Driven Ways to Make a Cat Happier

Karen Wu Ph.D. on June 7, 2020

Given the many dangers of the outdoors, cat advocates recommend keeping pet cats indoors. But how can we keep indoor cats happy? Scientists weigh in based on the current research.

Bias

Is There a Link Between Disease and Racism?

Karen Wu Ph.D. on April 9, 2020

Why are we seeing increased racism and prejudice during the coronavirus pandemic? A new study explains the link between infectious diseases and racism.

Health

11 Reasons People Adopt Health Behaviors During Pandemics

Karen Wu Ph.D. on March 21, 2020

Why do some people follow protective behaviors during pandemics, while others defy them? Researchers examined data from the swine flu and SARS pandemics.

Jealousy

Does Envy Lead to Antisocial Behaviors?

Karen Wu Ph.D. on February 17, 2020

Is it bad to feel envy? Researchers induced envy in participants and examined whether they helped or harmed a stranger.

Media

Do Attractive Social Media Profiles Hinder Commitment?

Karen Wu Ph.D. on January 19, 2020

Do attractive social media profiles pose a threat to committed relationships? A recent study suggests this could be the case.

Beauty

Status Boosts Men’s Attraction to Beautiful Women

Karen Wu Ph.D. on December 22, 2019

Can status be romantically appealing in women? Researchers conducted three studies to examine the impact of status and beauty on women’s attractiveness.