5 Exciting Findings

Here is a list of what I think are the 5 most exciting recent research findings in psychology:

1. That regular cardio exercise has a powerful positive influence on our mood.
2. That the human brain has the ability to change and develop (i.e., the capacity for neuroplasicity) throughout the lifespan.
3. That psychotherapy leads to measurable brain changes.
4. That the best predictor of adjustment in children is how well parents make sense of their own life experiences.
5. That mindfulness exercises result in measurable brain changes (particularly in the pre-frontal cortex).

I find these findings exciting and encouraging because: a) they point to the possibility of real, fundamental and sustainable changes in our psychological functioning; b) they suggest that – although we are often powerless to avoid negative life events occurring (life just happens) – we are not powerless to deal with the consequences of these events in a functional way; c) even though we may have had difficult things happen in our lives we can work though these and avoid this impacting on our parenting ability in destructive ways.