The Ritual Effect by Michael Norton review – standing on ceremony

From Rafael Nadal’s ball-bouncing to families’ Christmas traditions, what purpose does ritualistic behaviour serve?

A friendship dating back to teenage years is one to treasure, especially during a crisis

It’s not easy to maintain the closeness of the relationships of our youth but friends we grew up with deserve a special effort, writes Abigail Dean

Feeling empty inside, one sociologist found answers by exploring his own traumatic childhood

Along the way Corey Keyes developed concepts of languishing and flourishing which others have found helpful, writes Genevieve Fox

How an epic climb lifted one woman out of life’s lowest point

In emotional pain, Jessica Hepburn decided to climb to the top of the world and listen to every single available episode of Desert Island Discs

The big idea: should you blame yourself for your bad habits?

Our ability to resist temptation is increasingly shaped by forces beyond our control

When my youngest child died, I had to find a way to move forward

Somehow I had felt a tragic sense of foreboding, but nothing could prepare me for the loss of Raphaël when it came. By Liz Jensen

I saw my therapist weekly for two years. Then he let slip he’d been watching me. Had he crossed a line?

He said it lightly, but I was unsettled. The trust had curdled

Start with flattery, maintain eye contact and never lie: how to win people over

The secrets of highly persuasive people, from a hostage negotiator to a TV producer

Play outside and sing together: what living in Denmark taught me about raising ‘Viking’ children

Nordic children are out in nature for hours a day – and they top rankings in both education and happiness. So here are seven parenting tips I’ve picked up along the way…

The big idea: this simple behavioural trick can help you get more out of life

Habituation is a key component of human nature, and knowing how to manipulate it can make the things you enjoy even better

I’ve always loved new hobbies and horses – then, two years ago, my equine dream came true

My obsession with trying new activities finally led me to my greatest passion – horse riding – when the last lockdown lifted

I felt lost in early adulthood, so coined the term ‘quarterlife’ as a focus for study

Adrift after leaving university, Satya Doyle Byock turned to psychology to bridge the journey to adulthood

The big idea: is compassion fatigue real?

Can we really maintain our levels of empathy in the face of an increasingly brutal news cycle?

Loss of confidence at work can be debilitating but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence

Switching off at home, mastering hobbies and greater control over workload can all help improve self-doubt at work

‘Gloom is good’: after my wife died I found solace in poetry and music

You can’t fight death, sickness, ageing and life’s various indignities, but you can play very loud rock’n’roll