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Positive Psychology

The language of loneliness and depression, revealed in social media
Person sitting in the dark, leaning on a desk, staring at a cell phone. A coffee cup and pile of papers sit nearby.

The language of loneliness and depression, revealed in social media

By analyzing Facebook posts, Penn researchers found that words associated with depression are often tied to emotions, whereas those associated with loneliness are linked to cognition.

Marilyn Perkins

Where political views and fundamental beliefs intersect
Three maps of the U.S., one blue, one purple, one red, indicating partisan politics.

Where political views and fundamental beliefs intersect

Research from The Penn Primals Project debunks the idea that conservatives think the world is more dangerous than liberals, findings with implications for future research and productive political debate.

Michele W. Berger

What beliefs shape our minds?
Psychologist Jer Clifton sits on the steps of his office

Jer Clifton is a senior research scientist in the Positive Psychology Center in the School of Arts & Sciences at Penn. There, he directs The Primals Project, which promotes empirical research on the origins and psychological impact of primal world beliefs.

What beliefs shape our minds?

Jer Clifton of the Positive Psychology Center developed a framework to study primal world beliefs, our most fundamental sentiments about the world as a whole. Now, he’s ready for everyone to discover what their primal world beliefs are.

Marilyn Perkins