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Childhood trauma linked to smaller hippocampus after romantic breakups

29 Jan 2025 | Neuroscience, Love, Stress | 0 comments

Heartbreak is universally painful, but for individuals who experienced maltreatment as children, the end of a romantic relationship may leave a physical mark on the brain. A new study published in the European Journal of Neuroscience suggests that the combination of childhood trauma and a romantic breakup in young adulthood is associated with a reduction in the volume of the hippocampus, a brain region vital for memory and emotion.

The findings support the “stress sensitization” hypothesis: the idea that early adversity primes the brain to react more intensely to social stressors later in life. While childhood trauma alone did not predict smaller brain volumes in this group of young adults, the addition of a breakup revealed a significant vulnerability.

Childhood trauma makes the brain more sensitive to later heartbreak

Childhood maltreatment – including abuse and neglect – is a well-known risk factor for mental health issues like depression and PTSD. Neuroscientists have long observed that adults with a history of such trauma often have a smaller hippocampus. However, this brain difference is rarely seen in children or adolescents, leading researchers to wonder when and why it emerges.

This new research proposes that the structural change happens not immediately after the childhood trauma, but later, when the vulnerable individual encounters the intense social challenges of adulthood – specifically, the rupture of a romantic bond. Research has shown that child trauma recovery depends more on thoughts and cognitive processing than the severity of the event itself, suggesting that how the brain processes subsequent stress is key.

The “double hit” of early adversity and adult stress

The study found a specific interaction:

  • Trauma + Breakup: Participants who had experienced both childhood maltreatment and at least one romantic breakup had significantly smaller hippocampal volumes.
  • Trauma Only: Participants with childhood maltreatment who had not gone through a breakup did not show this reduction. In fact, they showed a slight trend toward larger volumes, which researchers speculate might reflect a form of resilience in the absence of new stressors.
  • No Trauma: For participants with no history of childhood maltreatment, breakups alone were not linked to brain volume changes.

This pattern suggests that childhood adversity creates a latent vulnerability. The brain develops “normally” until a significant social stressor, like a breakup, acts as a trigger, revealing the hidden cost of the early trauma.

Why the hippocampus matters

The hippocampus is a seahorse-shaped structure deep in the brain responsible for forming new memories and regulating stress responses. It is particularly sensitive to cortisol, the stress hormone. Chronic or intense stress can damage neurons in this area, leading to volume loss. A smaller hippocampus is often found in people with major depression and is linked to difficulties in regulating emotions and processing memories.

Study details: tracking brain volume in young adults

Led by researchers at the University of Marburg and the University of Turku, the study recruited 196 healthy young adults (average age 24). The participants were screened to ensure they had no history of major psychiatric disorders, allowing the team to look at brain structure before the onset of severe mental illness.

Measuring trauma and relationships

Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Screener to assess experiences of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and neglect. They also reported their history of romantic relationship breakups. High-resolution MRI scans were then used to measure the volume of their hippocampi.

The analysis controlled for age, sex, and total brain size. The results showed a “dose-response” relationship: among those who had experienced a breakup, more severe childhood trauma predicted even smaller hippocampal volumes. The effect was slightly stronger in the left hippocampus and was more closely linked to emotional neglect than to active abuse.

Why this happens: the stress sensitization hypothesis

The researchers interpret their findings through the lens of stress sensitization. During a difficult childhood, the brain adapts to survive a threatening or neglectful environment. These adaptations might include becoming hyper-vigilant to social rejection or loss.

While these strategies help a child survive, they can backfire in adulthood. When a “sensitized” individual faces a major social loss, like a breakup, their stress response system may overreact, flooding the brain with glucocorticoids (stress hormones) that are toxic to hippocampal neurons over time.

“Our study therefore supports the notion that childhood maltreatment increases the individual’s sensitivity to stressors… mental health disorders are often precipitated by stressful life events.” – Henriette Acosta, lead author.

Limitations: what the study does not prove

While the findings are compelling, the study was cross-sectional, meaning it looked at participants at a single point in time. It cannot prove that the breakups caused the brain shrinkage, only that the two are linked. It is possible that individuals with smaller hippocampi are more prone to difficult relationships, though the specific interaction with childhood trauma makes the stress-sensitization model the most likely explanation.

Additionally, the study relied on participants remembering and reporting their own childhood experiences, which can be subject to memory bias.

What you can do about it

If you have a history of childhood trauma, this research highlights the importance of protecting your mental health during major life transitions.

  • Acknowledge the impact: Recognize that a breakup might hit you harder than others, not because you are “weak,” but because your brain is processing the stress differently due to your history.
  • Seek support early: Therapy can help navigate the intense emotions of a breakup and prevent the chronic stress that affects the brain.
  • Practice stress regulation: Activities that lower cortisol, such as mindfulness, exercise, and adequate sleep, may help protect the hippocampus.
  • Healthy relationships: The study also found that being in a stable romantic relationship at the time of the scan seemed to buffer against these negative effects, suggesting that safe social bonds are protective.

Sources & related information

European Journal of Neuroscience – The association between childhood adversity and hippocampal volumes is moderated by romantic relationship experiences – 2025

A study of 196 young adults showing that hippocampal volume reduction is most evident in individuals who have experienced both childhood maltreatment and romantic breakups.

Discover Magazine – Childhood Trauma Followed by Adult Breakup Could Affect Brain Size – 2025

A review of the findings explaining the “dose-response” effect where more severe trauma combined with breakups leads to smaller brain volumes.

Disclaimer: The information shared here is for awareness only. Review the provided sources, cross-check with other trusted references, and talk about it with qualified healthcare professionals before making any medical decision.

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Listening is the underrated skill that makes you a better leader instantly

25 Nov 2025 | ,

We often think of great leaders as great talkers. We imagine them giving rousing speeches, setting a clear vision, and having an answer for everything. But a massive review of scientific research suggests we have it backward. The most effective way to improve your leadership isn’t to speak more; it is to listen better.

New data shows that listening is not just a “soft skill” for making friends – it is a hard driver of job performance and professional success.

144 studies confirm listening drives performance

A recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Business and Psychology examined the link between listening and work outcomes. The researchers looked at data from 144 studies involving more than 155,000 people.

Their conclusion was clear: listening has a strong, positive effect on employee job performance.

Leaders who are perceived as good listeners do more than just make their employees feel warm and fuzzy. They actually get better results. The study found that listening improves the quality of relationships at work, which in turn boosts performance. When employees feel heard, they perform better. This dynamic helps leaders unlearn bias and lower conflict within teams.

As the researchers noted, the link between listening and positive job outcomes is “robust.” They suggest that listening is an underrated predictor of job performance – a simple cause of superior results that many organizations overlook.

Why we love to talk about ourselves

If listening is so effective, why is it so hard? Why do so many of us default to talking instead?

The answer lies in our biology. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that talking about ourselves is inherently rewarding. In fact, humans devote about 30–40 percent of everyday speech to informing others about their own subjective experiences – their thoughts, feelings, and opinions.

Using brain scans, researchers found that self-disclosure activates the mesolimbic dopamine system – the same brain regions associated with the pleasure we get from food, money, and sex. It feels good to talk about yourself.

The drive is so strong that people in the study were willing to give up money just to keep talking about themselves. When given a choice between answering questions about others for a higher payment or answering questions about themselves for a lower payment, participants voluntarily gave up between 17 and 25 percent of their potential earnings to talk about their own views.

We are wired to broadcast. To lead effectively, you have to fight that wiring.

The power of follow-up questions

You can become a better listener instantly by changing how you ask questions. It is not enough to just stay silent; you need to show you are engaged.

Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that the specific type of question you ask matters. The study showed that asking follow-up questions – questions that ask for more detail on what the other person just said – dramatically increases how likable you appear.

When you ask a follow-up question, you prove you were listening. You signal validation, care, and understanding. This simple habit makes you more persuasive and influential because, as other research in Frontiers in Psychology shows, likable people are better at influencing those around them.

Asking follow-up questions and recalling small details are among seven habits that mark an exceptional listener, and this research confirms it is a key tool for leaders.

Feeling known leads to feeling supported

Listening does more than build rapport; it meets a fundamental human need.

A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that employees feel less objectified when their boss knows them as people, rather than just as workers or numbers. Furthermore, research linked to the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that “feeling known” is a necessary precursor to “feeling supported.”

You cannot support an employee you do not know. You cannot help them reach their career goals if you never asked what those goals were. You cannot solve their roadblocks if you never listened to what those roadblocks are.

What you can do about it

To become a better leader today, flip the ratio of your conversations.

  • Talk less. Recognize that your brain wants the dopamine hit of talking about yourself. Resist it.
  • Ask for their story, not yours. Instead of telling your team about your weekend or your problems, ask about theirs.
  • Use the follow-up rule. When an employee answers, do not just nod and move on. Restate what they said or ask one follow-up question based on what they just said.
  • Listen to learn. You already know what you know. The only way to learn something new is to listen to what others know.

Mastering conversation: how active listening keeps dialogue engaging is a skill you can practice in every interaction, whether with a colleague, a client, or a friend.

Sources & related information

Journal of Business and Psychology – The Power of Listening at Work – 2023

A meta-analysis of 144 studies involving 155,000 observations found that perceived listening is strongly correlated with improved job performance and relationship quality.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences – Disclosing information about the self is intrinsically rewarding – 2012

Neuroimaging research shows that self-disclosure activates the brain’s reward systems, motivating people to talk about themselves even at a financial cost.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology – It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask – 2017

A series of studies demonstrates that asking follow-up questions increases interpersonal liking by signaling responsiveness and listening.

The Pratfall Effect: why making mistakes can make you more likable

23 Nov 2025 | ,

Perfection is often overrated. While we strive to be flawless in job interviews or first dates, psychology suggests that being too perfect can actually push people away. A small blunder, like tripping or spilling a drink, might do more for your popularity than a flawless performance. This phenomenon is known as the Pratfall Effect.

What is the Pratfall Effect?

The Pratfall Effect is a psychological principle that states that a person’s likability increases when they make a clumsy mistake, but only if that person is already perceived as competent.

Social psychologist Elliot Aronson first identified this effect in 1966. He wanted to test how mistakes influence attraction. In his famous experiment, he asked male college students to listen to tape recordings of people answering quiz questions.

The participants heard one of two main scenarios:

  1. The Superior Person: This person answered 92% of the questions correctly. They sounded confident and knowledgeable.
  2. The Average Person: This person answered only 30% of the questions correctly.

Aronson then added a twist. In some recordings, the “Superior Person” commits a blunder at the end: they are heard spilling a cup of coffee and reacting to the mess.

The results were clear. The students rated the Superior Person who spilled the coffee as the most likable of all. The blunder made the highly competent person seem more human and approachable.

The catch: competence is key

There is a crucial condition to this effect. A mistake only helps you if you have already established your competence.

In Aronson’s experiment, when the “Average Person” (who missed most quiz questions) spilled the coffee, their likability rating dropped even further.

  • If you are competent: A mistake humanizes you. It breaks the “too good to be true” barrier and prevents others from feeling threatened by your perfection.
  • If you are incompetent: A mistake just reinforces the idea that you are not capable. It acts as proof of inadequacy.

This distinction is vital. You cannot simply be clumsy and expect to be popular. You must first demonstrate that you are good at what you do. The blunder acts as a softener for your competence, not a substitute for it.

Real-world examples: from Jennifer Lawrence to brands

We see the Pratfall Effect in action in celebrity culture and marketing.

The relatable celebrity

Jennifer Lawrence is often cited as a modern example. Her frequent trips on the red carpet or candid, unpolished interviews often endear her to the public. Because she is an Oscar-winning, highly successful actress (high competence), these slips make her seem “down to earth” rather than clumsy.

The honest brand

Marketing experts use a similar concept known as the “blemishing effect.” When a brand admits a small flaw, consumers often trust it more. For example, Guinness: the beer brand famously turned a negative – the long time it takes to pour a pint – into a legendary slogan: “Good things come to those who wait.”

Why perfectionism harms connection

The Pratfall Effect challenges the idea that we must hide our flaws to be accepted. In social situations, perfection creates distance. We often struggle to connect with someone who seems to have no weaknesses because we cannot relate to them. This relates to understanding conversational biases to become more likable, where showing genuine engagement often matters more than saying the perfect thing.

When a competent person slips up, it levels the playing field. It signals vulnerability. This vulnerability fosters trust and signals that the person is authentic, not a curated persona.

What you can do about it

You do not need to stage accidents or spill coffee on purpose. However, you can change how you react to your own errors.

  • Don’t hide every flaw: If you are good at your job, admitting a small error or a gap in knowledge can make you more approachable to your team.
  • Own your blunders: When you trip or misspeak, laugh it off. Trying to cover it up often looks worse than the mistake itself.
  • Build competence first: Remember that this effect relies on a foundation of skill. Focus on being capable and reliable first.
  • Accept imperfection in others: Just as your mistakes humanize you, seeing others stumble is a reminder that everyone is human. This perspective can help reduce judgment and social anxiety.

Sources & related information

Elliot Aronson – The Effect of a Pratfall on Increasing Interpersonal Attractiveness – 1966

The original study published in Psychonomic Science where Aronson and his colleagues demonstrated that a blunder increases the attractiveness of a superior person but decreases the attractiveness of a mediocre person.

The Guardian (ZenithOptimedia) – The Pratfall effect and why brands should flaunt their flaws – 2015

An analysis of how brands like Guinness and VW use the Pratfall Effect to build trust by admitting minor weaknesses, making their core claims more believable.

Journal of Consumer Research – The blemishing effect – 2012

Research showing that under certain processing conditions, a small amount of negative information can actually enhance the positive impression of a product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=traKGc2NDWQ

Endmyopia claims to reverse nearsightedness naturally (but science remains skeptical)

23 Nov 2025 |

Imagine never needing your glasses again. No surgery, no contacts, just… fixing your eyes yourself. That’s the big promise of Endmyopia, a popular online method created by Jake Steiner. He claims you can reverse nearsightedness (myopia) just by changing your habits.

It sounds awesome, right? But before you throw away your glasses, you need to know that most eye doctors and scientists say it’s not that simple. Here is the lowdown on what this method is, why people try it, and why the medical consensus says it probably won’t work like you think.

The big claim: “Your glasses are the problem”

Endmyopia is based on a simple idea: your eyes aren’t broken; they are just reacting to your environment.

It starts with a muscle cramp

The theory goes like this: when you spend hours staring at your phone or laptop, a focusing muscle inside your eye gets tired and cramps up. This is called pseudo-myopia. At first, your vision is only blurry because of this cramp.

Then your eye grows longer

The controversial part is what happens next. Steiner says that when you wear glasses to fix that blur, your eye physically grows longer to “adapt” to the lenses. A longer eyeball is what causes true nearsightedness. Basically, the method claims your glasses trap you in a cycle that makes your vision worse.

The “fix”: training your eyes

To reverse this, Endmyopia tells you to do two things:

  1. Use weaker glasses: Instead of your full prescription, you wear weaker glasses for close-up work (like homework or gaming) to stop the eye strain.
  2. Practice “Active Focus”: This is a mental trick. You look at something far away that is slightly blurry (like a street sign) and try hard to make it clear just by focusing. The idea is that this effort forces your eyeball to shrink back to its normal size.

What science says

Here is the problem: Eye doctors agree that once your eyeball grows too long, it usually stays that way. It’s like your height – once you grow tall, you don’t shrink back down just because you want to.

Your eyeballs aren’t like muscles

You can train a muscle to get bigger, but you can’t really train an eyeball to get shorter. While atropine drops or special contact lenses can slow down eye growth in kids, there is no scientific proof that you can reverse it significantly once it’s happened.

Wearing weak glasses might backfire

Trying to fix your eyes by wearing weaker glasses can actually make things worse. A famous study (Chung et al., 2002) showed that under-correcting vision (wearing glasses that are too weak) made kids’ eyes grow faster, not slower. Blurry vision seems to signal the eye to keep growing, which is the exact opposite of what you want.

Why do some people swear it works?

If science says it doesn’t work, why are there so many success stories online? Read on Reddit: I was able to effectively fully cure myopia with my own methodology of eye exercises and discussions about do eye exercise really work?.

Brain training vs. Eye shrinking

When you practice looking at blurry things, your brain gets smarter at guessing what it’s seeing. This is called blur adaptation. You might be able to read a sign further away, not because your eyes are fixed, but because your brain is better at decoding the fuzzy image. You are “seeing” better, but your nearsightedness hasn’t actually disappeared.

Is there any hope?

Interestingly, some new research on red light therapy shows that specific light treatments might slightly shorten the eye.

Is it worth trying?

Trying to fix your eyes this way takes a huge amount of time – years of daily practice. Walking around (or driving!) with blurry vision can be dangerous.

Sources & related information

Study: Weak glasses make eyes worse (2002)

A major study showed that giving kids weaker glasses actually made their nearsightedness get worse faster.

Experts: Can you reverse myopia?

Eye doctors explain that while eye spasms can be fixed, the actual shape of a nearsighted eye is permanent.

Endmyopia Website

The source of the “active focus” method and the theory that glasses are to blame.

Red Light Therapy Study (2022)

A study showing that a specific type of red light therapy could shrink the eye slightly, proving some change is possible.