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