The “affluenza” term was apparently used for the first time explicitly in defense during Couch’s trial, but has been a theory in sociological and psychological circles since the late 1990s to explain the impact of indulgent parenting, said Daniel Medwed, a criminal law professor at Northeastern University in Boston. The notion of rich kids getting […]

The majority of cities and towns in Massachusetts failed to live up to the requirements of the state’s public records law when put to the test in a joint project by 5 Investigates, The Boston Globe and Northeastern University School of Journalism. The test, believed to be the largest of its kind ever undertaken in […]

Northeastern University wants to open a new dorm for approximately 800 students in Roxbury, according to a letter of intent the school filed Wednesday with the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

There are many social norms that dictate gift-giving, including when, how and what to give as gifts. Interestingly, these norms don’t seem to be about making sure that recipients get the gifts they want. What makes for a good or bad gift often differs in the eyes of givers and recipients. In fact, behavioral science […]

How likely is it that there will be a terrorist attack here in the U.S. on a train? “We have to expect it. That’s the bottom line,” said Sean Burke, head of the Center for Resilience Studies at Northeastern University and a former Homeland Security official. Train attacks are happening overseas and Burke said there […]

Channel gratitude. To curb an impulse to buy something, David DeSteno, professor of psychology at Northeastern University, advises that you not obsess over products you want. Instead, focus on being grateful for what you already have. His research says that gratitude helps take the edge off.

“It would be rare indeed for an NFL player to have some outside business where there would be a vendor relationship with any franchise,’’ said Roger Abrams, who teaches sports and labor law at the Northeastern University School of Law. The NFL labor agreement requires a player’s contract to include a provision detailing any agreement […]

“The limit ought to be much lower,” said Nikos Passas, a professor of criminal justice at Northeastern University in Boston. “You can do a lot of damage with much less, especially when it comes to terrorism financing.” Yet, according to the Swiss government, there can be legitimate reasons for large sums.  

“What’s exciting about our manufacturers is that many of them are on the cutting edge of the latest technologies,” Northeastern University economics professor Barry Bluestone said. “The firms that can survive in Massachusetts are ones that produce a new product, or products that are continually changing.”

How many times do people ask themselves “what if,” consciously considering what has happened and what might have been? What if you had taken a different job, or married someone else? These questions are a fundamental feature of the human condition. They are also a good exercise in understanding the world and suggesting alternative approaches […]

I first set foot on Northeastern University’s campus when I was a junior in high school, as I was visiting some interesting colleges in the Boston area. My friends and I tagged along a campus tour group and, after some walking around, the tour guide told us about the cooperative education (co-op) program. Northeastern’s famous […]

It happens every year. In January, gyms across the city are packed with New Year’s resolutioners; by February, year-round fitness fans once again have their pick of the treadmills. Sound familiar? It doesn’t have to. We asked Lisa Feldman Barrett, a psychology professor at Northeastern University, for advice about keeping New Year’s resolutions.