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Podcast: Animals have emotions News - 1 April 2022
In this episode, we talk with Mariska Kret about the expressions of emotions in humans and animals. Mariska explores the similarities and differences in emotion expression in humans and primates. Want to learn more about Mariska's research and discover why it's important that we learn more about animal…

AI and emotion recognition: ‘It could disrupt social interactions’ News - 21 July 2025
Just imagine new AI technology is able to read human emotions flawlessly. How would that affect us as humans? That is the question PhD candidate Alexandra Prégent is exploring.

Autistic children develop social-emotional skills with other children News - 10 November 2021
Autistic children have indeed potential: most of their emotional abilities improve with age, concludes developmental psychologist Boya Li in her research on the emotional development of autistic children. Promotion on 10 November 2021.

From horror to silent strength: Leiden researches emotions at Lowlands News - 23 June 2025
This summer, Leiden University will be setting up camp at Lowlands with two research projects. Participants are invited to explore their fears and feelings, and in doing so, contribute to scientific research.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing children keep pace with hearing peers in emotional development News - 19 February 2025
Deaf and hard-of-hearing children can find it challenging to blend in during recess on the playground. Yet, in recent studies, two PhD researchers studying children in China and Portugal showed that the emotional development of these children is largely on par with their hearing classmates.

Bonobos, unlike humans, are more interested in the emotions of strangers than acquaintances News - 11 January 2023
Humans and bonobos show striking similarities as well as differences when they see pictures of conspecifics. Both are more interested in photos of conspecifics that show emotion. But while our human attention is more easily drawn to photos of family members and friends that express certain emotions,…

How can people with autism and social anxiety understand others’ emotions better? News - 23 January 2025
A smile, tears in your eyes or a blush on your cheeks: we understand one another better by mirroring one another’s emotions. In her PhD dissertation, Julia Folz concludes that people with autism or social anxiety can be helped by interventions focused on the body.

Psychologists on NOS Jeugdjournaal about research on emotions in children. Join project Fearless? News - 27 May 2024
In het LUMC in Leiden onderzoeken ontwikkelingspsychologen hoe kinderen en jongeren omgaan met emoties. Daarvoor maken ze een mri-scan van de hersenen van de deelnemers (9 - 16 jaar). De 11-jarige Olivier in het Jeugdjournaal: ‘Ik vind het leuk om het onderzoek te helpen.’ Wil je ook de wetenschappers…

What should the university do? Questions and emotions at university conversation on Israel-Palestine News - 2 July 2025
Should we cut our ties with Israel or maintain them? The event ‘A university conversation on Israel/Palestine’ on 1 July revealed the depth of feeling about the conflict, with students and staff grappling with academic values and moral dilemmas.

drives humans? How Mariska Kret manages to touch science with her emotion research News - 20 February 2024
In zoos, at festivals and in a mobile lab at the market: everywhere, Mariska Kret tries to understand human and animal emotions with her distinctive behavioural research. Now she has received the Mercator Sapiens Stimulus of €1 million for her efforts.

Beyond iced coffee and face masks: ‘True self-care is about emotional awareness and living according to your values’ News - 9 October 2025
In hun klinische stage leren Psychologiestudenten mentale steun bieden aan anderen, maar hoe zorgen zij als toekomstige therapeut ook voor zichzelf? Met video’s, podcasts en een panel wil Kelly Ziemer haar studenten de nodige zelfzorg-skills bijbrengen.

Mariska Kret receives Dr Hendrik Muller Prize 2025 News - 20 November 2025
Professor of Cognitive Psychology Mariska Kret has been awarded the Dr Hendrik Muller Prize by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) for her pioneering research into emotions. Kret: ‘This prize offers a wonderful opportunity to give a boost to emotion research.’