Behavioural Sciences
Political technology mystifies science communication for general public
Why are scientific organisations so hesitant to communicate information on their large-scale projects to the public, and how can they improve? The answers to this question are explored by scientist, communicator, and essayist Dr Michel Claessens, teacher of science communication at the University of Brussels and spokesperson for the ITER project on nuclear fusion from 2011 to 2015. Claessens discusses […]
Sloppy science, shortcuts, and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to one of the most public incidences of a phenomenon known as sloppy science (originally slodderwetenschap in Dutch). Shortcuts and simplifications were made during scientific research, which led to the public declaration of incorrect statements or ‘truthies’. Professor Michael Lissack, from the College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University in China, and Brenden Meagher […]
Madinah House: More than just a shelter
Madinah House in Trinidad operated as a shelter from domestic abuse for 20 years. Upon its closure, former board members Dr Amina Ibrahim-Ali from the University of West Indies and Nura Amina Ali, formerly of the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, undertook a systematic investigation, documenting the day-to-day running of this Caribbean safehouse, as well as revealing more about […]
Sensitising science to research involving animals
Dr Rebekah Humphreys, senior lecturer at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK, and specialist in applied ethics, considers how it is possible to become desensitised to the use of animals for scientific research. Humphreys explores our emotional responses and moral feelings towards animals within the context of research. She considers those who work in animal research and the […]
Justice and community: The rationality of learning by doing
Professor Robson addresses fundamental questions of social progress and how societies can experiment with different political and social systems without unduly disregarding tradition. This experimentation enables individuals and groups to learn how to better secure justice and improve society more generally. However, it also requires overcoming constraints associated with rationality, which prevent people and communities from taking the necessary risks […]
Considering environmental impact in happiness rankings
Most, if not all, people want to live a happy life, so surely a measure of a country’s success as a nation is how happy its citizens are? Most international success indices rank countries according to how they perform against various measures and include happiness as a key value, but fail to include the cost, especially to others. Emeritus Professor […]
Building a psychological toolbox: Actively using neuroplastic methods to develop lasting inner strengths
Social-emotional learning (SEL) makes use of the brain’s neuroplasticity to convert passing experiences into durable psychological resources embedded in altered neural structure or function. But most SEL is passive and inefficient, with limited gains for many people, in part due to the brain’s ingrained negativity bias. Dr Rick Hanson is a leading clinician in the field of emotional intelligence. He […]
Rethinking leadership in complex adaptive systems
Leadership is a cornerstone of business school syllabi, but it is usually focused on organisational leadership. But what about the leadership needed to deal with global issues that cross geographic, legislative, geopolitical, socio-economic, and structural boundaries, and demand the interplay between state, corporate and non-governmental actors? Professor Margaret F Sloan of James Madison University, in Virginia, US, considers such issues […]
License-plate-based driving restrictions: Do they really backfire?
Driving restriction policies that limit the number of days drivers can use their vehicles within cities based on the last digit of their license plates are popular in some cities. Research into their effectiveness in reducing air pollution and congestion, however, yields mixed results. Dr Erick Guerra and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, have published the first […]
When children’s storytelling says so much more
We take for granted that our children tell stories. But what if they can’t? Oral storytelling is a bridge to literacy, yet many children do not develop this skill naturally. Research has shown that narrative skill at school entry predicts writing and reading comprehension up to ten years later. Narrative intervention is a form of language therapy and a classroom […]