How lynx and wolf reintroductions to Britain could be shaped by preconceptions and psychology: Four lynx were recently and illegally released into the Scottish highlands in two separate incidents. The news prompted searchers to comb the Cairngorms region, the UK’s biggest national park. People were warned not to approach the animals if they encountered them. …
Exploring the roots of stupidity: first understand the psychology of what lies behind irrational opinions: Most people, at one time or another, act foolishly. However, truly ignorant individuals exhibit a lack of introspection and stubbornly cling to their opinions, regardless of how irrational they may be. These people demonstrate unwavering self-assurance and are often oblivious …
Four tips for a healthy news diet in 2024, from an expert in media psychology: DimaBerlin/Shutterstock The start of the new year brings inevitable pressure to start fresh, with new hobbies, exercise regimes and healthy diets. But there is one diet you may not have thought of improving this year: your media and news consumption. …
How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol anticipated the psychology of Freud in its tale of childhood trauma: Arthur Rackham , CC BY With a joyful celebration of family love and communal bonds at its heart, Charles Dickens’s story A Christmas Carol has often been credited with creating our modern idea of Christmas. Published on December …
New Beatles and Rolling Stones music owes much of its success to the psychology of nostalgia: The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at New York's Kennedy Airport in 1964. US Library of Congress Throughout the 1960s, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were engaged in a friendly rivalry. Despite being amicable in person, they …
Narcissism, immorality and lack of empathy: the dark psychology that can poison elites: Sexism, harassment and bullying are rife in the UK's Red Arrows. Watcharisma/Shutterstock Sexism, harassment and bullying plague the Red Arrows, the UK Royal Air Force’s display team. This revelation was the outcome of investigations into complaints of bad behaviour in this elite …
The psychology of spot fixing – why athletes might gamble their careers: Wpadington/Shutterstock Fifa is reportedly investigating allegations of an illegal betting ring in Greece. Meanwhile the Bolivian Football Federation has cancelled two top-flight tournaments over reports of spot fixing. These country-level investigations follow numerous examples of professional footballers being personally investigated for breaking betting …
How classic psychology warped our view of human nature as cruel and selfish – but new research is more hopeful: DorSteffen/Shutterstock There are a number of classic experiments and theories that every psychology student learns about, but more recent research has questioned their findings so that psychologists today are reevaluating human nature. One example is …
How scammers use psychology to create some of the most convincing internet cons – and what to watch out for: Scammers are blending different types of fraud to persuade people to hand over their cash. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock Online fraud is today’s most common crime. Victims are often told they are foolish for falling for it, but …
From the Manchester bee to the Pompey dot: the psychology of regional tattoos: Few things divide us like tattoos. Tell someone you research tattoos, as one of us (Steph) does, and their eyes will often wander, searching for inked designs on your body before compulsively sharing their views. Steph’s research looks at the assumptions that …
Dobble: what is the psychology behind the game?: Dobble is a card game with rules that makes it sound easier than it actually is. Ana Belen Garcia Sanchez/Shutterstock Following birthday and Christmas presents, families often have a glut of new games to learn and play. Many of these games involve computers or games consoles, but …
Vampire Survivors: how developers used gambling psychology to create a BAFTA-winning game: Vampire Survivors won Best Game at the 2023 awards. Courtesy of Poncle, CC BY-SA The independent game Vampire Survivors delivered a shock result at the 2023 BAFTA Game Awards when it defeated blockbusters God of War: Ragnarok and Elden Ring to take home …
Having low expectations probably won’t make us happier – here’s what psychology research says: mavo/Shutterstock Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world for the sixth year running. A range of theories have been put forward to explain why the Nordic nation continues to rank at the top of the table for happiness, …
People with personality disorders are more likely to sign up for psychology studies – here’s why that’s a problem: solarseven/Shutterstock Many psychological studies rely on participants to give up their time to take part in experiments or complete questionnaires. They take part because they get paid or because they are required to as part of …
Why do musicians like Elton John find retirement so tough? A music psychology expert explains: Elton John performs in Michigan as part of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour in 2018. Tony Norkus With his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, Elton John confirmed his latest plans for retirement. The final show of the tour in …
What psychology tells us about the failure of the emergency services at the Manchester Arena bombing: The second stage of the official inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 has produced a harrowing account of what went wrong in the emergency response. The terrorist attack resulted in the deaths of 22 innocent victims. Sir …
Does entitlement make you more likely to cheat? New research challenges popular psychology idea: Do you cheat at dice games? beeboys/Shutterstock Why do people cheat? An intriguing study by two Israeli researchers in 2016 put forward a possible reason that has since become well established in the scientific literature and popular media. The researchers reported …
Cannabis: how it affects our cognition and psychology – new research: Agave Photo Studio Agave Photo Studio/Shutterstock Cannabis has been used by humans for thousands of years and is one of the most popular drugs today. With effects such as feelings of joy and relaxation, it is also legal to prescribe or take in several …