Why do we still have a cognitive bias that makes us send innocent people to jail? – Explanations of the confirmation bias
Why do we still have a cognitive bias that makes us send innocent people to jail? – Explanations of the confirmation bias
The confirmation bias – seeking and interpreting information to support your pre-existing beliefs – can have tremendous consequences. In this blog, I will explain the existence of the confirmation bias in the criminal justice system and give two possible explanations to why we still have this bias. / more
Does it matter if people are aware of their implicit racial bias?
keywords:
implicit attitudes, racial bias, prejudice
Does it matter if people are aware of their implicit racial bias?
In this blog post, I discuss how people respond to information about their implicit racial bias—automatic attitudes and beliefs that favor one ethnic group over another. Although people can be defensive, emerging research suggests there are benefits to accepting implicit racial bias and being aware of this subtle prejudice . / more
The cross-cultural psychology of Internet privacy concern
keywords:
Privacy concern, relational mobility, culture, Japan, social network sites
The cross-cultural psychology of Internet privacy concern
In a recent cross-cultural study of Facebook users in Japan and the US, I show that Japanese SNS users are more concerned about Internet privacy than American SNS users. And it turns out that because Americans have higher general trust, they less likely to believe that a stranger would take advantage of their private information, should it be leaked online. / more
Gender equity in science: Achievement unlocked?
keywords:
women in STEM, gender bias, equity training
Gender equity in science: Achievement unlocked?
Is it time to throw out our gender -equity-in-STEM training materials? Williams and Ceci (2015) reported that STEM faculty members have a preference for hiring women (not men), reigniting debates over equity in academic hiring. In our blog post, we add to a growing conversation among the scientific community that questions Williams & Ceci’s grand claim of a post-sexist era in academic hiring. / more
Girls will be girls, boys will be bossy
keywords:
bossy, gender, leadership, stereotypes
Girls will be girls, boys will be bossy
The word bossy has been heavily discussed recently, thanks, at least in part, to the Ban Bossy campaign. To date, this debate has centered on why women get called bossy. But what about men? In this blog post, I will share some new research on the word bossy, and what happens when both men and women act bossy, specifically within a workplace context. / more
Einstein beats Mother Theresa as the hero of the world
Einstein beats Mother Theresa as the hero of the world
Heroes and villains don’t only exist in comic books. The real world is full of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ guys (and girls). Being an exceptional scientist or humanitarian will most likely land you on the heroic side of history. Obviously, dictators who have oppressed millions of people are more likely to be seen as the villains of world history. For a number of influential figures, our perception of their achievements however strongly depends on how our particular cultural region was affected. For example, even though the abolition of slavery by Abraham Lincoln makes him a historical hero in American eyes, people from other countries might value Mandela’s struggle against apartheid, or even Princess Diana much more. And what about more controversial figures such as Che Guevara and Napoleon? In this blog, I will review a brand new study in which it was tested who the heroes and villains of our shared, global history are. / more
Time to unwind: When autonomy and motivation add weight to recovery
keywords:
recovery, motivation, autonomy, breaks
Time to unwind: When autonomy and motivation add weight to recovery
Extended working hours and off-job duties leave increasingly less time for a person to recover. Thus, the more important it becomes for a person to seek activities that really help to unwind from daily hassles. But is there anything such as the right or even wrong recovery activity? And what role does motivation play in this regard? In this blog post I will elaborate on these questions by reviewing recent research. / more
Empowering cartoonists, deterring killers, protecting bystanders: Can psychology contribute?
keywords:
Charlie Hebdo, terrorism, anti-terror, Islam
Empowering cartoonists, deterring killers, protecting bystanders: Can psychology contribute?
We respond on many levels, like our readers, to the 2015 attack on Charlie Hebdo staff in France. The human tragedy makes us sad and angry. The moral atrocity screams for outraged condemnation. The sense of threat calls out community determination, courage, and sacrifice. The counter-mobilisation of millions, and of world leaders, evokes pride and grim satisfaction. / more
Solid science: How graduate students foster research transparency
keywords:
replication, solid science, graduate students
Solid science: How graduate students foster research transparency
Reproducibility is seen as the gold standard for solid science. However, three are few incentive to work transparently, and even less incentives to conduct replication studies. To change this, more and more teachers are assigning replication studies to graduate students as a class assignment. Will this turn early career researchers into witch hunters? / more
Becoming superhuman: Is it all in your mind?
keywords:
mindfulness, meditation, resilience, pain tolerance, Wim Hof, immune system
Becoming superhuman: Is it all in your mind?
Everyone loves a good comic book hero, but what if superhuman feats were something you could learn to do in real life? In this post, we will share some recent scientific evidence that suggests that through mindfulness, people can learn to control their minds, bodies, pain tolerance and emotions in ways that seem almost superhuman. / more
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