In trying to understand what prompted a man in Plymouth, England to commit the worst mass shooting in the UK for over a decade, attention has turned to his apparent links with the incel...
psychology
Narcissists: There’s More Than One Type – And Our Research...
Chances are you’ve met a narcissist. Someone who thinks they’re better than everyone else dominates the conversation and loves the limelight. But scientists are increasingly realising that not all...
Human Behaviour: What Scientists Have Learned About It From The...
During the pandemic, a lot of assumptions were made about how people behave. Many of those assumptions were wrong, and they led to disastrous policies. Several governments worried that their pandemic...
IQ Tests: Are Humans Getting Smarter?
From the algorithms that make our social media accounts function to the sleep-tracking technology in our smartwatches, the world has never seemed so technologically advanced and developed. This is...
IQ Tests Can’t Measure It, But ‘Cognitive Flexibility’ Is Key To...
IQ is often hailed as a crucial driver of success, particularly in fields such as science, innovation and technology. In fact, many people have an endless fascination with the IQ scores of famous...
Group-Think: What It Is And How To Avoid It
Former government adviser Dominic Cummings has made waves by suggesting the UK government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis was “a classic historic example of group-think”. He said the more people...
Is It Time To Give Up On Consciousness As ‘The Ghost In The...
As individuals, we feel that we know what consciousness is because we experience it daily. It’s that intimate sense of personal awareness we carry around with us, and the accompanying feeling of...
MDMA may help treat PTSD – but beware of claims that Ecstasy is...
Recent clinical trials, including one soon to be published in Nature Medicine, have suggested that MDMA combined with psychotherapy may help treat post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. The news...
The ‘Bystander Effect’ Is Real – But Research Shows That When...
The most powerful evidence for the prosecution at the trial of Derek Chauvin was a video showing the then-Minneapolis police officer pinning a pleading George Floyd to the ground by kneeling on his...
How to Stop Psychopaths and Narcissists from Winning Positions...
One of the human race’s biggest problems has been that people who occupy positions of power are often incapable of using power in a responsible way. In the past, this was mostly due to hereditary...
A Year of Blursdays: How Coronavirus Distorted our Sense of Time...
Does it feel like 2020 went on forever? Did lockdown drag, and can you even remember how you spent your time when you weren’t living under coronavirus restrictions? You are not alone. For many, 2020...
Why Optimism can be Dangerous During a Pandemic
For those of us who insist on seeing the glass half full, even when the miserable brigade point out that it’s also half empty, COVID-19 poses particular challenges. In regular times, our relentless...
What it’s Like to Lose a Presidential Election?
The American public may have only recently found out who won the presidential election last month. But now they know that Republican Donald Trump hasn’t been elected to a second term and that...
Are Racism and Bigotry in our DNA?
Is bigotry in our DNA, a remnant of our fear of “the other” way back when that was necessary? If so, why do some battle with their instincts while others embrace them? Humans are the most...
Is Belief in God a Delusion?
As the pandemic raged in April, churchgoers in Ohio defied warnings not to congregate. Some argued that their religion conferred them immunity from COVID-19. In one memorable CNN clip, a woman...
How Much do Our Genes Restrict Free Will?
Social media algorithms, artificial intelligence, and our own genetics are among the factors influencing us beyond our awareness. This raises an ancient question: do we have control over our own...
How is the Coronavirus Affecting Young People’s Mental Health?
It is inevitable that the Coronavirus has affected millions – both men and women, young and old, physically and mentally. But, one thing that is for certain is if you are reading this –...
Can a Computer Make you Think it is Human?
Humanosity says…Imagine thinking that you’re chatting up a real person online only to find out that you’ve been flirting with a computer or more specifically a computer programme...
Could Kink-Shame Be Affecting Your Relationships?
Humanosity says..Despite the prevalence of pornography, many studies have shown that Brits are having much less sex. Often the blame is put on our stressed and time-poor lives. The team at Happiful...
Optimism Might Help You Live Longer
Humanosity says…Good news for the cheery: A Boston study published this month suggests people who tend to be optimistic are likelier than others to live longer and better chances of living to...