Introduction Habits are defined as routines and things that we do on a regular basis, some knowingly and some unknowingly. Our habits govern our lives, literally. Research tells us that that roughly half of our daily actions are driven by repetition. Forming positive habits is crucial for improving our work, relationships, and mental health. Psychology behind […]
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Are criminals genetically different from the ‘average’ person?
Have you ever wondered if criminals commit crimes because of their genetic makeup or brain structure? This article will discuss evidence suggesting criminals are genetically different from the ‘average’ person. A genetic analysis of almost 900 offenders in Finland revealed two genes associated with violent crime. The study found that those with the genes linked […]
What Makes a Murderer? – Episode Review
I would highly recommend the series ‘What makes a murderer?’, as it summarises the importance of considering the impacts of biological, social and environmental factors that can accumulate to psychopathic behaviour. One of the episodes explores the inner workings of John, who shot and killed a man in a bar after a fight. Following an […]
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
Recently Year 12 Psychology students were privileged to attend the ‘Psychology in action’ conference in Westminster that involved a series of lectures. This article will cover the lecture titles ‘The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories’. There are three questions this lecture aimed to answer: What is a conspiracy theory? What is the harm? Why do people […]
How do brands and politicians get us to do what they want?
At the ‘Psychology in Action’ conference attended by Year 12 psychology students, Patrick Fagan delivered a fascinating and thought-provoking talk on Applied Behavioural Science. It was all about how do brands and politicians ‘nudge’ us into doing what they want. Fagan gave us several examples of how this ‘nudge’ policy is used in marketing and […]
The Psychology of Dreams
Dreams are defined as images, experiences and thoughts people experience while asleep. There have been many attempts at providing an explanation as to why we dream, theories have been proposed since the 18th century. Some of these potential explanations include: consolidating and processing information, a representation of unconcious desires and wishes, to aid memory, preparation […]
The Power of Music
Catherine Loveday delivered an incredibly insightful and interesting talk on ‘the power of music’. She began the talk with an anecdote about how she was walking through the Dublin Christmas Market when her dad’s favourite festive song began to play. She immediately became incredibly emotional, experiencing feelings of grief, happiness, and nostalgia all at the […]
Are There Innate Psychological Differences Between Men and Women?
Men can’t multitask. Women can’t read a map. Even with the increased call for gender equality in modern society, there are still persistent stereotypes that focus on a divide between male and female aptitudes, attitudes and abilities. Recent psychological research seeks to answer whether these stereotypes are nothing more than a reflection of outdated societal […]
How PTSD Affects War Veterans
PTSD affects up to three in one hundred people in the UK over the course of their life, and out of these people, an estimated one in three of them have developed PTSD as the result of a traumatic experience. So why do soldiers develop PTSD? To talk about the causes of PTSD in soldiers, […]
The Psychology of New Year’s resolutions
New year’s resolutions are far from a modern day invention, with them dating back to the 5th centuary when Romans would make resolutions of good conduct to the gods. Now, around half of all adults make new year’s resolutions, but fewer than 10% manage to keep them for more than a few months, with 80% […]