How much merit does criminal profiling actually hold?

Written by Samantha Kitt

There’s very little skepticism offered about criminal profiling within hit TV programs like Criminal Minds and Mindhunter – which, by the way, are both 100% worth a watch – however this has led to major public misconceptions about the (lack of) accuracy of criminal profilers. For those of you unfamiliar with this practice, criminal profilers are special investigators that infer an unsub’s (unknown subjects) personality, behavioural, physical and demographic characteristics based on crime scene data and evidence (Douglas, Ressler, Burgess, & Hartman, 1986).

Measuring Cat Personalities? Yes Please!

Written by Rita Kiraly

Cats are the 2nd most popular companion animals. Millions, including myself, willingly subject ourselves to their rule, and diligently cater to their every need in exchange for the privilege of being allowed to pet, cuddle, and love them. But are cats always the adorable furry overloads they are portrayed to be? Or is there variability in cat personality?

How Expectations can Influence Performance

 

Written by Lucy Miles

Following our previous blog exploring why people believe in horoscopes, this week we’ll be looking at the surprising effects reading a positive horoscope can have on our performance across a range of tasks. Despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting the validity of horoscopes, research indicates that horoscopes can provide a kind of placebo for readers known as the Expectancy Effect. For example, when someone expects a given result (such as something predicted in a horoscope), that expectation affects the outcome (sometimes unconsciously).

Explaining the Alluring Appeal of Horoscopes

Written by Narik Dubash

Horoscopes and the study of astrology dates back thousands of years, with the earliest forms being dated to the 2nd millennium BC. The word horoscope derives from the Greek words ōra (“time”) and scopos (“observer”), meaning a forecast of a person’s future that can be produced based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of their birth. The 20th century saw a resurgence in the popularity of horoscopes, as mass media products, such as newspaper horoscopes, provided people with short predictions of their character and future circumstances based on their astrological sign. However, there are no scientific studies that have shown support for the accuracy of horoscopes (Zarka, 2011). Given this, why have horoscopes remained so popular and why do their predictions appear to ring so true for some people? 

Does Critical Parenting Maintain ADHD Symptoms in Children?

Written by Nathan Whenman

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural disorder that includes symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Typically, symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age (most cases are diagnosed when children are 6-12 years old) and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as when they start school. Generally, the symptoms of ADHD improve with age, though many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems.

Feeling Blue in Lockdown? You're Not Alone.

Written by Narik Dubash

As we approach the mid-point of 2020 and some three months since the UK government officially ordered a nationwide lockdown, I find myself reflecting on the rapid and sweeping changes we have all faced and the toll it is having on mental health.

Can the New Barbie Undo Body Shape Biases in Children?

 Written by Katie Helm-Summeskill

Barbie is one of the most iconic toys on the planet, selling over 1 billion dolls since her introduction in 1959 and becoming a cultural icon along the way. However, Barbie has attracted a fair share of controversy too for representing a body image that is both unrealistic and unattainable. Those at the forefront of the body positivity movement – a movement that promotes acceptance of all body types – argue that this is a major problem, as Barbie dolls promote harmful weight attitudes including thin-ideal internalisation in young girls. Indeed, one study (Dittmar, Halliwell, & Ive, 2006) found that girls exposed to Barbie at a young age expressed greater concern with being thin, compared to those exposed to other dolls.

Is Someone Poaching Your Partner?

Written by Caitlin Vries

Is your partner better looking than you are? It’s a hard question to answer but what does your gut tell you? Are you the person in the relationship punching above their weight? If the answer to that question is ‘Yes’, you may want to stop reading this blog right now.

Can self-determination predict success?

Written by Dobrawa Zuber

“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it… I can resist everything but temptation”
- Oscar Wilde

Male and female serial killers choose their victims differently, and here's why

Could our ancestral roles still be influencing our behaviour?

Written by Natalia Jarvis


A recent psychological study has found that there are distinct differences in how male and female serial killers behave, and that these differences may be explained by considering the roles of our early human ancestors.