Social and Behavioural
Explore Social and Behavioural
Professor Simon Roberts | Why African Countries Experience High Food Prices and What We Can Do About It
African countries are facing huge challenges around the availability, cost, and quality of food. These countries are import-dependent and disproportionately affected by global price hikes, while many are also undergoing rapid urbanisation which increases demand. These problems need an effective response to ensure the provision of affordable, healthy food. Professor Simon Roberts and his colleagues at the University of Johannesburg recently explored why high food prices are found in African countries, and suggest urgent solutions for addressing food scarcity, instability, and unaffordability.
Professor William Richardson | What Mice in Mazes Can Teach Us About Working Memory
Our working memory can be described as a mental sticky note, where we hold bits of information for short periods of time. Working memory is an important function for everyday life, used for many tasks including following directions, holding conversations and solving problems of all kinds. Often, working memory – and problem-solving – can be improved by training.
Austina Lee | Gareth Dylan Smith – The Role of Love and Community in American Schools
Capitalism and neoliberalism influence how children are schooled in the USA. American schools have standardised performance measures that teachers and students are expected to meet, which tend to prioritise: conformity, good grades and workforce readiness. They do not support students to develop identities, form good relationships, collaborate, or innovate. The result is an education system that undervalues care and community, which is at odds with the vision of raising compassionate young people. In a recent paper, teachers Austina Lee and Gareth Dylan Smith explore how this can be challenged through ‘punk’ pedagogy. They use the case study of a high-school choir to demonstrate how their ideas can be put into practice.
Professor Nicholas Washmuth | Professor Richard Stephens – The Power of Words: Could Swearing Be a Useful Therapeutic Tool for Physiotherapists?
Words change how people think, feel, and behave. As such, the words that medical professionals use have the potential to improve or worsen how patients feel. In physiotherapy, language may be just as important as physical interventions for achieving positive outcomes. So, what about swear words? While most of us swear sometimes and taboo words have been around since language emerged, their potential benefits are often ignored due to controversy and negative associations. Professors Nicholas Washmuth and Richard Stephens argue we should change this. In the right circumstances, they believe that swearing can significantly improve patient outcomes.
Professor Alberto Posso | Exploring the Neglected Psychological Consequences of Child Labour
Child labour is a major social problem, particularly in developing countries. Recent reports estimate that globally, there are 160 million children engaged in child labour – representing an increase of 8.4 million in the last four years. Child labour is likely both a symptom and a cause of poverty. Not only do working children achieve lower levels of education, but their physical health can also be jeopardised. However, less is known about the psychological and mental health impacts.
Professor Kevin Lewis | Exploring the Differences between Digital and Face-to-Face Social Networks
Digital communication technologies, such as email, social media and messaging apps, radically changed how humans interact with each other. However, most research on how digital networks emerge and evolve is based on the flawed assumption that online and offline social networks operate very similarly. Professor Kevin Lewis at the University of California, San Diego, recently published a paper that challenges this assumption, by exploring the differences in how online and offline social networks are established and develop over time.
Exploring How Focused Support Groups Can Help Patients with Oncogene-Driven Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, accounts for approximately 85% of lung cancer cases worldwide. Although NSCLC typically progresses at a slower rate than other types of lung cancer, by the time it is diagnosed it has often spread beyond the lungs, making it harder to treat. About a quarter of NSCLC cases are driven by so-called ‘oncogenes’. Such oncogene-driven cancers develop due to the extreme and uncontrolled expression of a gene that transforms normal cells into tumour cells.
Debra Klages | Post-traumatic Growth in Health Professionals Who are Mothers of Adult Children with Schizophrenia
For young people with schizophrenia, their first experience of psychosis is often highly traumatic. Because of the close, nurturing relationships mothers typically have with their children, they too can experience trauma while witnessing their children’s disturbing psychotic episodes. As a result, mothers of adult children with schizophrenia often experience negative impacts on their physical and psychological health. Debra Klages takes a unique perspective by shedding light on how the traumatic experiences of health professionals with dual roles as mothers can lead to personal and professional growth and resilience.
Professor Zygmunt Pizlo | How Fundamentals in Physics Can Explain Perception and Cognition
Psychophysics is the formal study of perception – our sensory experience of the world. Professor Zygmunt Pizlo at the University of California-Irvine explains that while symmetry is fundamental in both physics and mathematics, it is also fundamental to our understanding of vision. He believes there is much to gain in expanding the existing boundaries of psychology, cognitive science and neuroscience by embracing established fundamentals in physics.
The Multi-theory Model of Health Behavior Change: Understanding Meditation, or ‘Dhyana’ | Professor Manoj Sharma
Meditation is the regular, purposeful practice of becoming aware of one’s bodily sensations, thoughts, or other points of focus. Professor Manoj Sharma, a global health promotion leader and Chair of the Social and Behavioral Health department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, wished to test whether a health behavioral model that he developed could explain why adults begin and maintain a meditation practice. While this multi-theory model – or ‘MTM’ – has been applied to many health-related behaviors, two domains are core to the model: initiation of a health behavior and sustenance of this behavior.
Professor Kieran Kilcawley | Using Flavour Chemistry to Identify Biomarkers Behind the Sensory Perception of Irish Grass-fed Beef and Lamb
For many consumers, the origin of the food they buy is of great importance. For instance, Irish beef and lamb is often seen as superior quality meat, as the animals are typically reared outdoors on a diet of predominately fresh grass. However, are Irish beef and lamb actually any different to meats produced elsewhere, from animals reared indoors in less sustainable production systems? Professor Kieran Kilcawley and his team at the Teagasc Agriculture and Food Development Authority in Ireland, in conjunction with University College Dublin, are investigating the ‘flavour chemistry’ of beef and lamb. Their aim is to determine whether there are fundamental differences in the chemical properties of meat due to the animal’s diet and origin.
Dr William Durkan | Exploring How the Geography of Voter Turnout Impacts Election Results
Voter turnout plays a key role in the functioning of democracies. If only a minority of citizens vote, the elected government might not accurately represent the views of the population. In contrast, when voter turnout is high, a country’s government has a strong mandate to make decisions on its citizens’ behalf. The geographical distributions of voters and voter turnout also significantly affect the outcome of elections. Dr William Durkan of Maynooth University in Ireland recently explored the changing geographies of voter turnout in US presidential elections from 2012 to 2020, using the state of Michigan as a case study.
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