Social and Behavioural
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Barbara Holifield | Coming Home to the Body: Sensing, Development, Trauma and Depth Psychology
We often take our bodies for granted, treating them as vehicles to get us through the day or as objects to manage and control. But author and Jungian Analyst Barbara Holifield’s book Being with the Body in Depth Psychology challenges this view, arguing that the body is the foundation of our sense of self and the lens through which we encounter the world. Depth psychology has seldom treated the body as an intrinsic aspect of our psychology, and when it has, it rarely delves into the body as experienced. Through in-depth case studies, Holifield’s two important chapters – Chapter 2, Sensing the Self, Sensing the World, and Chapter 4, Attaining Embodiment: A Developmental Perspective – explore how we come to feel at home in our bodies and why this matters for both psychological health and human growth.
Reimagining online safety education through the eyes of young people
In today’s world, the internet is more than a tool. It can be a place where friendships are built, identities are explored, and young people find connection. For teenagers, digital spaces are a huge component of their lives. However, the way we talk about online safety often feels like it belongs to another era, one rooted in adult fears rather than young people’s lived experiences. A project led by the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, in partnership with the PROJECT ROCKIT Foundation with funding from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, set out to bridge this disconnect. Instead of telling young people how they “should” behave online, the researchers conducted a survey of 104 young people and workshops with 31 young Australians aged 12 to 17 which asked them directly: What does online safety mean to you? What do you wish adults understood? What would your ideal online world look like? How do you want to learn about online safety?
The results were eye-opening and led to the development of a framework to reimagine how online safety education for young people is designed and delivered.
Professor Chandra Waring | The Myth of the “Post-Racial” Family: What Multiracial Families Reveal About Race in America
In the United States, families that cross racial lines often attract admiration and curiosity. Such families are increasingly common, and they are seen by many as living proof that love conquers prejudice, and that the country is moving beyond its painful racial past. When a white mother cradles her brown-skinned baby, or a Black father teaches his lighter-skinned daughter to ride a bike, the image seems to embody progress and racial harmony. But as Professor Chandra Waring of the University of Massachusetts Lowell shows in her 2025 study, the story is far more complicated. Her article, titled “My Dad Is Racist as Hell: Navigating Racism, Monoracism, and White Privilege by Proxy in Multiracial Families,” reveals what really happens inside many multiracial households. Through interviews with 30 multiracial Americans, Waring reveals that love does not necessarily cancel racism. In fact, racism, and its quieter cousin, monoracism, often lives right inside these families.
Professor Dr Susanne Maria Maurer | How Social Work Functions as Living Memory of Society’s Deepest Conflicts
Research from Professor Dr Susanne Maria Maurer, former chair of social pedagogy at the Philipps-Universität Marburg, reveals how social work institutions and practices serve as repositories of knowledge about historical struggles over class, gender, and race. She conceptualizes social work as both a “memory of conflicts” and an “open archive” that holds different answers to social problems from across history. Her work shows that to truly understand social work today we need to look at the ideas that were pushed aside and the ongoing debates that still shape how social workers do their jobs.
Dr. Rafael Lenzi | From Magic Tricks to Spycraft: What Espionage Teaches Us About the Human Mind
When we think of spies and their activities, we imagine trench coats, hidden cameras, and tense exchanges in safehouses. Hollywood has given us the daring adventures of James Bond and Jason Bourne, along with the clever trickery of films such as Argo. But behind the cinematic flair lies a quieter, more subtle reality: espionage often depends less on gadgets, weapons and car chases than on the delicate art of deception, an art rooted in psychology, perception, and human behaviour. This is the world explored by Dr. Rafael Lenzi, in a work developed at the Centre de Recherches Sémiotiques in Limoges, France. His study of Cold War espionage, drawing on declassified CIA manuals and philosophical theories of perception, reveals how deception is not just about tricking the eye, but about shaping the mind. In other words, spying succeeds not when someone fails to see, but when they see exactly what they expect to see, and therefore overlook the trickery in front of them.
Dr. Genny Beemyn – Dr. Abbie Goldberg | Beyond the Binary: A New Generation’s Approach to Gender
In the Autumn of 2022, hopeful college students across the United States clicked through the questions on the Common Application, the digital gateway to more than one thousand colleges and universities. For the first time, alongside their grades, essays, and extracurricular lists, applicants had the chance to provide their gender and pronouns. These questions might seem a small detail, tucked between test scores and teacher recommendations, but their impact is enormous. They mark a turning point in higher education, one where students are able to represent themselves more authentically. Thanks to the work of Dr. Genny Beemyn of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Dr. Abbie Goldberg of Clark University, we now have the first large-scale glimpse into how a new generation of young people is reshaping society’s understanding of gender.
Tanja Oschatz | Factors that Sustain the Gendered Pleasure Gap: Gendered Media Representations of Sexual Pleasure and Women’s Performance of Sexual Emotional Labor
Despite decades of awareness about gender equality, a persistent pleasure gap remains between women and men in sexual encounters, with women experiencing significantly fewer orgasms and less sexual pleasure. It is important to note that this gender difference exists primarily in contexts where women have sex with men, while women who have sex with women tend to experience more orgasms and sexual pleasure. Since the gendered pleasure gap cannot be explained by biological factors, researchers continue investigating hidden sociocultural forces that perpetuate this inequality. Two complementary studies from Tanja Oschatz at Johannes Gutenberg University and her colleagues reveal previously overlooked contributors to this gap: women’s performance of sexual emotional labor in intimate relationships and biased media representations of sexual pleasure.
Dr. Osei Appiah | How Political Identity Trumps Racial Identity in Cross-Race Conversations About Sensitive Topics
Research from communication scholars at The Ohio State University reveals fascinating new insights about the dynamics of conversations about race-related issues in the USA. Two complementary studies show that White participants expected more negative outcomes and were more likely to avoid conversations with fellow White people from different political parties than with Black people from different parties. The findings challenge assumptions about racial identity and suggest that partisan divisions have become more influential than racial divisions in shaping willingness to engage in difficult conversations.
Dr. Raymond Atwebembere | Restoring Connection: Understanding Suicide Through Human Stories
Loneliness is often described as the invisible epidemic of our time. It creeps quietly into lives, eroding confidence, weakening social bonds, and, at its most dangerous, pushing individuals toward the edge of despair. Stigma can prevent the lonely from seeking help and as loneliness is largely experienced through the prism of isolation, those in need of support may feel they have no-one to turn to. In his chapter “Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Suicidal Behavior: ‘Only Girl, Middle Child’” from the Edited Volume “Loneliness – The Ultimate Suffering in Modern Society”, Dr. Raymond Atwebembere of the Washington University in St. Louis examines this crisis not through abstract statistics alone but through vivid personal stories. His work underscores the truth that loneliness is not just a feeling; if left unaddressed it can be lethal.
The allure and pitfalls of flavored tobacco and nicotine products. Interview with Professor Mary Rezk-Hanna
Interview with Professor Mary Rezk-Hanna
Professor Ukamaka Oruche | When Science Meets Real-world Barriers: Lessons from the Frontlines of Mental Health
By all measures, America’s mental health system is stretched too thin. Families are in crisis, community mental health providers are overworked, and groundbreaking research often struggles to find its way into real-world practice. But thanks to researchers such as Professor Ukamaka Oruche of the University of South Florida, and colleagues, we’re learning how to map and close that gap, one challenge at a time. When we think of medical breakthroughs or scientific discoveries, we often imagine white coats, high-tech labs, and swift translation from theory to practice. But in the world of mental health, particularly in community settings that serve the most vulnerable, reality looks very different. Shockingly, it can take 17 to 20 years for evidence-based mental health interventions to become part of everyday clinical care.
Dr. Adam W. Carrico | Biobehavioral Approaches to HIV Prevention and Treatment in Sexual Minority Men Who Use Stimulants
Research from Dr. Adam W. Carrico at the Florida International University, and his colleagues, explores innovative approaches to address HIV prevention and treatment challenges among sexual minority men who use stimulants. Three interconnected studies examine how behavioral interventions can reduce HIV viral load, alter gene expression in immune cells, and increase the use of preventive medication in this high-priority population. Collectively, these randomized controlled trials provide compelling evidence of the potential of behavioral interventions to improve health behaviors and outcomes.
Dr Nina Gmeiner | 21st Century Trends in Property Regimes: Progressive Commons
The ownership of goods, including both material objects and immaterial goods such as intellectual property, is defined by property regimes. Property regimes are sets of rules that define ownership. They determine who can own goods, legitimate ways of acquiring and using them, and duties associated with owning them. Two important categories of property regimes are private property and common property regimes. Private property regimes focus on ownership by a single person or entity, while common property regimes involve ownership by several people or entities. Nina Gmeiner and her colleagues from the research project RightSeeds explored the recent emergence of a class of property regimes known as progressive commons.
Professor Samantha Punch | Benefits of Bridge: The Partnership Mindsport
Bridge is a popular card game played socially and competitively by millions of people throughout the world. Each game consists of four players divided into two pairs, or ‘partnerships’. They compete against each other to win ‘tricks’ through cooperation, strategic thinking and logical deduction. Professor Samantha Punch at the University of Stirling leads ‘Bridge: A MindSport for All’. This research-led project explores the benefits of bridge amongst the circuit of international players.
Dr Robert Walsh | Propaganda and Mass Deception Depend Upon the Tribal Mind
Propaganda is the systemic use of language with the intent to brainwash rather than to persuade. Deceptive communication designed to mislead the masses is commonplace in the Information Age. Dr Robert Walsh of Sisseton Wahpeton College in South Dakota recently examined how propagandists bend language for mass deception. He argued that what makes propaganda insidious is a vestige of our prehistoric past – the Neolithic or Tribal Mind.
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.
Sarah Leighton | Can Psychiatric Assistance Dogs Help Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?
Psychiatric assistance dogs trained to help with mental health symptoms have become increasingly popular as a complementary intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sarah Leighton and her colleagues from Purdue University and the University of Arizona in the USA are exploring the effectiveness of psychiatric assistance dog partnerships for military veterans with PTSD.
Do European Citizens Accept EU and National Policies Equally?
Following the global financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, a related economic emergency known as the Euro Crisis spread throughout Europe. To counter this crisis, the EU imposed a series of austerity measures in the worst-hit countries, which fuelled outrage across Europe. However, it is unclear whether citizens were more outraged about these policies because they had been implemented by EU institutions rather than national governments. Professor Sonia Alonso and Professor Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca recently set out to understand whether the willingness of citizens to accept unpopular policies varies depending on whether they were introduced by their national governments or by EU institutions.
Dr Darren Sharpe, University of East London – Cultivating Young People’s Empowerment and Participation in Society
Young people are central to a country’s growth and development, as they bring fresh perspectives and innovation. However, the path towards gaining full inclusion in society can be arduous for many youths, particularly those from marginalised and disadvantaged backgrounds.
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