How empathy can make or break a troll
Trolls tend to know the impact they'll have, but don't seem to care. So, how do we use our new findings to help stop this seemingly pointless, harmful behaviour?
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Behaviour
Displaying 1 - 20 of 69 articles
Confidence can be a bad thing – here’s why
Confidence in sports, exams and other endeavours in life, can be counter-productive.
Primates at play show why monkeying around is good for the brain
New research adds to the evidence that playing is linked to learning brain power in primates.
Why we’re wasting money on medical tests and how behavioural insights can help
Reducing health-care waste relating to unnecessary tests has been a major priority for researchers, governments and health services for decades. But how do we change the behaviour of doctors?
Synchronised swimming makes dolphins more optimistic
A new study of captive dolphins has found that those engaging in synchronised swimming make more optimistic judgements about an unknown event.
Biosocial science: The murky history of the nature and nurture debate
Why research that links our social behaviour to our genes is still controversial today.
A behaviourist’s guide to New Year’s resolutions
If you want to stick to your New Year's resolutions, a behaviourist's approach might help you create and keep new, healthy habits.
Why it is useful to understand the role of genetics in behaviour
Understanding how genes influence people's behaviour doesn't lead to fatalism.
To stop domestic violence, we need to change perpetrators’ behaviour
Thousands of Australian men are sitting on waiting lists every year to get help to end their violent behaviour – even though behaviour change programs can reduce their likelihood of offending again.
How monkeys make friends and influence each other
Because primates have relationships too you know.
Are we expelling too many children from Australian schools?
School expulsions are on the rise in Australia. But research shows individual punishment as a deterrent rarely works.
How Pokemon Go turned couch potatoes into fitness fanatics without them even realising it
The minds of Pokemon trainers have been manipulated using basic behavioural science.
Is it our fault if we eat too many calories?
It turns out most of us under-report how many calories we consume – but it's not entirely our fault.
How emotion coaching brings out the best in children
A different approach to children's behaviour could improve relationships and resilience.
The power of rewards and why we seek them out
The Pokemon GO craze has tapped in to our desire to seek out rewards. But there different types of rewards in life, each designed to capture our attention, even train our behaviour.
Do voters really care about facts?
A behavioural psychologists explains how facts fall to the wayside when it comes to how we vote.
Schools’ tough approach to bad behaviour isn’t working – and may escalate problems
Schools need to avoid practices that exclude badly behaved students and instead offer more ongoing, personalised support.
Moving house can make you healthier, happier – and greener, too
It's the best time to make a fresh start.
Tablets at the table can influence child development, not always in a good way
If you use a tablet device to keep a child quiet at the dining table or other event then you could be limiting their social skills. That could have an impact on the way they behave later in life.
Sorry Jamie Oliver, I’d be surprised if sugar tax helped cut obesity
Why Britain's obesity crusader could be heading for disappointment.
Top contributors
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Professor of Psychology, University of Melbourne
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Professor of Marketing, University of Birmingham
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Honorary Associate in Philosophy, University of Sydney
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Professor of Psychology, Flinders University
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Associate Professor, Swansea University
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Researcher at Microsoft Research. Previously, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Avian Behavioural Ecology, Macquarie University
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Research Fellow, University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia
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Research Fellow, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University
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Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Classroom Management, Australian Catholic University
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Professor of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UNSW
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PhD Student in Communication and Social Interaction, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Bioanthropology, Australian National University
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Professor of Environmental Science, Macquarie University
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