Slightly Blighty

The British Brain Blog

Raj Persaud, M.D. and Peter Bruggen, M.D.

Why Politicians Might Be Catching the Crying Bug

The most common time to shed tears is between 7.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m.

The 'Boomerang' Effect of Vaccinating Public Figures

"Boomerang" effect psychology explains why health campaigns can backfire.

How Do You Tell a Narcissist That They Didn’t Win?

Because narcissists attach the highest importance to acquiring leadership, fame, and wealth, losing power and status will lead them to feel more totally empty.

U.S. Presidential Election: The Psychology of Victory

Politicians on the right of the political spectrum, on average, look more beautiful, a finding replicated in Europe, the U.S. and Australia.

A Surprising Approach for Coping With COVID-19 Stress

Experimental psychologists discovered a long time ago that it was not so much electric shocks that damaged us mentally, but unpredictable punishment.

Is the Pandemic Leading to a New Normal of Revenge Porn?

In one study of revenge porn, more than 50 percent of survivors’ full names and links to social media profiles accompanied the naked photos.

Could COVID Karma Kill Trump's Campaign?

The things we want to know about the health of Presidents and presidential candidates tell us much more about ourselves than about them.

How People Panicked Over the Pandemic

New research on how people panic in a crisis, and why understanding those reactions are so vital.

Why Forgive a Mass Killer Who Murdered Your Son?

But now a new study suggests it may have been a mistake to see forgiveness and revenge as opposing strategies, and that both might be empowering.

Police Psychology Behind George Floyd's Killing

Civilian complaints of major crimes declined by approximately 3 to 6 percent during the police slowdown.

Can Dominic Cummings Psychology Explain Lockdown Violations?

Sitting MPs and Conservatives (both in and out of the UK House of Commons) appear to be significantly more tolerant, compared to the public, of ethically questionable behaviour.

The Psychology of Wearing a Face Mask

During the 1918-1920 pandemic, the public rebelled more over being forced to wear face masks than other more restrictive measures. This may be why.

Neil Ferguson

The Psychology Behind the UK Government Adviser's Resignation Scandal

The press puzzle over why Professor Neil Ferguson broke UK lockdown rules.

Can COVID-19 Stress Have an Impact on Pregnancy?

A recently published study from the University of Colorado has examined the effect of US Super Bowl exposure on low birth weight.

Covid-19 on the Couch: Sigmund Freud's Surprising Analysis

One Psychotherapist has claimed: ...Freud placed his bet on the human, as the source of both suffering and balm. He didn’t reckon with a nemesis so indifferent as a virus...

Study: Some May Seek to Die by Suicide from COVID-19

A new form of self-harm might be emerging: seeking to catch COVID-19 on purpose.

The Mental Impact of Boris Johnson's Hospitalization

We prefer leaders who look physically formidable when we find ourselves facing an external threat.

Can Pandemic Paranoia Produce Mass Murder?

Research explores how pandemics and other catastrophes can drive us to war.

The Psychology of Coping With Quarantine

As you detect physical symptoms attributable to rising panic but mistake them for the flu, you get more panicky and descend into a spiral of ever-increasing mental distress.

The Psychology of the Virus Super-Spreader

The authors argue that had the super-spreaders been identified and quarantined promptly, around 61% of the Ebola infections could have been prevented.

Should I Send My Child to School? Am I in Denial or Panic?

...school dismissals are particularly effective in delaying the epidemic peak, typically by 4 to 6 days for each additional week of dismissal.

UK's "Love Island" Reality TV Show and a Spate of Suicides

If this theory is true, then it ominously signals future suicides becoming an intrinsic and inevitable part of the culture of these programmes.

Are the Powerful More Likely to Be Unfaithful?

Power is linked to infidelity more for women than for men.

Is Red Really the Color of Seduction?

Women who expected to interact with an attractive man tended to display more red through their clothing, accessories, and makeup more often.

Does Social Media Drive School Students to Self-Harm?

There's a hundred-fold increase of antidepressant prescribing in Britain for children; a recent CDC publication puts use of antidepressants among American adolescents at 13%.

Psychology Can Help You Get Your Head Around the Wall Debate

The rapid expansion of gated communities across the United States may hold the key to understanding what's being argued.

Is It Wise to Give Away Your £115 Million Lottery Win?

Nearly one in 10 single women will be induced not to marry as a result of a big money lottery win. Additional income encourages single women to remain unmarried.

Is It Time To Change The Way You Make New Year Resolutions?

... and this current study suggests we can be divided into two basic psychological types, whether we value time more than money or whether we value time as if it were money.

Can Psychology Reveal Who's Lying to the Senate Judiciary?

What false accusers (and the media) can get wrong about sexual assault allegations.

Are Referees Unfair to Female Players?

A statistical analysis of a number of matches found definitively that referees made harsher decisions in female matches compared with male games.

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