Internet Psychologist
Regular readers might think this weekend’s heatwave has gone to my head. Last week, I suggested that working from home had its problems and that returning to the office might be a good idea – assuming the office is a nice place to work. Now, I’m encouraging you to give …
All this week I have been working from home. That’s because it is the end of term at university and several rooms near my office are being used for exams. To avoid disrupting students, those of us with offices close to the exam rooms decided to work from home all …
Earlier this week, I was in a meeting where someone was adamant they could spot “anything” produced by artificial intelligence. They were highly confident in their ability to detect material written by AI. The evidence, though, suggests otherwise. Several studies have investigated whether people can detect AI-generated material, and overall, …
A few weeks ago, I was in a meeting when one of my colleagues said that they would “socialise” the decision after “circling back” with us. I didn’t say anything, but I sat there thinking, “I’m too old for this game, I no longer understand what people are saying to …
A Field Guide for Business Go ahead and Google “what is internet psychology.” What comes back is a curious jumble: a few academic papers behind paywalls, some university course pages, a handful of listicles about social media addiction, and not much that tells you what the field actually is or …
A series of events this week made me think about how we make plans. It all began when I started my lecture on Tuesday about marketing planning. One student wanted to know if there was a “right way” to do planning. I said that there was definitely a wrong way …
It has been a turbulent week in UK politics. Indeed, it has been such a roller coaster of political upheaval that the news has spread worldwide. The troubles for the British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, have made front-page news across Europe, the USA, Brazil, India, and Russia. Several reports …
Last night was an evening of contrasts. First, I watched the celebratory concert from the Royal Albert Hall in London, which honoured Sir David Attenborough on his 100th birthday. Then I turned to the special “BBC Question Time” programme discussing the results of the UK local elections held on Thursday. …
The British politician, Zack Polanski, has apologised for a social media post he published this week. The Tweet criticised the Metropolitan Police for the way they arrested a man suspected of stabbing two Jewish men in Golders Green, London. To be fair to Mr Polanski, he did not write the …
Last night, I switched on the radio to hear Margaret Thatcher declare victory at the end of the Falklands War. I wondered, for a moment, if I had been transported back in time. Instead, it was the opening to a news item about a leaked Pentagon document. The memo suggested …
Last night, as I was settling down for an evening of binge-watching, a friend sent me a WhatsApp photo of something that had just dropped through her letterbox. It was a piece of direct mail, and I replied with some quip about it being old-fashioned. Even so, the leaflet had …
The other day, I received an email, and I shouted “Hurray” out loud, to the amusement of those around me. The message said a change at work was coming. I was elated because I suggested this change over a decade ago. I wondered why it had taken so long to …
I hope you are having a lovely Easter break and looking forward to munching your way through several eggs. Now, don’t go telling me that you don’t have Easter eggs. The latest statistics show that, here in the UK, we are the third-largest consumers of chocolate in the world. Each …
This week I attended two Graduation Ceremonies at the university where I work. It is one of the few days in the year that feels unapologetically joyful, with smiling students and proud parents celebrating their achievements. It’s a shame that not all days are like it. Some days are difficult, …
You do not have to look far to discover global leaders who are anything but succinct and to the point. Long rambling speeches are everywhere as world leaders appear to want to outdo one another for the longest talk. If they are not doing that, they give lengthy, tedious answers …