She’s so vain? OU Psychologists explore how young women understand their own selfies

In a recent article, Dr Lisa Lazard and Dr Rose Capdevila explore how young women make sense of selfies against social disapproval of this practice as narcissistic. It is common for those who take and post selfies to be accused of narcissism. Since women and young people engage in photo sharing practices more frequently than…

Political Psychology in the BPS – contributions from the School

The Political Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society aims to 'promote Political Psychology in the UK and globally, enabling and empowering citizens with the political skills to meaningfully shape policy, practice and their worlds.' In the Summer 2020 bulletin of the Section, two CuSP members write about recent news events: Dr Karen Hagan analyses political speeches from…

Time for change?

Paul Stenner considers recent events in Bristol and calls for more psychological research into time, and its political significance. Time – as a psychological experience - has always been political, but in recent weeks it has become political in a way that almost nobody can ignore. Bristol is well known to have been built to…

They’re killing my participants!

Sue Nieland writes about an under-valued group of UK citizens, and the consequences of that undervaluing. I started my PhD last October with hope, excitement and some disbelief that, after so many years of collecting Masters degrees, I had the opportunity to join the elite group of postgraduate researchers within the OU. I knew it…

George Floyd: The Shameful Psychosocial Dynamics of ‘Race’, Violence and Hatred

Dr David Jones writes about the dynamics of shame, hatred and fear that have been repeatedly noted, yet still continue. The current global attention being brought to the problems of ‘race’ and criminal justice by the callous killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, prompts me to write as a white academic who has struggled to…