It was that mean child… or was it?

The typical idea of a bully is a mean child who wants to dominate their peers. However, understanding social interactions in this light only gives part of the story. We need more nuance in the discussion of bullying to find fitting solutions to different problems.

Neeltje van den Bedem • February 28, 2022

Multi-tasking: It’s not what you think

You probably know someone who claims they’re a great multi-tasker – or perhaps you even consider yourself one. However, studies show that humans are actually quite bad at performing multiple tasks simultaneously. Let’s demystify the myth of multi-tasking!

Marit Ruitenberg and Luc Vermeylen • February 23, 2022

COVID-19 and student mental health: A secondary crisis of the pandemic?

Even under normal circumstances students experience higher levels of mental health issues, but this became worse during the pandemic. International students may be especially at risk, due to travel constraints and inability to form a social life during lockdowns.

Liia Kivelä • February 17, 2022

Competent or in control – how to be successful?

How do children grow up to become socially adaptive and skilled adults? What factors contribute to their well-being? Read on for a sneak peek at findings of the L-CID study!

Mara van der Meulen • February 07, 2022

Can I ‘read’ your emotions in my body?

Have you ever felt a shiver or the pricking of tears when you see someone grieving about a dead loved one? “Feeling” others’ emotions does not only happen in our heads: it affects our entire bodies. But are those changes actually informative?

Julia Folz • January 20, 2022

Wim Hofstee (1936-2021) and the Theory of Psychological Relativity

Wim Hofstee was one of the designers of post WWII psychological science in the Netherlands. His contribution can roughly be summarized in two concepts: Prediction and Relativity. And decades of assiduous work, using the method of Thinking.

Fenna Poletiek • December 23, 2021

Do you see what I see? Discrepancy between images and official police reports

On 17 June 2020, police officers observed a car driving onto a motorway, swerving unpredictably. The officers saw the driver was using their phone and pulled the car over. Several kilos of drugs were then discovered in the car, and the driver was arrested on suspicion of violating the Opium Act.

Lotte van Dillen, Gabry Vanderveen and Willem-Jan Verhoeven • December 20, 2021

Proper care starts with the basics: Structural attention for suicide prevention

How should I ask a client about suicidal thoughts? What do I do if a client tells me they are thinking about suicide? As a clinical psychology teacher, I am regularly faced with these kinds of questions from students in the master's programme.

Joanne Mouthaan • December 09, 2021

Language: the Hardest Problem of Science - Easy Peasy for any Child

One of the most difficult problems of science is where language comes from. Language ontogeny – how children can learn it? – and phylogeny – how did it emerge in evolution? – are still largely unsolved mysteries today. In a recent study, we attacked the issue in the lab, with surprising results.

Fenna Poletiek • November 15, 2021