Can video calls with friends replace real social encounters? Meeting a friend in Covid-19 times has little to do with an intimate chat in a bar. Instead, video calls have become the new medium to share our innermost feelings. But can these moments of online face-to-face communication replace the ‘real’ offline experience? Julia Folz • February 26, 2021
The CHANGE towards open science Two days ago Leiden University launched its Academia in Motion transcript, published by the Leiden Recognition and Reward steering group. One of the pillars of this initiative is ‘Transparency’, but how can we make this pillar work best? Maaike Verburg and Christel Klootwijk • January 26, 2021
No need to be scared; appealing to fear to change behavior Showing gory pictures of cancerous lungs, videos of forest fires, and graphs of exponentially increasing infection rates are familiar tactics to scare people into different behavior. But how effective are fear appeals? Six decades of research provides some answers. Lotte van Dillen • December 14, 2020
Pandemics: Survival of the ‘most anxious’? When people in movies shake hands or crowd into elevators, do you think 'No! Keep back!'? I do. And it’s not just me. Apparently the Corona-induced fear of human contact is already wired in our brains. In this pandemic, will it be a case of survival of the most anxious? Marieke Tollenaar • November 09, 2020
Screen vs. paper: Battle of the (e-)books Technology plays an increasingly important role in all aspects of our lives, and reading is no exception. But does it matter for comprehension whether we read from paper or from a screen? Although the question seems straightforward, the answer is not. Amy de Bruïne • October 12, 2020
Videoblog: Mapping and investigating an unknown brain structure In our era we try to discover and unfold unknown space structures but Daphne Tona investigates mysteries in our brains. The locus coeruleus is a small structure deep inside the brain, which is responsible for the norepinephrine system. This system is important since it influences our everyday lives. Klodiana Daphne Tona • October 06, 2020
The sweet taste of revenge When someone hurts your feelings, you might feel the urge to hurt them back. Even though it can feel satisfying in the moment, it is not always the wisest decision in the long term. So why do we still do it? And what happens in the brain during revenge? Simone Dobbelaar • September 28, 2020
Paradox of Choice Choosing from a variety of options is often hard. Deciding which dish to eat, which movie to watch, what to listen to, or what to do in general… it’s quite an issue. This subject drew my attention because I face it in my everyday life. Zeynep Cosan • September 21, 2020
An unboxable truth This year, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld won the International Booker Prize for 'The Discomfort of Evening'. As part of my Clinical Psychology course, I tried to paint a psychological portrait of the protagonist Jas, and to determine a diagnosis. Cato Boeschoten • September 17, 2020