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...research and policies tend to be based on the assumption that people are rational and that their behaviours therefore reflect what they know about what is real. Communication policies aimed at encouraging change towards more sustainable behaviour have therefore tended to follow an information-deficit model whereby it has been assumed that given the facts, people will act...

...research for my book ‘Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Perfect Penalty’, I spoke to coaches and athletes from many different sports, including golf, tennis, rugby, handball, gridiron and water-polo. All practice assiduously for any eventuality, and the most important word they used to describe their practise was ‘purposeful’. I was reminded of this word...

...research efforts. There are several salient, but as yet unanswered, questions. Is the association with microcephaly real, or is the Brazilian microcephaly spike just a parallel epidemic caused by something else? Why was microcephaly not reported in the Pacific island outbreaks? If the microcephaly association is proved, what does this mean for affected communities? Can...

...research thinking. Childhood traumatic events can be remembered accurately or inaccurately, while the field of eyewitness testimony is rife with examples of memories that are moderated by perception or time. Furthermore, the emotions and behaviors of Riley are depicted using the same framework that adults often use to interpret their emotions. This misses the mark....

...research and innovation for the Olympics … we’ve got a really great team of people doing a fantastic job, who will go to the ends of the earth looking for that final marginal gain. It’s all about marginal gains, isn’t it? While this approach has left some competitors scratching their heads, no one can question the success of Dyer’s strategy. It’s clear that...

...research literature, and while not all are relevant to politics, some may provide valuable insights into what lies ahead. Rather than pursing British superiority and exceptionalism, and the rigid positon of the demands made by Brexiteers, a more humble approach may be needed. Recognising that even ministers and ambassadors are human beings, with human limits to their...