Can a single individual change the opinion, or influence the emotions of a group of people? What is the impact of a social group on our behavior? Social influence is the power of interaction with other individuals to influence our positions, beliefs, and values. It is key when we analyze violent behavior. People experience an innate need to be accepted and approved, […] … learn more→

Anxiety rates have been rising in recent years among children and young people, with the situation partially exacerbated by the pandemic. Occasional feelings of anxiety are normal, even in childhood – for example, a child may feel anxious about an approaching test at school. But if the anxiety is severe, long-lasting and interferes with a child’s daily life, it is called […] … learn more→

In a major speech today, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said vaping has become “the number one behavioural issue in high schools”. The government today proposed a suite of reforms aimed at reducing vaping. But what does the evidence show about the prevalence of vaping in schools and the kind of behavioural issues associated with it? My colleagues and […] … learn more→

Mental Health Week, which runs from May 1 to 7, provides an opportunity to reflect on our collective well-being. In addition to rising mental health issues, there seems to be a general malaise across normally well individuals in society. This is manifesting as cognitive and physical exhaustion, limited patience, disinterest in work and a resentment of the stressors […] … learn more→

We carry them everywhere, take them to bed, to the bathroom and for many people they’re the first thing they see in the morning – more than 90% of the world owns or uses a mobile phone and many of us couldn’t manage without one. But while health concerns about phones use usually focus on the distraction they […] … learn more→

The other day we were talking with Ramón, who is a journalist. He told us that when he studied the degree, in the faculties it was recommended not to write about suicide, since he could encourage the contagion of this behavior among other people. This phenomenon of imitation is known as the “Werther effect”, although it is also […] … learn more→

These days, people of all ages seem more stressed than ever. In the 2020s, everything from social media, to your college curriculum, to the threat of IA taking over your job has everyone on edge, whether they realize it or not. People tend to show their stress in different ways. Some get headaches, and others […] … learn more→

“I don’t listen to adults when it comes to this sort of thing”, a 17-year-old told me. We were discussing how digital technology affects his life, as part of a long-term project in the west of England that I carried out with colleagues to explore young people’s mental health – including the impact of digital technology on their […] … learn more→

We are facing a mental health crisis. Teenagers and young adults are more depressed, suicidal, anxious and lonely than ever before. Depression rates among teens have been increasing since the early 2000s. A 2018 national survey found that 13.3 per cent of U.S. adolescents experienced a major depressive episode in the last year. But it’s not just teens — young […] … learn more→

Surely the phrase “I can’t get up today” has crossed your mind at some point just when the alarm clock starts to go off, as the song by Mecano said , the mythical Spanish pop group from the 80s. But the alarm clock is one of those machines that we have inevitably become accustomed to obeying. And […] … learn more→