In Eleanor Rigby, the Beatles asked: “All the lonely people – where do they all come from?” The answer to that question is complex, but loneliness is a widespread feeling among Australians. One in three people feel lonely, and one in six experience severe loneliness. The findings of our research suggest that shared reading groups, where people from […] … learn more→

If you live in the UK or are familiar with its wide range of accents and dialects, you can probably tell the difference between a posh or upper-class accent, (think the “King’s English”) and one more associated with the working class (such as Cockney). Besides accents, it is a popular view, reinforced in media and pop culture, that certain words […] … learn more→

In this digital era, the flow of information comes non-stop. The latest news, emails, and social media content fill our gadgets every day. This condition causes us to experience information overload, which is a situation where someone is exposed to an excessive amount of information so that it is difficult to process and filter the information effectively. […] … learn more→

Knowing how to speak and express yourself in public is not only a useful skill in the workplace. It goes much further: it serves to trigger thought, to develop empathy and listening, and to conserve the energy that we all have. The conviction that true and complete communication necessarily involves knowing how to speak in […] … learn more→

More people in the UK now access news online than on television, according to new survey data from the media regulator, Ofcom. This is the first time Ofcom’s annual news consumption poll found online media use ahead of TV news. The immediate press reaction to the survey suggested television is in terminal decline, with online media replacing TV news. […] … learn more→

As anyone who has looked for a job can tell you, finding one isn’t the easiest process. This experience can be even more challenging if you’re new to a country and speak with what is perceived to be a “foreign” accent. An accent can often impact how we are viewed and judged by others. Despite being […] … learn more→

The Australian federal government has committed to a national plan to ban children from social media. Details are still scarce. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged that “no government is going to be able to protect every child from every threat, but we have to do all we can”. But banning children from social media isn’t […] … learn more→

When studying entrepreneurship, much of the academic effort is devoted to trying to determine the traits that distinguish entrepreneurs. However, the fact that an individual has these traits is not synonymous with him or her being willing to start an entrepreneurial activity. What is truly significant is the influence that entrepreneurial traits can have on the […] … learn more→

We tend to think of people’s memories as being either good or bad. However, you might know someone with a terrible memory for names and faces who is very good at learning languages. Another person might have an extraordinary ability to recall past events in detail, but they struggle to memorise phone numbers. These apparent […] … learn more→

People have pondered whether dreams have a purpose throughout human history. Modern scientists are fascinated with this question too. For a long time the science of dreams has oscillated between fringe research and the mainstream. But creative study designs and new technology are transforming it into an exciting and serious research niche. Here are four recent breakthroughs that […] … learn more→