Broadening our view of the world is what Ann Buysse wants to achieve with her book 'Zoveel tussen ons’ (So much between us). She is a professor and dean of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. "I have never been so unsure about anything before. Especially because it has not become a purely academic book. I also put a lot of myself into it."
We all worry from time to time. It can even be good to clear the head, says professor Ernst Koster (department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology). However, it can also get out of hand.
Nearly 30 years ago, Rwanda went through a particularly brutal genocide perpetrated against Tutsis. The perpetrators were mainly regular citizens: colleagues, neighbours, family members… Today, both perpetrators and victims live side-by-side peacefully. But in a post-genocide society, can intergroup biases be ever reduced between individuals?
“Summer lovin', had me a blast. Summer lovin', happened so fast.” Danny and Sandy felt it already in the classic film Grease: during the summer there is love in the air. But is there any truth in it? Do we fall in love more quickly in the summer?
April 2021 saw the launch of Silver – a serious game with the aim of helping young people learn about mental health. Now, just a few months later, the game has been nominated for the Belgian Game Awards. We reflect on the journey so far, and discuss the next steps with Eva De Jaegere, who helped develop and do research for Silver.
To do a bit more sport, to eat a healthier diet and to try to put a bit more money aside. There is a good chance that you made some sort of list of good resolutions on 1st January this year, but that already, that list has become little more than a statement of good intentions. That’s not unusual, according to Professor Emelien Lauwerier. But the good news is that it’s still not too late to pick it up again, simply by adjusting your approach.
Well-meaning compliments do not always achieve the desired effect. Professor Bart Soenens explains what to watch out for and the potential pitfalls in giving a compliment.
For Laura Sels, not a day goes past without talking about relationships. You could call her a romantic, although she doesn’t necessarily believe in the ‘one and only’. She spends a little too much time looking at things from a research perspective for that: after all, as a postdoc, she is studying emotional processes in romantic relationships. “I can spend hours philosophising and thinking about them. I am also keen to actually help couples in the future.”
Since the beginning of the first lockdown, Ghent University has been gauging how and why we comply with the rules. Meanwhile, the motivation barometer has become a unique behavioral study with unprecedented social relevance. “We provide scientifically substantiated policy advice to support our motivation drivers,” says Professor Maarten Vansteenkiste, the driving force behind the study.
With the exams looming, for many students the moment of truth beckons. The main thing Is not to be paralysed by stress during tough circumstances. Student psychologists Suzy Even and Sarah Vermeersch have some tips.
In the American presidential elections, warmer weather on election day is favourable for the sitting president or his party, says Jasper Van Assche of the Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology.
