Psychologists find sense of humour predicts depression and suicidal thinking – does this partly explain the Robin Williams tragedy? Dr Raj Persaud and Professor Adrian Furnham Victoria Ando, from St Hugh’s College, University of Oxford has recently published a study entitled ‘Psychotic traits in comedians’, which uncovers a link between the manic side of bipolar […]
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The Care Quality Commission Cover Up – and the biggest cover up of all in the NHS Dr Raj Persaud and Dr Peter Bruggen The Care Quality Commission has now named its officials who are alleged to have been involved in a cover up of an internal report critical of the CQC’s monitoring of Furness […]
SUICIDE AND THE PANDEMIC by Dr Raj Persaud FRCPsych Consultant Psychiatrist Authors from Iowa State University and Stanford University have recently conducted a study which suggests that fifty thousand extra suicides worldwide is currently the best estimate of the result of the current pandemic. They point out that the forecast could be much higher depending […]
BY DR RAJ PERSAUD Can the widespread emotional disturbance produced by a pandemic set off a cascade of psychological processes which inevitably result in armed conflict?The Triumph of Death painting 1562 by Pieter Bruegel the Elder – Museo del Prado, Madrid, SpainSource: Public Domain commons wikimediaAccording to the psychology of ‘scapegoating’, the experience of profoundly […]
The Psychology of Child Torture David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49, from Perris California, face accusations of torture, child endangerment and holding their 13 children captive. Authorities found some of their kids chained to beds, “in dark and foul-smelling surroundings,” following an emergency phone call from the 17-year-old daughter who escaped […]
Perhaps the least contestable thing you can say about the unpredictable Donald Trump is that he is a polarizing politician. Clearly a lot of people idolize him, while it seems almost as many detest the new President. Yet no one appears to have posed the key dilemma that will surely determine the success of his reign […]
Donald Trump has said he would be open to bringing back torture because he “absolutely” believes it works, claiming that “people at the highest level of intelligence” have confirmed to him that torture does work. But this seems to directly contradict the latest psychological research into what professional interrogators themselves really believe to be effective […]
by Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Donald Trump’s astounding presidential victory appears to have surprised many, including pollsters, experts, pundits, large swathes of the media and the political intelligentsia. Is it possible that in order to fully grasp what has happened in a tumultuous election, psychological processes need to be invoked? Perhaps it […]
Depending on the performance of the candidates, the televised debate between Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton might determine the next President of the United States. Psychology dramatically influences the way such debates are perceived by the public and their impact, so both candidates most probably consider deploying psychology in their planning for the encounter. A […]
The Psychology of Betrayal By Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Plastered across the British Press are terms such as ‘betrayal’ and ‘back-stabbing’, as Britain reels in reaction to the news that Boris Johnson, widely tipped to the be the UK’s next Prime Minister, has had his ambitions thwarted by his close colleague, Michael […]
The Motives Behind Murder of UK Member of Parliament Jo Cox Dr Raj Persaud and Dr David James A man has now been charged with murder in connection with the shooting of UK Member of Parliament Jo Cox. The attacker is reported to have shouted ‘Britain First’ as he repeatedly kicked the mother-of-two […]
CAN PSYCHOLOGY EXPLAIN THE MARIA SHARAPOVA DOPING CONTROVERSY? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Mystery continues to surround the revelation that tennis champion Maria Sharapova has tested positive for a banned substance. One of the enigmas surrounds the drug implicated; meldonium is reportedly widely used for the treatment of heart problems, so why would an […]
The kind of parenting you experienced during your childhood predicts how long you will live Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A new study using a national sample of older people, just published from University College London, has revealed that style of parenting predicts how long your children will live. […]
As doctors go on strike in the UK, the nation appears to be on the threshold of an unprecedented wave of industrial action by physicians. These strikes could culminate in a walk out in the near future, which might even close emergency rooms in hospitals. One psychological theory about conflicts is if […]
The main reason Americans own guns is, apparently, for protection, yet, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Vermont point out in a new study, little is actually known about who uses guns in self-defense, and in what circumstances. David Hemenway and Sara Solnick recently published one of the few studies to […]
The New York Times and other US media are reporting that President Obama will feature in a live televised town hall get-together to discuss gun violence in the United States, renewing his emphasis on the pressing need for more gun restrictions. The event follows meetings with the Attorney General to discuss what executive actions […]
On Christmas Eve the Daily Mirror and Sun Newspapers in the UK, along with the BBC News Website, reported the case of a terminally ill 18-month-old girl whose life support machine was switched off, only for her to begin ‘kicking and screaming’, apparently overflowing with life, 30 minutes later. Alongside photographs of her parents giving […]
Can Psychology Explain why Germanwings crash Pilot believed he was losing his sight? Dr Raj Persaud FRCPsych Consultant Psychiatrist BBC News is reporting that that the pilot of the Germanwings plane, which crashed killing 150 people on board, had seen seven separate doctors in the month before the crash – one […]
Does ‘A Beautiful Mind’ reveal the real John Nash? by Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Raj Persaud FRCPsych Most winners of the Nobel Prize for Economics remain much more obscure than John Nash, who along with his wife, recently died in a car crash tragedy. Nash shot to fame following the Russell Crowe film, ‘‘A Beautiful Mind’’, […]
GIVING EACH UK CITIZEN THEIR OWN HEALTH BUDGET WILL CURE THE TERMINALLY ILL HEALTH SERVICE Dr Raj Persaud FRCPsych Headlines this week include that NHS trusts in England are suffering a total deficit of more than £800m for the current financial year, meanwhile the BMA attacked Government proposals of seven-day GP surgeries, […]
Ugh! That’s SO Disgusting! How repulsion predicts your sex life Dr Raj Persaud and Dr Peter Bruggen Academics at the Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, USA, point out in a recent study, that to have sex, we have to overcome strong feelings of disgust. Their study, published in the journal ‘Archives of Sexual Behaviour’, […]
IS THERE REAL PATIENT CHOICE IN THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE? Dr Raj Persaud FRCPsych Aneuryn Bevan the Secretary for State of Health after much pain with the Doctors, pushed the NHS out on July 5th 1948 – the day the NHS was delivered to an expectant nation – so Bevan could be […]
The Love Vote – How Your Partner Swings the Election Raj Persaud Which single individual is going to influence you in how to vote in the general election more than any other? Recent research suggests voters will be most swayed by a spouse. A study entitled ‘The Political Values and Choices of Husbands and Wives‘, […]
How to tell if a politician is lying Raj Persaud There is an old joke which asks – how to tell if a politician is lying? The answer – if they are moving their lips. In the midst of an election campaign a more scientific answer to this vital question may be […]
The ‘sexy sons’ hypothesis – why women get better sex with men other women fancy Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A team of psychologists from Oakland University in the United States have just published new research which reveals that psychologists might be able to predict what kind of man a woman is more likely to […]
Beware the witch-hunt – people who have suffered depression can and should still fly planes Raj Persaud FRCPsych Consultant Psychiatrist One of the most recent studies of aircraft assisted suicides in the United States found in a 20-yr period (1993- 2012) the proportion of general aviation suicides in relation to the total number […]
Inside the mind of the pilot who flies to crash Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen BBC News is reporting French investigators concluded that the co-pilot of the Germanwings flight, Andreas Lubitz, appeared to want to “destroy the plane”, intentionally initiating a descent while the pilot was locked out, leading to the crash in […]
The latest psychological research suggests daydreams hold the secret of happiness Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham Friday March 20th is ‘International Day of Happiness’ – but amongst all the dubious advice that is inevitably going to pedalled as the secret to happiness – what does psychology and science reveal as the most practical […]
The Psychology of the Jeremy Clarkson incident Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The incident where popular TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson may or may not have got into a fight, which may or may not have turned physical, with a producer on the hit TV series ‘Top Gear’, continues to generate speculation over exactly what happened […]
As Bill Gates is declared the world’s richest man (again) – can psychology explain how to become a billionaire? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The BBC News website reports Forbes Magazine annual list of world’s billionaires has declared Bill Gates is the richest man in the world. It’s the 16th time […]
Raj talks to Margaret. What is it like to be committed to Psychiatric Ho…: http://youtu.be/FPQRelQ3FtE
Are ‘hookups’ changing the way men and women view each other? Raj Persaud and Kathleen Martin Ginis A new study has found that the rise of ‘hookups’, or sex without commitment, could be having an unexpected impact, particularly on the way women assess men’s bodies. This new research, on the kind […]
Psychologists reveal who Indians fall in love with – and why it’s different for the modern generation Dr Raj Persaud and Professor Adrian Furnham A new psychology study has investigated changing romance patterns on the sub-continent. In some cases some of the contrasts in romantic preferences between Indian men and women, how […]
Andy Murray, Mental Toughness and the ‘Inner Game’. Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The BBC News website is reporting that Pat Cash declared Andy Murray “melted down and collapsed” in his loss to Novak Djokovic. Andy Murray blamed becoming distracted by Novak Djokovic’s fitness problems, which emerged during the Australian Open Tennis […]
As Kim Sears is caught cursing on camera – can psychology answer the question – why do women swear? Raj Persaud Kim Sears, the fiancée of Andy Murray, has been caught on camera, apparently mouthing off. This has captured the public imagination, so much so that the incident threatens to overshadow the battling Scot’s progress […]
US Serial killer, rapist and necrophiliac, Ted Bundy, who shortly before his execution confessed to 30 homicides committed in the 1970s, asserted that “he could tell a victim by the way she walked down the street, the tilt of her head, the manner in which she carried herself, etc . . .”. This quote is […]
As the US President meets the Prime Minister of India – are Leaders who Love themselves good for you? Raj Persaud Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, it has been revealed, has his own name sewn into his suit pinstripe, so there has been negative reaction from political opponents on whether this reveals extreme […]
Michele Chwastiak from the University of New Mexico, United States has just published an analysis exposing the aviation companies complicit in the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program. Aspects of CIA abduction and cruelty were revealed by mundane accounts which accidentally came to light, when two of the subcontractors for the CIA’s privatized rendition fights went to […]
A study about to be published in the ‘International Journal of Cardiology’ has found that the funniest comedians suffer dramatically reduced longevity, compared to their relatively less funny counterparts. The research, from the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia, analysed the life span of 53 male British comedians born between 1900 and 1954. A key finding […]
‘Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful’ – when beauty is bad for you Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Researchers based at the University of Colorado and the Illinois Institute of Technology have just published a study which examines what they describe as a ‘subtle form of sex discrimination’, occurring when attractive women are […]
Charles Manson’s Marriage – why women marry murderers Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Notorious murderer Charles Manson is 80 years old and in a Californian state prison for a series of killings (by members of a cult/commune ‘Manson Family’), yet he has recently been granted a marriage license to wed 26 year old […]
Cowards and Cowardice – Chris Walsh bravely discusses his new book with Raj Persaud: http://youtu.be/LGkTJSnxc1w From Princeton press website Coward. It’s a grave insult, likely to provoke anger, shame, even violence. But what exactly is cowardice? When terrorists are called cowards, does it mean the same as when the term is applied to soldiers? And […]
Why can’t the cleverest country in Europe get any Nobel Prizes? Raj Persaud and Professor Adrian Furnham This year’s Nobel Prizes were announced last week; over the years certain countries tend to dominate the Nobel Laureate committee’s assessment of outstanding academic contributions. Obviously a larger national population should be associated with more chances […]
Inside the Mind of the Twitter Troll Raj Persaud Under headlines such as ‘McCann ‘Twitter troll’ found dead in hotel’, the media have widely reported that Police were called after the body of a woman was found in a Leicester hotel room. The woman, now reported in the press as found ‘likeable’ […]
Raj Persaud in Conversation with Robert Van Voren. Why are professional psychiatric organisations in the rest of the world reluctant to be critical of Russian Psychiatry, when it abuses diagnosis and turns it into a political tool? A new paper in the academic journal ‘International Psychiatry’ published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists explores the […]
Is the battle with Islamic State a ‘Just’ War? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A leading authority on deciding whether a war can be ‘just’, explains whether the Western fight against Islamic State, is indeed a ‘Just War’. Is this war being sold to the public as ‘just’ or ‘moral’, when in fact it is […]
Discussing her new book with psychiatrist Raj Persaud, Elizabeth Lunbeck explains ‘The Americanization of Narcissism’ published by Harvard University Press. This is an important tome because it critically tackles the way the modern age thinks of itself. Lunbeck identifies some key moments in the notion that this is a particularly narcissistic age. One seems to […]
DOWNLOADABLE PODCAST Raj Persaud in conversation with Lisa Bortolotti – Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham – discussing her latest book on delusions and irrationality Lisa Bortolotti is Professor of Philosophy at Birmingham University and her main research area is the philosophy of cognitive science. In her work she has focused so far […]
Katherine Keyes is Associate Professor of Epidemiology Columbia University and with serveral colleagues had published a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry investigating what happens when people suffer one of the worst stresses of all – the unexpected death of a loved one. The Burden of Loss: Unexpected Death of a Loved One and […]
Pride comes before a fall – are Scots too proud? Why excessive national pride is bad for everyone. Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Whatever the outcome of the vote on Scottish independence, the campaign has been marked by a surge of Scottish pride and nationalism. Both sides of the debate have united over the idea […]
Jeremy Holmes is a psychiatrist and Professor of psychotherapy at the University of Exeter. He is best known for his work in Attachment Theory and its applications to psychotherapy and psychiatry. He also has written extensively on the relationship between literature and psychiatry, most recently in his book The Therapeutic Imagination: Using literature to deepen […]
Dr Jeremy Beider talks to Raj Persaud about the psychology of sleep on this downloadable audio podcast – click the link below. Problems sleeping are one of the commonest difficulties that doctors in the UK deal with – possibly leading to massive over-prescribing of hypnotic drugs which can be highly addictive. What are the […]
Can psychology explain what happened between Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Although there has been a verdict in the Oscar Pistorius trial, will this satisfy global curiosity as to what happened on the night that Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead by Oscar Pistorius? The judgement appears to hinge […]
Does the US Tennis Open, and Rory Mcllroy, prove marriage ruins male competitiveness? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The US Open Tennis final is contested by a set of new young tennis players, who appear to be finally unseating the ‘old guard’, including Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. This is how a series […]
Aaron Reeves is a post-doctoral researcher and an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford. He is also a post-doctoral research fellow at Nuffield College and his research interests include: political economy of health, social protection, social and cultural exclusion, and quantitative sociology. He is currently working with Dr. […]
Does the US Tennis Open, and Rory Mcllroy, prove marriage ruins male competitiveness? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The US Open Tennis final is contested by a set of new young tennis players, who appear to be finally unseating the ‘old guard’, including Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. This is how a series […]
IN THIS PODCAST AVAILABLE BELOW Professor Heidi Feldman discusses her recent paper in the New England Journal of Medicine on ADHD Attention Deficit–Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents Heidi M. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., and Michael I. Reiff, M.D. N Engl J Med 2014; 370:838-846February 27, 2014 ADHD is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or a […]
Despite playing the role of grumpy old man and attempting to discourage them from entering the field – do these young enthusiastic psychiatrists take the bait and run? Or do they argue with Raj that psychiatry has a lot going for it as a career choice for a young doctor? Check out this episode!
Nick describes an all too familiar battle that carers have of getting NHS psychiatry services to take the concerns of carers and relatives seriously. As a result of being ignored when they tried to inform services, the son became seriously unwell and a series of tragic events unfolded. Nick talks frankly and openly about his […]
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS WEBSITE: Who decides where “normal” stops and “perverse” begins? In Vicarious Kinks, Ummni Khan looks at the mass of claims that film, feminism, the human sciences, and law make about sadomasochism and its practitioners, and the way those claims become the basis for the legal regulation of sadomasochist pornography and […]
Annalin describes how it feels to get severe depression despite what is supposed to be one of highlights of any woman’s life – the birth of her first child. She discusses with psychiatrist Raj Persaud possible causes of post natal depression and how recovery is possible. Check out this episode!
Jacqueling Hopson is a PhD student at the University of Sheffield and has just published a paper on the demonization of psychiatrists in fiction in The Psychiatric Bulletin – Raj Persaud discusses with her why her research leads her to believe that psychiatry is treated badly by novelists Check out this episode!
Rotherham and ‘playing the race card’ – Psychologists investigate whether perpetrator’s race protects against being found guilty. Dr Raj Persaud and Professor Adrian Furnham One of the reasons, it is argued, that extensive sexual abuse and child exploitation was tolerated for so long in Rotherham, is that the race of the perpetrators might have […]
After the Robin William’s tragedy – will there be copycats? Raj Persaud and Professor Sir Simon Wessely (President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists) Robert Enke, a very famous German football goal keeper, killed himself on the railway on 10th November 2009. The number of railway suicidal acts, in the following two […]
Psychology of Ebola Crisis reveals biological weapon potential – a viral suicide bomb? Raj Persaud and Nicholas Morris 252 people died from Ebola during the 1995 Kikwit 7-month outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; to date this remains the most significant of recent Ebola incidents, not including the current Western Africa […]
Does Psychology predict eventual failure of Gaza ceasefire? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham Academic psychologists based in Israel and the USA have recently published a new psychological analysis of the Middle East, elucidating powerful emotional barriers to peace-making. Daniel Bar-Tal Branco Weiss Professor of Research in Child Development from Tel Aviv University, […]
As Asian Mother is awaiting sentence for killing her three-year-old – how many other Asian women are in a similar psychological predicament? Raj Persaud FRCPsych, Consultant Psychiatrist in Private Practice in Harley Street. 34 year old mother Rosdeep Adekoya’s sentencing has been deferred until August 25th, after she admitted killing her three year old […]
The Psychology of Conflict in Gaza Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A unique study from the University of Haifa and Tel Aviv University in Israel, and Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, USA, has uncovered how psychological resilience is possible in the face of overwhelming adversity produced by war. The research, examining two […]
As a lottery winner’s dream predicts a win, and Malaysian Airlines Passenger posts eerily prophetic picture – can dreams and visions foretell the future? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen The UK press has reported that a judge recently ordered a restaurant owner to split half of a million pound lottery prize with his waiter, because […]
Can you completely forget who you are? As a man with almost total amnesia grabs the headlines – what it reveals about us. Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen The UK media reports that a man with severe amnesia, who still cannot remember even his own name, or where he comes from, but who […]
Do offenders, as in the Rolf Harris case, sentence their own families, and their victims, for life? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Recent high-profile cases of sex crime convictions, as in Rolf Harris and Max Clifford, reveal outwardly puzzling and strange reactions from their own families. Some relatives show solidarity, appearing each day […]
Jimmy Savile – do the latest revelations change the diagnosis? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen New disturbing allegations have surfaced following the latest investigation into Jimmy Savile’s crimes; this time the NHS has come under particular scrutiny, and there are now allegations that the former celebrity DJ may have interfered with dead bodies. […]
Psychologists uncover it’s the Referees, not the Players, who might secure Soccer World Cup Victory Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The referee’s award, in the opening match, of a controversial penalty to host nation Brazil, can be explained by psychology. The same psychological processes could also determine the outcome of the tournament, […]
As Andy Murray appoints Amélie Mauresmo his new trainer – can a woman coach a man? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen The appointment of Amélie Mauresmo as Andy Murray’s new coach shook the sporting and tennis community. Objections include the fact women are not allowed in the male changing rooms, so Mauresmo’s […]
Is Erotica Bad for the Brain? Raj Persaud and Helinä Häkkänen-Nyholm A new brain scanning study just about to be published in a prestigious academic journal, finds that consumption of pornography in men is associated with smaller cerebral gray matter volume, and lower connectivity, in certain cortical regions. One theory that […]
Did violent video games contribute to the killing of Ann Maguire? Psychologists suggest some games increase aggression. Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Various UK newspapers report that the pupil accused of stabbing teacher Ann Maguire to death is a fan of a violent video game promoted with the catchphrase “prepare to die”. […]
Why was Shakespeare performed inside Broadmoor Hospital – a high-security psychiatric unit? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Festivities on the 450th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth celebrate the writer’s literary and story-telling skills, but recent academic studies suggest the Bard may have anticipated Sigmund Freud, and even modern neuroscience. One new […]
Why sacking David Moyes may not break Manchester United’s losing streak Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham A scientific study on the impact of changing football managers on team performance suggests that Manchester United may not benefit as much as is currently expected, by changing their current manager. The study, published in the […]
Does the latest brain scanning research reveal your real religious belief – even more than Easter church attendance? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A new brain scanning study has found that high personal importance of religion or spirituality in your life is associated with thicker cortex in several brain regions. Some of […]
How likely is pilot suicide a cause of the Malaysian Airlines crash – in the opinion of Mental Health Experts? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen The current theory apparently being promoted by officials is that the crash of the Malaysian plane may have been an act of suicide, most probably by a pilot. […]
Does the disappearance of Ameila Earhart’s aeroplane, and similar enigmas, reveal your psychology? Raj Persaud AT THE END OF THIS PIECE IS AN INVITATION TO TAKE PART IN SIMILAR ACADEMIC RESEARCH QUOTED IN THIS ARTICLE, ONLY THIS NEW SURVEY EXAMINES WHAT YOU BELIEVE HAPPENED TO MALAYSIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT MH370 When puzzling things happen which cannot […]
Can Meditation cure depression and improve well-being? The latest medical research gives pause for thought. Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen The most recent comprehensive review of research on the benefits of meditation concludes that rigorous clinical trials find only, ‘small to moderate reductions of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress’. ‘Mantra’ based meditation programs such […]
‘I should like to thank the Academy’ – The Psychology of acceptance speeches at The Oscars Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A recent study by Cheryl Morrier at Adelphi University, USA, investigated student and semi-professional female and male actors. Actors emerged as significantly more narcissistic than the general population. Entitled ‘Success in acting: The roles […]
On Valentine’s Day – How to tell if someone really fancies you – the latest psychological research Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham Are you a ‘romantic paranoiac’? Defined in Alain De Botton’s 2006 book ‘Essays in love’, as a tendency to misread sexual interest in the body language and conversation of others. Men, much more than […]
Manchester United and the psychology of a losing streak Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham With a recent League Cup defeat, Manchester United have lost three games in a row, for the first time since 2001, accomplishing this by identical 2-1 losses. There is a psychological theory explaining losing and winning streaks in sports, which might […]
How many Iraqis died as a result of US and UK intervention? No cease fire in the war of words Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen A war of words has broken out over the veteran journalist John Pilger’s allegation that scientific research put the Iraqi civilian death toll at ‘up to a million’. Pilger was […]
Psychologists find the best way to achieve New Year’s Resolutions – is not to make any? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen New Year’s Resolutions commonly involve resolving to end bad habits – for example giving up alcohol or smoking. However the latest psychological research suggests that, paradoxically, trying hard to not do something, might render […]
Does his psychology reveal whether Alan Turing killed himself? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Alan Turing has been granted a posthumous Royal Pardon 59 years after his death. Turing used advanced mathematics to break the Enigma code, revealing the positions of German U-boats during World War II. This ensured the country’s survival; Eisenhower is even […]
Is the Church of Scientology a religion? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Five Supreme Court Justices have redefined what a religion is legally, following a five-year legal battle by scientologists seeking the right to get married at the Church of Scientology chapel in central London. Scientology is therefore now recognised officially as […]
Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery – the next big thing? Raj Peraud and Kathleen Martin Ginis Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery is becoming increasingly popular, but as practically all of these medical procedures are done privately, precise figures are difficult to obtain. Lindy McDougall an anthroplogist from Macquarie University, Sydney, in a recent study where she […]
The rich use cocaine for different reasons compared to the poor Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen It has long been established by medical research that certain personality types are more attracted to illicit drugs. But now a just published study from Florida State University College of Medicine, and the United States National Institute […]
Women held for 30 years in slavery – the psychology behind the horror Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Three women rescued from horrific conditions after allegedly being held as slaves for 30 years, are described by the Metropolitan Police’s human trafficking unit as ‘highly traumatised’. What these women must have gone through may appear […]
Could the Mayor of Toronto learn from the latest psychology of how to deliver the perfect excuse? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, recently reportedly explained his taking of crack cocaine, as down to being in a ‘drunken stupor’. Following the release of a video […]
Cigarette smoking could make you Psychotic Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen Experts at the Institute of Psychiatry in London are publishing research suggesting that smoking cigarettes may well be a cause of schizophrenia (a psychotic disorder). This startling finding includes a just published study, plus research to be published in the near future, all of […]
Has the two minute silence on Remembrance Day lost its original meaning? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The famous two minute silence of Remembrance Sunday is a moving tribute to those who lost their lives defending this country in military conflict. The silence allows for private reflection, and yet also […]
The Delay of Death? How NHS waiting times for cancer treatment got political Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen It is widely reported that after inaccuracies were found in waiting times for cancer treatment at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Essex Police are considering a criminal investigation. Prof Sir Mike Richards, the […]
Who’s on Top? The personality of women who commit infidelity is different. Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham The allegations at the ‘phone-hacking’ trial that two editors of national newspapers conducted a secret affair for six years, coincides with the publication of new psychological research, suggesting links between ambition, success and infidelity. […]
Secret Mind Games Behind Drone Wars Raj Persand and Peter Bruggen The Daily Telegraph Newspaper recently reported how 13 year old Zubair Rehman’s testimony at a congressional briefing, in describing how a US drone missile strike killed his grandmother in Pakistan, moved a translator to tears. The story of the […]
Is a furious storm an ‘Act of God’? God’s role in natural disasters impacts on your psychology Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham A hurricane-like storm is predicted to hit Britain, with warnings of destruction, injury and even possible loss of life – but it’s mental impact will hinge on your assessment of it being an […]
Suspicious Minds – is the USA clinically paranoid to spy on friends? Raj Persaud and Peter Bruggen When you start to spy on friends (as US Security agencies appear to have done pervasively) does this mean you have crossed a line into seriously disturbed, deluded, paranoid thinking? Daniel Freeman, a psychologist at […]
Can Psychologists predict whether just christened George is heading for a happy or a meaningful life? Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham Parents, relatives and God Parents gather for a christening – which like a wedding and other religious rituals is associated not just with happiness, but also imbued with meaning. But are […]
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