Australian social psychologist Hugh Mackay‘s new book The Good Life critiques the “outbreak” of positivity as a consumer industry. I share with you Mackay’s interview with Radio National as an example of public social science.
Continue reading “Critique of ‘The Happiness Industry’”
Today’s post provides an overview of the key personality types that are used in management training and in team building exercises. I will then talk about some of the limitations of applying personality types too strictly within organisations. I’ll discuss how managers and leaders can adopt a more flexible model of personality types to improve how their team members communicate with one another, which in turn will boost their team contributions at work.
Continue reading “Making the Most of Communication Styles Within Business”Our brains try to save effort by drawing quick conclusions. These associations are sometimes useful, but often wrong. Learn more about system 1 thinking (quick or seemingly automatic mental effort) and system 2 thinking (slow and analytical thinking). Continue reading Fast and Slow Thinking
On Sociology at Work, a not-for-profit that I run, Scott Burrows writes about his work addressing youth unemployment in picturesque Illawara, in regional New South Wales, Australia. Scott works a sociologist and research consultant for private industry.
Continue reading “Research Consultancy to Improve Civic Participation”
Societies make many negative assumptions about the types of young people who are forced into criminal activity, and why this might occur. Yet, as Sociology professor Randy Blazak points out, youth voices are often missing from these discussions. Professor Blazak talks about the problem of labelling at-risk youth “gang members.” He notes that not listening to these youth’s experiences can become a “self-fulling prophecy.” He explains: “People don’t get better when you focus on the bad stuff.” In sociology, we know this as labelling theory.
Continue reading “Including Youth in Community Consulting”
Social psychologist Efrat Tseëlon is interested in feminist readings of fashion and culture. Tseëlon argues that while the English dictionary might define the practice of wearing masks and disguise as an attempt to conceal and misrepresent, masquerade is something different. Masquerade is not about portraying something false, but rather it is a way to understand the intricacies of identity. Masquerade draws its meaning through historical context, as the way in which we present our ideal selves in public changes over time.
Continue reading “Social Science of Masquerade”
An article in the New Yorker that the riot in Foxconn, Taiyuan, China, is “about institutions.”
Continue reading “Work Riot is About Institutions”
A question from a reader:
Continue reading “Victim Blaming”Hi there, would you happen to know where I can find a good definition of victim blaming, be it online or a book.
This is a stick figure animation of aggression theory that cites Dollard and colleagues’ (1939) paper ‘Frustration and aggression’ and Green (2001) ‘Human aggression’. Continue reading Aggression Theory
This infographic doesn’t include Australia, where I live, but I did some digging and Australian CEOs earn 63 times more than the average full-time worker.
Data by Shields (2005) via Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Social Science Insights 