Quite funny this: This is from a talk at the RSA, in which the American sociologist and writer explains the toxicity of blame. Not only is blaming people not usually really about some right-minded demand for accountability, it tends towards the opposite. Seen for what it is: Blame is simply the discharging of discomfort andContinue reading “Blame and its illusions: an RSA Short by Brené Brown”
Tag Archives: Social Sciences
What we can learn from Carl Rogers annoying someone in the 1960s
I took part in an excellent Roy Langmaid training course a couple of weeks ago, on how qualitative research can use approaches derived from psychotherapy. As preparation, Roy had us watch films of three psychotherapists in the 60s, with contrasting styles, treating the same patient – a very game volunteer known as ‘Gloria’. You don’tContinue reading “What we can learn from Carl Rogers annoying someone in the 1960s”
Systems 1 and 2: an accessible summary by TNS
… not that Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow isn’t accessible – it’s a must-read and a good read – but I enjoyed this TNS paper. It’s a 14 page distillation of some of the main points about System 1 and 2 thinking. Brevity is always welcome. Life’s too short, is it not? Especially if you’reContinue reading “Systems 1 and 2: an accessible summary by TNS”
Too much choice?
Peter Curran hosts an interesting debate on whether too much choice is actually bad for society, on the iai online tv channel. Making the case is Renata Salecl, opposing is Lou Marinoff and somewhere between them is Lynne Segal. Choice: debate from the Institute of Art and Ideas
Start The Week: on “big data”
Start The Week (Radio 4): Big Data Here’s a link to this morning’s Start The Week, discussing “big data” and mathematical modelling of data. Well worth a listen. Contributions are from James Owen Weatherall on physicists in finance, Marcus du Sautoy, Kenneth Cukier and sociologist Tiffany Jenkins. While there is an unstoppable logic to gatheringContinue reading “Start The Week: on “big data””
Proust Wasn’t A Neuroscientist: Another Icarus Falls
Another young journalistic Turk bites the dust: LA Times: Jonah Lehrer resigns, book recalled over invented quotes. Having read and enjoyed some of his stuff, I feel more than a little betrayed. But it’s a reminder of the pressure on writers to keep producing. Perhaps Lehrer just needed to do some inner crop rotation andContinue reading “Proust Wasn’t A Neuroscientist: Another Icarus Falls”
Longitudinal Qual: Triangulating With A Spiral Staircase
An excellent briefing yesterday on a new study I’m excited to be involved in. Massive team of us involved, but the interesting thing is the project is a proper piece of longitudinal qual. And it’s inspired me to mix geometrical metaphors like William McGonagall sharing a third bottle of Talisker with Kevin McCloud on theContinue reading “Longitudinal Qual: Triangulating With A Spiral Staircase”
More Brooks – TED talk on reasons to be cheerful about the revolution
Brooks TED talk on The Social Animal This entertaining, brief talk gives a flavour of the book. Must read his book about our feted but ludicrous social elites, with a great title: Bobos in Paradise. I think he writes mainly about America so let’s pretend it isn’t the same here. For now, carrying on withContinue reading “More Brooks – TED talk on reasons to be cheerful about the revolution”
Fuel “panic”: when laissez-faire crisis management met the rational herd
We’ve seen over the last week a great illustration of why government and companies ought to listen to behavioural economists – and social researchers generally for that matter. I bought fuel on the way into my meeting in London on Friday, though my tank had enough petrol to get me there and back. Why? NotContinue reading “Fuel “panic”: when laissez-faire crisis management met the rational herd”
Knocked unconscious
Last night’s Horizon on BBC2 was really fascinating – throwing some light onto the unconscious mind. Thanks John Habershon of Momentum for alerting me to this through the ICG email group. Horizon: Out of Control? Some great stuff to show how unaware people are of what their brain is making them do: an experiment whereContinue reading “Knocked unconscious”
Strangers on the Shore 