Psychology

Psychologist Martin Seligman joins Hidden Brain to discuss learned helplessness and why some people act on opportunities while others believe their actions cannot change outcomes. The conversation examines how interpretations of setbacks influence later behaviour and how optimism can help people recover a sense of agency. Seligman is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Hosted by Shankar Vedantam and published by Hidden Brain Media on 21 September 2026, this is the first part of How to Make a Difference. The official episode page provides a public audio player.

Linguist Deborah Tannen examines how differences in conversational style create unintended conflict in families, friendships and workplaces, and how greater awareness can improve communication. This release revisits an earlier interview with Tannen, a professor at Georgetown University, and adds a new Your Questions Answered segment in which Emma Levine addresses listener questions about the psychology of lying. Hosted by Shankar Vedantam and published by Hidden Brain Media on 14 September 2026. The official episode page offers public audio, research references and a transcript, with a warning that the transcript may reflect an earlier version.

Cognitive scientist Nafees Hamid discusses research on the motivations of people approaching or already committed to violent extremism. The conversation examines sacred values, social relationships and how psychological research may help disengage people from extremist ideas. The supporting research includes behavioural and neuroimaging studies of willingness to fight and die for a cause. Hosted by Shankar Vedantam. Hidden Brain Media dates this public episode release to 10 September 2026 and provides audio, research references and a transcript. The publisher notes that transcripts can reflect an earlier episode version.

Christine Rehn Jensen discusses the consequences for a family when a parent adopts conspiracy beliefs, drawing on her own experience. Conversation in Norwegian.

The American Psychological Foundation and APA Division 56 offer one USD 3,750 grant for innovative work that alleviates trauma. Applicants must be doctoral-level psychologists no more than ten years postdoctoral, with demonstrated knowledge of trauma research and the capacity to carry out the project. They must be affiliated with a nonprofit charitable, educational or scientific institution, or a governmental entity operating exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Submit a project proposal, timeline, detailed budget with justification and CV. Review considers project quality, feasibility, potential impact, originality and the applicant’s capability. The deadline is 9 October 2026. Applications are open through the named Trauma Psychology Grant campaign in APF’s GivingData portal; an account is required. Full formatting and submission instructions are available after signing in.

The American Psychological Foundation and APA Division 56 offer one USD 3,750 grant for innovative research on understanding, preventing or treating the consequences of traumatic events, including sexual assault, sexual harassment and rape. Graduate students and early-career doctoral-level psychologists within ten years of their doctorate may apply. Applicants need demonstrated trauma-research knowledge, project capability and an eligible nonprofit or governmental affiliation. International applicants are eligible from countries with diplomatic relations with the United States; applications must be in English. Submit a project proposal, timeline, detailed budget with justification and CV by 9 October 2026. Selection considers quality, feasibility, impact, originality and the applicant’s ability to execute the work. The named grant campaign is open in APF’s GivingData portal. An account is required to access the full instructions and submit an application.

Study curiosity and information-seeking in children aged 10–12 in authentic classrooms at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. The project combines experiments, classroom studies and computational modelling to understand individual differences and how learning environments influence curiosity. Responsibilities include collaborating with primary schools, developing tasks and educational materials, testing children, analysing behavioural data and writing dissertation articles. The supervision team comprises Lieke van Lieshout, Ard Lazonder, Harold Bekkering and Johanna van Schaik across the Donders Institute and Behavioural Science Institute. Teaching occupies approximately 10% of the position. Applicants need a relevant master’s degree, quantitative-research skills and a good command of both Dutch and English; regular work with Dutch-speaking children, families and schools is essential. This is a full-time position, initially 1.5 years with a further 2.5 years after positive evaluation. Gross monthly salary rises from EUR 3,204 to EUR 4,051. Apply through the official Varbi form with a CV and cover letter by 20 October 2026. The preferred start is 1 January 2027.

Develop and test methods for measuring public trust in policing, including approaches that reach communities underrepresented in existing research. The consortium will combine researchers, public partners and community expertise and evaluate practical interventions. The project must start by 1 February 2027 and last 36 months. UKRI covers 80% of project full economic costs up to £2 million. Applications close at 16:00 UK time on 27 October 2026.

This UniDistance Suisse event explores how research on socio-emotional skills can inform play, learning and discussion about emotions. It introduces the Emotion board game through a keynote, an interdisciplinary panel and practical activities, in collaboration with the Réseau Émotions et Éducation. Programme on 11 November 2026, Europe/Zurich (CET, UTC+01:00): 13:45 welcome; 13:50–14:05 keynote on experiencing emotions through play with Andrea Samson (UniDistance Suisse) and Nicolas Bressoud (HEP-VS); 14:05 film; 14:15–15:00 panel with Michele Ursprung (Canal9), David Sander (CISA and University of Geneva), Alexandra Zaharia (UniDistance Suisse), Laura Moreno (University of Fribourg), and Hadi Barkat (Helvetiq). From 15:00–16:40, participants can move between networking and emotion activities, board-game demonstrations, and a workshop on educational play led by Ulrich Schädler, former director of the Swiss Museum of Games. Closing: 16:40–17:00. In-person venue: UniDistance Suisse, Schinerstrasse 18, 3900 Brig, Switzerland. Register through the event page's public registration form.

This interdisciplinary conference investigates stigma as a barrier to healthcare, combining research evidence, lived experience and practical interventions. Its programme examines structural and systemic discrimination, intersectional stigma and access to care across HIV and viral hepatitis, alcohol and other drugs, disability, gender and sexuality, migration and reproductive health. Sessions use qualitative and quantitative studies, community consultation and co-design to explore care models and strategies for changing policy and practice. The programme includes Aboriginal community-controlled approaches and Yarning, person-centred care, stigma-reduction education and interventions informed by lived experience. Featured participants include Rhea Liang (Bond University), Liesl Tesch (NSW Parliament) and Josephine Nabukenya (Miles of Smiles Foundation). Research participants include Loren Brener and Timothy Broady (Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW), Lise Lafferty (Centre for Social Research in Health and Kirby Institute, UNSW), and Carla Treloar (UNSW Sydney). The conference is in person at Colombo Building B16, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, Australia; entry is via High Street Gate 4 and Fig Tree Lane. On 23 November registration opens at 8:00 am and the scientific programme starts at 9:00 am; on 24 November sessions start at 9:00 am and the conference closes at 5:00 pm. Times are Australia/Sydney, AEDT (UTC+11). Register publicly through Eventbrite. General two-day admission is AUD 480 through 1 October and AUD 550 from 2 October; one-day admission is AUD 350, with student/concession rates of AUD 420 for two days or AUD 250 for one day. The organiser confirms there is no hybrid attendance. Abstract submissions and conference scholarships are closed.

Fund empirical neuroscience and behavioural research into how people form, maintain and change the mental models that shape perception. The call covers agency, interoception and emotion regulation, identity and self-narrative, and meaning or belonging. Projects should test mechanisms rather than only symptom relief. Up to USD 900,000 supports three years, including no more than 15% overhead. Submit an anonymised letter of intent by 5 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. Full proposals in February 2027 require invitation.

James Harrison presents his proposed account of hypnosis as mental foraging, relating changes in attention and internal state to memory and prediction. The conversation explores interoception, engagement with the external world and memory reconsolidation as possible ways to explain hypnotic experience.