Brunel Psychology
@brunelpsy.bsky.social
We are a vibrant research-intensive Division with expertise in cognitive and clinical neuroscience, culture and evolution, developmental, and social psychology based in Brunel University of London 🎓🧠🧬🧪
LINK TREE: https://linktr.ee/brunelpsyc
LINK TREE: https://linktr.ee/brunelpsyc
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
1/ 👩🎓 Big shout-out to Brunel PhD student Hannah Mays and supervisor @nelliferenczi.bsky.social from @brunelpsy.bsky.social for contributing written evidence on misogyny in the manosphere and online content to a major policy consultation
https://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/brunel-public-policy/news-and-events/news/Written-evidence/Misogyny-the-manosphere-and-online-content-–-Hannah-Mays-and-Nelli-Ferenczi
December 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
1/ 👩🎓 Big shout-out to Brunel PhD student Hannah Mays and supervisor @nelliferenczi.bsky.social from @brunelpsy.bsky.social for contributing written evidence on misogyny in the manosphere and online content to a major policy consultation
1/ At Brunel Psychology, we’re excited to share a recent project and video featuring @byroncreese.bsky.social and the development of SmartSocks 🧦🤯 - wearable tech designed to help detect distress in people living with dementia in collaboration with health-tech start-up Milbotix
🎥 👇
🎥 👇
SMARTSOCKS info video
This is "SMARTSOCKS info video" by Brunel University of London on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
vimeo.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:25 PM
1/ At Brunel Psychology, we’re excited to share a recent project and video featuring @byroncreese.bsky.social and the development of SmartSocks 🧦🤯 - wearable tech designed to help detect distress in people living with dementia in collaboration with health-tech start-up Milbotix
🎥 👇
🎥 👇
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
1/ In a recent @britishacademy.bsky.social video @rebeccasear.bsky.social from @brunelpsy.bsky.social takes a clear-eyed look at the 21st‑century rise of eugenics - an ideology that should have been left behind, yet is now re‑emerging in a number of troubling ways ⚠️🧬 🧪
Watch the full talk here 🎥👇
Watch the full talk here 🎥👇
The 21st Century Resurgence of Eugenics
YouTube video by The British Academy
www.youtube.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:48 PM
1/ In a recent @britishacademy.bsky.social video @rebeccasear.bsky.social from @brunelpsy.bsky.social takes a clear-eyed look at the 21st‑century rise of eugenics - an ideology that should have been left behind, yet is now re‑emerging in a number of troubling ways ⚠️🧬 🧪
Watch the full talk here 🎥👇
Watch the full talk here 🎥👇
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
We have already received many wonderful abstracts, thank you all! 🌟
For those who need a little extra time, we have good news: the #EHBEA2026 deadline has been extended to 9 Jan. ✍️✨
Add the finishing touches, hit submit, and join an exciting, inspiring conference!
👉 www.ehbea2026.com
For those who need a little extra time, we have good news: the #EHBEA2026 deadline has been extended to 9 Jan. ✍️✨
Add the finishing touches, hit submit, and join an exciting, inspiring conference!
👉 www.ehbea2026.com
Overview | EHBEA2026
The upcoming conference of the European Human Behaviour & Evolution Association will take place in Leiden, The Netherlands, 14th-17th of April 2026.
EHBEA conferences bring together researchers applyi...
www.ehbea2026.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:13 AM
1/ 🎉 Huge congratulations to Dr @byroncreese.bsky.social from @brunelpsy.bsky.social , whose NIHR-funded project has been featured in this month’s Leading Edge!
December 12, 2025 at 2:24 PM
1/ 🎉 Huge congratulations to Dr @byroncreese.bsky.social from @brunelpsy.bsky.social , whose NIHR-funded project has been featured in this month’s Leading Edge!
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
1/ 🧵 New PNAS paper by CCE’s @michealdebarra.bsky.social @aiyanakoka.bsky.social with Angel V Jiménez and Nachita Rosun🎉
📄 Why do people turn to religious or supernatural cures?
🧪🏺
#evolpsy #evolanth #evolutionarybehaviouralsciences #culturalevolution
📄 Why do people turn to religious or supernatural cures?
🧪🏺
#evolpsy #evolanth #evolutionarybehaviouralsciences #culturalevolution
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
December 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM
1/ 🧵 New PNAS paper by CCE’s @michealdebarra.bsky.social @aiyanakoka.bsky.social with Angel V Jiménez and Nachita Rosun🎉
📄 Why do people turn to religious or supernatural cures?
🧪🏺
#evolpsy #evolanth #evolutionarybehaviouralsciences #culturalevolution
📄 Why do people turn to religious or supernatural cures?
🧪🏺
#evolpsy #evolanth #evolutionarybehaviouralsciences #culturalevolution
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
@michealdebarra.bsky.social and @aiyanakoka.bsky.social discuss all about this research in this short video 📹
👏🎬
👏🎬
Understanding Illness & Treatment Through Supernatural Beliefs | A. Willard & M. De Barra, Brunel
YouTube video by Templeton Religion Trust
www.youtube.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM
@michealdebarra.bsky.social and @aiyanakoka.bsky.social discuss all about this research in this short video 📹
👏🎬
👏🎬
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
🧵 1/ Excited to share this work from CCEs Francisco Gómez Jiménez, whose research explores gender diversity across cultures 🌍
Francisco introduces the muxes of the Istmo Zapotec community in Oaxaca, Mexico - a remarkable example of longstanding, culturally grounded gender diversity 🏳️🌈
🎥👇
Francisco introduces the muxes of the Istmo Zapotec community in Oaxaca, Mexico - a remarkable example of longstanding, culturally grounded gender diversity 🏳️🌈
🎥👇
Testing Biological Evolutionary Patterns Amongst Muxes: A Chat with Dr. Francisco Gómez Jiménez
YouTube video by Gender Diversity Across Cultures
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:02 PM
🧵 1/ Excited to share this work from CCEs Francisco Gómez Jiménez, whose research explores gender diversity across cultures 🌍
Francisco introduces the muxes of the Istmo Zapotec community in Oaxaca, Mexico - a remarkable example of longstanding, culturally grounded gender diversity 🏳️🌈
🎥👇
Francisco introduces the muxes of the Istmo Zapotec community in Oaxaca, Mexico - a remarkable example of longstanding, culturally grounded gender diversity 🏳️🌈
🎥👇
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
1/ 🎙️ New paper by Dr Aiyana Willard argues it’s time to retire HADD = “we’re hardwired to see agents EVERYWHERE” and replace it with something that *actually* fits the evidence 🪦➡️📚
@brunelpsy.bsky.social
🔗 Read it 👇
@brunelpsy.bsky.social
🔗 Read it 👇
Belief as explanation: a motivation-based theory of agency and anthropomorphism in religious belief
Supernatural agent beliefs are ubiquitous across cultures, yet many theories aimed at explaining this fact have not held up to scrutiny. The most famous of these, the Hyperactive Agency Detection D...
www.tandfonline.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:37 PM
1/ 🎙️ New paper by Dr Aiyana Willard argues it’s time to retire HADD = “we’re hardwired to see agents EVERYWHERE” and replace it with something that *actually* fits the evidence 🪦➡️📚
@brunelpsy.bsky.social
🔗 Read it 👇
@brunelpsy.bsky.social
🔗 Read it 👇
1/ 🎉 New Brunel Psychology publication alert co-authored with Dr Pauldy Otermans and Sofia Barbosa Boucas, is now out in the European Journal of Education!
“Students’ Views on Their Academic Skills Development” 📚✨
“Students’ Views on Their Academic Skills Development” 📚✨
Students' Views on Their Academic Skills Development: How Can We Further Enhance Students' Development During Their Degree and Beyond?
Providing students with the right academic support throughout their studies is a crucial element for successful degree completion and graduate outcomes. The purpose of this study is to provide insigh...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:40 AM
1/ 🎉 New Brunel Psychology publication alert co-authored with Dr Pauldy Otermans and Sofia Barbosa Boucas, is now out in the European Journal of Education!
“Students’ Views on Their Academic Skills Development” 📚✨
“Students’ Views on Their Academic Skills Development” 📚✨
🧵 1/ Delighted to share that the edited volume Interprofessional Ethics Across the Life Course in Health and Social Care is now published with Brunel Psychology Sofia Barbosa Bouças as an contributor. 📘✨
#InterprofessionalEthics #BrunelResearch
#InterprofessionalEthics #BrunelResearch
Interprofessional Ethics Across the Life Course in Health and Social Care: A Scenario-Based Approach
Interprofessional teams of health and social care professionals encounter, and respond to, significant ethical challenges and complexity in their everyday work. This scenario-based book explores how t...
www.routledge.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
🧵 1/ Delighted to share that the edited volume Interprofessional Ethics Across the Life Course in Health and Social Care is now published with Brunel Psychology Sofia Barbosa Bouças as an contributor. 📘✨
#InterprofessionalEthics #BrunelResearch
#InterprofessionalEthics #BrunelResearch
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
1/ 🩸 New Research by former CCE Tristin Agtarap and CCE member Julieta Baker 📣👏
A new paper in *Sexuality Research & Social Policy* explores how menstrual product choices and menstrual-care practices shape empowerment, autonomy and connection to the body
A new paper in *Sexuality Research & Social Policy* explores how menstrual product choices and menstrual-care practices shape empowerment, autonomy and connection to the body
Empowered Choices: Exploring the Interplay of Menstruation, Menstrual Products, and Well-being
link.springer.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:44 PM
1/ 🩸 New Research by former CCE Tristin Agtarap and CCE member Julieta Baker 📣👏
A new paper in *Sexuality Research & Social Policy* explores how menstrual product choices and menstrual-care practices shape empowerment, autonomy and connection to the body
A new paper in *Sexuality Research & Social Policy* explores how menstrual product choices and menstrual-care practices shape empowerment, autonomy and connection to the body
📚 Brunel Psychology is thrilled to highlight the brilliant work of our colleagues @neuronerdsb.bsky.social and Dr Pauldy Otermans who contributed to a chapter “Co-produce belonging activities with staff and students”
👉 www.routledge.com/Student-Belo...
👉 www.routledge.com/Student-Belo...
Student Belonging in Action: Practical Case Studies to Foster a Sense of Belonging Across the Higher Education Student Journey
Higher Education institutions are under growing pressure to attract and retain their students and give them the best chance of success. Research consistently demonstrates that a strong sense of belong...
www.routledge.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
📚 Brunel Psychology is thrilled to highlight the brilliant work of our colleagues @neuronerdsb.bsky.social and Dr Pauldy Otermans who contributed to a chapter “Co-produce belonging activities with staff and students”
👉 www.routledge.com/Student-Belo...
👉 www.routledge.com/Student-Belo...
🧠👀 Dr Rachel Bennetts, our expert in face processing at Brunel psychology, shared her thoughts in @theguardian.com on a fascinating new study exploring what makes some people exceptional at recognising faces 😶🌫️
🔗 👇
🔗 👇
AI study gives insights into why super-recognisers excel at identifying faces
Research uses eye-tracking data to examine some people’s extraordinary recognition ability
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:57 PM
🧠👀 Dr Rachel Bennetts, our expert in face processing at Brunel psychology, shared her thoughts in @theguardian.com on a fascinating new study exploring what makes some people exceptional at recognising faces 😶🌫️
🔗 👇
🔗 👇
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
🤩 Methods, stats and critical thinking is getting a massive overhaul at @brunelpsy.bsky.social thanks to the hard work of CCE @willgervais.com @replicatedtypo.bsky.social @michealdebarra.bsky.social and @abbeyepage.bsky.social 💪💅
Teaching a fun science & critical thinking course this semester.
Trying out THAMES as a handy mnemonic for what to look for in evaluating science papers & such (obvs not all are as relevant for every paper)...
Trying out THAMES as a handy mnemonic for what to look for in evaluating science papers & such (obvs not all are as relevant for every paper)...
October 13, 2025 at 7:36 AM
🤩 Methods, stats and critical thinking is getting a massive overhaul at @brunelpsy.bsky.social thanks to the hard work of CCE @willgervais.com @replicatedtypo.bsky.social @michealdebarra.bsky.social and @abbeyepage.bsky.social 💪💅
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
🧵 1/ Excellent and impactful work from CCE second in command @loraadair.bsky.social published in the New Metro over the weekend about Outcry Witness
It’s an anonymous website where sexual-assault survivors can safely tell their stories.
No names, no pressure. Just a record in their own words 🗣️🛡️
It’s an anonymous website where sexual-assault survivors can safely tell their stories.
No names, no pressure. Just a record in their own words 🗣️🛡️
Home - Healing starts when people bear witness
Outcry Witness is the platform where survivors of sexual violence keep an anonymous record of their experience, always under their control.
outcrywitness.com
October 13, 2025 at 7:55 AM
🧵 1/ Excellent and impactful work from CCE second in command @loraadair.bsky.social published in the New Metro over the weekend about Outcry Witness
It’s an anonymous website where sexual-assault survivors can safely tell their stories.
No names, no pressure. Just a record in their own words 🗣️🛡️
It’s an anonymous website where sexual-assault survivors can safely tell their stories.
No names, no pressure. Just a record in their own words 🗣️🛡️
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
🧵 1/ New paper from CCEs @rebeccasear.bsky.social led by @hggaddy.bsky.social with @anthrolog.bsky.social challenging some common assumptions about polygyny (there are many…)
it's open access 🔓 🧪 @brunelpsy.bsky.social
it's open access 🔓 🧪 @brunelpsy.bsky.social
High rates of polygyny do not lock large proportions of men out of the marriage market
www.pnas.org
October 6, 2025 at 1:59 PM
🧵 1/ New paper from CCEs @rebeccasear.bsky.social led by @hggaddy.bsky.social with @anthrolog.bsky.social challenging some common assumptions about polygyny (there are many…)
it's open access 🔓 🧪 @brunelpsy.bsky.social
it's open access 🔓 🧪 @brunelpsy.bsky.social
On 16 September 2025, we were delighted to welcome students from Halliford School to our Psychology campus at Brunel 🤩
If you would like to arrange a visit for your students and discover what our Psychology Department has to offer, please get in touch 🧠
If you would like to arrange a visit for your students and discover what our Psychology Department has to offer, please get in touch 🧠
September 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM
On 16 September 2025, we were delighted to welcome students from Halliford School to our Psychology campus at Brunel 🤩
If you would like to arrange a visit for your students and discover what our Psychology Department has to offer, please get in touch 🧠
If you would like to arrange a visit for your students and discover what our Psychology Department has to offer, please get in touch 🧠
It’s time for the psychology pub quiz. The prize is this amazing Brunel mascot soft toy 🧸 🦖
so high stakes
so high stakes
September 23, 2025 at 2:02 PM
It’s time for the psychology pub quiz. The prize is this amazing Brunel mascot soft toy 🧸 🦖
so high stakes
so high stakes
It's the start of welcome week here at Brunel and the new Psychology undergrads are meeting their personal tutors and lecturers 👏 🎓
September 23, 2025 at 10:59 AM
It's the start of welcome week here at Brunel and the new Psychology undergrads are meeting their personal tutors and lecturers 👏 🎓
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
🧵 1/ New paper co-authored by Francisco Gomez Jimenez from the CCE and colleagues explores same-sex sexuality within an evolutionary framework published in Archives of Sexual Behavior 🧪
Kin-Directed Altruism and Male Androphilia in Thailand: Investigating the Roles of Femininity and Neuroticism - Archives of Sexual Behavior
The kin selection hypothesis (KSH) proposes that same-sex attracted individuals offset their lowered direct reproduction via kin-directed altruism that increases close genetic relatives’ reproduction,...
link.springer.com
September 19, 2025 at 8:30 PM
🧵 1/ New paper co-authored by Francisco Gomez Jimenez from the CCE and colleagues explores same-sex sexuality within an evolutionary framework published in Archives of Sexual Behavior 🧪
📣 CCN's leader Veena Kumari has been selected for the #REF2029 Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience panel 🥳👏
Main Panel A – Medicine, Health and Life Sciences – REF 2029
2029.ref.ac.uk
September 5, 2025 at 2:09 PM
📣 CCN's leader Veena Kumari has been selected for the #REF2029 Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience panel 🥳👏
@brunelpsy.bsky.social has been super successful in the latest round of British Academy / Leverhulme Trust funding with two awards 🤩💅👏🥳
British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants
The BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants are available to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. These awards, up to £10,000 in value and tenable for up to 24 months, are provi...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
September 5, 2025 at 2:05 PM
@brunelpsy.bsky.social has been super successful in the latest round of British Academy / Leverhulme Trust funding with two awards 🤩💅👏🥳
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
The recent IARR 2025 mini conference on "Gender, sexuality and relationships" co-led by CCE's Stan Gaines was a great success 🏳️🌈😌🫂
The mini-conference was named for the Gender, Sexuality and Relationships (GSR) theme group within Brunel University of London’s Centre for Culture and Evolution (CCE)
The mini-conference was named for the Gender, Sexuality and Relationships (GSR) theme group within Brunel University of London’s Centre for Culture and Evolution (CCE)
September 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The recent IARR 2025 mini conference on "Gender, sexuality and relationships" co-led by CCE's Stan Gaines was a great success 🏳️🌈😌🫂
The mini-conference was named for the Gender, Sexuality and Relationships (GSR) theme group within Brunel University of London’s Centre for Culture and Evolution (CCE)
The mini-conference was named for the Gender, Sexuality and Relationships (GSR) theme group within Brunel University of London’s Centre for Culture and Evolution (CCE)
Reposted by Brunel Psychology
Annie Wertz plants a flag for plan and learning research!
This week, @anniewertz.bsky.social talks about her ground-breaking work exploring what infants know, and come prepared to learn, about 🌱plants🌿! (Annie gets credit for all plant-based puns in this episode).
youtu.be/bMbDieccEtc
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-67k8k...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
youtu.be/bMbDieccEtc
www.podbean.com/eas/pb-67k8k...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
Plants, Infants, and the Evolution of Social Learning with Annie Wertz
YouTube video by Evolutionary Psychology (The Podcast)
youtu.be
August 28, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Annie Wertz plants a flag for plan and learning research!