Steve Most
@sbmost.bsky.social
Psychology everywhere! • Friendly neighborhood psychology professor • Empowerment through education • Researching attention, memory, & emotion at UNSW Sydney • A little piece of NJ Down Under • Teaching through excitement about other people's dreams
One of the world’s most dangerous spiders: the Sydney funnel-web! This large one seems bereft of life. Otherwise, the done thing is to scoop it into a container and bring it where its fangs can be milked to create antivenom.
November 17, 2025 at 9:54 PM
One of the world’s most dangerous spiders: the Sydney funnel-web! This large one seems bereft of life. Otherwise, the done thing is to scoop it into a container and bring it where its fangs can be milked to create antivenom.
Bad news, folks. I just discovered something 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴. Notice a common pattern among these (and other) supposed giants of literature?
My gawd. Look at the em-dashes.
They all used ChatGPT!
My gawd. Look at the em-dashes.
They all used ChatGPT!
November 15, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Bad news, folks. I just discovered something 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴. Notice a common pattern among these (and other) supposed giants of literature?
My gawd. Look at the em-dashes.
They all used ChatGPT!
My gawd. Look at the em-dashes.
They all used ChatGPT!
I promised myself that when I next had a successful grant, I'd share a snapshot of my trail of unfunded submissions.
With gratitude to the ARC, looking forward to next several years of collaboration on effort motivation with @minzlicht.bsky.social, Deena Skolnick Weisberg, and Frederik Anseel!
With gratitude to the ARC, looking forward to next several years of collaboration on effort motivation with @minzlicht.bsky.social, Deena Skolnick Weisberg, and Frederik Anseel!
November 2, 2025 at 2:20 AM
I promised myself that when I next had a successful grant, I'd share a snapshot of my trail of unfunded submissions.
With gratitude to the ARC, looking forward to next several years of collaboration on effort motivation with @minzlicht.bsky.social, Deena Skolnick Weisberg, and Frederik Anseel!
With gratitude to the ARC, looking forward to next several years of collaboration on effort motivation with @minzlicht.bsky.social, Deena Skolnick Weisberg, and Frederik Anseel!
A number of students follow me on LinkedIn, so I posted this for them. What good is being old-ish if you can’t pretend you have some life wisdom to offer?
September 24, 2025 at 5:04 AM
A number of students follow me on LinkedIn, so I posted this for them. What good is being old-ish if you can’t pretend you have some life wisdom to offer?
Australian squirrel
September 16, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Australian squirrel
Welcome, everyone, to UNSW Open Day. It’s gorgeous outside, and just as much fun in the lecture halls, where I’m loving giving the Psychology talk. One down, another at 2:30. Hope to see you there! 😃
September 6, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Welcome, everyone, to UNSW Open Day. It’s gorgeous outside, and just as much fun in the lecture halls, where I’m loving giving the Psychology talk. One down, another at 2:30. Hope to see you there! 😃
It was a terrific treat to present to the team at the Reserve Bank of Australia today. I'm on a mission to share cognitive science's most useful insights with as many people as possible, and today's fantastic audience made it particularly enjoyable. Thanks for having me!
September 2, 2025 at 12:21 PM
It was a terrific treat to present to the team at the Reserve Bank of Australia today. I'm on a mission to share cognitive science's most useful insights with as many people as possible, and today's fantastic audience made it particularly enjoyable. Thanks for having me!
Vision peeps...
Gah! What's the citation demonstrating people's ability to track objects defined purely by common motion, as in this demo?
I've been racking my brain for days. Thanks!
Gah! What's the citation demonstrating people's ability to track objects defined purely by common motion, as in this demo?
I've been racking my brain for days. Thanks!
August 27, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Vision peeps...
Gah! What's the citation demonstrating people's ability to track objects defined purely by common motion, as in this demo?
I've been racking my brain for days. Thanks!
Gah! What's the citation demonstrating people's ability to track objects defined purely by common motion, as in this demo?
I've been racking my brain for days. Thanks!
Presenting on cognition to a great audience of high school teachers (which I am always delighted to do), I grasped for a metaphor for the role of cognitive schemas in learning, and landed on this:
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘧𝘴 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩.
I think that works!
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘧𝘴 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩.
I think that works!
July 23, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Presenting on cognition to a great audience of high school teachers (which I am always delighted to do), I grasped for a metaphor for the role of cognitive schemas in learning, and landed on this:
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘧𝘴 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩.
I think that works!
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘧𝘴 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩.
I think that works!
Thank you to Stella Maris College in Manly for hosting me at their Staff Development Day!
It was a pleasure to present the cognitive science of memory & learning... and a wonderful opportunity to share insights from the field with a community committed to making a positive difference for students.
It was a pleasure to present the cognitive science of memory & learning... and a wonderful opportunity to share insights from the field with a community committed to making a positive difference for students.
July 21, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Thank you to Stella Maris College in Manly for hosting me at their Staff Development Day!
It was a pleasure to present the cognitive science of memory & learning... and a wonderful opportunity to share insights from the field with a community committed to making a positive difference for students.
It was a pleasure to present the cognitive science of memory & learning... and a wonderful opportunity to share insights from the field with a community committed to making a positive difference for students.
Just a quick trip to Brisbane to give a talk to the Australasian Society for Social & Affective Neuroscience. Congrats to @socialneuro.bsky.social and the organising team on a great conference!
#AS4SAN
#AS4SAN
June 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Just a quick trip to Brisbane to give a talk to the Australasian Society for Social & Affective Neuroscience. Congrats to @socialneuro.bsky.social and the organising team on a great conference!
#AS4SAN
#AS4SAN
And for this wonderful community of curious and passionate minds, who came to join us at UNSW for four days of research and ideas — a chance to see friends old and new, from near and far.
Wishing next year's committee an experience as rewarding as ours. Thanks, everyone.
Wishing next year's committee an experience as rewarding as ours. Thanks, everyone.
June 21, 2025 at 7:50 AM
And for this wonderful community of curious and passionate minds, who came to join us at UNSW for four days of research and ideas — a chance to see friends old and new, from near and far.
Wishing next year's committee an experience as rewarding as ours. Thanks, everyone.
Wishing next year's committee an experience as rewarding as ours. Thanks, everyone.
And for the inspiring keynote speakers, @macshine.bsky.social, Rachel Searston, and Ben Newell...
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June 21, 2025 at 7:50 AM
And for the inspiring keynote speakers, @macshine.bsky.social, Rachel Searston, and Ben Newell...
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And for the stellar team of student volunteers, who made sure everything ran smoothly.
And for the workshop and symposium organisers and speakers...
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And for the workshop and symposium organisers and speakers...
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June 21, 2025 at 7:50 AM
And for the stellar team of student volunteers, who made sure everything ran smoothly.
And for the workshop and symposium organisers and speakers...
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And for the workshop and symposium organisers and speakers...
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Wrapping up my year as President of the Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology — with eternal gratefulness for this amazing team of fellow 2025 EPC/APCV organisers and advisors: Branka Spehar, @jamesdunn.bsky.social, @popwatson.bsky.social, David Alais, & @visnerd.bsky.social...
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June 21, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Wrapping up my year as President of the Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology — with eternal gratefulness for this amazing team of fellow 2025 EPC/APCV organisers and advisors: Branka Spehar, @jamesdunn.bsky.social, @popwatson.bsky.social, David Alais, & @visnerd.bsky.social...
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Fellow 2025 EPC/APCV organisers caught in the wild!
@expsyanz.bsky.social
(Branka Spehar, @jamesdunn.bsky.social, @popwatson.bsky.social)
@expsyanz.bsky.social
(Branka Spehar, @jamesdunn.bsky.social, @popwatson.bsky.social)
June 18, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Fellow 2025 EPC/APCV organisers caught in the wild!
@expsyanz.bsky.social
(Branka Spehar, @jamesdunn.bsky.social, @popwatson.bsky.social)
@expsyanz.bsky.social
(Branka Spehar, @jamesdunn.bsky.social, @popwatson.bsky.social)
I recently spoke about the central role of interpersonal connection in teaching (bit.ly/4e43oEM). I just tried something new to foster it in lecture format: pauses for free-form "3 minute Q&A".
Student feedback was insightful & mostly positive, attached so you can see whether you want to try it.
Student feedback was insightful & mostly positive, attached so you can see whether you want to try it.
June 15, 2025 at 4:08 AM
I recently spoke about the central role of interpersonal connection in teaching (bit.ly/4e43oEM). I just tried something new to foster it in lecture format: pauses for free-form "3 minute Q&A".
Student feedback was insightful & mostly positive, attached so you can see whether you want to try it.
Student feedback was insightful & mostly positive, attached so you can see whether you want to try it.
Here's a handout I put together to help students start thinking about principles of experimental design
June 13, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Here's a handout I put together to help students start thinking about principles of experimental design
It's beautiful. It helped me get over my unhealthy relationship with the semi-colon.
June 1, 2025 at 11:50 AM
It's beautiful. It helped me get over my unhealthy relationship with the semi-colon.
Alongside next month’s joint meeting of the Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology & the Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision, I’m giving a free public lecture on cognitive science.
Public education is increasingly important and often rewarding. We have a lot to give.
#scicomm #psychscisky
Public education is increasingly important and often rewarding. We have a lot to give.
#scicomm #psychscisky
May 30, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Alongside next month’s joint meeting of the Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology & the Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision, I’m giving a free public lecture on cognitive science.
Public education is increasingly important and often rewarding. We have a lot to give.
#scicomm #psychscisky
Public education is increasingly important and often rewarding. We have a lot to give.
#scicomm #psychscisky
Man, now that's a real shame when folks throw away a perfectly good Hermann grid illusion like that.
May 25, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Man, now that's a real shame when folks throw away a perfectly good Hermann grid illusion like that.
Harvard offers a free course on constitutional democracy and civic engagement:
pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...
pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...
May 25, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Harvard offers a free course on constitutional democracy and civic engagement:
pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...
pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...