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Department News

New research finds link between poor air quality and impaired cognition in infants

New research has found poor air quality could be causing cognitive deficits in babies and toddlers.
Image of smoke filling air

Research says talking to toddlers shapes early brain development

New research reveals that talking to babies and toddlers helps shape their developing brain.
An image of two parents interacting with a young child

Defining what makes the best virtual first impression

A new study by psychologists at Durham has found the answers to creating the best first impression in a virtual meeting, such as Teams or Zoom, is a visual background of house plants and books.
Image contains three people pictured against three backgrounds, including a man with a background of books, a woman with a background of house plants and a man with a background of a walrus

Height in infancy linked to differences in cognitive and brain function

New research has found a link between infant height and reduced cognitive ability arising from brain function, as early as six months of age.
Image of an infant's hand holding a tape measure

Why a social media detox may not be as good for you as you think

Associate Professor Niklas Ihssen and PhD student Michael Wadsley from our Department of Psychology explain how cutting your social media use dramatically or even avoiding it completely can reduce the positive effects of social media just as much as the negative ones.
Person looking at a smartphone

Why a social media detox may not be as good for you as you think

Associate Professor Niklas Ihssen and PhD student Michael Wadsley from our Department of Psychology explain why cutting your use of social media dramatically or even avoiding it completely, can reduce the positive effects of social media just as much as the negative ones.
Person looking at a smartphone

New study reveals evidence of early Ice Age writing and what it meant

A research team including two Durham University academics have decoded the meaning of markings seen in Ice Age drawings, and in doing so found evidence of early writing dating back at least 14,000 years earlier than previously thought.
Image of Horse drawn onto the wall of Niaux Cave (Ariège, France) around 15,000 years ago. Credit - Neanderthal Museum, Mettmann

Novel collaboration project aims to explore Ice Age through art

A new interdepartmental research collaboration between our Archaeology and Psychology Departments are experimenting with the online visual perceptions of Ice Age arts through their newly launched project website, Palaeo Vision: Do you see through Ice Age Eyes?
Ice age arts 2

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” - leadership in disruptive times

People that experience frequent disruptive events are much more likely to become aware of their own leader identity, according to new research.
Top view of four students having group discussion

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” - leadership in disruptive times

People that experience frequent disruptive events are much more likely to become aware of their own leader identity, according to new research.
Top view of four students having group discussion

Psychology experts launch training tool to help support neurodivergent and autistic pupils in schools

We are delighted to announce the launch of a free evidenced-based online Triple-A training tool for teachers, developed by our team in the Centre for Neurodiversity and Development. Triple-A refers to a set of ‘hidden’ challenges with attention, arousal (sensory processing), and anxiety, which are experienced by many autistic and neurodivergent pupils at school
Logo for the Triple-A project

Need help tackling your procrastination? This could be the book for you!

Professor Fuschia Sirois, a globally renowned expert in the psychology of procrastination in our Department of Psychology, has distilled her game-changing insights into a new book to help procrastinators understand the issue, and how to tackle it.
Image of alarm clock with notes about delaying tasks
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