Information seeking, cognition, and individual differences. The public now has access to vast amounts of scientific knowledge and information on the internet and in other new media. Paradoxically, this increasing availability of knowledge has been accompanied by the increasing traction of pseudoscientific misinformation. This project explores the reasons underlying those trends and seeks solutions.
Identifying the biopsychosocial factors promoting healthy, productive, and fulfilling transitions from high school: A seven-year longitudinal study. The post high-school transition represents the confluence of a number of developmental tasks. While there is considerable research on individuals after this transition, little research has examined adolescent development to identify early indicators of transition success. This project seeks to extend the multi-state, multi-year Australian Character ....Identifying the biopsychosocial factors promoting healthy, productive, and fulfilling transitions from high school: A seven-year longitudinal study. The post high-school transition represents the confluence of a number of developmental tasks. While there is considerable research on individuals after this transition, little research has examined adolescent development to identify early indicators of transition success. This project seeks to extend the multi-state, multi-year Australian Character Study (ACS), at the critical period when the ACS cohort will be transitioning out of school. Using a biopsychosocial approach, the research will explore the degree to which character strengths, contextual factors, and their interaction lead to positive transition experiences across a wide variety of domains, including social, spiritual, physical, and educational and occupational attainment.Read moreRead less
The Power of Causal Attributions: Genetic Essentialist Biases and Health. Great advancements in the science of genetics are accompanied by increased public propensity to attribute causality to the genes for diverse outcomes such as abilities, social group differences, attitudes, and diseases. These genetic attributions activate cognitive biases termed Genetic Essentialist Biases, which have been shown to instigate a variety of deleterious outcomes. The project will evaluate hypothesized detrimen ....The Power of Causal Attributions: Genetic Essentialist Biases and Health. Great advancements in the science of genetics are accompanied by increased public propensity to attribute causality to the genes for diverse outcomes such as abilities, social group differences, attitudes, and diseases. These genetic attributions activate cognitive biases termed Genetic Essentialist Biases, which have been shown to instigate a variety of deleterious outcomes. The project will evaluate hypothesized detrimental effects of genetic attributions on actual health behaviours, endorsement of health policies, and disease related stigma. Furthermore, it will test interventions designed to reduce the negative effects of such attributions on attitudes, beliefs, intentions, and behaviours related to a common disease. Read moreRead less