David Robson

Annoying people might be ageing you A recent study shows negative social ties could add as much as 2.5 months to your biological age.

Enjoyed chatting to Jim Mora on Radio New Zealand’s Sunday Morning Show about the ways our social circle influence our biological ageing www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Thank you!

“The same person who comforts you today might criticise you tomorrow, creating more physiological damage than relationships you can simply categorise as bad and potentially avoid.”

A Q&A with sociologist BK Lee on the reasons “hasslers” accelerate ageing open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...

Do you have a “hassler” in your social circle? They are the people who bring unnecessary drama - and recent research suggests that the subsequent stress can accelerate our biological ageing.

I’ve just published a Q&A with the scientist behind the study davidarobson.substack.com/p/why-the-ha...

Does caring help us handle stress better? @davidarobson.bsky.social shares a personal anecdote and scientific research that supports the hypothesis that we evolved to care—not just for others’ benefit but for our own:

buff.ly/lptImS0

What I have learnt from caring for my father An unexpected upside to distressing circumstances | The extreme illusion of misunderstanding

My dad suffered a heart attack recently, and here's a short essay about what I've learnt from caring for him during his recovery: open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...

What I have learnt from caring for my father An unexpected upside to distressing circumstances | The extreme illusion of misunderstanding

My dad suffered a heart attack recently, and here's a short essay about what I've learnt from caring for him during his recovery: open.substack.com/pub/davidaro...

“Labels like ‘dark empath’ may sound sexy, but their actions are just as ugly as your garden-variety bully’s”

My new column for @newscientist.com

Thank you Gemma - beautifully expressed!

Paperback copy of The Laws of Connection: 13 Social Strategies That Will Transform Your Life by David Robson. In front of the book are two small dinosaurs about to touch noses.

#FridayReads The Laws of Connection by @davidarobson.bsky.social. The psychology of building better social relationships, based on academic research and presented lucidly by a science journalist.

We assume other people will understand what we say. But not only is that often ambiguous, they also interpret it from their perspective.

@davidarobson.bsky.social explains why the illusion of understanding trips us up and why we’d better assume we’ll be misunderstood:

buff.ly/jDQAZUf

The illusion of understanding: why the way we communicate... We rarely make ourselves as clear as we might think, and the consequences can be disastrous

The illusion of understanding - why the way we communicate matters: observer.co.uk/news/science...

My latest piece for @theobserveruk.bsky.social examines the many cognitive biases that prevent us from saying what we mean, and how to prevent them.

The illusion of understanding: why the way we communicate... We rarely make ourselves as clear as we might think, and the consequences can be disastrous

The illusion of understanding - why the way we communicate matters: observer.co.uk/news/science...

My latest piece for @theobserveruk.bsky.social examines the many cognitive biases that prevent us from saying what we mean, and how to prevent them.

Next Event 16th July: ‘Proof? The Uncertain Science of Certainty’– with Adam Kucharski Details of the next scheduled event appear here. For an overview of future events, see our Events Calendar, or Printable Events Schedule. Subscribe to our blog for email updates.

Around in Borough, London tomorrow evening and want a bit of pub science? I'll be talking about Proof: pubsci.info/our-next-eve...

'Wobbly-tooth puberty': How children's brains change at six-years-old Long neglected by science, "middle childhood" between the age of six and 12 is a turbulent period preparing children for growing up.

My latest piece for the BBC examines the German concept "woobly-tooth puberty" and the dramatic brain changes that occur in middle childhood: www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

Thanks Rob - I’d imagined there would be interesting parallels!

Why isometric exercises are so good for you - ARU VIEWPOINT: ARU experts explain why wall sits and planks can improve heart health

Isometric exercises are some of the best ways to build strength, while reducing blood pressure and protecting ourselves from athletic injuries.

Some more info here:

www.aru.ac.uk/news/why-iso...

The unexpected benefits of wall squats and other isometric exercises Isometric exercises like wall squats are gentle on your body, but can enhance your fitness in a surprisingly efficient way, discovers Grace Wade

I'm really enjoying @gracewade.bsky.social's fitness column in @newscientist.com. This week's is super-interesting about the health benefits of exercises like planking, squats or wall sits that involve contracting and then holding our muscles in that position.

www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...

Gracias 🙏 me resulta difícil juzgar mi desempeño en el examen, pero tengo los dedos cruzados 🤞

The @institutocervantes.bsky.social took a candid of me doing my Spanish exam. 😆 It’s been a tough couple of months dealing with some family issues so simply turning up felt like a small triumph.

A rare glimmer of good news. Let’s hope all cancers can be eradicated in the coming decade. 🔬🧬💉

OBR: Net-zero is much cheaper than thought for UK – and unchecked global warming far more costly - Carbon Brief Reaching net-zero will be much cheaper for the UK government than previously expected – and the economic damages of climate change far more severe.

Net-zero is much cheaper than thought for UK – and unchecked global warming far more costly, says Office for Budget Responsibility

#climatecrisis
Story by @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org

www.carbonbrief.org/obr-net-zero...

Were the Stoics wrong, and is anger actually a positive emotion? That is what the latest scientific research seems to say, writes @davidarobson.bsky.social—physical and verbal signs of angry frustration tend to bring better results, at least when measured and focused:

buff.ly/KR1HU6C

The Nordic secret to happiness: What can we learn from Finland? The power of benevolent acts

davidarobson.substack.com/p/the-nordic...

The Nordic secret to happiness - an image of a girl’s silhouette with a text headline

If you drop your wallet in the street, it is more likely to be returned in Nordic countries than the rest of the world

Our latest HOW TO THINK ABOUT special, with hot takes on: geoengineering (by @tinymaddie.bsky.social), mindset and friendship by @davidarobson.bsky.social, animal consciousness by @michael-marshall.bsky.social, and symbiosis by me. And much more, OUT NOW!

What we misunderstand about people with depression How appearances sway our judgements of others' mental health | The tyranny of "beach body dissatisfaction"

As I describe in my latest newsletter, your answer may reveal some of the implicit assumptions we make about mental health - biases that may limit people's access to the necessary care (2/2)
davidarobson.substack.com/p/what-we-mi...

S.K. is successful in her job, is physically attractive, and is quite extroverted. For the past 4 weeks or so, this person has felt quite sadder than normal and could not get to sleep as well as they would have in the past.

Would you consider this to be depression? (1/2)

Thank you Grace!!!

How to use psychology to feel better about how you look in a swimsuit Recent research delves into our issues with "seasonal body image dissatisfaction", says David Robson, who has advice on how to combat it during the summer months

Loved @davidarobson.bsky.social's latest column for @newscientist.com. I only started feeling comfortable in a swimsuit when I began appreciating my body for what it could do rather than how it looked. I am a big fan of the body-neutrality movement! www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...