Showcasing the breadth and depth of psychological research in our journals
To mark British Science Week, we’re celebrating the range and diversity of research published in our series of journals.
11 March 2024
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BPS journals form an essential part of the society's aim to advance and disseminate psychological knowledge.
In partnership with Wiley, we currently have 11 journals. Below are just some examples of the different research studies from our journals, and how they can play a role in shaping policy and impacting the way we live our lives.
Whose lips are sealed? Gender differences in knowledge hiding at work
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.
Keeping secrets at work, known as knowledge hiding, can cause harm to individuals and the company. One factor that hasn't received much attention in understanding why people hide information is gender. This study looks into whether, and how, gender influences how often people hide information and the methods they used to do it.
By surveying 449 full-time employees in the UK over several periods, we found that men tend to hide information more often than women. Moreover, both men and women tend to hide information in ways that fit with what society expects from their gender roles: women often use evasive tactics or act like they don't know, while men tend to justify their hiding behaviour.
Partner psychological abuse: Can you leave home at work?
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
Using sociometer theory, this study looked at how psychological abuse from a partner at home affects a person's self-esteem and job performance. also looked at whether a person's ability to mentally separate from family issues could help lessen these effects. Having surveyed 176 men and 176 women from dual-career married couples, the findings showed that partner psychological abuse lowers self-esteem and leads to poorer job performance. The ability to mentally detach from family issues only buffered these effects for men, not women.
How living in economically unequal societies shapes our minds and our social lives
British Journal of Psychology
In recent years, many countries have experienced a growing gap between the rich and the poor. This economic trend has captured the attention of the media, public figures, politicians, and researchers who are interested in understanding its impact on society. While economists and sociologists have traditionally studied this issue, there has been a rise in research exploring the psychological aspects of economic inequality.
This review highlights this research, focusing on two main areas: (1) how people perceive and understand economic inequality, and (2) how living in a society with economic inequality affects people's social lives. It confirms the idea that economic inequality is a significant issue with potentially harmful consequences, as highlighted by statements like "the defining issue of our time" (Obama, 2013).
British Journal of Educational Psychology
Children and young people go through many changes in their schooling. Studies show that these transitions can be complicated, and if they don't go well, it can lead to negative outcomes. That's why it's important to provide support for their well-being during these times. However, most research doesn't include the opinions of children and young people themselves.
Also, studies usually concentrate on specific transitions instead of looking at what's important for well-being during transitions in general. This analysis shows that children and young people want a thoughtful and supportive approach that takes into account their unique needs and their relationship with their educational communities. This study contributes methodologically and conceptually by showing the importance of looking at transitions from different perspectives and supporting them accordingly.
British Journal of Health Psychology
This study investigates the effectiveness of different approaches in debunking misinformation, especially online. Testing how the structure of debunking texts (using a "truth sandwich" approach versus a "bottom-heavy" approach) and the format of headlines (presenting statements versus asking questions) impact people's belief in misinformation. This study focuses on Covid-19 vaccines and GMO foods.
Even though the debunking messages successfully reduced belief in the targeted myths, the way the messages were structured and formatted didn't have much impact on people's beliefs or their acceptance of the debunking.
The specific way the message is structured, or the format of the headline doesn't seem to matter much for how effective the debunking is. Instead, it's important for the debunking message to be thorough, trustworthy, and persuasive in order to be most effective.
The costs of lying: Consequences of telling lies on liar's self-esteem and affect
British Journal of Social Psychology
This article explores the impact of lying on individuals' psychological well-being, focusing on their self-esteem and emotional state. Despite the widespread perception that deceiving others is wrong, many people engage in lying regularly. The study conducted several experiments involving 783 participants to investigate the effects of lying compared to telling the truth.
The results consistently showed that lying led to lower self-esteem and increased negative emotions, regardless of whether the lie was self-centered or aimed at benefiting others. Additionally, individuals experienced a decrease in self-esteem on days when they lied compared to previous days and their average level of self-esteem across five days.
Infant behavioural effects of smartphone interrupted parent-infant interaction
British Journal of Developmental Psychology
Infants are sensitive to changes in their interactions with caregivers, as seen in studies using the still-face paradigm. When caregivers suddenly become unresponsive, infants show signs of stress. Research suggests that this lack of attunement could have long-term effects on social, emotional, and cognitive development.
This study explores infant reactions in a similar experimental setup, but with a twist. Instead of using the still-face paradigm, parents interrupt the interaction to use a smartphone.
Researchers found that when the interaction was interrupted, infants showed increased protest behaviors and decreased positive engagement and social monitoring. This study highlights the importance of mindful technology use in parent-infant interactions and its potential impact on infant social and emotional development.