By Anina Rich, Professor, Performance & Expertise Research Centre and School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University
We’ve all been tickled. We all know our ticklish spots, and we all know how we respond when these are tickled: helpless laughter, attempts at escape, perhaps screaming and retaliation.
Is this a universal response among humans, or – like some other physical sensations and reactions – does it depend on culture? And for that matter, why do we react this way at all to this particular kind of touch?
In an attempt to find out, Netherlands-based researchers Ziliang Xiong and Konstantina Kilteni surveyed people from different cultures about their experiences of tickling and ticklishness.…
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By Joanna Elfving-Hwang, Professor (Korean Society and Culture), Director of Korea Research & Engagement Centre, Curtin University
The lyrics of a famous Korean pop song, covered by Massive Attack during recent shows, express frustration with the establishment and with political hypocrisy.
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By Grant Duncan, Research Associate, Public Policy Institute, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Both major parties have had a revolving door of leaders. What is it about modern politics that makes the job so challenging – and are others doing any better?
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By Lucas Walsh, Professor of Education Policy and Practice, Youth Studies, Monash University
Affordable housing options, jobs for young people and climate change are the top three issues young people say need immediate action, according to our new youth survey published today.
Our research, which involved 150 interviews and more than 2,700 survey responses over five years, tracked the challenges Australians aged 18–24 experienced during the COVID pandemic and its aftermath.
While there are signs of recovery in some areas, deep challenges persist in others. Importantly, our data provide insight into…
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By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
When it comes to a battle of persistence between a weed and a human, the weed will win most of the time. That is one of the things that makes a weed a weed.
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By Alex Veen, Senior Lecturer and University of Sydney Business School Emerging Scholar Research Fellow, University of Sydney
Caleb Goods, Senior Lecturer, Management and Organisations, UWA Business School, The University of Western Australia
Tom Barratt, Senior Lecturer, Management and Organisations, The University of Western Australia
Will prices rise to cover better pay and standards? Yes, almost certainly. But it also means your next food delivery can come with a side of a little less guilt.
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By Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University
When fire evacuation orders are lifted and residents start returning to burned neighborhoods, many people assume “cleared to return” means “safe.” It rarely does.
As an environmental engineer who has worked with communities recovering from some of the most…
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By Andres Molina, Senior Research Fellow, Mitchell Institute/Centre for International Research on Education Systems, Victoria University
This gap was already a problem before the latest data. But the most recent results show how things are getting worse.
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By Josh Roose, Director of Research and Policy at The Dor Foundation and Associate Professor of Politics at Deakin University, Deakin University
New research looking at more than 1,300 posts directed toward witnesses reveals vitriolic abuse. Royal commissions need updating for the digital age.
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By Shelley J. Walker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Justice Health, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University
Jocelyn Jones, Vice-Chancellor’s Associate Professional Research Fellow, Edith Cowan University
When children are denied bail, they’re often taken to police watch houses. But these don’t have the staff or facilities to keep children safe and well.
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