BSI-News (Volume 13, Issue 3)

Upcoming BSI Webinars

• 10 October 2023
  Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between Mexican-origin adolescents’ cumulative strengths and individual self-growth
  Seminar by Lester Sim
  Assistant Professor of Psychology, SMU
• 24 October 2023
  The Fear of Being Idle
  Seminar by Verity Lua
  Psychology PhD Candidate, Stanford University
• 31 October 2023
  From Apps to Absentmindedness: A Daily Diary Investigation of the Link between Objective Smartphone Use and Cognitive Failures
  Seminar by Andree Hartanto
  Assistant Professor of Psychology, SMU

Highlights of Recent BSI Webinars

5 September 2023

Lin Qiu, Associate Professor of Psychology at NTU, presented a webinar titled “Revolutionising Social Psychology Research: The Impact of ChatGPT as a Powerful Tool”. He discussed the findings from several empirical studies examining how ChatGPT can be used as a new research tool to enhance studies in the social and behavioural sciences.

26 September 2023

Cheng Chi-Ying, Associate Professor of Psychology at SMU, presented a webinar titled “Gender-Professional Identity Integration (G-PII) and Computing Information System Students' Career Aspirations”. She discussed how career aspirations in a male-dominated profession, integration of identities, and gender bias may be inter-related.

Insights and Applications from Behavioural Sciences

In this section on Insights and Applications from Behavioural Sciences, we feature a commentary by Professor David Chan (SMU Behavioural Sciences Initiative Director and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Psychology), in which he cautioned against the common but incorrect perception that youth are less trusting. He explained that youth's trust is contextual and conditional, and the decision to trust or not is based on evidence such that it is actually a healthy scepticism. He also explained that in Singapore the level of public trust in institutions such as the police force and national leaders was initially low in the 1960s and 1970s when there were many problems such as high crime rate, corruption, and poor housing. Over time, public trust increases as the police and the public service became more professional and national leaders showed evidence of competence by solving problems of crime, housing, healthcare and other amenities and public services. He noted that as the Government involves the public more in decision-making, it is important to recognise that trust is a two-way direction where both Government and the people needs to be trustworthy and trusting. Finally, Prof Chan noted that trust is fragile but, when dealt with and approached adequately, it is extremely powerful in a positive way.

CNA Online (Interview, 10pm):
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/getting-real-about-trust/do-singapores-youth-trust-their-society-and-institutions-3660406

About BSI

The Behavioural Sciences Initiative (BSI) is a multi-disciplinary research initiative for creating, disseminating and applying scientific knowledge about human behaviours in various social, organisational and cultural settings. For more information, please refer to our website.