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John Towse

@jntowse.bsky.social

3.2K followers 490 following 670 posts

Experimental psychologist. Interested in cognitive science, research rigour, and interesting interdisciplinary spaces. Enjoying the outdoors around the NW of England. Work: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1183-5508

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · Aug 29

Behavioural research has been transformed by the digital revolution. The DECIDE framework, led by @hshawberry.bsky.social & published in AMPPS, aims to help researchers more effectively understand, reflect & navigate key research choices & their ethical consequences

doi.org/10.1177/2515...

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

doi.org

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 11h

Binomial test, [2 women, 14 awardees], p=.01294, (95% CI .0178 - .4281)

Reposted by John Towse

Philip N Cohen @philipncohen.com · 12h

Final 2025 Nobel Prize tally: 2 of 14 awardees are women

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Reposted by John Towse

Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (SIPS) @improvingpsych.org · 23h

Dear PsyArXiv users!
The OSF platform, which hosts PsyArXiv, has updated the PsyArXiv user interface! Unfortunately, some key moderation functions need repairs after the upgrade. This will delay some moderation decisions this week. 🔧

Thank you for your patience!

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Reposted by John Towse

Yoav Kessler @yoavkessler.bsky.social · 1d

My lab is recruiting a PhD student or Postdoc to join an exciting BSF project on working memory and prediction. Please RT, spread the word, and DM to apply

John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 1d

Data available on request.

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 1d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

Archives banned making copies.

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 1d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 2d

The land of the free - in designated areas only

Miriam Posner @miriamposner.com · 3d

Found this just incredibly depressing, more than anything.

An easel sign reads, “UCLA
ATTENTION
No events are permitted in this area today. Per Policy 852, this location is NOT designated for public expression activities.
Individuals participating in an event or a public expression activity in this area are subject to discipline and/or arrest.
Scan for policy information.”

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Reposted by John Towse

Kristina Šekrst @epiphenomenal.bsky.social · 2d

Accurate.

#academia #academy #philsky #philosophysky #philosophy #science

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 3d

University finds new way to spend yet more money so as to reduce what should be an educational opportunity into a bureaucratic form filling exercise. Students find ways to game system.
Rinse and repeat

John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 3d

Wright said: “Solar initiatives and other energy efficiency schemes have benefited Tice’s property companies whilst he was in charge, but now … there is a political advantage to gain Tice is all too happy to label these schemes as ‘perilous’ for investors.”

🤡

Richard Tice has 15-year record of supporting ‘net stupid zero’ initiatives

Firms led by deputy Reform UK leader since 2011 have shown commitment to saving energy and cutting CO2 emissions

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by John Towse

Liam Satchell @liamsatchell.bsky.social · 5d

New paper! - I was wrong! We checked and checked again we were definitely wrong.

And I couldn't be happier that we are able to publish these findings at QJEP - Satchell, Hall & Jones 🧵

osf.io/preprints/ps...

OSF

osf.io

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Reposted by John Towse

CREST @crest-research.bsky.social · 3d

🖍️ Register your interest for the NABS+ Creative workshop to explore fresh and accessible ways to share your research. Tues 25 November, 10:30 - 15:00, London. Find out more: crestresearch.ac.uk/nabs/opportu...

NABS+ Creative Workshop

Drawing From Your Research: a creative half-day workshop using playful storyboarding and analogies to help you communicate your research in fresh, engaging ways.

crestresearch.ac.uk

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Reposted by John Towse

Samuli Reijula @samulireijula.net · 3d

excellent essay: The Origin of the Research University open.substack.com/pub/asterisk...

The Origin of the Research University

Universities have existed for more than a thousand years — and for almost all of that time, they weren’t centers of research. What changed in 19th century Germany?

open.substack.com

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Reposted by John Towse

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4d

“We want our international students to continue to feel welcomed for the positive social and cultural and economic contributions they make in Wales, and we're very keen to ensure that that continues so there will not be a levy in Wales.” (Welsh education secretary Lynne Neagle)

Wales rules out levy on international student fees

Education secretary confirms devolved nation will not follow UK government in taking a cut of overseas tuition fee income

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Reposted by John Towse

Helen Kara @drhelenkara.bsky.social · 5d

Lucy Pickering and I first talked about research ethics nearly 30 years ago. Now we’re launching a call for chapters on experiences of ethics review.

Deadline: 30 Nov 2025

More here 👉 helenkara.com/2025/10/08/e...

#ResearchEthics #CallforChapters #EthicsReview

Ethics Review In Practice

I have known Lucy Pickering for a long time. I first met her almost 30 years ago through a mutual friend, and I got to know her well some years later when we were doing our PhDs at the same time. W…

helenkara.com

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Reposted by John Towse

Caro Hautekiet @carohautekiet.bsky.social · 5d

The final part of my PhD work is now published in JEP:LMC 🤩 Special thanks to my wonderful PhD supervisors @evievergauwe.bsky.social and @nlangerock.bsky.social 🤗 psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 6d

Hmm, you don’t suppose all this kerfuffle might be because the manufacturers have expiring patents, and need to redesign products so as to forestall cheaper, generic manufacturers?

Follow the money….

www.raps.org/news-and-art...

Study: Inhaler manufacturers use patents, exclusivity to shut out generic competition

The result has been higher costs for patients and a lack of innovation, according to the study@s lead author William B. Feldman of Brigham and Women@s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston.

www.raps.org

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Reposted by John Towse

Elizabeth Gadd @lizziegadd.bsky.social · 6d

Adding my voice to the chorus battling to retain an increased focus on people, culture, and environment in the next REF... wonkhe.com/blogs/the-ba...

The battle for people, culture and environment

Lizzie Gadd makes the case for embracing People, Culture and Environment and sets out why reverting to REF 2021 would be a mistake

wonkhe.com

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 7d

Seen comments (mainly from the US but not all) where approach letter fawns over hallucinated articles …

John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 7d

Thanks!
Maybe worth considering an update specifically with “avoid using an LLM to write to a prospective supervisor”.
More generally, to emphasise the value of authenticity in reaching out to a potential supervisor?

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 9d

OK - but this is UK and we have one of the highest per capita consumptions of chocolate in the world (and not much behind Switzerland at the top)

Relatedly, this is the UK and the chocolate is waaay nicer :-)

John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 10d

bsky.app/profile/abeb...

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.bsky.social · 10d

Yesterday the Royal Society held a series of panels & keynotes in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Turing Test. The unanimous critical takes on AGI, big tech's power concentration & the call for urgent action left me w hope things might be turning

Watch here m.youtube.com/live/GmnBTCK...

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John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 10d

Given the ease with which high numbers of imposter or fake accounts can be created, and populated (eg with text from bots)... I mean what could possibly go wrong here?

John Towse @jntowse.bsky.social · 10d

The constant stream of BS and lies from the US regime is exhausting.

Reposted by John Towse

TenInchWheels @teninchwheels.bsky.social · 10d

Levers Watter on the way home from climbing Coniston Old Man, Brim Fell, Swirl How, and Wetherlam (via Prison Band) with a pal last Monday. My legs have only just returned to normal.

A misty view over Levers Water from below Wetherlam in the English Lake District

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