Stephen Hill
@srhastraea.bsky.social
Cognitive psych interested in distributed cognition, memory, weird and non-weird beliefs, cognitive biases, conspiracy belief, misinformation, scientific vs lay cognition, climate change, open science, metascience, 4eCognition.
From Aotearoa/New Zealand
From Aotearoa/New Zealand
Reposted by Stephen Hill
TIL that chiropracty isn't just bad medicine it's full-on "oh there's wizards ghosts in the spine, we gotta crack it to let 'em out"
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 AM
TIL that chiropracty isn't just bad medicine it's full-on "oh there's wizards ghosts in the spine, we gotta crack it to let 'em out"
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Found AI's number one Australian fan. This is real. I'm not going to explain how I came by it. @ketanjoshi.co and @timinclimate.bsky.social will love* it.
November 27, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Found AI's number one Australian fan. This is real. I'm not going to explain how I came by it. @ketanjoshi.co and @timinclimate.bsky.social will love* it.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
November 26, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Stephen Hill
And from @maxrashbrooke.bsky.social June 2024 thespinoff.co.nz/politics/05-...
November 27, 2025 at 12:26 AM
And from @maxrashbrooke.bsky.social June 2024 thespinoff.co.nz/politics/05-...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Stolen off @darienfenton.bsky.social FB
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
November 27, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Stolen off @darienfenton.bsky.social FB
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
Reposted by Stephen Hill
This evening at 6pm in Aotearoa time, I will be speaking as part of "The Thinking Life: Ideas That Shape Us," a series of free webinars.
My topic is "How Does Media Influence Work?" if anybody'd be interested in joining.
My topic is "How Does Media Influence Work?" if anybody'd be interested in joining.
The Thinking Life: Free Massey University webinars on the ideas that shape us
What does it mean to think in a world overflowing with information, emotion and ideology? Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences is inviting the public t...
www.massey.ac.nz
November 27, 2025 at 1:38 AM
This evening at 6pm in Aotearoa time, I will be speaking as part of "The Thinking Life: Ideas That Shape Us," a series of free webinars.
My topic is "How Does Media Influence Work?" if anybody'd be interested in joining.
My topic is "How Does Media Influence Work?" if anybody'd be interested in joining.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
On AI’s ‘mediocrity trap’ — experiments indicates that while AI helps the less skilled make something passable, the highly skilled don’t use it to produce something better than they could have; they produce something ok, but lose motivation to make it great. www.jin-li.org/uploads/1/1/...
November 26, 2025 at 9:18 PM
On AI’s ‘mediocrity trap’ — experiments indicates that while AI helps the less skilled make something passable, the highly skilled don’t use it to produce something better than they could have; they produce something ok, but lose motivation to make it great. www.jin-li.org/uploads/1/1/...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Across seven countries, we find striking cross-national differences in what people want to preserve in collective memory. In some countries, primarily want to remember events in which the ingroup behaved morally. In other countries, there is a weaker preference for these ingroup-favoring histories.
OSF
doi.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Across seven countries, we find striking cross-national differences in what people want to preserve in collective memory. In some countries, primarily want to remember events in which the ingroup behaved morally. In other countries, there is a weaker preference for these ingroup-favoring histories.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
🚨New Preprint (in press @ JPSP)🚨
Publishing my research on Germans' desire for a “Schlussstrich” (to achieve closure on the Nazi past) was hard, as it seemed too specific for one context to many. Our new paper led by @zakfio.bsky.social provides global perspectives on the desire to remember/ forget.
Publishing my research on Germans' desire for a “Schlussstrich” (to achieve closure on the Nazi past) was hard, as it seemed too specific for one context to many. Our new paper led by @zakfio.bsky.social provides global perspectives on the desire to remember/ forget.
OSF
osf.io
November 26, 2025 at 8:36 PM
🚨New Preprint (in press @ JPSP)🚨
Publishing my research on Germans' desire for a “Schlussstrich” (to achieve closure on the Nazi past) was hard, as it seemed too specific for one context to many. Our new paper led by @zakfio.bsky.social provides global perspectives on the desire to remember/ forget.
Publishing my research on Germans' desire for a “Schlussstrich” (to achieve closure on the Nazi past) was hard, as it seemed too specific for one context to many. Our new paper led by @zakfio.bsky.social provides global perspectives on the desire to remember/ forget.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Reposted by Stephen Hill
You might like the research by Gray, Gray, and Wegner on how people evaluate mind perception — that is, who has conscious experience and who doesn’t.
Does a robot feel pain? Can a robot feel awe? God is also evaluated.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Does a robot feel pain? Can a robot feel awe? God is also evaluated.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Dimensions of Mind Perception
Participants compared the mental capacities of various human and nonhuman characters via online surveys. Factor analysis revealed two dimensions of mind perception, Experience (for example, capacity f...
www.science.org
November 26, 2025 at 6:50 PM
You might like the research by Gray, Gray, and Wegner on how people evaluate mind perception — that is, who has conscious experience and who doesn’t.
Does a robot feel pain? Can a robot feel awe? God is also evaluated.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Does a robot feel pain? Can a robot feel awe? God is also evaluated.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
The Elsevier investigation mentioned was initiated after a STAT news piece on the problem, co-authored with Cathryn, @dsamorod.bsky.social, @stairwaytokevin.bsky.social, @jedidiahcarlson.com, @jameslingford.bsky.social and @jowiph.bsky.social
www.statnews.com/2024/06/20/r...
www.statnews.com/2024/06/20/r...
Journals that published Richard Lynn's racist 'research' articles should retract them
Richard Lynn's work has been repeatedly condemned for using flawed methodology and deceptively collated data to support racism. It's past time to retract the studies.
www.statnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:33 PM
The Elsevier investigation mentioned was initiated after a STAT news piece on the problem, co-authored with Cathryn, @dsamorod.bsky.social, @stairwaytokevin.bsky.social, @jedidiahcarlson.com, @jameslingford.bsky.social and @jowiph.bsky.social
www.statnews.com/2024/06/20/r...
www.statnews.com/2024/06/20/r...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
My new book, The Division of Rationalized Labor, is now shipping! A brief summary of the argument to follow…
November 26, 2025 at 5:45 PM
My new book, The Division of Rationalized Labor, is now shipping! A brief summary of the argument to follow…
Reposted by Stephen Hill
It is a good question, although the examples seem to be more about why people fall for them.
IME* it’s a long road out of a belief, conspiratorial or not, with no one step that is "it". It’s more a series or accumulation of things than a single "intervention", to use the medical expression.
IME* it’s a long road out of a belief, conspiratorial or not, with no one step that is "it". It’s more a series or accumulation of things than a single "intervention", to use the medical expression.
What prompts people to change their minds about conspiracy theories? Associate Professor Matt Williams and team from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University set out to answer this curious question! 👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
What prompts people to change their minds about conspiracy theories?
Conspiracies DO happen...
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 26, 2025 at 6:14 PM
It is a good question, although the examples seem to be more about why people fall for them.
IME* it’s a long road out of a belief, conspiratorial or not, with no one step that is "it". It’s more a series or accumulation of things than a single "intervention", to use the medical expression.
IME* it’s a long road out of a belief, conspiratorial or not, with no one step that is "it". It’s more a series or accumulation of things than a single "intervention", to use the medical expression.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
What prompts people to change their minds about conspiracy theories? Associate Professor Matt Williams and team from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University set out to answer this curious question! 👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
What prompts people to change their minds about conspiracy theories?
Conspiracies DO happen...
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 26, 2025 at 1:26 AM
What prompts people to change their minds about conspiracy theories? Associate Professor Matt Williams and team from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University set out to answer this curious question! 👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
There are few overlaps and even less savings to be made as the same work will still have to be done by someone - now probably in local government without any extra central government resourcing.
Anyone who thinks mayors can take on this additional burden knows nothing about local government.
Anyone who thinks mayors can take on this additional burden knows nothing about local government.
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 AM
There are few overlaps and even less savings to be made as the same work will still have to be done by someone - now probably in local government without any extra central government resourcing.
Anyone who thinks mayors can take on this additional burden knows nothing about local government.
Anyone who thinks mayors can take on this additional burden knows nothing about local government.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Nine of the top 10 mega-cities are in Asia, with Bangladesh's Dhaka projected to be the world's largest city by 2050.
Indonesia’s Jakarta now the world’s largest city, Tokyo falls to third: UN
Nine of the top 10 mega-cities are in Asia, with Bangladesh's Dhaka projected to be the world's largest city by 2050.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Nine of the top 10 mega-cities are in Asia, with Bangladesh's Dhaka projected to be the world's largest city by 2050.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Richard O’Brien looks back at the Rocky Horror Picture Show phenomenon. A “strange” but also fascinating and heartfelt journey… and it all started in Hamilton, NZ. A cool documentary this.
www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/strang...
www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/strang...
November 26, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Richard O’Brien looks back at the Rocky Horror Picture Show phenomenon. A “strange” but also fascinating and heartfelt journey… and it all started in Hamilton, NZ. A cool documentary this.
www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/strang...
www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/strang...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
We're thrilled to announce the publication of our newest paper in @plosone.org 🎉
"Aging and episodic memory specificity: Evidence challenging a domain-general pattern separation decline"
Read Dr. Youm's full paper here: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
@melaniecohn.bsky.social
#Memory #Psychology #Aging
"Aging and episodic memory specificity: Evidence challenging a domain-general pattern separation decline"
Read Dr. Youm's full paper here: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
@melaniecohn.bsky.social
#Memory #Psychology #Aging
Aging and episodic memory specificity: Evidence challenging a domain-general pattern separation decline
Aging is associated with a decline in episodic memory specificity. This phenomenon has been observed across various memory tasks, such as the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST), where older adults show a ...
dx.plos.org
November 25, 2025 at 9:50 PM
We're thrilled to announce the publication of our newest paper in @plosone.org 🎉
"Aging and episodic memory specificity: Evidence challenging a domain-general pattern separation decline"
Read Dr. Youm's full paper here: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
@melaniecohn.bsky.social
#Memory #Psychology #Aging
"Aging and episodic memory specificity: Evidence challenging a domain-general pattern separation decline"
Read Dr. Youm's full paper here: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
@melaniecohn.bsky.social
#Memory #Psychology #Aging
Reposted by Stephen Hill
NEW: When Propecy Fails is one of the most famous social psychology books of all time, a look at a small group of UFO believers when the “spacemen” failed to land. I wrote about a new study from an independent researcher who says the book is not what it seems. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
It’s one of the most influential social psychology studies ever. Was it all a lie?
A classic book on UFO believers and their "cognitive dissonance" after aliens failed to land is called into question.
www.motherjones.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:36 PM
NEW: When Propecy Fails is one of the most famous social psychology books of all time, a look at a small group of UFO believers when the “spacemen” failed to land. I wrote about a new study from an independent researcher who says the book is not what it seems. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
our dear leader @matthewmatix.bsky.social has posted on what the Antipodean Misinformation and Conspiracies Club has been up to over the past few years
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
November 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM
our dear leader @matthewmatix.bsky.social has posted on what the Antipodean Misinformation and Conspiracies Club has been up to over the past few years
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/research/new...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
New: Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says the Government is no longer committed to advocating for a global phase-out of fossil fuels, marking a significant change in position.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/26/g...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/26/g...
Govt backtracks on fossil fuel phase-out
Australia, the UK, the EU and Pacific nations backed a roadmap away from fossil fuels at COP30, but New Zealand didn't sign up
newsroom.co.nz
November 26, 2025 at 12:26 AM
New: Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says the Government is no longer committed to advocating for a global phase-out of fossil fuels, marking a significant change in position.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/26/g...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/26/g...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Smoking quit rates stall in NZ. @janethoek.bsky.social @predwards.bsky.social
#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/smo...
#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/smo...
Smoking prevalence and trends: Important findings from the 2024-25 New Zealand Health Survey
Daily smoking rates in Aotearoa have stalled at about 6.8% for three years, with persistent inequities and widening gender gaps indicating the Smokefree 2025 goal will not be met.
www.phcc.org.nz
November 26, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Smoking quit rates stall in NZ. @janethoek.bsky.social @predwards.bsky.social
#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/smo...
#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/smo...
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Fun fact: New Zealand's first homegrown rock 'n' roll song was 'Pie Cart Rock 'n' Roll' (1957). It goes deep.
* New Zealand takes pies (namely, handheld meat pies) so seriously that there are National Pie Awards that get major media coverage. The New Zealand National Library has a whole dedicated category for “Pies — Competitions.”
Pie.
Pie.
November 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Fun fact: New Zealand's first homegrown rock 'n' roll song was 'Pie Cart Rock 'n' Roll' (1957). It goes deep.
Reposted by Stephen Hill
Call for abstracts for the first conference of our new Center for Humanities and Technology. Please share!
uchumanitiestech.org/2026-confere...
uchumanitiestech.org/2026-confere...
2026 Conference
Call for Papers: Science and Technology in the Anthropocene April 2 – 3, 2026 A conference about human experience in a world with non-biological intelligent systems and the environmental prob…
uchumanitiestech.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Call for abstracts for the first conference of our new Center for Humanities and Technology. Please share!
uchumanitiestech.org/2026-confere...
uchumanitiestech.org/2026-confere...