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Department of Psychology

Welcome to CUBIT

The Cambridge University Behavioural Insights Team (CUBIT) aims to facilitate networking between researchers interested in the translation of behavioural science across the University. We connect social psychologists, behavioural economists, experts in public policy, health, the environment, engineering and design with others who would like to use the latest behavioural insights to tackle the challenges of today. This project is in its first stages, and we hope to facilitate a range of behavioural insights inspired-activities across the University.

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JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

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Contact / Mailing List

If you are interested in joining one of our events or hearing more about our upcoming plans, please sign up to our mailing list by filling in this form. For any other inquiries, please email Rakoen Maertens (rm938@cam.ac.uk).

CUBIT Committee 2022-2023

Lee de-Wit
Rakoen Maertens
Malte Dewies
Sakshi Ghai
Joshua Gallagher
Ana Lleó Bono

 

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BLOG POSTS

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12th August 2020 | COVID-19 and Mental Health
https://www.cubit.psychol.cam.ac.uk/index.php/2020/08/12/is-technology-bad-for-us-in-a-pandemic/

26th January 2021 | The Psychology of Polarisation in Contemporary Politics
https://www.cubit.psychol.cam.ac.uk/index.php/2021/01/26/the-psychology-of-polarisation-in-contemporary-politics/

21st June 2021 | What Behavioural Science Can Teach Us About Vaccine Hesitancy
https://www.cubit.psychol.cam.ac.uk/index.php/2021/06/21/what-behavioura...

 

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PAST EVENTS

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2022: Easter

25th April 2022
Careers Event

3rd May 2022
CUBIT Conference

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2021: Michaelmas

2nd December 2021
Networking drinks

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2021: Easter

For Easter 2021, we convened (via Zoom) one large panel event on vaccine hesitancy:

Panel Event

Discussion with six experts, including psychologists, political scientists, civil servants, and epidemiologists.

Thursday, 1st June 2021 @ 16:00 GMT
Thinking fast and slow about vaccine hesitancy
Panellists: John Kerr, Stephan Lewandowsky, Michael Bang Petersen, Patricia Andrews Fearon, Moira Nicolson, Nicole Basta
Info & Registration: Eventbrite

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2021: Lent

For Lent 2021, we convened (via Zoom) five events on The Behavioural Science of Managing COVID-19: Lessons From the Global South:

Area Focused Sessions

Live discussion on using Behavioural Insights to manage COVID-19 in the Global South, with leading experts in the field; aimed to facilitate engagement between disciplines and between behavioural research and policymakers

Thursday, 28th January 2021 @ 16:00 GMT
The Behavioural Science of Managing COVID-19: Lessons From the Global South: Africa Focus
Expert: Anisha Singh (Busara)
Info & Registration: Eventbrite

Thursday, 4th February 2021 @ 16:00 GMT
The Behavioural Science of Managing COVID-19: Lessons From the Global South: Latin America Focus
Experts: Flora Finamor Pfeifer & Rafaela Bastos
Info & Registration: Eventbrite

Thursday, 18th February 2021 @ 16:00 GMT
The Behavioural Science of Managing COVID-19: Lessons From the Global South: Middle East Focus
Experts: Fadi Makki (Founder of Nudge Lebanon)
Info & Registration: Eventbrite

Thursday, 4th March 2021 @ 16:00 GMT
The Behavioural Science of Managing COVID-19: Lessons From the Global South: Asia Focus
Experts: Umar Raj
Info & Registration: Eventbrite

Panel Event

Our final event, where we invited experts to discuss the insights and future of Behavioural Insights on Managing COVID-19 in the Global South

Thursday, 11th March 2021 @ 16:00 GMT
Managing COVID-19: Behavioural Insights From the Global South
Panellists: Neela Saldhana & Seema Yasmin
Info & Registration: Eventbrite

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2020: Michaelmas

For Michaelmas 2020, we convened (via Zoom) six events on the theme of Polarisation:

  • 2 journal club sessions
  • 1 post-election discussion with invited guests
  • 1 applied Behavioural Insights event
  • 1 panel event

Journal Club (Reading Group)

Live discussion on cutting-edge research about political polarisation with leading expert in field; aimed to facilitate engagement between disciplines and between behavioural research and policymakers in Cambridge

Thursday, 29th October 2020 @ 16:00 GMT
The Psychology of Political Polarisation
Author: Jeffrey Lees (Harvard University)
Paper: The general fault in our fault lines (replication of Inaccurate group meta-perceptions drive negative out-group attributions in competitive contexts)

Thursday, 19th November 2020 @ 16:00 GMT
The Origins of Online Outrage
Author: William Brady (Yale University)
Paper: How social learning amplifies moral outrage expression in online social networks

Post-Election Discussion

A dynamic discussion with experts in political polarisation on the outcome of the 2020 US election

Thursday, 5th November 2020 @ 16:00 GMT
Discussion on polarisation during the 2020 US Presidential election
Guests: Ali Goldsworthy, Alex Chesterfield, & Laura Osborne

Applied Behavioural Insights

Getting perspectives on how behavioural insights can actually be applied to solve pressing real-world challenges

Thursday, 12th November 2020 @ 16:00 GMT
Promoting Peace Through Media Interventions in Colombia
Author: Andres Casas (University of Pennsylvania)
Paper: Single exposure to a media intervention helps promote peace in Colombia

Panel Event

Our final event, where our invited experts reflected on previous sessions and debate on the future of political polarisation

Thursday, 3rd December 2020 @ 16:00 GMT
The Future of Political Polarisation
Panellists: Jeffrey Lees, Andres Casas, William Brady & Leor Zmigrod

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2020: Easter

Reading Group

For Easter 2020, we convened reading group discussions on the theme of Mental Health in the context of COVID-19. These events were hosted on Zoom.

We also hosted a final discussion on the theme of Disruption.

Panel Event

We hosted an online Panel Event on COVID-19 and Mental Health on the 21st of May 2020, bringing together three experts on COVID-19 and Mental Health, each providing a unique point of discussion, all through the lens of behavioural science:

Prof Tim Dalgleish | on positive health impacts of the crisis | paper

Dr Amy Orben | on our current relationship with technology | paper

Dr Julieta Galante | on the role and potential of online therapy | paper

Careers Event

We hosted a virtual Behavioural Insights Careers Event  on the 23rd of April 2020. The event included presentations and an opportunity to pose questions to colleagues from the Civil Service (Cabinet Office), Facebook, The Behavioural Insights Team and Common Thread.

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2020: Lent

Reading Group

For Lent 2020, we convened one reading group discussion on the theme of Disruption. During this meeting, researchers from various domains and perspectives were invited to actively take part in the discussion of a paper.

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2019: Michaelmas

Reading Group

For Michaelmas 2019, we convened three reading group discussions on the theme of Climate Change. During these meetings, researchers from various domains and perspectives were invited to actively take part in the discussion of a paper.

 

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PAST COMMITTEES

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CUBIT Committee 2019-2020

Lee de-Wit
Leor Zmigrod
Melisa Basol
Tessa Buchanan
Rakoen Maertens

 

CUBIT Committee 2020-2021

Lee de-Wit
Leor Zmigrod
Melisa Basol
Sakshi Ghai
Maris Vainre
Rakoen Maertens

 

CUBIT Committee 2021-2022

Lee de-Wit
Melisa Basol
Sakshi Ghai
Maris Vainre
Joshua Gallagher
Rakoen Maertens

 

*The Cubit: an ancient measurement unit