Holding a Mirror to Society

It is common these days to see rainbow flags in places like universities, hospitals, and government buildings. They are usually meant to show support for LGBTQ+ people. But how do people actually feel when they see these flags? Surprisingly, there has been little research on this. Understanding people’s reactions can show whether these symbols are welcomed and whether they have the impact they are meant to have. This presentation shares new findings showing how LGBTQ+ and non LGBTQ+ people respond to the “Progress Pride Flag,” the newest version of the rainbow flag.

The deceit-filled reality television series Traitors has become a media sensation. How good are we at detecting lies when the stakes are high? Surveys have revealed common beliefs among the public and police about the non-verbal signs of lying such as averting gaze and fidgeting. However, several decades of research shows these cues are not reliable indicators. Deception detection is close to chance when there is no insight into the baseline behaviour of others. In this talk I suggest a move away from Pinocchio’s nose to the potential of verbal cues as indicators of deceit.

We are all expected to grow up at some point, but what does it actually mean to be an adult? For hundreds of years social roles, such as getting married, becoming a parent, and having a stable job, have been used as signs of having reached adulthood. I ask whether traditional social roles – that many of us don’t enter until our 30s and 40s, and some not at all – are necessary to achieve adult status. I also consider whether these roles bring people satisfaction and happiness, and ask, what if hanging on to these outdated markers of adulthood actually makes us less happy?