The iconic Hawthorne experiments at a Western Electric factory used changes in working conditions such as subtle adjustments to lighting and noise levels to improve the working environment. They were founded on the insights of psychology and affected a sea change in workplace relations. This new “human relations” approach broke the influence of scientific management… Read More
Mental Health in Modern Military Forces
Research Paper Title Effects of Deployment on Mental Health in Modern Military Forces: A Review of Longitudinal Studies. Background Earlier studies presenting evidence that operational deployment negatively affects mental health outcomes among military personnel and veterans generally have lacked conclusiveness, largely because of cross-sectional or retrospective design. Purpose To review longitudinal studies investigating mental health… Read More
The Perils of Bias and Self-deception
Most leaders in private would probably admit that their decisions have more than a smidgen of ‘gut feeling’, even though in business the cultural norm is that of the rational animal. This piece flags up the perils of ignoring the science behind unconscious bias. Accepting that as decision-makers we are constantly subject to a variety of… Read More
MDTs, Sports & Emotional Intelligence
During recent decades, private and national sport organisations have been fostering the creation of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) in order to give support to their athletes so that they can achieve their objectives with high levels of efficiency. These MDTs of specialists, also called high performing teams (HPTs), invariably include masseurs and/or physiotherapists who provide their services in coordination… Read More
The Joy of Children
The transition into parenthood brings changes in mental health and psychological distress. A longitudinal study that looked at the impact of becoming a parent compared the experience in three waves: From non-parent to parent; From first time parent to subsequent parent (a baby joining other children); and The transition to no longer having young children.… Read More
Conformity, Ethics & Recruit Training
“[…]within the ethical decisionmaking framework described by MCU, how does our institutional culture, specifically recruit training, diminish the capacity of a Marine to act ethically? […]I believe that the dehumanization and tearing down of a recruit by the methods we currently employ in recruit training is the first step in contributing to a mental attitude… Read More
Brain Training & Angry Faces
Research Paper Title Differential Brain Activation to Angry Faces by Elite Warfighters: Neural Processing Evidence for Enhanced Threat Detection. Background Little is known about the neural basis of elite performers and their optimal performance in extreme environments. The purpose of this study was to examine brain processing differences between elite warfighters and comparison subjects in… Read More
Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute 