This will be a big one! www.linkedin.com/pulse/regist...

A flat white by any other name … open.substack.com/pub/robertwe...

I've just heard what may be the funniest line ever in a detective story. It's in the brilliant Anthony Horowitz' novel 'Close to Death' whose audiobook is brightening up my gym experience. It is 'There was so much blood, even the police dog threw up.'

Bigly recommend listening to the Unlocking Behaviour Change 'cast from #JamieWest (not sure of his blewski handle) and @robertjwest.bsky.social. Lots of info and insight, entertainingly and efficiently conveyed. #ChickenSexing youtu.be/J0y2Bo4glfk?...

Robert West explaining the use of ontologies to support research on #nicotine and #tobacco use at the SRNT-E conference addictovocab.org @robertjwest.bsky.social

#BehaviouralScience is not always about nudging. The authors @susanmichie.bsky.social @robertjwest.bsky.social argue "tackling the challenges facing humanity requires a collective, capacity-building approach" that boosts competences, opportunities, & motivations for individuals to act together.

👥📚 And are you interested in applying AI to your own behavioural research? Join our drop-in advice sessions with our AI webinar speakers @jannahastings.bsky.social , @robertjwest.bsky.social, and @susanmichie.bsky.social Michie beginning in September. Sign up to a session today!

Our new paper provides up-to-date evidence on cigarette consumption across Great Britain. 🟡~28.6 billion cigarettes are smoked each year. 🟡There are persistent disparities across socioeconomic groups, regions, and nations. academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-... @ntrjournal.bsky.social

Just released a new episode of the Unlocking Behaviour Change podcast. This series is tackling decision-making and this episode is all about the importance of the way that decisions are 'framed' (e.g., Shall I do X or not? which of X, Y or Z shall I choose?) www.podbean.com/ep/pb-rdhpx-...

I've just launched the latest episode in the Unlocking Behaviour Change podcast series, and it is the very first public airing of a new general framework for understanding and analysing real-world decisions - called FACET. So do check it out and leave comments. www.podbean.com/ep/pb-tgudh-...

The Human Behaviour Change Project 'Prediction Tool' has just had a revamp. It uses interpretable machine learning applied to rich ontologised data extracted from ~500 RCTs to predict smoking cessation outcomes in novel scenarios. Here's a link to a video about the tool youtu.be/fUvfXmeZhnM

Can't wait for the launch of APRICOT? 🍑 We got you covered: Here, Robert West is introducing himself and giving you a small peak into what he will be speaking about at the launch. Don't forget to register: 🗓️ 17 June 2025 ⏰ 3:30 PM (UK Time) 🎥 Online 👉 Register now: ucl.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Just posted the 3rd podcast in the Unlocking Behaviour Change series. This first series of podcasts is being done while Jamie West and I finalise our new book on decision making, so comments are very welcome ... here's a link to the podcast www.podbean.com/ep/pb-yavwn-...

🧠 Bonus for early birds! Register early for the BCTO training and get first access to a free workshop with Prof @robertjwest.bsky.social on the CACTISS Tool - a practical, step-by-step method to identify aspects of capability, opportunity & motivation to target - and how to use it to select BCTs.

We also have the last few places remaining on our Principles & Practice of Systems Mapping course on 3 July! 🔗https://www.ucl.ac.uk/behaviour-change/advanced-modules-behaviour-change @viviantonop.bsky.social @robertjwest.bsky.social

Looking for other advanced training? On 1 July join Prof @robertjwest.bsky.social for an in-depth guide to decision-making and motivation, with plenty of time for discussion and interactivity. 🔗https://www.ucl.ac.uk/behaviour-change/advanced-modules-behaviour-change

A reply to a reply. Ralph Hertwig @susanmichie.bsky.social @robertjwest.bsky.social & Stephen Reicher respond to a commentary from Luc Bovens on their BPP paper. doi.org/10.1017/bpp....

🚨 New article on 'Moving from nudging to boosting: empowering behaviour change to address global challenges' by Ralph Hertwig, @susanmichie.bsky.social, @robertjwest.bsky.social & Stephen Reicher. 🔗You can read it here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Here is a short video about Long COVID - something we all need to be aware of as it is devasting people's lives and is a very good reason why we should normalise perfectly reasonable precautions against airborne viruses. youtu.be/mqIxyammvXE?...

New Addiction Audio: Communicating public health research with @drsarahejackson.bsky.social, Martin Jarvis and @robertjwest.bsky.social. Elle Wadsworth talks to 3 generations of tobacco/nicotine researchers about their recent editorial ‘The price of a cigarette: 20 minutes of life?’

Finally, we have a published version of the paper describing the ontology for capturing information about recipients of interventions. It's out for peer review but open to comments from all interested parties so do have a look and stress test it! wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/10-...

We're going to be focusing on using ML to predict intervention outcomes - something that we don't do enough but should be core business for behavioural scientists.

We are a week away from the second webinar in our AI in behavioural research series, focusing on Analytical AI, covering its use in classifying knowledge, reasoning, and making predictions from data. 📅 11:30am, 12 March 2025. Sign up below: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

With speakers @jannahastings.bsky.social, @susanmichie.bsky.social & @robertjwest.bsky.social

The populist right is damaging US science. The UK could be next. open.substack.com/pub/kityates...

The programme for #BCConf2025 is here! 🎉 2 days (2-3 April), 3 inspiring keynotes, 13 panel discussions/symposia, and over 200 projects showcased in oral presentations and posters! In-person tickets are sold out but you can register to watch online. 👉 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/behaviour-ch...

How do apps backed by the alcohol industry mislead users & risk increasing the amount users drink? In our latest blog, Elliott Roy-Highley & @markpetticrew.bsky.social look at the content of industry apps. "It exemplifies the subtle ways that industry actors use... www.ias.org.uk/2025/02/25/d...

You can now sign up for the second webinar in our AI in Behavioural Research series. This session focuses on analytical AI, how it classifies knowledge, undertakes reasoning & more. 📅 11:30am, 12 March 2025. Register Here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Our third and final #AI webinar is also open for registration. In this webinar our speakers @jannahastings.bsky.social, @susanmichie.bsky.social & @robertjwest.bsky.social will explore ethical challenges in AI for behavioural research. 📅 1pm, 12 May 2025. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

The Drink Less app goes from strength to strength. Here is an economic evaluation of the likely impact of rolling it out across England www.valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S109...

I worked in the MoD in the late 1970s and it was my opinion then and it remains today that the US was not a trustworthy ally. Now it has made its intentions clear - to install far right puppet governments in Europe. We have a fight on our hands.

This excellent interactive tutorial on misleading data visualizations explores the idea of a "counter chart" — the graph you draw in response to refute a misleading claims flowingdata.com/projects/dis...

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025! Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide! #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

My brother, Jonathan, sent me a transcript in which he asked ChatGPT whether, AI will end up being too busy watching porn to take over the world. This was the response - unedited. docs.google.com/document/d/1...

The UK's National Institute of Health and Care Excellent (NICE) has just published its comprehensive updated guidance on the prevention and treatment of tobacco dependence. A 'must-read' for commissioners and providers of smoking cessation support www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng209

Relatedly, crash injuries in Wales have fallen ~28% since the 2023 adoption of 20 mph as an urban standard. Slower traffic --> Fewer crashes --> Lower insurance rates

Systematic review: At an individual level, people who vape appear more likely to go on to smoke than people who do not. It is unclear if these behaviours are causally linked. V V low certainty evidence suggests youth vaping & smoking could be inversely related onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

What's next for the Human Behaviour-Change Project? APRICOT (Advancing Prevention Research In Cancer through Ontology Tools) will further develop ontologies, a Community of Practice, & access to more tools and resources. @susanmichie.bsky.social @robertjwest.bsky.social #BehaviouralScience

Are you interested in learning how AI can be used to improve behavioural research? 📈 There is time to register for BR-UK’s webinar tomorrow at 1:30pm BST with speakers @jannahastings.bsky.social, @susanmichie.bsky.social and @robertjwest.bsky.social. Sign up here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

I didn't think I'd have to say this, but as someone who's spent years studying and treating "addictions" there is no such thing as "dopamine addiction," no matter what Insta/ TikTok tell you, and anything using that phrase is a gutter trash scam. You cannot be addicted to your own neurotransmitters.

📢 Final call to apply! Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to join our team on a permanent, full-time basis, and play a key role in developing and growing our research, consultancy and training activities. 🔗 Applications close 26 January: www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/... @susanmichie.bsky.social

The BR-UK Map has now been viewed over 10,000 times! It features ~170 private sector, ~80 public sector, ~30 third/voluntary sector organisations, and ~600 academic groups involved in behavioural research. 📊🔍 Look over the map here: usher.ed.ac.uk/behavioural-...

One of my friends has a grant from the #FDA to look at disparities in clinical trial research and just submitted a manuscript with the findings. She was told today by the collaborators from the #FDA to rescind it. #Censorhip has started, we are living in authoritarian government.

Smoking costs society in England £43.7bn a year through a combination of lost economic productivity and health and social care costs. This rises to £78.3bn if the cost of early deaths due to smoking is included. ash.org.uk/health-inequ... @ashorguk.bsky.social #RespEd #LungSky 1/n

Trump comes for the scientists www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/01... Trump has cancelled almost all US government medical research. He's also cancelled communication on current medical crises. Mistrust of science is a fascist trait. It looks like the people of the USA are going to suffer for it.

Coverage of our recent paper on the real-world effectiveness of smoking cessation aids in The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/society/2025... Read the paper in full here: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Looking to gain a better understanding of how to apply behaviour change principles to practical problems? Meet Claire, who took our intermediate course, & find out how the course helped her to develop an intervention. 🔗 Book now for 8-12 Sept: www.ucl.ac.uk/behaviour-ch... @susanmichie.bsky.social

A linguistics professor was lecturing his class. "In English, a double negative is a positive. In some languages, like Russian, a double negative is still a negative. But, there is no language wherein a double positive can be a negative." A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah, right."

The Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience is the most wonderful place to work. Supportive, bright colleagues doing incredible research in beautiful Queen Square. Do get in touch if you have any questions. Come join us! www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...