Professor of Psychology, University of Melbourne
Nick is a social psychologist whose interests include prejudice, psychiatric classification and refugee mental health. His books include Psychology in the Bathroom, Introduction to Personality and Intelligence, Yearning to Breathe Free: Seeking Asylum in Australia, and Introduction to the Taxometric Method.
Do you have a mental illness? Why some people answer ‘yes’, even if they haven’t been diagnosed
Jun 20, 2024 05:41 am UTC| Health
Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders have become more prevalent, especially among young people. Demand for treatment is surging and prescriptions of some psychiatric medications have climbed. These...
Mental illness, psychiatric disorder or psychological problem. What should we call mental distress?
Jun 05, 2024 04:07 am UTC| Health
We talk about mental health more than ever, but the language we should use remains a vexed issue. Should we call people who seek help patients, clients or consumers? Should we use person-first expressions such as person...
Best books of 2023: our experts share the books that have stayed with them
Dec 05, 2023 05:36 am UTC| Entertainment
We asked 20 of our regular contributors to nominate their favourite books of the year. Their choices were diverse, intriguing and sometimes surprising. Whether youre looking for something relaxing or stimulating,...
Why are the poor shunned? The reasons are complicated
Apr 11, 2023 11:11 am UTC| Insights & Views
In a study of 19th century ideas of poverty, the German historian Beate Althammer observes a strange dichotomy. On the one hand, there existed a deep-rooted tradition of ascribing to the poor a special proximity to God. As...
Is psychiatry shrinking what's considered normal?
Jul 21, 2020 14:56 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health
Psychiatric classifications catalogue the many forms of mental ill-health. They define what counts as a disorder and who counts as disordered, drawing the boundary between psychological normality and abnormality. In the...
Is the 'midlife crisis' a real thing?
Jan 07, 2019 12:19 pm UTC| Life
Middle age is often seen as lifes pivot point. A hill has been climbed and the view over the other side is unsettling. As Victor Hugo said: forty is the old age of youth and fifty the youth of old age. The idea adults...
Aug 27, 2018 15:26 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life
How should people who care about gender equality in the workplace argue their case? The most popular approach is to make the business case argument: that greater inclusion of women enhances profits and...