News
Recognition for Robin, Sept-2024
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Exciting news! We are thrilled to share the news that our founder Robin Banerjee has been named one of the U.K.'s 50 Leading Lights: Kindness in Leadership, in association with KPMG. Pinky Lilani CBE DL, founder of Kindness & Leadership: 50 Leading Lights explains: "By leading with kindness, these remarkable men and women transform workplaces into thriving ecosystems where both people and businesses flourish. They are an inspiration to us all". You can see the full set of listees here. |
Newsletter: February 2024
Take a look at the most recent news letter from the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness (ROK) to keep up to date with news and upcoming events. This includes information on upcoming talks, on and off campus events related to kindness and news from friends/partners/members.
PGCert Graduates, Jan-2024
January 25th 2024
Congratulations to the latest cohort of graduates from the Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing at Work PG Certificate course.
Annual Report 2022-2023
The first annual report for the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness is now available. This includes information on continuing projects, completed projects, as well as a recap of last year's events and member accomplishments.
PGCert Graduates, Jul-2023
July 12st 2023
Congratulations to the first cohort of graduates from the Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing at Work PG Certificate course.
Nervous about talking to strangers? It’s not as hard as you think, and you’re probably already better at it than you know!
School of Psychology Blog post - June 13th 2023
By Dr Gillian Sandstrom
To mark Loneliness Awareness Week, Sussex Psychologist Gillian Sandstrom shares her research findings on the importance of connecting with strangers for our happiness and well-being.
I talk to strangers. Even on the Tube. I have had loads of pleasant chats and, of course, a few awkward ones. I’ve benefitted from some of these conversations, learning new things and getting helpful advice and recommendations. Even when the conversations are just average, they add up, and make me feel more trust and less fear towards others. Research shows that talking to strangers can improve our mood and make us feel more connected. So why don’t we talk to each other more often? Maybe we’re not convinced that we know how to do it. The good news is that it’s not as hard as you think, and you’re probably already better at it than you know!
The University of Sussex launches UK’s first centre on the study of kindness
Broadcast: News items - Friday, 24 March 2023
By Poppy Luckett
The University of Sussex has, on Thursday 23 March, publicly launched the first academic research centre in the UK dedicated to the study of kindness.
The Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness brings together researchers from across the University with expertise in psychology, business, education, social work, medical practice and media to investigate the impact of kindness on people and communities.
"In hard times, a kindness culture isn't a nice-to-have - it's essential."
Broadcast: News items - Friday, 11 November 2022
By Vicky Trendall Lane
Ahead of World Kindness Day (Sunday 13 November), leading kindness experts from the University of Sussex’s Centre for Research on Kindness are calling for a culture of kindness to be a top national priority. As the cost-of-living crisis, spiralling inflation and warnings of Covid and flu surges all set the scene for a tough winter, the Sussex academics are challenging leaders to show kindness and compassion.
Two thirds of people who took part in The Kindness Test think the pandemic has made people kinder
Broadcast: News items - Wednesday, 9 March 2022
By Alice Ingall
Two thirds of people who chose to take part in The Kindness Test, the world’s largest public study of kindness, believe the Covid-19 pandemic has made people more kind. Devised and analysed by University of Sussex psychologists, the results from the online questionnaire are being broadcast on BBC Radio 4, who partnered on the study, at 9am this Wednesday 9 March.
The Kindness Test: Sussex partners with BBC Radio 4 to explore the nation's attitudes to kindness
Broadcast: News items - Tuesday, 31 August 2021
By Alice Ingall
University of Sussex academics are partnering with BBC Radio 4 on The Kindness Test, a huge public science project aimed at increasing our understanding of the role that kindness plays in our lives.
Kindness is an area of research which is rapidly expanding, with neuroscientists examining its impact on the brain, psychologists researching what prompts us to behave kindly - and what can prevent us from being kind - and political scientists studying its application to politics.
Annual Kindness Symposium at Sussex 2018
School of Psychology Blog post - December 3rd 2018
By Jessica Cotney
A few weeks ago, the University of Sussex hosted the third annual Sussex Kindness Symposium in order to celebrate World Kindness Day. The event was organised by Prof. Robin Banerjee from the School of Psychology, funded by Kindness UK as part of the Kindness UK Doctoral Conference Award, and featured kindness-related work from across the university and beyond.
Exploring Kindness as a JRA
School of Psychology Blog post - November 12th 2018
By Alessia Goglio
Being a Psychology undergraduate here at Sussex enabled me to explore different domains of interest in this fascinating subject and to develop my passion for “Positive Psychology”, the field that studies what is good in life. Among the topic explored in this field, there is kindness: a construct that had been shown to not only improve life satisfaction and well-being but also friendships and relationships.
The warm glow of kindness is real – Sussex study confirms
Broadcast: News items - Thursday, 27 September 2018
By Anna Ford
- The ‘warm glow’ of kindness is real – even when there’s nothing in it for you
- We feel the benefit of kind acts regardless of whether they are altruistic or strategically motivated
- This raises questions for charities and governments about whether to encourage good behaviour by appealing to our warm glow or by the promise of a return on investment.
Psychologists at the University of Sussex have confirmed that the warm glow of kindness is real, even when there’s nothing in it for you. In their study, published in NeuroImage, they undertook a major analysis of existing research showing the brain scans relating to over 1000 people making kind decisions.