Cillian McHugh
End Genocide now🍉
Associate Professor in Psychology at @unioflimerick.bsky.social #MoralPsychology #OpenScience
Interests: music, reading, chess, TV, walking
www.cillianmchugh.com
- I've joined UpScrolled. If we follow each other here let's also follow each other over there. I'm @ cillian share.upscrolled.com/en/user/f96f...
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh
- Reposted by Cillian McHughThis is just the start of the backlash
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh“Birzeit reiterates its call on international organizations, human rights institutions, and media outlets to assume their moral and legal responsibilities by taking immediate action to expose these ongoing violations against Palestinian higher education …” www.birzeit.edu/en/news/stat...
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh“Babies Are Freezing to Death in Gaza. Israeli Policy and the World’s Inaction Are to Blame”
- Reposted by Cillian McHughSo much for Donald Trump Peace Plan for Gaza The Gaza government media office reported 738 violations since the truce took effect on October 10, including 205 shootings at civilians, Blair dropped from US Gaza governance plan after Arab objections - Dailynewsegypt share.google/lbmtpzZrzEe6...
- This year, in response to GenAI concerns, I made one of my assessments a recorded presentation. Currently grading them, and so far, this has been one of the most enjoyable grading sessions I've had. Finally some good from GenAI
- Reposted by Cillian McHughIt’s really hard to defend industry academic collaborations with meta as earnest, if they’re internally burying evidence of harm. www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh“Are we the baddies?”
- It’s really hard to defend industry academic collaborations with meta as earnest, if they’re internally burying evidence of harm. www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
- We've all been thinking it. The data is in. Pro-Israel bias in the media is rampant. No info on @news.rte.ie but I doubt they'd fare much better. mediabiasmeter.com/framing-gaza...
- Reposted by Cillian McHughEven when we try to think harder, we still excuse ourselves. 🧠 A new study by Katarzyna Miazek & Konrad Bocian finds that the self-interest bias—judging bad acts as less wrong when they benefit us—persists even under time pressure or mental load. Fixing it may require awareness, not just willpower.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughThe attack marks the latest of nearly 400 Israeli violations of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughGaza's Health Ministry says Israeli attacks also wounded 77 people, fuelling panic across the war-ravaged enclave.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughBrazilian president pushes for a 'roadmap' away from fossil fuel use, but countries remain divided on key issues.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughThe air attack in the Bani Suheila area, east of Khan Younis, comes a day after Israel killed 30 people across Gaza.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughThe co-action effect is a thing. But what's the mechanism for this fascinating form of social influence?
- We replicated one of the oldest experiments in Psychology (Triplett, 1898) as a registered report. Children completed a task faster in pairs than when they were alone. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- Reposted by Cillian McHughFAO anyone teaching an introductory social psychology module.
- We replicated one of the oldest experiments in Psychology (Triplett, 1898) as a registered report. Children completed a task faster in pairs than when they were alone. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- We replicated one of the oldest experiments in Psychology (Triplett, 1898) as a registered report. Children completed a task faster in pairs than when they were alone. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- Arising out of discussions in @csi-research.bsky.social we conducted a Registered Report replicating Triplett’s (1898) experiment with over 400 children, showing children completed the task faster when paired with a coactor, compared to competing the task alone rdcu.be/eQwAE 1/3
- Reposted by Cillian McHughWe also found carryover effects, as well as gender and age effects - highlighting the importance of considering these factors in designing future studies examining social facilitation and/or competitive coaction. Thanks to @erc.europa.eu and @ehsfacultyatul.bsky.social for funding 2/3
- Reposted by Cillian McHughArising out of discussions in @csi-research.bsky.social we conducted a Registered Report replicating Triplett’s (1898) experiment with over 400 children, showing children completed the task faster when paired with a coactor, compared to competing the task alone rdcu.be/eQwAE 1/3
- Reposted by Cillian McHughRead the actual science here by Yidan Yin, @gilappel.bsky.social and Cheryl Jan Wakslak @pennstateuniv.bsky.social @usc.edu www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- Reposted by Cillian McHughSome @theguardian.com coverage! Women use exclamation marks 3x more than men—not from extra joy, but to avoid sounding unfriendly 😬 Online, neutrality reads as hostility, so warmth is outsourced to punctuation!! BUT it boosts likability and can hurt credibility www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
- I've finally resubmitted this! Exactly on the deadline and a year since receiving the decision! A very different paper, hopefully the editor and reviewers like it now!
- Today I finally finished a full draft of the revised manuscript (incl response to reviewer comments) and circulated it to coauthors! Hopefully it won't be too tough to polish and we'll get it submitted by the end of the month
- Some day I'll write a paper on dual-processes in cognition that draws on Hemispheres by Rush for inspiration and illustration I mean the first verse ends with: "The gods of Love and Reason sought alone to rule the fate of Man" youtu.be/J0zN0VjA3As?...
- Serious moon tonight
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh@paulbloomatyale.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social, and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully got back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... #PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
- Reposted by Cillian McHughAdding irrelevant information to descriptions dilutes moral judgements of them. Looks like neutral, but irrelevant valence info is incorporated into the judgement! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
- And Published!!! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... The Moral Dilution effect. Including non-diagnostic (irrelevant) information leads to less extreme evaluations of moral character.
- And Accepted: The Moral Dilution Effect: Irrelevant Information Influences Judgments of Moral Character Started writing this one at a writer's retreat in 2022, very happy to get it over the line! Pre-print available: osf.io/preprints/ps...
- This is true for both good and bad characters. Though it is more robust for bad than for good characters It is also distinct from a possible "humanization" effect.
- This has implications for real world judgments, e.g., it is not uncommon for someone to be described as “just an ordinary, hard-working person” in the wake of a political scandal, or even in the courtroom. Our findings show this could be an effective strategy
- This is going slowly. About a third of the way through the suggested reading list (although there's other extra reading needed that was not specifcally named). Feels like progress is being made... slowly...
- Reposted by Cillian McHughWhen I was little, the U.S. military came to our home at gunpoint and took me and my family away. We were imprisoned for years in barbed wire camps simply because we were Japanese American. I have spent my life telling that story, hoping it would never be repeated.
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh"I may not be a contrarian, but I am a hater." Such a good line in @edzitron.com's latest, laying out his arguments for why AI industry exists today in a "bubble" www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-g...
- And Accepted: The Moral Dilution Effect: Irrelevant Information Influences Judgments of Moral Character Started writing this one at a writer's retreat in 2022, very happy to get it over the line! Pre-print available: osf.io/preprints/ps...
- Reviewers and editor were happy. One or two very minor comments to address but they recommend publication! 🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳🪅🪅🪅🎊🎊🎊
- Got an R&R on this registered report last October. It's been a very busy few months, only starting on the revisions now. Some fairly substantial comments, this could take a while, but we have until this October... Here goes...
- Wild rabbits in the garden this morning causing great excitement!
- Reposted by Cillian McHughIs anyone putting together a symposium for #SESP2025 in 🇵🇹 Lisbon? I would like to go, but the symposium-only format is proving difficult. Looking to present grant-funded research on occupational moral roles, which also fits stereotypes, social categories, etc.
- And submitted!!!! Fingers crossed the Reviewers and Editor are happy with the revised manuscript!
- Reposted by Cillian McHughHey y’all! New paper with @lianeleeyoung.bsky.social & @stysyropoulos.bsky.social is out in BJSP! We test ways to expand moral concern to future generations, with spillover benefits for distant others today. #socialpsych #PsychSciSky #psychology bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
- Reposted by Cillian McHughWant to know why I hate AI? Because 1) I have no need for it. None. 2) And it is constantly being forced into my online work spaces - which I often need to be professionally confidential 3) and with limited tech skill it has been at least extremely onerous and often impossible to deactivate
- Been working hard on these revisions over the past few weeks. All R1, and all stats comments addressed. Some theory, and some methods justification still to be done, but the end will be in sight soon (hopefully)
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh
If a model fails to run in R, and crashes it constantly, is it safe to report it as "failing to converge." Or does this have a different name? #PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #devpsyc #AcademicSky - Looking forward to this session on Morality machines and AI (with @jimaceverett.bsky.social and colleagues)
- Reposted by Cillian McHughCome hear about moral psychology and AI at 11am today at #SPSP2025! @awad.bsky.social @zoepurcell.bsky.social Anne-Marie Nussberger
- Reposted by Cillian McHughUp bright and early on a Saturday at #SPSP2025 to hear about cool new moral psychology from some of my favourite moral psychologists @kathrynbfrancis.bsky.social @cillianmchugh.bsky.social Dries Bostyn, & Connie Chu
- Very excited for our Symposium this morning on context effects in Moral Judgment. With @kathrynbfrancis.bsky.social Dries Bostyn & Connie Chiu #SPSP2025
- Lovely day in Denver ahead of #SPSP2025 Cold but got to see plenty!
- Reposted by Cillian McHughWe're just a few days away from this year's Morality Preconference!! Don't miss it! #SPSP2025
- Very excited to share the #SPSP2025 Moral Psychology pre-conference will be taking place on Feb 20th in Denver Poster submissions are open - Deadline is Oct 17 spsp.wufoo.com/forms/2025-p... co-organised with @jowylie.bsky.social & @diegoreinero.bsky.social
- Reposted by Cillian McHughYou know a replication study that is not yet in the FORRT #ReplicationDatabase? Submit it here in <5min: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
- Poster for #SPSP2025 in #Denver sent to print. Now back to working on the slides... Looking forward to seeing everyone there! #psychology
- Reposted by Cillian McHughAm considering leaving Amazon's Goodreads for Bookwyrm. Always happy to support open-source community infrastructure. Any thoughts about #Bookwyrm, Bookwyrms instances, or an alternative?
- Reposted by Cillian McHughOh.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughThis is solely down to large pseudoscience accounts link spamming 25 papers, variously misrepresented as showing vaccines cause autism. I built this report that aggregates the attention on the web to JUST these 25 items. The number of reshares is in the millions. www.altmetric.com/explorer/rep...
- Reposted by Cillian McHughHere's Twitter's descent since 2022
- Unexpected laugh from auto-captions. I actually said "bunched around" but captions say "Busta Rhymes" 😅😅
- Love teaching across the walking bridge in @unioflimerick.bsky.social when the weather is nice and you get scenes like this on the way to class
- Today's todo list failure: I really need to do Task A Before I can start task A, I need to finish Task B, And to do Task B I need to finish Task C But Task C involves this really annoying problem that needs solving. The problem is not solved. Task C is not finished. Tasks A and B are not started
- Reposted by Cillian McHughDancing to Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree with the five year old. Suddenly she stops and says, “Mummy, what comes after death?” Me: 👀 Her: 👀 Me: 😬 Her: “it goes, voices singing let’s be jolly, DEATH… then what?” Me: 😑
- Sitting down to watch the #LateLateToyShow
- Reposted by Cillian McHughMoral psychology postdoc opportunity at the University of Toronto! Please repost, and pass on to anyone you think might be interested.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughTo boldly Gogh… #StarTrek
- Really nice to find hard copies of this on my desk after class today 😊 (With @MarekMcGann.sciences.social.ap.brid.gy , Miranda Lucas, & Louise Barrett, and a host of great authors )
- Our "Behaviour Settings/Roger Barker" Theme Issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B is out! Very proud to have been a part of this project, with @MarekMcGann.sciences.social.ap.brid.gy, Miranda Lucas, and Louise Barrett, and all Authors. royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
- Reposted by Cillian McHughThis is going around again! Clearly it's time to resurrect this which I made for twitter back when it was less evil. Types of Psych Papers [Note: it is slightly more cynical (for humour value) than I actually am]
- Reposted by Cillian McHughUniversity of Limerick journalism department to host general election debate Hear from the Limerick city candidates about the future of the city 📍Bernal Institute, UL 📅 20th Nov 🕐1-2:30pm Find out more & attend: ul.ie/news/univers... #StudyatUL #GE2024
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh…being undocumented. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. We can learn from them. I know it feels bleak out there. I know it feels hopeless. But I am living proof that out of that darkness can rise great hope and optimism. I will fight for the principles of this country until my /3
- Reposted by Cillian McHughBut we did not give up on this country. We rebuilt our lives, and we worked to ensure that something like this never happened again in America. Now, I fear there are echoes from that dark chapter of our history. They are speaking once again of camps to hold people, this time for the crime of /2
- Reposted by Cillian McHughI have faced fascism before, in this very country. I was one of 120,000 Japanese Americans summarily rounded up and expelled from our homes at gunpoint, all for the crime of looking like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. I spent my childhood behind barbed wire. My parents lost everything. 1/
- Reposted by Cillian McHughYour last saved meme is your moral philosophy.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughHi! I'm on Bluesky now. I'm still on Twitter, for the time being.
- Reposted by Cillian McHughCan we call the twitter exodus Xit? Please? I always wanted to get to name something.
- Related: Dear Microsoft, I want to use the photo viewer to *view* (and occasionally crop) image files on my device. Nothing else! I have no interest in integration with OneDrive or any AI editing functions. Please stop the popup baloons
- Reposted by Cillian McHughAI is not magic--it's drawing on existing data to generate it's output. It is simply reflecting back at us the existing bias in the labor market. There's nothing surprising about this, unless you don't think the bias exists or you misunderstand what AI is doing.
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh100%! We did it! 🏆🥇 Great job everyone! www.geekwire.com/2024/ai-over...
- Dear Adobe, I have no interest in Chatting to my documents. I'm afraid an AI Assistant is not what is needed to improve usability of Acrobat Reader
- Looks like one of my students is confused about who their lecturer is...
- Huge milestone today on a Registered Report in the works since 2018 with @siobhangriffin.bsky.social, @mikeq.bsky.social, Orla Muldoon, Elaine Kinsella, Bob Strunz and a team of amazing research assistants Data collection is complete! Now analysis, write-up, & Stage 2 submission Watch this space!
- Reposted by Cillian McHughClean indoor air the kind of no-brainer, basic component of civil society that future generations will be aghast we neglected this long
- Teaching Game Theory tomorrow. Previous classes have suggested that: 'not being the first person to say "I love you" in a new relationship' is an example of strict dominance. So, I will be starting the class with 2 videos: First up "New Girl" youtu.be/_68xT0JoyWk?...
- and then, Gilmore Girls youtu.be/tL6qFg8Z5WI?...
- and I almost forgot to mention The Wire does the prisoner dilemma: youtu.be/AJ5aIvjNgao?... I'm going to have so much fun tomorrow!
- Got an R&R this morning on a paper that's been tricky to find a home for, made it to review a few times in the past 2 years, but kept getting rejected. It's a different paper now. Delighted to get this and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the revisions!
- Reposted by Cillian McHugh“…the firing of a tenured professor over an anti-Zionist Instagram repost signals the extent to which institutions of higher education are willing to betray their own purported standards to bend to intellectually dishonest, conservative pro-Israel narratives”
