Bence Nanay Ph.D.

Cambridge

Journalist at Freelance

Professor of Philosophical Psychology at Antwerp, journalist, author

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Articles

Greek and Roman Sculptures Were Perfumed

3 weeks ago | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

The senses are not created equal when it comes to aesthetics. Much of our aesthetic engagement is visual or auditory. In the museum, in the theatre, at concerts, we use our eyes and ears. And while the culinary arts are called arts, it is only very specific contexts when our taste plays a role in engaging with artworks. And the same goes for smell. Or so one would think, looking at the current art scene. But a new and fascinating archeological finding shows that this has not always been like that.
Does Dress Color Influence the Chance of Winning the Oscars?

1 month ago | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

It’s that time of the year again: Everyone is obsessing with the Oscars. One line of thought comes up every single year: that someone's chances of winning the Best Actress Oscar somehow depend on the color of the dress she is wearing at the gala. Every year there are more and more detailed analyses of the alleged correlation between dress color and winning the Oscars.
Does Dress Color Influence the Chance of Winning the Oscars? - Bence Nanay Ph.d

1 month ago | qoshe.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

It’s that time of the year again: Everyone is obsessing with the Oscars. One line of thought comes up every single year: that someone's chances of winning the Best Actress Oscar somehow depend on the color of the dress she is wearing at the gala. Every year there are more and more detailed analyses of the alleged correlation between dress color and winning the Oscars.
The Social Life of Cats

2 months ago | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

The what, now? you may ask, reading this title. The social life of cats? Cat owners may have some doubts about this very concept. But in the last decade or so, there has been an upsurge of more and more studies that show that cats in fact display a tremendous amount of social intelligence—although the signs are much more difficult to spot than in the case of some other species.
Why Season Two of "Squid Game" Feels Different

Jan 7, 2025 | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

Everybody is talking about Squid Game again. The original series dropped more than three years ago and it quickly became a real global sensation as well as the most watched series on Netflix. That was extremely surprising then, as a completely unknown series with no international stars and with no major promotions or ad campaigns took the world by storm. The premise of the show was simple: There is a secret game with more than 400 contenders, all desperate and all in debt.
Why Season Two of "Squid Game" Feels Different

Jan 6, 2025 | qoshe.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.
Does AI Write Better Poetry Than Humans?

Dec 2, 2024 | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

Poetry is maybe the most human of all human endeavors. One would think this is one of the very few fields that artificial intelligence could not take over. But according to a recent study, this is not so, as non-experts rate AI poetry higher than poetry written by humans. And not just any humans.
How Celebrity Endorsements Work

Nov 4, 2024 | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

Even if you haven't paid any attention to politics in recent weeks and months—very unlikely—you probably know of all the celebrities who lined up behind the two presidential candidates in the U.S. election (mostly behind one of them). Here is a far-from-complete but impressive list: Bad Bunny, Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Springsteen, Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Usher, Lizzo, Eminem, LeBron James, and, most recently, Harrison Ford. But will it make a difference?
How Celebrity Endorsements Work - Bence Nanay Ph.d

Nov 3, 2024 | qoshe.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

Aa Aa Aa - A + Even if you haven't paid any attention to politics in recent weeks and months—very unlikely—you probably know of all the celebrities who lined up behind the two presidential candidates in the U.S. election (mostly behind one of them). Here is a far-from-complete but impressive list: Bad Bunny, Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Springsteen, Oprah, Jennifer Lopez, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Usher, Lizzo, Eminem, LeBron James, and, most recently, Harrison Ford.
Depression Is Contagious

Oct 2, 2024 | psychologytoday.com | Bence Nanay Ph.D.

It's been known for a while that depression is contagious: If your roommate is depressed, you are much more likely to become depressed as well. But it has been a bit of a mystery just how this happens. Is it a form of empathy? Is it about chemicals? Or is it about stress? A new study helps us cut through some of this mystery. It was conducted on mice, not humans.