Humphry Osmond is the founder of environmental psychology, a field that studies the relationship between space and the human psyche. He first noticed this after he was assigned to an experimental psychiatric clinic in Canada, where he observed that patients talked less and less the longer they stayed in the ward. Seeing how they became more animated when relatives arranged chairs to be more conducive to conversation, he employed the help of a designer to make the clinic a friendlier-feeling place, which included rearranging chairs and adding bedside tables. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
