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Sociology

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A simple act of kindness can change your day.

I was about to launch into faux politeness. A $1.50 gesture from a stranger changed my mind

I was irritated and ready to unleash words full of contempt wrapped up in faux politeness. A $1.50 gesture from a stranger changed my mind.

  • Fotis Kapetopoulos

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Am I a genius, a giant, a lunatic or a dinosaur? It all depends

We think ourselves immutable, but in another time or place, things could be very different.

  • Anson Cameron
Have we been looking at the zodiac all wrong?

Why you might have your star sign all wrong

News that the constellations are not in alignment with the zodiac has thrown notions of astrology and the zodiac into confusion. So, is your star sign still the same?

  • Robyn Willis
The jury is out on whether the fictional Wednesday Addams is a sociopath, although she does display several classic traits.

Sociopaths walk among us but could you spot one? The seven traits to look out for

As our understanding of the personality disorder continues to grow, so too does the inclination to label anyone with anti-social tendencies a sociopath. Here are the signs you might be on the right (or wrong) track.

  • Jenny Tucker
Ways to be an ‘active’ bystander are simpler than most people think.

Do you know what to do if you see someone being harassed in the street?

Many bystanders fail to act because they don’t know what to do, or they assume someone else will step up. But de-escalating confrontation is easier than most people think.

  • Courtney Kruk
Why take the high road?

Why are we so obsessed with taking the high road?

Based on all available evidence, the low road is more satisfying and equally successful at achieving your goals.

  • Thomas Mitchell
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It might seem petty, but there is great power in creating imagined competition with a collection of sworn enemies.

Forget making friends; the key to a happy life is many enemies

It might seem petty, but there is great power in creating imagined competition with a collection of sworn enemies.

  • Thomas Mitchell
Melbourne Grammar vice-captain Ryan Mooney excelled in one of the more uncommon VCE subjects.

‘Why not study maths or something?’ The students acing VCE’s oddball subjects

And what exactly is sociology, anyway? We asked some of Victoria’s top students to explain.

  • Caroline Schelle
Elyne Le Faou in Melbourne.

As a visiting Frenchwoman, I find Australian men to be not at all what I expected

Living in Melbourne and working in hospitality, one cultural difference with France was immediately apparent: men’s behaviour towards women.

  • Elyne Le Faou
Leah Ruppanner, who wrote about women and the toll of the mental load, says ‘magic making’ at Christmas is a big driver of burnout for women who take on the brunt of the load at this time of year

Why Leah wants to stop ‘magic-making’ being women’s work at Christmas

‘Centuries of programming’ have it that it’s women’s work to manage the mental load of family life – especially at Christmas. Researchers are trying to measure (and reduce) the toll.

  • Wendy Tuohy