Summary: Researchers report people need to understand what a person is trying to control by using a certain behavior, rather than trying to change the behavior itself.

Source: University of Manchester.

Psychologists from The University of Manchester have shown how difficult it is for us to guess the true intention of each other’s behaviour.

The study, published today in Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, has important implications on public policies designed to impact on areas such as smoking, obesity, eating disorders, self-harm, alcohol use and gambling.

Clinical psychologist Dr Warren Mansell, who led the study, says policy makers need to accurately understand what a person is trying to control using their behaviour, rather than trying to change the behaviour itself.

He said: “We think we know what someone is doing just by observing them. For example if we see someone move a steering wheel of their car, we assume they…