Research Café 1 – overview. 2011. In conjunction with the Brain Mind Forum

The Daedalus Trust hosted its first Research Café on October 7th 2011 at Magdalen College in collaboration with the Brain Mind Forum. The purpose of the event was to bring together an interdisciplinary group

The Daedalus Trust in collaboration with the Brain Mind Forum
7 October 2011, Magdalen College, Oxford

The Daedalus Trust hosted its first Research Café on October 7th 2011 at Magdalen College in collaboration with the Brain Mind Forum. The purpose of the event was to bring together an interdisciplinary group of academics, business professionals, authors and others having a shared interest in the study of factors contributing to poor decision making and/or excessive risk taking by those in positions of power and leadership in political and organisational life.

This overview summarises

• Initial presentations – by Lord David Owen (introducing hubris syndrome); Professor John Stein (discussing the role of the brain and neurobiology that may underlie hubris syndrome); and Dr John Coates, (discussing the role of testosterone and other hormones in risk taking)
• The results of the group discussions – introduced respectively by rapporteurs Dr Peter Garrard (‘What are the most important factors exacerbating poor decision-making’);  Geoff Marlow (‘Is hubris associated with particular forms of social organisation?’); Ms Deborah Booth (‘What processes might institutions deploy to improve decision making and reduce risk taking?’); and Dr Graham Robinson (‘What are the wider societal and institutional implications of hubristic behaviour in the current climate?’)
• Concluding remarks – from Charles Ross and Professor Nick Bouras.

These presentations are also available individually as videos.

Download the full overview document here.