About Kathy Brodie
Kathy Brodie is the founder of Early Years TV and the Early Years Summit.
Kathy holds a Masters in Early Childhood Education from the University of Sheffield, a Diploma in Teaching Lifelong Learners (DTLLS) from Stockport College, and achieved her Early Years Professional status at Liverpool Hope University. Her first degree was from Manchester Metropolitan University.
She began her Early Years career as a parent helper in nursery, then trained as a SENCO before gaining becoming one of the first people in the UK to gain Early Years Professional status. She later went on to lecture at the University of Chester and Stockport College before setting up her own online training business.
She is the author of multiple published books on Early Years Childcare and Child Development, including:
Kathy’s goal through Early Years TV and the Early Years Summit is to bring Early Years Professionals the very best strategies, tips and techniques to improve and inspire their practice and better support the children in their care.
Her mission is to bring high-quality information and training to Early Years Practitioners and Educators around the world and to make it either free or easily affordable for all.
Kathy’s Articles on Early Years TV:
The first research study of autistic burnout was only published in 2020, and autistic adults who have lived through it say it was often mistaken for depression first.
In Denmark, ADHD diagnoses peak at age 8 for boys but age 17 for girls. ADHD in women and girls is often quieter rather than absent, and that nine-year gap is the price of quiet.
Search the research literature for the exact phrase “rejection sensitive dysphoria” and you will find it in the title of two papers. One of them argues the term should not be used.
Search the research literature for “hyperfixation” and you get 26 papers. Every single one is about radioactive tracers lighting up on a body scan. Not one is about attention.
Half of all published psychology papers that use significance testing contain at least one p-value that does not match its own test statistic (Nuijten et al., 2016). Psychology report sections exist so readers can catch mistakes like that.
When 100 published psychology studies were repeated, 97% of the originals had reported significant results but only 36% of the repeats did. The features of science in psychology exist to catch exactly that kind of gap.
In 1907 Francis Galton lined up 787 guesses of an ox’s weight. The middle guess, the median, was 1,207 lb. The ox weighed 1,198 lb (Galton, 1907). Choosing the right measure of central tendency is not a technicality.
When Theodore Micceri tested 440 large sets of psychology and education scores for a normal distribution, every single one failed the test (Micceri, 1989). The bell curve is the model, but real data are often skewed.
Offered on a list, “to think for themselves” was chosen by 61.5% of people. Asked the same question with no list, only 4.6% said it. That gap is the central problem of self-report methods in psychology.
When eight sane people secretly had themselves admitted to psychiatric hospitals, staff never spotted them, but 35 of 118 patients counted on the wards did. That study is covert participant observation, one of psychology’s six observational techniques.
In one of psychology’s best-known field experiments, 21 of 22 hospital nurses were ready to give a patient double the maximum dose of an unfamiliar drug, simply because a stranger claiming to be a doctor phoned and told them to.
In 1982, two psychologists resubmitted 12 already-published papers to the journals that had printed them, under made-up names. Peer review spotted only three, and eight of the other nine were rejected.
In 1973, eight people with no mental illness claimed to hear voices and were admitted to 12 psychiatric hospitals. Not one was detected by staff, which turned validity in psychology from a textbook term into a real-world problem.
When two psychiatrists independently assessed the same patients in the DSM-5 field trials, their agreement on major depressive disorder reached a kappa of just 0.28, a level of reliability the researchers themselves rated questionable.
In standard psychology papers, 96% of first hypotheses are supported. In Registered Reports, where the hypothesis is fixed before any data exist, only 44% are (Scheel et al., 2021). How a hypothesis is written, and when, matters.
In six leading psychology journals, 96% of studies relied on samples from Western industrialised countries, which hold about 12% of the world’s population (Arnett, 2008). Sampling methods decide who psychology is really about.
In a between-subjects experiment, one group of people judged the number 9 to be significantly larger than another group judged 221 (Birnbaum, 1999).
Spearman’s rho was invented by a psychologist, yet the rank formula Charles Spearman printed in 1904 is not the one students learn today. His version added up plain rank differences. The modern formula squares them.
In 1945 the chemist Frank Wilcoxon introduced the Wilcoxon signed-rank test in a four-page paper and tried it on Darwin’s maize plants. It reached the same verdict as Fisher’s t-test without calculating a single mean.
The Mann-Whitney U test is often described as a test of medians, but it is not one. Two groups with identical medians can still produce a significant Mann-Whitney result (Hart, 2001; Divine et al., 2018).
For the first twenty-two years of its life, the chi-squared test used the wrong degrees of freedom. Karl Pearson gave a 2×2 table 3 instead of 1, until Ronald Fisher corrected him in 1922.
Levels of measurement decide which statistical test you are allowed to run, and AQA devotes 25 to 30 per cent of the entire Psychology assessment to research methods.
In a review of 513 neuroscience papers, of the studies where a particular comparison mattered, 79 used the wrong statistical procedure and only 78 used the right one.
In 1710, a royal physician counted London christening records for 82 straight years, found boys outnumbered girls every single year, and published what is now recognised as the first test of statistical significance.
Standard error is mistakenly reported instead of standard deviation in up to 64% of published articles. Understanding the standard error formula, and exactly how it differs from standard deviation, prevents this common statistical mistake. Key Takeaways Standard deviation measures the spread of individual scores, while standard error measures how precise the sample mean is as…
Roughly one in four p-values published across major psychology journals comes from a t-test — making it the single most-used statistical test for comparing two groups in psychological research today. Key Takeaways: What is a t-test used for? It tells you whether the difference between two group averages is likely to be real, or just…
A correlation coefficient of just 0.3 counts as a strong finding in personality psychology, yet most people misread what Pearson’s r actually proves about cause and effect. Key Takeaways: What does Pearson’s r tell us? It’s a single number between −1 and +1 showing the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables —…
Two psychology classes can score identical averages yet tell completely different stories — standard deviation is the single statistic that reveals whether those scores clustered tightly or scattered widely around the mean. Key Takeaways: What is standard deviation? It measures how spread out scores are around the mean — a small SD means scores cluster…
Discover the truth behind MBTI stereotypes. Learn why popular personality type misconceptions persist and what each of the 16 types is actually like beyond the myths.
Take our free MBTI function stack assessment to discover your cognitive hierarchy. 10-minute test reveals dominant, auxiliary, tertiary & inferior functions.
Discover why MBTI personality type memes feel so accurate. Explore the psychology behind viral stereotypes, cultural bias, and how memes shape identity.
Master MBTI dating with proven strategies for each personality type. Optimize profiles, decode compatibility, and find lasting love.
MBTI criticisms examined: which are valid concerns about reliability and validity, and which attacks miss the mark. A balanced, evidence-based analysis.
MBTI vs Big Five: Compare scientific validity, reliability, and practical uses. Discover which personality test actually delivers accurate results.
Discover how personality type affects parenting. Evidence-based strategies for raising introverts, extraverts & different MBTI types with confidence.
Discover your ideal career using the MBTI career test. Complete guide with salary negotiation tips, entrepreneurship strategies, and statistical career analysis by personality type.
Discover how MBTI personality types influence love languages. Learn how each of the 16 types shows and receives love, plus practical strategies for better relationships
Complete ESFJ personality guide: cognitive functions, strengths, weaknesses, relationships, careers, and growth strategies for The Consul type.
Discover ESTJ personality traits, strengths, careers, relationships. Complete guide to The Executive type with compatibility insights.
Complete ENFJ guide: cognitive functions, careers with salaries, relationship compatibility, and growth strategies for Protagonist personality.
Complete ISTJ personality guide: strengths, weaknesses, careers, relationships. Learn how Logisticians think, love, and grow successfully.
Complete ISTP personality guide: cognitive functions, top careers with salaries, relationship compatibility, growth strategies & famous examples.
Discover the INTP personality type—their strengths, challenges, ideal careers, relationships, and cognitive functions in this evidence-based guide.
Discover the ISFJ personality type—strengths, careers, relationships, and growth strategies for The Protector in this complete guide.
Complete guide to INFP personality: traits, careers, relationships, cognitive functions, and growth strategies for the Mediator type.
Complete guide to INTP personality: cognitive functions, strengths, careers, relationships & growth strategies for The Logician type.
Why your MBTI results keep changing: research-backed explanations of test inconsistency, practical methods for finding patterns, and when accuracy matters.
Discover the ESTP personality type – strengths, careers, relationships, and cognitive functions. Complete guide to understanding the Entrepreneur.
Complete guide to ENTJ personality: cognitive functions, strengths, challenges, relationships, careers, and development strategies.
Complete ENTP personality guide: cognitive functions, career paths, relationship strategies, and overcoming career paralysis for Debaters.
Complete guide to ESFP personality type covering cognitive functions, careers, relationships, and personal growth for The Entertainer.
Discover MBTI cognitive functions: the 8 mental processes driving personality types. Learn your function stack and apply insights to growth.
Discover how health psychology reveals mind-body connections. Evidence-based strategies for stress, behavior change, and wellness optimization.
Discover how psychology drives 95% of purchases. Explore decision-making, cognitive biases, generational differences & ethical marketing strategies.
Discover the science of trust psychology, practical strategies for building trust in relationships, and evidence-based approaches to trust repair
Discover evidence-based motivation psychology principles. Learn intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation, goal-setting theory & practical strategies.
Discover communication psychology principles: neuroscience of interaction, active listening techniques, nonverbal cues, and conflict resolution.
Discover the science behind flow state psychology. Learn research-backed strategies for achieving peak performance and optimal experience.
Discover 8 science-backed study techniques that improve learning by 50%. Evidence-based strategies replace ineffective methods like highlighting.
Discover stress psychology: how your mind responds to pressure, why people react differently, and evidence-based techniques for building resilience.
Complete guide to depression psychology: symptoms, causes, CBT treatment approaches, and recovery strategies for lasting mental health.
Discover how memory works through neuroscience research. Learn evidence-based techniques for memory improvement, debunk common myths, optimize your brain.
Comprehensive guide to dark triad personality traits. Learn to recognize narcissism, Machiavellianism & psychopathy patterns for protection.
Complete guide to anxiety disorders: types, symptoms, evidence-based treatments, and practical coping strategies for recovery and wellbeing.
Master decision-making psychology with science-based strategies. Discover cognitive biases, emotional intelligence, and frameworks for better choices.
Discover Robert Cialdini’s 7 principles of persuasion with practical applications, ethical frameworks, and scientific insights for effective influence.
Discover how social influence shapes your decisions. Learn to recognize conformity, obedience & bystander effects plus build resistance skills
Discover attribution theory: how we explain behavior, common errors like fundamental attribution error, and strategies for better relationships.
Comprehensive guide to nicotine addiction science, covering brain mechanisms, genetic factors, withdrawal, and evidence-based treatments.
Discover why people commit crimes through psychological, biological & social factors. Evidence-based guide to criminal behavior & prevention.
Comprehensive guide to stress psychology covering HPA axis function, cortisol responses, acute vs chronic stress effects, and evidence-based management strategies.
Complete guide to eating disorders: biology, psychology & cultural factors. Evidence-based treatment, recovery paths & prevention strategies.
Discover why obesity stems from complex psychological & social factors, not personal failings. Evidence-based insights for lasting health solutions.
Explore criminal profiling methods, accuracy rates, and career realities. Learn FBI techniques vs investigative psychology in this evidence-based guide.
Complete guide to stress sources: major life events vs daily hassles, Holmes-Rahe Scale, workplace stress, and practical recognition strategies.
Explore how biological factors and social learning combine to shape aggressive behavior. Evidence-based insights for prevention and intervention.
Discover Robert Selman’s 5 stages of perspective-taking development. Essential guide for parents & educators supporting children’s social growth.
Complete guide to schizophrenia covering symptoms, causes, breakthrough 2024 treatments, and recovery. Expert insights for families and individuals.
Discover how online relationships work, from psychology to practical strategies. Evidence-based guide to digital dating success & safety.
Complete guide to parasocial relationships: psychology, benefits, risks, and healthy boundary strategies for media connections in digital age.
Psychology research ethics guide covering social sensitivity, vulnerable populations, ethical frameworks, and responsible research practices.
Recognize Stockholm syndrome in relationships, understand the psychology of trauma bonding, and discover pathways to recovery and healthy connections
Discover why robots & CGI trigger deep discomfort. Complete guide to the uncanny valley: psychology, examples, research & design solutions.
Explore gender and cultural bias in psychology: androcentrism, WEIRD populations, ethnocentrism. Learn to identify bias for inclusive research.
Complete guide to amygdala functions in psychology. Learn structure, development, clinical applications, and therapeutic approaches.
Explore the fundamental debate between holistic and reductionist approaches in psychology. Complete guide for students and professionals.
Contact us at Early Years TV Hi!The best way to ask questions about our articles is to use the little chat feature at the bottom right of every page on the site.The chat has built-in answers to most of the common questions you might want to ask.Or if you want to ask about our products…
Explore the free will vs determinism debate through philosophy, neuroscience, and practical applications in therapy, justice, and personal development.
Master statistical significance with our comprehensive guide to p-values, Type I/II errors, and effect sizes for evidence-based decisions.
Comprehensive guide to case study methodology in psychology. Learn types, famous examples, step-by-step processes, and modern applications.
Complete guide to content analysis: quantitative vs qualitative methods, step-by-step procedures, software tools, quality standards.
Learn how synaptic transmission enables brain communication. Discover neurotransmitters, plasticity, and mental health connections explained simply.
Discover how brain localization and neuroplasticity work together in modern neuroscience. Expert guide to brain development, recovery, and optimization.
Learn what triggers your fight-or-flight response, why it activates in modern life, and evidence-based techniques to manage stress effectively.
Comprehensive guide to hormone-behavior connections. Learn how endocrine system influences mood, stress, development & relationships.
Research reveals gender differences in love languages: women prefer Words of Affirmation and Quality Time, while men favor Physical Touch. Evidence-based guide.
Comprehensive guide to nervous system organization: central vs peripheral divisions, functions, development, and practical applications.
Comprehensive guide to OCD biological foundations: genetics, brain circuits, neurotransmitters & evidence-based treatments for optimal outcomes.
Discover Beck’s cognitive triad & Ellis’s ABC model for depression. Evidence-based CBT techniques, research findings & practical self-help guide.