the psychologist vol 29 no 7 july 2016 www.thepsychologist.org.uk

How to talk so people listen Elizabeth Stokoe heads up the coverage from Annual Conference

letters 490 positive psychology – the second wave 536 news 502 the knowing nose 542 careers 564 teenagers in love 548 looking back 578 interview: the content of minds 554 Contact The British Psychological Society the psychologist... St Andrews House 48 Princess Road East ...reports Leicester LE1 7DR 0116 254 9568 [email protected] www.bps.org.uk

The Psychologist How to talk so people listen 520 www.thepsychologist.org.uk Elizabeth Stokoe heads up our coverage from www.bps.org.uk/digest www.psychapp.co.uk the Society’s Annual Conference, and previews [email protected] her appearance in ‘The Psychologist presents Twitter: @psychmag at Latitude Festival’ in July

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[email protected] G Display Michael Niskin USTAVO 01223 378 045 V [email protected] ARGAS ...features T June issue ATAJE 48,444 dispatched Positive psychology – the second wave 536 Tim Lomas delves into the dialectical nuances Printed by of flourishing Warners Midlands plc on 100 per cent recycled The knowing nose 542 paper. Please re-use or recycle. Laura J. Speed on how olfactory studies can inform theories of language and perception ISSN 0952-8229 Teenagers in love 548 Susan Moore considers the research and what © Copyright for all published material is 548 it means for effective parenting held by the British Psychological Society unless specifically stated otherwise. As the Society is a party to the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) agreement, articles in The The Psychologist is the monthly publication of The British Psychological Society. It provides a forum for Psychologist may be copied by libraries and other organisations under the communication, discussion and controversy among all members of the Society, and aims to fulfil the main object terms of their own CLA licences of the Royal Charter, ‘to promote the advancement and diffusion of a knowledge of psychology pure and applied’. (www.cla.co.uk). Permission must be obtained from the British Psychological Society for any other use beyond fair dealing authorised by copyright legislation. For further information Managing Editor Jon Sutton Journalist Ella Rhodes about copyright and obtaining Assistant Editor Peter Dillon-Hooper Editorial Assistant Debbie Gordon permissions, e-mail Production Mike Thompson Research Digest Christian Jarrett (editor), Alex Fradera [email protected]. The publishers have endeavoured to Associate Editors Articles Michael Burnett, Paul Curran, Harriet Gross, Rebecca Knibb, trace the copyright holders of all Adrian Needs, Paul Redford, Sophie Scott, Mark Wetherell, Jill Wilkinson illustrations. If we have unwittingly Conferences Alana James History of Psychology Matt Connolly, Alison Torn infringed copyright, we will be pleased, on being satisfied as to the owner’s Interviews Gail Kinman Reviews Kate Johnstone Viewpoints Catherine Loveday title, to pay an appropriate fee. International panel Vaughan Bell, Uta Frith, Alex Haslam, Elizabeth Loftus, Asifa Majid the psychologist vol 29 no 7 july 2016

the issue ...debates It’s a bit of a running joke in our office that my staff don’t listen to a letters 490 word I say, and when I was a lecturer taking a stand on social issues; faith and therapy; perceptions of pay fairness; one student feedback form declared individual differences and replication; President’s Letter; and more ‘Dr Sutton is afflicted with an unfortunately monotone voice’. So I ...digests will be particularly attentive this July as I host ‘The Psychologist presents babies’ imitation skills; pilot decisions; binge TV watching; and more, in the at Latitude Festival’, which is due to latest from our free Research Digest (see www.bps.org.uk/digest) 510 feature Professor Elizabeth Stokoe on ‘how to talk so people listen’. ...meets Professor Stokoe certainly gripped the audience at the interview 554 Society’s Annual Conference, and Asifa Majid talks to Jon Sutton about language our coverage on p.520 begins with and thought a report and more from her. It was also great to hear her say that careers 564 featuring in our pages in 2013 led we talk to educational psychologist Irvine Gersch, to many rewarding and far-flung and Tracey Herlihey discusses the importance opportunities for public engagement of persistence in finding that ‘dream job’ and research. We are always on the one on one 580 look out for contributions, so do get with Professor Dame Til Wykes, King’s College in touch. 554 London You will find lots more conference reports on our website, alongside other exclusive material. And there’s ...reviews even more in our iOS / Android apps the Bethlem Museum of the Mind; for The Psychologist and the Louis Theroux – A Different Brain; Research Digest. We are ‘talking’ on books; and Joe Penhall’s Blue/Orange numerous channels: I hope you are at the Young Vic in London 570 tuning in and like what you hear. Dr Jon Sutton Managing Editor @psychmag

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk Taking a stand on social issues LETTERS

Several items included on your June edition’s letters page have moved me to write in. I myself am not a psychologist but an independent mental health commentator; a survivor of the ‘health services’ who has cared long-term for close family members. I am in no doubt about the fact that a lot of what we have had to deal with in our lives has been iatrogenically caused, and that the toll taken by intimate involvement with these two first-degree family members robbed me of my own health. The letters from Aurora Dunn and Mike Davies demonstrate such misunderstanding of Peter Kinderman’s views and position on such subjects that I feel compelled to comment. The first letter interests me because it seems to imply that it’s possible to be non-political. I don’t believe that it is. Ms Dunn seems to suggest that we should consider restraining ourselves from taking action now because the same ideas will not be popular or, perhaps, even credible in the future. Well, that consideration doesn’t seem to deter anyone else from making claims and forging ahead in the name of science. I don’t agree with Mr Davies’s insinuation that someone with a strong sense of the social origins of psychological problems – something most laypeople take as read – is in the wrong profession. Indeed, we can all feel some hope when authentic people with palpable integrity and the passion to back it up – like Jamie Hacker Hughes and Peter Kinderman – are elected successively to the BPS’s highest post. But I am frankly disturbed by the openly aggressive tone of his criticism. As disappointed as certain people will always be with election results when the successful candidate is not to their taste, accepting that he or she with the most votes has won is what democracy is all about. Tellingly, Mr Davies’s outburst reaches its climax in the statement ‘it is all our professional lives at stake’. How interesting. This is not about the issues, then… with people from all walks of life – at meetings, in phone about how we in beleaguered families are enabled to cope, or conversations, through social media and email. Consequently, otherwise; are stigmatised, and so on. It’s about ensuring the he has a lot of support from outside the BPS too. It is surely continuance of well-paid jobs for psychologists and aiming ‘to a strength rather than a weakness that he is someone with the influence the government of the value of psychology to society’ courage of his convictions who yet clearly feels open to learn (sic). and modify his views accordingly. I imagine that Peter’s The type of organisation that Peter Kinderman is eminently forthright nature and proactive behaviour are partly what qualified to lead should by rights be deeply concerned by such appealed to the organisation’s electorate, and I predict that contemporary pressing issues as these, and I know that Peter he will achieve a great deal as President, leaving the BPS in himself is most definitely someone who lives and works a stronger position by the end of his term. tirelessly in the real world’. He gets himself out there, listens to Nicky Hayward and collaborates with us in the community, humbly conversing Bath

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contribute diverse audience. These pages are central to The Psychologist’s role as a forum for communication, discussion and controversy among all ‘Reach the largest, most diverse audience of psychologists in the UK members of the Society, and we welcome your contributions. (as well as many others around the world); work with a wonderfully Send e-mails marked ‘Letter for publication’ to [email protected]; supportive editorial team; submit thought pieces, reviews, interviews, or write to the Leicester office. analytic work, and a whole lot more. Start writing for The Psychologist now before you think of something else infinitely less important to do!’ Letters over 500 words are less likely to be published. Robert Sternberg, Oklahoma State University The editor reserves the right to edit or publish extracts from letters. Letters to the editor are not normally For details of all the available options, plus our policies and acknowledged, and space does not permit the what to do if you feel these have not been followed, see publication of every letter received. www.thepsychologist.org.uk/contribute

490 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 letters

T Reading the June issue of The discipline is going to fulfil the somewhat surprised and IM

S Psychologist was an unusually mission we espouse on our disheartened to see him ANDERS emotional experience. Some website, namely to ‘apply criticised for this, for contributions confirmed psychology for the public mentioning politics and for powerfully for me just how good’. Similarly, I was hugely (God forbid!) ‘taking an active much our discipline and encouraged (as are many approach to influencing social profession have to offer society, others, judging by social media) issues and policy’. Surely if we and made me feel proud to be that our new President, Peter believe that psychology has a psychologist. David Harper Kinderman, is committed to useful insights (and why are (‘Beyond individual therapy’), ensuring that psychology ‘does we in this business if we for example, demonstrated something useful’ and improves don’t?), then we owe it to clearly just how much we know the wellbeing of citizens. Surely our fellow citizens to share about the psychological effects that is the ultimate point of all that knowledge, to do what of the events and circumstances our endeavours, both academic it says on our tin and ‘apply of people’s lives, and argued and applied. psychology for the public persuasively for our duty to I was also heartened to good’. intervene at a social level and to see him promoting a truly Anne Cooke ‘speak truth to power’ about the psychological approach to Salomons Centre for Applied likely psychological impact of human distress rather than, Psychology policies. Jamie Hacker Hughes’s as some have done in the past, Canterbury Christ Church practical suggestion that media ‘jumping ship’ (Harper et al., University training should form part of all 2007) to a medicalised applied postgraduate understanding or to the Reference psychology programmes would somewhat strange notion of Harper, D., Cromby, J., Reavey, P. et al. be a great start. ‘abnormal psychology’. Surely (2007). Don’t jump ship! New Jamie has also said that the the findings of psychology are approaches in teaching mental health place he spent most time as BPS the findings of psychology, to undergraduates. The Psychologist, President was Westminster. however distressing our 20, 302–304. That strikes me as fitting if our experiences. I was therefore

Mike Davies (Letters, June 2016) calls for BPS President In his May ‘One on one’ ‘Maximise the influence of Peter Kinderman to be ‘impeached’ for repeating an anecdote new Society President Peter psychology on public policy’. about Margaret Thatcher. He claims that Kinderman spreads Kinderman states that Could we really evaluate his ideas by intimidation, then threatens Kinderman with psychologists should be ‘fighting progress against this in 2020? sanctions simply for recounting an amusing personal for social justice’. He ends by Perhaps it is at the level of episode. In the same issue, another letter urges extreme suggesting that the BPS should individual members that caution about Kinderman’s suggestion that psychology ‘do better’ in almost every area, objectives for societal change engage more with policy. Both letters seemingly reflect the and that psychologists should be might be found. Perhaps the view that psychology should somehow be neutral, value-free ‘out there’ on the radio, on TV Society should promote a and disengaged from politics. There are at least three reasons etc. reflective culture where why this view is mistaken. The BPS produces a members ask themselves, maybe First, psychology studies people, and people (including considerable number of on a daily basis, questions such all psychologists themselves) are already ethical, moral and publications that define policy. as ‘Is what I have done today a political, already driven by values and guided by principles. Some are strategic, so it would positive contribution to the kind Second, psychology is already being (mis)used as a tool of be expected that they would of Society I want to achieve?’ political policy in the work of the Behavioural Insights Team provide guidance on the society Religions have for thousands of or ‘nudge unit’ (Cromby & Willis, 2014). Third, if we don’t that the profession is orientated years taught that love was the engage with politics and policy, we won’t purge psychology to achieve. Perhaps a definition ultimate objective. Perhaps of their influence anyway: we will simply blind ourselves to of ‘better' can be found. psychology’s ultimate objective their effects. The BPS Division of is to facilitate a more loving For these reasons, arguing that psychology should not Occupational Psychology’s Society? Is the research you engage with political policy is itself a profoundly political Strategic Plan for 2016–20 are undertaking likely to have act. could, it is hoped, indicate a positive impact on the love Dr John Cromby a societal level objective. experienced in society? Will the University of Leicester In fact it includes only nods consultancy you are undertaking to this, in ‘The benefit that facilitate a more loving group, Reference occupational psychology brings organisation or individual? Cromby, J. & Willis, M.E.H. (2014). Nudging into subjectification: to the public’ and a closing Dr Chris Ridgeway Governmentality and psychometrics. Critical Social Policy, 34(2), 241–259. statement that we should Leeds

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 491 letters

‘Let’s stop constructing illnesses’ I felt compelled to write to express how similar values to me when it comes to at least in part, by living a healthy lifestyle refreshing and stimulating I’ve found a lot mental health (you can read a report at – amazing! – I already knew this, but it of the content in The Psychologist’s last www.thepsychologist.org.uk/critical-and- was interesting and refreshing to see couple of issues. Many of the pieces have historical-accounts). One of the keynote a biological explanation for depression resonated with me, as themes have arisen speakers was Joanna Moncrieff, who gave converging with this belief! However, acknowledging the social roots of human an intriguing, informative and critical the authors fail to acknowledge this experience and challenging its overview of the history of psychiatric implication, instead highlighting the pathologisation. drugs. I was very happy to see a written argument that depression could therefore A couple of years back I submitted account of this – ‘Opium and the people’ be ‘rebranded as an infection disease’. an article to be considered for the ‘New – in April’s issue of this publication. I also I find it beyond frustrating that where voices’ feature of this magazine, and was find it very heartening and refreshing to a plainly obvious way of tackling the root disappointed that the piece wasn’t see our new President Peter Kinderman’s causes of depression is presented, people accepted for publication. It addressed the Mental Health Manifesto, which calls for are still hell-bent on finding a way to issue of the overmedicalisation of low understanding people’s difficulties in the medicalise the experience and mask the mood, noting trends in prescribing of context of their lives and society, rather ‘symptoms’ with drugs. antidepressants and social explanation for than throwing them into diagnostic In May’s issue of The Psychologist, this. The Editor noted that the arguments categories and ‘treating’ them coercively Ella Rhodes called for readers’ opinions I presented were well rehearsed and didn’t and relentlessly with medication that, as on what impact looks like in psychology. contribute enough innovative thinking. raised in Moncrieff’s account, is often My personal take is that psychology will I agreed that a substantial proportion of likely to be doing more harm than good. only make its impact when critical, non- what I said had already been said To illustrate my point, I refer to an medical, psychological and sociological elsewhere, but was frustrated because intriguing article I read recently about the accounts of mental distress begin to be in several years of subscription to The link between depression and taken seriously and become embedded in Psychologist I hadn’t yet seen any such inflammation. The piece first notes that practice and culture. Psychology has the material in its pages. inflammation is caused by lifestyle factors power to provide insight into how society, It’s not until recent months that this such as poor diet and inactivity, and goes relationships and lifestyle impact on our has changed, and there seems to have on to relay some evidence that depression physical and mental wellbeing, which in been something of an explosion of BPS could be the result of an allergic reaction turn unlocks knowledge about how best content and activity that resonates with to inflammation. Given that we know that to cultivate wellness on individual and my values! In March I attended History both depression and the lifestyle factors societal levels. However, this knowledge of Mental Health, a joint conference associated with inflammation are on the cannot possibly have any real impact until between the BPS History & Philosophy up, and that eating well and exercising are we start to let go of the pathologisation of of Psychology Section and the Critical known to have positive effects on mood human experience. Let’s stop constructing Psychiatry Network. It was great to as well as reducing inflammation, this illnesses and start constructing a culture connect with so many people who hold intuitively makes some sense. The logical conducive to wellness. conclusion, to me at least, is that Lauren Bishop depression can be prevented and treated, Poole, Dorset NOTICEBOARD Faith and therapy I am recruiting participants for my final MSc thesis that I am completing at Coventry With regard to Yeni Adewoye’s article Christians across the country in University. I wish to use a questionnaire and a ‘Having faith in mind’ (April 2016) calling dealing with mental health semi-structured interview in order to explore for a greater integration of religion in (www.biblicalcounselling.org.uk). The the competencies that are subjective to the therapy, I appreciate the sentiment but work of Adewoye’s colleague is a valid role of an occupational psychologist with an reject the solution. example of personalising Scripture within aim to develop a competency framework. It is a bidirectional problem. In a structured psychological approach. The questionnaire would take no longer general, the church has very limited Incorporating faith into therapy is than 10 minutes and the interview would be knowledge about mental health (just so much more than ‘adding relevant done via telephone at a time that is best for as the majority of the population do). Christian items’ and ‘religious examples’. the participant, lasting no longer than 30 In general, mental health professionals Incorporating therapy into faith is so minutes. have very limited knowledge about the much more than saying ‘Jesus loves you. Participants will only be identified by Christian faith. Stop worrying.’ a participant number in order to confirm It is an awful state of affairs that It would be inappropriate for someone anonymity and all data will be confidential. people feel unable to discuss mental without the client’s faith to implement If you are an occupational psychologist or health within their church family but a faith-based therapy, regardless of any work in the field of occupational psychology, that is a problem that is being addressed ‘training’ – faith cannot be taught. I urge you would be a perfect fit for this research internally. Christian blog websites such Christians across the UK who are struggling and I would really appreciate if you could take as MorePrecious.co.uk regularly carry with mental health, or know someone the time to do so. articles about coping with depression, who is, to seek out Biblical counselling. Jessica Bird anorexia and PTSD. Biblical Counselling Abby Midgley [email protected] UK is a new movement specifically Third-year psychology student dedicated to educating and training Sheffield

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Flawed assumptions? PRESIDENT’S LETTER. The June edition of The Psychologist reported on Suzanne O’Sullivan’s It’s A few people have asked me what I want to achieve from a term All In Your Head: True as BPS President. The campaign to turn the BPS into the Royal Stories of Imaginary College of Psychologists is now rather quiet, but it continues to Illness winning the 2016 offer a vision for the role of the Society – to take its place with calm Wellcome Book Prize. authority among the respected agents of civic society; to be one of Enticed by the promise the core institutions of professional and public life. of insights into the Assiduous readers of The Psychologist will also have seen that intriguing phenomenon I have attracted some constructive criticism about what is perceived of psychosomatic by some to be a political stance. I am strongly motivated by the illness, I’d read the book philosophy that, when faced with policies that impact on our soon after publication. profession, and on the clients we serve as professionals, it is at I wasn’t so much least as much of a political statement to say or do nothing as it is disappointed by it, as political to speak out. I don’t think the BPS should tacitly support alarmed. Dr O’Sullivan’s injustice through inaction, but instead we should promote the argument for the Society’s charitable objects ‘…the advancement and diffusion of imaginary illness of her a knowledge of psychology pure and subtitle is based, unless applied…’ in the best way we can. I’ve completely Over the past month, we’ve seen misunderstood, on two as Gilbert Ryle, Daniel Dennett collaboration with the Royal Society to fundamentally flawed and Antonio Damasio. John discuss the robustness and assumptions. Bowlby in Attachment also replicability of our science, and The first is that being tackles the knotty problem several appearances of BPS members unable to identify any organic of ‘emotion’ and finds the term at events in the Houses of Parliament, cause for physical symptoms so unhelpful he avoids using it including a party on the terrace of the means that the symptoms have in the rest of his trilogy. Yet House of Commons, celebrating the no organic cause. It’s a risky despite the concepts of ‘mind’ 50th anniversary of the Society’s Division of Clinical Psychology. assumption. The history of and ‘emotion’ being central to We’ve been present in the print and broadcast media, and (in what medicine is replete with her thesis, Dr O’Sullivan uses is likely to lead to more angry correspondence) I took the examples of elusive organic the words liberally without opportunity recently to march through the streets of York, alongside causes the existence of which reference to the debate. colleagues calling for proper investment in mental health services was long denied – from It’s perfectly possible, in the city. It is ridiculous, in one of the wealthiest nations on earth, Semmelweis’s contagion theory as the author suggests, that to be fighting for the most basic of social services. to Helicobacter pylori. stress, anxiety and past trauma My most recent engagement was to sign, alongside the The second flawed cause illness. But they can do Minister for Care Services, Alistair Burt MP, the STOMP pledge, assumption relates to the that via the brain. One doesn’t a multidisciplinary campaign to stop the excessive use of relationship between body need to posit a construct such psychotropic medication for people with learning disabilities. and mind. Joan Bakewell, as ‘the mind’ to come up with Despite our best efforts, some things are difficult to measure. chair of the Wellcome judges hypotheses for potential But my strong impression of that event was that the BPS has and quoted in the feature in organic causes. Nor does one started to achieve the authoritative civic presence we desire. The Psychologist, points out need to appeal to Freud for an The next few months will see more of the same – consultations that the divide between the explanation as O’Sullivan does, on the replacement of bursaries with loans for many healthcare physical and the mental is claiming that ‘the twenty-first students, and the resources necessary to deliver commitments being increasingly challenged. century has brought no great to increased access to psychological therapies in the NHS, multi- Indeed it is, but Dr O’Sullivan’s advances to a better professional action to promote perinatal mental health and the challenge assumes that an understanding of the psychological wellbeing of both the NHS workforce and employees entity called ‘the mind’ can mechanism for this disorder’. in general, the promotion of psychological understanding in exert a powerful influence The disorder? Hysteria. the criminal justice system and working with our colleagues to over another entity called ‘the People who are embed multidisciplinary, co-produced, formulations in health and body’. The nature of the body experiencing seizures, social care. is well established. The mind, paralysis or blindness, Our peers respect the values, professional skills and science not so much. Even when whatever the cause, have that psychology can bring to such campaigns. discussing the brain–mind organic illness. The absence But, I would argue, we need to be actively distinction Dr O’Sullivan talks of an apparent organic cause engaged rather than merely comment from of the brain and mind being does not make the illness ivory towers built around the distant ‘interdependent on each other’ imaginary. We just don’t know perimeter of the field of play. without explaining what she what causes it. Suggesting it’s means by ‘the mind’. ‘the mind’ simply opens a can Defining ‘the mind’ isn’t of worms. Peter Kinderman is President of the British straightforward. The Cartesian Sue Gerrard Psychological Society. Contact him at mind–body model has been Market Drayton [email protected] or follow on challenged by such luminaries Shropshire Twitter: @peterkinderman.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 493 letters Perceptions of pay fairness I am a human resources specialist and a graduate student of organisational psychology who tries to find scientific answers to questions posed at work. For example, I keep hearing many complaints about underpaid wages and apparently it is a universal phenomenon (tinyurl.com/gwgx5hd). Many think that companies try to pocket profits for shareholders by underpaying employees. I know from my professional experience that it is actually not the case. And it made sense when I read about the phenomenon of ‘gift exchange’ at the workplace (tinyurl.com/h5otscg). Employers have incentives to offer above-market wage so that employees put more effort at work, positively reciprocating the ‘gift’ initially offered. Think about it. If your employer pays you more than you deserve, wouldn’t you like to show more effort at work? On the other hand, if employees think that they are getting paid less than they deserve, they want to inflict punishment. The game theory of fairness (tinyurl.com/gpjpcek) suggests that ‘people asked to do boring and tedious tasks, and then to tell someone will in some situations not only refuse to help others, but else that the tasks were actually interesting. Participants, who will sacrifice to hurt others who are being unfair. Alas, were paid $20, did not have any problem in lying. But companies usually end up with overpaid employees who participants, who were paid $1, had conflicting cognitions, no actually think they are underpaid and, as a result, willing justification to lie. Hence they internalized the attitude they were to perform counterproductive work behaviour! induced to express and claimed that they actually enjoyed doing But what makes the perception of fair/unfair wage? the tasks. Therefore, a dissonance-reducing strategy is either What makes one think what is ‘deserved’? One research internal self-deception or finding an external justification! I have come across to is the study on American soldiers So, when an already overpaid employee is asking for more, (tinyurl.com/h77hlp5), which found an anomaly: the military does it mean that he actually feels socially deprived and is unable police were more satisfied with slow promotions than air force to get over the disturbed feeling? If so, how should it be personnel, who had rapid promotions. It led to the introduction addressed? Should we impose self-deception on employees of the phenomenon of relative deprivation: people’s conceptions through the working out of love (tinyurl.com/glkmnhc) narrative of fairness are based on comparisons with salient others. So is (i.e. creating an illusion)? Or should we put more effort and, this the basis of the presumption of being underpaid? first, try to understand particular social comparisons that each Regardless of its validity, I have seen at work that the thought employee cognitively constructs and, then, explain why they are of being in a relatively deprived position creates a psychologically wrong? In other words, should we treat employees as human disturbed mental state that requires some form of justification. capital or human beings? Festinger’s seminal experiment (tinyurl.com/zvc9dfy) was useful Nejdan Yildiz in making sense of this phenomenon: Participants were first Istanbul, Turkey

Feeling ‘more’ not ‘better’

I write in response to the effect’. The gist of the article emotions that may have been In some way trying to article ‘How often does seems to indicate that kept down. To do otherwise avoid the clients feeling ‘bad’ psychotherapy make people therapists need to always have and to focus on them feeling does them a disservice, feel worse’ (Digest, May 2016). ‘good’ or ‘happy’ outcomes for better merely ‘patches them implying that we as I did not read the cited article their clients. up’ without dealing with what practitioners are merely trying so am basing my response As a practising integrative is going on for them. The goal to improve the outcome solely on the report in The psychotherapist my mantra I would have thought is the statistics. I think this would be Psychologist. has always been that it is not integration for the client of a very disingenuous position What particularly caught about the client feeling better their range of feelings. (I need to work from both for the my attention was the notion but about the client feeling to give credit here to my client and the profession. of ‘bad lasting effects’. I am more. That is too say the fantastic training supervisor Paul Hogan curious as to what is meant therapeutic experience opens who left me with this mantra Dublin by ‘bad’ and what’s a ‘lasting the client up to feel a range of and expression.)

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Individual differences and replication IAPT AND The centennial year of the address one major reason unexplained ‘error’ term, birth of Hans Eysenck should for the non-replication of much of it concealing SECONDARY remind us of the vital role psychological effects. It is as systematic individual played by individual if a research chemist were differences which may be MENTAL HEALTH differences in personality, content to use pieces of influencing experimental In my letter to The Psychologist in the cognitive abilities and the laboratory equipment with factors in varied and March 2014 issue, I wondered how like; as he stated in 1965: scant regard to their varied unknown ways. It is futile the IAPT economic model would be ‘Individuals do differ…and it and unknown electrochemical lamenting replication failures sustained. My argument then was seems to me that psychology properties. As they would if we do not recognise the ‘how low can you go before you get will never advance very far have failed to replicate the importance of the individual zero return from therapy’. Many NHS without a recognition of the exact methodology, how characteristics of participants mental health trusts throughout the complexities which are likely is it that other in psychological studies. country have chosen to become produced by this fact of experimental chemists would We should take providers on the basis that, much personality.’ replicate their findings? Eysenck’s warning seriously: like the National Lottery, ‘you have to As highlighted in In psychology, Psychology shall not advance be in it to win it’. Once the economic the title of his 1977 individual very far if we continue to model becomes non-sustainable and book Psychology Is characteristics ignore this basic fact of the service is not re- commissioned, About People, these affect behaviour human psychology. organisations seem to be looking Professor Philip Corr individual differences in most situations elsewhere to deploy staff and IAPT City University London; President, are just as important – even purely methodology with its relentless International Society for the as cognitive experimental pursuit of efficiency through Study of Individual Differences; mechanisms and ones, where effect performance micromanagement. and Co-Founding President, neural processes. To sizes tend to be Secondary mental health care British Society for the Psychology continue to ignore small compared psychological services seem to be of Individual Differences them does nothing to with the the obvious target. However, the imposition of the IAPT model onto secondary care is a misfit. Secondary mental health is an Eysenck – ‘aloof, dismissive’ area of complexity requiring a core training and high level of competency In the March edition of The Psychologist Philip blunder when appraising his data, and he in order to work with people with Corr (‘The centenary of a maverick’) made a promised to disclose it in his very next highly complex multifactorial needs. welcome attempt to present the pros and cons publication. Sadly he died shortly afterwards, Having completed a Diploma in CBT of Hans Eysenck’s substantial contribution to and before being able to put the record accredited by the BABCP, I would not psychology. I wish he had gone a little further straight. However, I sent copies of my dataset consider myself competent to work to try to account for Eysenck’s over-confident and correspondence with Warburton to in secondary care without also foray into the vexed field of crime and Eysenck, and made arrangements to discuss having core training as a counselling personality. There he would have found that the matter with him during my next sabbatical psychologist. I also have the added Eysenck (1964) attributed criminality to levels visit to London. experience of being a qualified of extroversion and anxiety causing a failure in There I found the man aloof, dismissive, mental health nurse. I do not believe conditioning that in his opinion could be and not accepting the need to validate the that there is a fast-track method of remedied by early childhood identification and evidence on which his bold assertions lay. So training in this complex area. There the administration of appropriate drugs. much, I thought, for the man who could not is no number of in-house workshops In drawing such a conclusion, Eysenck bear to admit he too had made a mistake in or CPD events that can equate to a relied most on the array of Raymond Cattell’s not checking his anchor, and was unwilling full training in mental health clinical second-order 16PF factors that Frank to correct the record for Warburton. practice. A.J.W. Taylor PhD, FBPsS Warburton (1965) (Professor of Experimental To impose anything other Emeritus Professor of Psychology Education in Manchester University) had than rigorously trained staff on Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand obtained from a sample of 38 adult males in vulnerable people would in all the US Joliet prison (Eysenck, 1964, Table 4, likelihood become a safeguarding p.194). References issue. Furthermore, the prescription Because I happened to have a batch of Eysenck, H. (1964). Crime and personality. London: Routledge of ever more brief interventions, as similar 16PF data from a larger sample of New & Kegan Paul. are typically found within the IAPT Zealand prisoners of each sex already to hand, Francis, R.D. & Taylor, A.J.W. (1968). Extraversion and anxiety context, to treat serious mental I tried to validate Eysenck’s important finding among certain groups of Australian offenders. Australia illnesses, such as ACT for psychosis, (Taylor, 1968), But to my surprise my data did & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 1(4), 249–251. is likely to deny individuals access to not match Warburton’s. Subsequently a Taylor, A.J.W. (1968). An examination of the personality the full level 3 skills that are said to colleague, Ronald Francis found a similar factors of extraversion and anxiety in New Zealand’s be defining characteristics of the discrepancy with data from his sample of persistent offenders. Australia and New Zealand Journal of practitioner psychologist. Australian adult male prisoners (Francis & Criminology, 1(4), 243–248. Tom Elliot CPsychol, AFBPsS Taylor, 1968). Warburton, F.W. (1965). Observations on a sample of Ramsgate In corresponding with Warburton, he psychopathic prisoners. Behaviour Research & Therapy, 3, became aware of having made a statistical 129–135.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 495 letters Treating the individual I hope that other readers have rushed to reassure Corinne Lowry (Letters, May 2016) this, are we at risk of undervaluing that individualised, tailored therapy to patients/clients is available and alive and well the varied treatment approaches that in the NHS, certainly as practised by (mainly) clinical psychologists in clinical health psychologists can offer, resulting in psychology. It must be horrible indeed for people coming to any support service to children and young people not being feel like they are just a cog in a wheel, being treated as part of a system and not like offered individualised therapy options a unique human being. It’s up to therapists and patients alike to insist that the system as routinely as they should in CAMHS? works for our best benefit. It feels that we as CAMHS psychology Marie Stewart staff may need to take more ownership of Principal Clinical Psychologist this issue. Do we need to be conducting Royal Preston Hospital more research into the effectiveness of interventions such as EMDR, CAT, DBT and ACT for children and young people? I read Corinne Lowry’s letter ‘A therapy interventions to CBT are effective. For If this research were to show such for each client’ (May, 2016) and found example, a randomised controlled trial interventions to be effective, the myself reflecting upon the interventions has found EMDR reduced symptoms of guidelines we follow to ensure our currently recommended for children and PTSD in children (Ahmad et al., 2007). practice is evidence-based, could be young people in the NICE guidelines. These pieces of research, however, are not updated to reflect a wider range of When reading each of the guidelines for currently deemed to be enough to treatment options that may be more the individual presentations we work warrant an update of the guidelines. suited to the individuals we treat. with in CAMHS, I was not surprised that It is not unknown for CAMHS Jessica May CBT is recommended as an intervention services to employ CBT therapists and Wirral for all of them. I was, however, surprised CAMHS practitioners instead of clinical by the lack of alternative treatment psychologists – possibly as a result of References options recommended. both recruitment and funding issues. If Ahmad, A., Larsson, B. & Sundelin-Wahlsten, V. (2007). Within the NICE surveillance the guidelines that we follow are, on the EMDR treatment for children with PTSD: Results programme review documents, research whole, recommending CBT, then it makes of a randomised controlled trial. Nordic Journal of is identified indicating that alternative sense for NHS services to do this. Given Psychiatry, 61, 349–354.

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496 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 letters

Co-producing and co-publishing Traditional approaches and attitudes and the empowerment she has created identity as part of a publication. However, within health services, marked by large is in stark contrast to the typically mental health systems introduce complex power differentials between service users marginalised and disenfranchised position dynamics through the required use of and professionals, are currently subject to some service users experience during Mental Health and Mental Capacity Acts vast change. This developing revision of detention under the Mental Health Act. and raise concerns around coercion and/or attitudes, approaches and narratives has We have been keen to co-produce an appeasement. Having discussed with been facilitated and accelerated by the article highlighting how collaboration and editors, we have followed a formal process growing involvement and co-production co-production alongside this service user and have considered these important of service design by service user-led and her team have enabled and facilitated dilemmas. All of the above considerations groups. Many mental health organisations a shift in the power differential and have have been shared and discussed with the are taking a lead role in challenging enhanced subjective wellbeing. It would service user involved. dominant discourses and power relations. not be helpful or appropriate to do this We are keen to hear about other Co-produced research and the without the person being central to this people’s experiences of co-producing dissemination of clinical practice is an process, of course. In fact, she is keen to research alongside service users who are important vehicle in the promotion and take a lead role and reflect upon her also named as contributing authors, in development of transformative change in experience and contribute equally to the order to share thoughts about these the mental health system. At the service production of a paper. dilemmas, particularly within the area of in which we work, we are keen to promote There are, however, some ethical secure mental health care. this agenda. For a time, we have been dilemmas to consider. Publishing a paper Ruth Lewis-Morton working with someone currently detained co-produced with a service user raises Clinical Psychologist under the Mental Health Act. Over the issues of confidentiality, particularly if Andrew Hider past 18 months she has taken a lead role details of psychological work are shared. Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, in regaining power and responsibility over Further, placing the service user in a Clinical Director her life (having previously experienced collaborative position highlights her role Jane Watkins this as being taken away from her). The as an independent person who is free to Chief Operating Officer drastic transformation and shift in her role decide whether she wishes to share her Ludlow Street Healthcare obituary Judith Greene (1936–2016) Judith Greene – ‘Judy’ to her friends and colleagues – is easily Psychology Department, she was well remembered as ‘A Force To Be Reckoned With’, having steered known for her tireless deployment of a small psychology department to a position of international ‘The Green(e) Pen’ – our drafts prominence in teaching and research. But treating Judy as a would be returned full of green ink, ‘Force’ is to overemphasise one trait at the expense of others, shortened and clarified, once again to which she enjoyed in equal measure: her dedication to the ultimate delight and benefit of understanding the student’s point of view, her astute professional tens of thousands of students. editing skills, her savvy political instincts, her socialist ethic and Politically savvy? That’s an its attendant belief in fairness and the common good, and her understatement: she was a firm, fair natural warmth and empathy. and principled decision maker who Consider her understanding of the student’s point of view. knew her way around funding Judy knew from a decade of teaching mature students at the agencies and the university administration. Attaining recognition Birkbeck College that existing materials let down the lone adult for Open University psychology degrees by the British student, so she wrote Learning to Use Statistical Tests in Psychological Society was one of her hard-fought-and-ultimately- Psychology with colleague Manuela D’Oliveira, producing a won battles. To the BPS, ‘distance teaching’ seemingly fell short successful book that, to quote a typical 5-star review, ‘…reads of the requirement that psychology students needed to like a page turning novel’. Judy knew that there was no point in understand how to conduct experiments and attain suitable lab just writing ‘the technically correct thing’ for a bored or confused experience. Yet Judy persuasively made the case that OU summer student audience, so always tried to convey ideas in a readable, schools provided nothing less than boot-camp-grade intensive approachable and enjoyable manner, to the delight of tens of training, quality-controlled by rigorous external examiners from thousands of students. She also authored Thinking and Language the top universities. and Memory, Thinking and Language, which built upon her Always true to the socialist roots of her upbringing as the doctoral work on Chomskian transformational grammar and daughter of former Labour Foreign Secretary Patrick Gordon- established her as both a thought leader in modern psychology Walker, she was eminently fair-minded and even-handed in her and a talented writer who could clearly explain the subtleties of treatment of colleagues. Decisions were typically agreed by higher-level cognition to a wide audience. consensus: rarely did a meeting end until everyone around the What about her editing skills? Judy had spent years as an table was on board. Judy’s nuanced approach to firm-but-fair editor of a popular travel guide series, and as a result was leadership was a model for us all. capable of dramatically improving text with an uncanny Regarding her warmth and empathy, suffice it say that she combination of speed, accuracy and good taste. Within the OU was always there for staff and students alike. She was a devoted

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 497 letters

friend and mentor to colleagues, inspiring the next generation psychology. He published to adopt her empathetic approach. She worked hard, and she widely in both clinical and expected her department to do the same, but the rewards were educational psychology as great, the laughter was infectious, and the friendships were deep well as forensic psychology. and lasting. Ludwig was a child of the Judy went on to become Open University Pro-Vice- Holocaust. His family Chancellor for Research and Overseas Development, piloting escaped Germany, they the university through its first Research Assessment Exercise and settled in New York, and establishing a unique venture in Singapore, which enabled OU Ludwig attended Stuyvesant courses to be offered in the context of a traditional educational High School and New York establishment. She died on 24 April 2016 following a stroke four University. He entered the US months earlier, and is survived and sorely missed by her husband Army and served in the 82nd Norman Gowar, Norman’s children Kate and Matthew and four Airborne Division. Ludwig grandchildren, plus Judy’s two sisters and one brother. was restless; he travelled Marc Eisenstadt around the world; he lived in former Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor in Judith Greene’s Perth, Australia, finally department from 1976 to 1995 settling in UK. He obtained his MA and PhD at London University. Over the years, Ludwig worked as a teacher, obituary a welfare officer, a probation officer, and a staff member at mental hospitals, child guidance clinics, and residential centres for troubled teenagers. Ludwig Lowenstein Ludwig was made an honorary member of the Polish Medical Society, an honour that he shared with Louis Pasteur. He was also a former Chief Educational Psychologist for Hampshire, (1928–2016) following which Ludwig created a school and therapeutic community, Allington Manor, in Hampshire for troubled Dr L.F. Lowenstein MA, DipPsych, PhD, CPsychol, CSci, AFBPsS adolescents. He lectured all over the world on this subject. was registered with the Health and Care Professions Council to He was twice elected to serve as a Director of the International practise in the areas of clinical, educational and forensic Council of Psychologists as well as serving as their President

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498 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 letters

from July 2011 to July 2013. He was a Fellow of the College the Army Educational Corps and began teaching. On demob he of Teachers and acted as a long serving Chief Examiner in enrolled for a degree in psychology at the university in his native Educational Psychology. Hull where the head of department was George Westby. After Following his work with disturbed adolescents he was graduation, Jim undertook an MSc sponsored by the local practising as an expert witness for the courts. He became fisheries industry. One of the people he recruited for a Kipper involved in the area of parental alienation. His website Tasting Panel was a young woman named Liz who was to dedicated to parental alienation can be found at www.parental- become his wife. The couple moved to South Wales where Jim alienation.info. He was involved in pursuing the inclusion of worked in a Medical Research Council unit and completed a PhD parental alienation in DSM-5 and ICD-11 and was a member on Blood Pressure and Personality, which was examined by Hans of the Parental Alienation Study Group. Eysenck in 1961. He will be remembered with love and affection by his family The following year, George Westby was asked to set up and many of his colleagues and those whom he helped along a Psychology Department in University College Cardiff and the way. he recruited Jim and one other lecturer to create what has since Kathleen Lowenstein evolved into a leading and highly acclaimed School of Hampshire Psychology. Jim taught many aspects of obituary psychology, but specialised in perception and research methods. His 1972 book Visual Illusions brought him international attention Dr James Outram and fostered professional relationships and friendships Robinson (1931–2016) (particularly with Japanese psychologists) that spanned several Jim Robinson, who died in March at the age of 84, was a highly decades. He also maintained his regarded psychology lecturer, and generations of students who interest in health psychology, studied psychology in Cardiff between the 1960s and the 1990s supervising several related PhD will remember him with great affection. projects and conducting research During his National Service in the 1950s, Jim was assigned to on the measurement and control of pain. Jim was always highly student- focused and took an active pastoral role with students experiencing difficulties. He also helped students to celebrate their success; for many years Jim and Liz I across I down hosted an annual party for students and staff on the day that the degree results were announced. He was also a great enthusiast for 1 Piagetian stage leads public 1 Secretary letting on subject of the annual conference held at Gregynog Hall, a mansion in mid- relations to English works on advice from Spock? (9) Wales that had been bequeathed to the University of Wales. The right wing (12) 2 One living abroad with former conference experience was enhanced by social activities, 9 Terribly pure board having a partner and Irishman (5) including ‘an entertainment’ with students and staff taking part good name (9) 3 One receiving treatment takes in comedy sketches and musical performances. Jim was a leading 10 Surrealist returned to cover one iodine in a sort of medicine (7) contributor, playing his euphonium, appearing in a psychology- epic tale (5) 4 She's latest in infirmary after based adaptation of the famous ‘Four Yorkshiremen’ sketch, and 11 Talk during commemoration at stroke (4) often ending the show in the guise of ‘El Magnifico’, with a tercentenary (6) 5 The old record year for religious magic routine owing more to Tommy Cooper than to Paul 12 Position left for one time height study (8) Daniels. (8) 6 Fulminating's something to hold Jim was for some years Chair of the Welsh Branch of the 13 Pub had food provided from the on to (7) BPS and encouraged and supported students to present their start (6) 7 Boozy bum endlessly in sick one undergraduate dissertations at the annual Welsh BPS student 15 Two ways to mature, but not out (8) conference. Beyond psychology, and beyond Wales, he served with contemporaries (3,5) 8 Not working to put fish in lake? for many years on civil service selection boards and on the 18 Faced with surplus, man On the contrary (4) Police Complaints Board. displays a deadly sin (8) 14 North is investing coins from Jim was a man of many, many enthusiasms, among which 20 Drug addict rating employer (6) France creating disorder (8) were climbing, skiing, playing squash, Scottish dancing, fly- 22 Winning performance by half- 16 Psychologist's first to arrange fishing, beekeeping and potholing. In his eighties he began to hearted mob (8) with oracle in China (9) take singing lessons. He was very aware of what are now 23 See Conservative in 17 Retentive, perhaps, and taking recognised as ‘green issues’ and was active in this area as far back revolutionary's hat (6) therapy at last, little relative's as the 1970s (at which time he designed, built and installed solar 26 King's proclamation when given couch session? (8) panels that are still in use). caught in ebbing tide (5) 19 Characteristic feature or snake Jim was by nature a gentle man, lively, amusing and engaged, 27 Leo, say, puts gold in a young in the grass (7) and he was an inspiration to generations of students. Teachers woman's address in Naples (9) 21 Bolting stewed, dried meat (7) and lecturers have a special ‘reach’ – they have the opportunity to 22 Assist with crime or a venture (4) influence many young people. Jim was well aware of this, and he 24 Capital song in company (5) used his influence to great and benevolent effect. 25 Fruit gateau glimpsed inside (4) Neil Frude Cardiff

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500 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 High quality training, supervision and therapy in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Contextual Cognitive Behaviour Therapies.

Clinical Skills Building Intensive in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Professor Steven C. Hayes

Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd of September, 2016 Park Crescent Conference Centre, 229 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL WORKSHOP

This acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) workshop is a single-track program covering two full days that is designed to support clinical-skills building in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and relational frame theory (RFT).

Steve is one of the key originators of ACT and RFT. He brings together the “head” and “heart” of ACT with his highly engaging and charismatic presenting style. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see one of the world leading ACT trainers in action!

This training presents ACT theoretical and practical information at an intermediate level. Participants should have had some formal training in ACT and should be reasonably familiar with mid-level ACT terms, specifically the six core ACT processes (mindfulness, self-as-context, acceptance, defusion, values, and commitment). Rates • Early bird – £220 (ends 12th August) • Special “Bring a Friend” 30% discount – book 2 places: £154 per person – £308 total (ends 12th August) • Standard rate £240 (ends 1st September)

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 501 NEWS

Why so negative?

Almost as soon as the EU Referendum elites – or simply people vs. politicians.’ and that it was worth taking a punt to was announced both ‘in’ and ‘out’ camps He suggested in our anti-political age avoid these. We see similar framings and their supporters accused one people see politicians, not as ‘ours’ and going on now.’ another of scare-mongering to ‘prove’ ‘theirs’, or a Labour vs. Tory politician, Neuroscientist and author Dr Dean their case. The vote, to be held on 23 but rather as a category in and of Burnett (Cardiff University) said that June, will decide whether Britain has themselves: ‘Moreover a category who as the campaign drew to a close he a future as part of the European Union, look after themselves to our detriment,’ expected to see both sides using more but with many unpredictable side-effects he added. personalities and familiar faces as whichever way the vote goes. Reicher said: ‘That, of course, is opposed to theoretical arguments and Is fear-mongering among what the expenses scandal was all about. policy positions. He said: ‘The Leave campaigners inevitable in a vote whose It lies behind the rise of left and right campaign in particular may lack any outcome holds massive, and largely populisms throughout the world – from “certainty” on which to pin their case, unknown, potential? Why have we seen Donald Trump to Syriza to Podemos to and people really don’t like uncertainty. this kind of campaigning so far, bringing the Front National to Corbyn to UKIP.’ In contrast, people do respond really in everything from war to the cost of Reicher suggested that in this anti- well to familiar, confident figures, family holidays? Are the campaigns political era many politicians had not yet especially if they do and say things likely to become increasingly fear-driven realised that conventional politics does not we already agree with, leading to or can we expect to see other work: ‘Doing things that might confirmation bias.’ As a result, he developments, in psychological terms, conventionally doom you now doesn’t – added, as we approach the vote and the throughout the remainder of the it might even help you, something campaigners feel the need to pull out all campaigns? We spoke to psychologists Trump mastered to perfection.’ the stops to win, we would see more of Steve Reicher, Dean Burnett and Luciana Reicher added that this can all be the campaign figureheads such as Boris Carraro for their opinion. combined with the issue of prospect Johnson for ‘Leave’ and David Cameron Professor Steve Reicher (University theory and the framing of risk. He said: for ‘Remain’. of St Andrews) said although the ‘We are less likely to risk a major loss to Burnett added wryly: ‘When you referendum is being posed as about make a gain than to take a risk to avoid consider that the future of a continent Britain and Europe, people would likely a loss. One way that the SNP shifted the could be decided by a public slanging view the referendum through a prism debate in Scotland was to move from the match between Johnson and Cameron, other than ‘nation’. He added: ‘In many risks of leaving the UK to arguing that the whole “take off and nuke the place ways I think the more relevant identities there were certain dangers of staying in from orbit” argument doesn’t seem so revolve around ordinary people vs. the UK (threats to the Health Service) overzealous after all.’

502 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 news

EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY GUIDELINES

The British Psychological Society’s Professional Practice Board has published guidelines for psychologists who may be required to access illegal materials for clinical or research purposes as part of their professional duties. Access to Sexually Explicit Illegal Material for the Purpose of Assessment, Intervention and Research has been produced against a background of technological advances that have radically changed how sexually explicit illegal materials are reproduced and disseminated. The ease of production, lack of expense, and anonymity in obtaining and distributing illegal material has resulted in an exponential increase in the availability, accessibility and volume of sexually explicit material on the internet. Psychologists are J

OHN now frequently called upon to access illegal

H and extreme pornographic material when ARRIS making assessments of clients or in the / REPORTDIGITAL course of research or clinical work with offenders. The guidelines set out the legal

. protections there are for psychologists and CO . UK others and advise on the circumstances in which such illegal material may be We then spoke, in more depth, to increased. The media talk more about legally viewed. Luciana Carraro from the University negative campaigns as compared to They also state of Padova (see the online version for positive campaigns and, in the end, this that the decision further comments). First, we asked may help to promote one specific whether to view why all campaigns seem to go down candidate.’ the material a scaremongering/negative route. Do Carraro’s research recently ‘remains a matter voters like this tactic? ‘Actually, when demonstrated that although candidates of professional we asked voters (or participants) about relying on negative campaigns received choice for the the use of negative political campaigns, less positive evaluations, they were also professional they usually indicate a negative more likely to be followed. ‘In other psychologist’. opinion… they dislike such campaigns words, despite an overt disapproval, Dr Gary because saying something negative about such candidates seem to be able to Macpherson FBPsS other people is of course perceived as a increase spontaneous conformity among who chaired the cross- negative behaviour, an immoral-unfair perceivers because they are perceived as divisional Illegal Materials Working Party, action. However, despite the awareness more competent. The use of negative commented: ‘…the guidelines should of this blatant reaction by voters, attacks toward the opposing candidate reassure psychologists working in forensic politicians seem to use more and more may increase the perceived competence settings who may be instructed to work negativity during their campaigns.’ of the source candidate, a crucial clinically capacity with persons who have Carraro points to several dimension in political decision making.’ accessed illegal materials or in a research psychological studies that might explain Is there anything about this capacity with such materials. Such this discrepancy. ‘First of all, the new particular vote that lends itself to the instructions pose challenges for media used by politicians to more negative or fear-based campaign? psychologists. The guidelines seek to protect communicate to voters require a brief, Carraro points to recent research that psychologists whose legitimate duties expose incisive and sensationalistic has demonstrated how negative them by necessity to potentially illegal communication style. Negative information in general (for instance materials.’ campaigning perfectly meets these terrorist attacks) may increase the I The guidelines are available for free criteria and, indeed, although the overall support for conservative points of view download at number of negative political messages and for right-wing candidates. ‘In www.bps.org.uk/system/files/Public%20fi does not seem to have increased over general, people in threatening situations les/Policy/pp6_illegal_materials_web.pdf time, our research suggests that the tend to adopt more conservative views as media coverage of them has substantially a protection.’ ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 503 news Appearance matters In an image-obsessed world what happens to those struggling with visible differences or fears about their body image? A new two-week training course developed by psychologists could help the next generation of health workers across Europe support patients experiencing these issues. Working with universities across Europe, academics from the Centre for Appearance Research (based at the University of the West of England, Bristol) have created the course for everyone from dentists to plastic surgeons to improve their support for these vulnerable patients in future. The research group believe extra training is paramount because the growing popularity of social media is leaving an increasing number of people with low self-esteem over their looks. About one in 43 people have a condition or injury affecting their appearance, with between 30 and 50 per cent of those harbouring concerns about their appearance. It is estimated 148 million Europeans have a condition year project alongside fellow psychologists Psychologist: ‘It aims to explore the world resulting in a visible difference of Dr Martin Persson, Professor Nichola of appearance research, in a fun and appearance. Despite these figures Rumsey and Professor Diana Harcourt, accessible audio format. We introduce academics from the centre identified a said: ‘We weren’t surprised there was a gap new insights and advances in current dearth of expertise among medics when it in knowledge. We’ve been working in this appearance research and practice, hear came to handling patients worried about field for 20 years and have become aware from leading experts in the field and their appearance. They said healthcare that healthcare professionals can lack discuss top tips for students, trainees and professionals are often unable to intervene knowledge in this area. If they are not early career researchers who want to make when they should, leading to worsening recognising there is a problem and not a real impact in this area. The podcast is social and psychological problems for intervening appropriately, negative social also a chance for us to highlight patients including those with an altered and psychological consequences could upcoming CAR events and opportunities; appearance caused by health conditions, develop or worsen if not addressed – recently we have been talking about our medical treatments and injuries. appropriately.’ forthcoming conference, Appearance As part of the study, 700 healthcare Williamson said people working Matters 7, taking place in London on professionals from five European in caring professions may still hold 28–30 June.’ countries responded to a survey asking unhelpful attitudes about some patients’ A range of clinicians, researchers, whether they had insufficient knowledge appearance and make assumptions about charitable organisations and individuals to effectively help patients with their care based on these. She added: ‘We affected by appearance-altering conditions appearance concerns. Of the respondents, know that the cause of a visible difference, have appeared on the podcast to share 70 per cent said they would benefit from its severity and its location are not always their experiences and ideas. Craddock further training. The internationally- accurate predictors of psychosocial says: ‘Our special guests have included: transferable training, expected to be outcome. You can’t look at someone and Dr Eric Stice – a leading figure in eating finalised in August, will be run in guess what support they need. For disorder prevention research; Dr Bryn universities as an accredited course from example, you could have someone with Austin – a Harvard professor specialising 2017 but will also be available as an a small, aesthetically-pleasing cleft scar in eating disorder prevention as a public online resource. who is very conscious of it or have health priority; and James Partridge OBE – The project, named ‘When Looks get someone with a very obvious visible founder and chief executive of Changing in the Way: Optimising patient outcomes difference who is coping very well.’ Faces, the leading UK charity supporting through the training of health care Meanwhile, a podcast from and representing people with disfiguring professionals’ (www.whenlooks.eu) psychologists at the CAR has become conditions; not to mention our very own received £170,000 in funding from the a mainstay of the iTunes charts, regularly CAR Co-Directors, Professors Diana British Council. Also in the consortium featuring in ‘what’s hot’ and ‘top Higher Harcourt and Nichola Rumsey OBE.’ working on the project was the European Education podcasts’. Reviewers have commented on the Cleft Organisation, based in the ‘Appearance Matters’ investigates ‘great guest speakers and wide range of Netherlands. everything related to the psychology of topics’, and described the podcast as Health Psychologist Dr Heidi how we look, and Nadia Craddock is ‘relevant to clinicians, researchers, Williamson, who is working on the two- leading the work on it. She told The students and charities’. ER

504 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 news ‘Phenomenal response’ to dementia gaming app

A groundbreaking new mobile known places and will help shed light on how traditional research. However, game app could lead to vital environments. we use our brain to navigate the target was surpassed within advancements in dementia The game has been and aid in future work on a day of launch. Key to that research. ‘Sea Hero Quest’ developed as part of an diagnostics and drug treatment was getting PewDiePie, a focuses on a son’s quest to innovative collaboration programmes in dementia Swedish web-based comedian capture the lost memories between academics from research. and video producer, to of his father, and it has been University College London, ‘Until now, the largest promote it. ‘He has 43 million specifically designed to track the University of East Anglia spatial navigation study subscribers who play and help advance our and the University of comprised less than 600 videogames,’ Dr Spiers noted. understanding of spatial Northumbria, on behalf of volunteers. Generating an open Dr Spiers added: ‘The navigation and how this aspect telecommunication company source dataset of this nature response in just a few days of our brain works. Deutsche Telekom, Alzheimer’s and on this scale, at this pace, has been phenomenal and Dementia disrupts the Research UK and game is precisely what is needed to goes to show how much can formation of new memories, developers Glitchers. bring us closer to unlocking be achieved with brave and often leaving those affected Dr Hugo Spiers (UCL) and the next breakthrough in diverse collaborations. isolated and disorientated. For Professor Michael Hornberger dementia research.’ Together, we have created many people living with (UEA) said: ‘This project The project aimed to secure something really special, the dementia, one of the first provides an unprecedented 100,000 downloads within six impact of which could be truly effects they experience is a loss chance to study how many months of becoming available, game changing.’ JS of spatial awareness, as they thousands of people from a target that should generate I More information and lose the ability to navigate different countries and data that would take more than download links at their way through even well- cultures navigate space. This 50 years to collect using www.seaheroquest.com

NEW BRAIN RECOVERY CENTRE

A man who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) following a one-punch attack has opened a community centre in Hull for others in the same position and their families. With the support of a consultant clinical neuropsychologist and the specialist rehabilitation service at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, Paul Spence now hopes to give support through motivational talks and sessions on coping strategies, nutrition and wellbeing. Paul Spence also works as an ambassador for Hudgell Solicitors, which specialises in medical negligence claims and specifically brain injury and rehabilitation, and suffered his own injury in 2012. He has worked mentoring some of the solicitors’ clients and wanted to extend this work into the broader community. importance of support for patients with acquired brain injuries. He said: ‘Nothing could prepare me or my family for the battle Dr Osman said: ‘It is essential that people with acquired brain of brain recovery and the difficulties it brought. We’ve really tried injuries and their families are provided with ongoing support after to focus the new centre on providing the kind of support we felt was leaving hospital, as the effects of such injuries are often lifelong lacking in communities when people leave hospital and start trying and can be devastating. Paul Spence has succeeded in setting up to rebuild their lives.’ a centre that fills a large gap in community support services for The PAUL (Positivity, Awareness, Understanding, Love) For people with brain injuries within Hull and the surrounding areas, Brain Recovery Centre was set up with the advice of Dr Selen and will provide an invaluable resource to anyone that feels they Osman, who is a consultant clinical neuropsychologist working need information, guidance or general support when navigating within the specialist rehabilitation service at Hull and East the day to day challenges that often occur when adjusting to life Yorkshire Hospitals Trust. She spoke to The Psychologist about the after a brain injury.’ ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 505 news First wave of new projects for CREST Ten projects to address some of the individuals’ willingness to share information into a quantitative dataset security threats facing the UK have been information with the interviewer. to get an understanding of how these announced by the Centre for Research and Granhag explained: ‘Even minimal individuals, in their own words, made Evidence on Security Threats (CREST), signs of social exclusion have a large decisions regarding risk and whether and which is led by Lancaster University. The influence on human behaviour because how to conduct terrorist attacks. This call, offering £1.25 million, was the first ostracism threatens four very fundamental work will improve the amount of round of commissioning by CREST for human needs – belonging, self-esteem, literature on this subject that’s out there. programmes of syntheses and original control, and recognition/meaningful It should be interesting to people tasked research for understanding, mitigating existence. When this happens, an with the disruption, detection and and countering threats to national and individual will feel, think and act in ways investigation of extremist behaviour, international security. to mitigate that threat. One way they can policing security and intelligence agencies CREST has been funded for three do that is by acting to restore belonging in particular.’ years with £4.35 million from the UK and self-esteem, and this is what we will CREST Director Professor Paul security and intelligence agencies and examine in our experiments. If this Taylor (Lancaster University) said the a further £2.2 million invested by the approach is empirically supported, then it standard of applications they received founding institutions. We spoke to will be reasonably easy to implement in was excellent; not all of these involved researchers leading two of these projects, intelligence-gathering settings.’ psychology, and ranged from art projects which were chosen from 136 applications. Dr Paul Gill who works within to computing proposals. Taylor, who Professor Par Anders Granhag and UCL’s Department of Security and Crime chaired the panel that reviewed these Karl Ask (University of Gothenburg) have Sciences is looking into terrorists’ decision applications, commented: ‘It was a been given funding to evaluate the role of making in terms of security and risk, privilege to read these proposals, and I am ostracism based on his previous research a project that will involve three main very grateful to the research community into the Scharff technique of strands. He and his team will carry out for being so supportive of the selection interrogation. Hanns Scharff was an a systematic review of criminological process. We had 428 reviews completed interrogator who worked during World literature concerning factors that emerge within a three-week period.’ War II at the Luftwaffe’s Intelligence and when a criminal is thinking about The 10 projects will start between now Evaluation Centre, where he interrogated committing a crime at a certain place and and September 2016. Taylor added that more than 500 American and British a certain time. there will be CREST calls to come: ‘We fighter pilots. Gill explained he would collate and will be doing other calls towards the end However Scharff took an ‘uncommonly review the existing evidence and apply of this year, but these will be around more affable’ approach to his subjects and has those insights to two unique datasets for specific topics which have been identified been described as having ‘almost psychic’ the second and third parts of the project. as important. There’s over 100 full- and powers in his ability to casually obtain One of these datasets outlines thousands part-time staff working on CREST now, information from his prisoners during of threats that have been made to the and they include a number of UK-based normal conversations. In this research royal family and other high-profile psychologists. It demonstrates the quality Granhag and his team will empirically individuals. The second dataset is a of UK psychology in the forensic area, we address whether a brief episode of social collection of terrorist autobiographies. know it’s world-leading but it’s nice to see rejection just before an interview increases He added: ‘We want to turn qualitative it on paper.’ ER Epilepsy award Sophie Bennett, a clinical improve the mental health Institute of Child Health, and psychologist at Great Ormond and psychological we know young people with Street Hospital, has won the wellbeing of children with epilepsy often have other Discovery Award at the fourth epilepsy through her difficulties apart from seizures, Young Epilepsy Champions work. She recently they may have problems with Awards. The prize recognises published the only review emotion or behaviour, we significant research or of psychological hope to find treatments that breakthroughs that have led to treatments in children work so that we can support new thinking or practice that with long-term medical them.’ could make a difference to conditions, including Now in its fourth year, the children and young people epilepsy. Young Epilepsy Champions with the condition. She has developed a new recognised with the Discovery Awards, this year held at Dr Bennett, who is also way of screening patients to Award. The families we work London’s UnderGlobe, undertaking her PhD at UCL better understand their with are so inspirational and celebrate the achievements of Institute of Child Health in the psychological needs and how it’s really nice that we can do those living with epilepsy, their Population, Policy and to treat them accordingly. She something for them. The work families, carers, teachers and Practice Programme, aims to said: ‘It feels amazing to be I do is part of a team at the support networks.

506 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 news

found wrapped in a plastic 1973 and ’75 to identify who sheet and clothed in was reported in the papers as a pink Marks & Spencer’s missing around that time or nightdress. other potentially interesting Thanks to forensic pieces of information police evidence police found that the could follow up on. Students string binding her hands was were given three months’ manufactured in Dundee, and worth of daily newspapers to nowhere else in the world. read through and they had to Students involved in the case, be very meticulous.’ known as Operation Monton, She added that while many spent weeks trawling through students have a media-fuelled daily newspaper articles to find view of what it is to do reports of missing women in investigative work, she wanted the area creating information them to understand that Helping the police logs of any useful pieces of investigations are thorough information, which were and steady processes that can passed on to police. often be a little boring. with their inquiries Dr Woolnough was Woolnough said she hoped approached by a Dundee students could be involved in A psychologist and her team organised for the 12 forensic police officer for help in projects like this in the future: of student sleuths have been psychology students to get compiling evidence in this ‘Police in Norfolk and Scotland assisting police in trawling involved. case, she said she was keen to are now going through the archives for information on Norfolk Constabulary and have the third- and fourth-year students’ evidence to see if a 42-year-old murder Police Scotland asked for help forensic psychology students any of it could be used and investigation. Dr Penny in finding information on the see what real investigative whether it has value for Woolnough (Abertay unidentified headless body of work required. further investigation. We’re University), who has worked a woman that was found in She said: ‘The students just waiting to see if anything with police for 14 years Norfolk in 1974. The badly have been raking through came out of this that could specialising in missing people, decomposed body had been newspapers dating back to help solve the mystery.’ ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 507 news What crisis? – the reproducibility crisis

A huge audience of psychologists, Bristol), were developed 400 years ago. productivity to more students and researchers was drawn to Could the crisis in psychology be less of quality control. He the British Psychological Society debate a crisis and more of an opportunity to added: ‘Part of the in London about the reproducibility and change? he asked. The findings of Nosek’s opportunity is to refresh replication crisis in psychology. After work, he said, were not surprising to the way we do science. Brian Nosek and the Open Science many, as the lack of replicability in Like using pre- Collaboration outlined the difficulty in psychology has been recognised for years. registration, open reproducing psychological findings, the He suggested these issues around access, curating data, BPS, the Experimental Psychology Society reproducibility capture how humans these all act as quality- and the Association of Heads of respond to incentives and aspects of their control procedures. The Psychology Departments hoped to host environment that shape their behaviour solutions will come an upbeat and positive debate in the area. as well as reflecting cognitive biases about by applying Chair of the BPS Research Board Daryl people hold. There are also scientific methods O’Connor (Leeds University) said Nosek’s methodological issues within this crisis: to the process of science itself.’ paper, which highlighted issues in Joshua Carp carried out a systematic A key issue in psychology’s failure psychology’s methodology and statistical review of around 240 fMRI studies and to reproduce results, Dorothy Bishop approaches, had provided the field with found much methodological data missing (University of Oxford) said, was the lack a huge opportunity. He added: ‘The that would be required to attempt a of distinction in the published literature publication of that paper is revolutionary replication, and almost no two studies between hypothesis-testing results in for our discipline, it provides an analysed their data in the same way. contrast to exploratory statistical findings. opportunity to propel us forward, Munafò said one main issue was She said although this problem had improve our scientific practice and named the ‘garden of forking paths’ – been recognised for many years, research methods.’ where researchers start with data and psychologists had sometimes been Many of the publishing models used are encouraged to explore it rather than actively discouraged from taking this on in psychology, pointed out the day’s first sticking to an original plan of analysis. board. speaker Marcus Munafò (University of But after several analyses are carried out, This problem, she said, was pointed when scientists find that prized out by Dutchman DeGroot, whose work p-value less than .05, it may not has only recently been translated. He mean what they think it means. pointed out that exploring a dataset and So psychology researchers looking at the numbers then deciding tend to retrofit hypotheses to how to analyse them, ‘precludes the data, and a culture has been interpretability of statistical tests’ or created whereby researchers in other words researchers should not be feel a need to have a narrative using p-values in this exploratory work. in their papers. Munafò said Bishop gave a hypothetical example – the incentive structures around if someone carried out analysis between publishing – some researchers an ADHD and typical group rely on grants for their full and found no statistical significance, income, for example – leads they may then divide the sample into to biases almost inevitably. young and old groups instead. However, These biases have been if they consequently found a statistically shown in the literature: for significant p-value it would not mean example, people invested in much. She said it was always important a certain area are likely to think to consider the context in which a p-value a meta-analysis in their field is found rather than its significance supports their position alone. compared to outside observers She also alluded to the ‘garden of with no ‘skin in the game’. There forking paths’ metaphor, saying: ‘When is also a great deal of distortion I get to the end of a forking path the in citations, with null results chances of getting a significant result receiving few citations despite is much higher. We have a good chance their importance. of finding something that’s not true but But despite this Munafò looks convincing.’ Although many ended on something of a high researchers may think it is right to note. He said the replication explore data in this way, it is actually crisis in psychology has led to a convoluted way of misleading oneself. the realisation that a shift in Bishop said using random datasets Dorothy Bishop focus is needed from demonstrated this well, and could be used

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important, a brick in the wall, but it doesn’t matter if we get it wrong. And while replication is unlikely, no one will discover your type 1 error.’ He said there was also a lack of disincentives for using questionable research practices – some are even asked for during the review process, and a majority of psychologists admit to using them. Although it is impossible to estimate how prevalent outright fraud is within the field, some put it at 5 per cent; Brown suggested it is likely to be more as only the most incompetent fraudsters are caught. He also pointed to work by Brown and Heathers who looked at the summary statistics in 71 papers; 36 of these had errors, and the authors contacted the researchers to ask for their raw data, but few would provide it. Brown said: ‘Maybe the reason we can’t reproduce is because with students to illustrate this problem. importance of results on to the processes results were reported incorrectly or made We see many ‘significant’ correlations that produce them. up. The most common response to asking between two random datasets, when International civil-servant-turned- for raw data is silence.’ carrying out multiple correlations one is psychology-PhD-candidate Nick Brown Finally Prateek Buch, a Policy likely to come up at the < 0.05 level. It (University of Groningen) provided the Associate for Sense About Science, gave was important, Bishop said, to overcome audience with a wry, sort-of-outsider’s a fascinating talk about the group’s work our bias towards over-interpreting take on the problems within psychology. looking at government-funded research. observed patterns. Among his achievements Brown has He said transparency in science was vital, She pointed to some possible translated from Dutch the confessional and not only in psychology, but applied solutions for avoiding this sort of research autobiography of psychological fraudster particularly in policy making. methodology; for example, encouraging Diederik Stapel (see tinyurl.com/z5jysuu The government, he said, generates students to play around with random for a free download of the translation), much research evidence, through the civil numbers to see the potential for false who has had scores of papers retracted service or commissioning outside experts, positives, distinguishing between after fabricating data. which is designed to eventually inform hypothesis testing and exploratory Brown pointed out there were some public policy. Sense About Science began statistics and in publishing more general incentive problems and enablers to wonder how transparent it was in its replications. of bad science dotted throughout all areas own research. Bishop also suggested institutions of science. He said publication bias, the However, upon asking the could play a role in helping psychology ‘lottery’ of peer review, journals chasing government how many studies it research by, for example, changing impact factor and an ‘article publication had commissioned or that had been incentive structures and moving the focus commune’ where some authors will published, they were told the government away from impact factors of journals, automatically add colleagues’ names to did not know. This is despite the fact that potentially by rewarding those who carry their papers and vice versa, were just it spends around £2.5 billion per year on out reproducible research and carry out some of these. in-house or commissioned research. open science practices. She concluded by However, psychology has some very Sense About Science launched an saying that psychologists were not natural specific problems. People love stories inquiry into the delayed publication of scientists, and so it was far too easy for about themselves, and the popular media government-commissioned research, led them to fool themselves. love to report them; the constructs by Sir Stephen Sedley. In short, it found Chris Chambers (Cardiff University) psychologists measure, he said, were not chaos at the heart of how the government spoke about his work encouraging externally verifiable and rested on little conducts research. One source of delayed journals to take up a pre-registration sold theory. ‘Psychologists publication is the pressure put on approach to publishing. This allows run a mile in the face of statistics, most government to align the publication of researchers to submit the idea for their don’t know how to interpret p-values policy research with policy research, including a detailed correctly and many psychologists see announcements. methodology, to a journal to be approved numbers as a necessary evil,’ he added. Buch said that while the government for publication prior to carrying out their The consequences of bad incentives was using so much research evidence to research. in psychology, Brown said, were HARKing make policy, this research needed to be This ensures they stick to the analyses (hypothesising after results are known), transparent. He said: ‘The discussion set out at the outset and sees null results false positives or type 1 error, around a need for greater transparency have better chance of publication than in questionable research practices and strikes me as a nice headache to have. At ‘traditional’ journals. Another innovative outright fraud. Type 1 errors are not least you’re able to estimate the nature of feature of such articles is results from a career-limiting issue in psychology: the problem in psychology. In policy they exploratory statistics can be presented but findings are not taken straight out into can’t even make a reliable, quantitative must be labelled as such. Chambers said the field and used to fly a plane, for estimate of how much research is he wanted to move emphasis from the example. Brown added: ‘We know it’s missing.’ ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 509 Classic finding about babies’ imitation skills is probably wrong DIGEST

Pick up any introductory psychology textbook and under the Whereas many previous studies have compared babies’ ‘developmental’ chapter you’re bound to find a description of responses to only two or a few different adult displays, this study ‘groundbreaking’ research into newborn babies' imitation skills. was much more robust because the researchers checked to see The work, conducted by Meltzoff and Moore in the 1970s, will if, for example, the babies were more likely to stick out their typically be shown alongside black-and-white images of a man tongues when that’s what the researcher was doing, as compared sticking his tongue out at a baby, and the tiny baby duly sticking with when the researcher was doing any of the 10 other displays out her tongue in response. or sounds. Unlike most prior research, this new study also looked The research was revolutionary because it appeared to show to see how any signs of imitation changed over time, at the that humans are born with the power to imitate – a skill crucial different testing sessions. According to the researchers, this to learning and relationships – and it contradicted the claims of makes theirs ‘the most comprehensive, longitudinal study of Jean Piaget, the grandfather of developmental psychology, that neonatal imitation to date’. imitation does not emerge until babies are around nine months Following these more robust standards, Oostenbroek and her old. team found no evidence that newborn babies can reliably imitate Today it may be time to rewrite these textbooks. A new study faces, actions or sounds. Take the example of tongue protrusions. in Current Biology, more methodologically rigorous than any Averaged across the different testing time points, the babies previous investigation of its kind, has found no evidence to were no more likely to stick out their tongue when the researcher support the idea that newborn babies can imitate. did so, as compared with the researcher opened her mouth, Janine Oostenbroek and her colleagues tested 106 infants pulled a happy face or pulled a sad face. In fact, across all the four times: at one week of age, then at three weeks, six weeks, different displays, actions and sounds, there was no situation in and nine weeks. Data from 64 of the infants was available at all which the babies consistently performed a given facial display, four time points. At each test, the researcher performed a range gesture or sound more when the researcher specifically did that of facial movements, actions or sounds for 60 seconds each. same thing, than when the researcher was doing anything else. There were 11 of these displays in total, including tongue Based on their results, the researchers said that the idea of protrusions, mouth opening, happy face, sad face, index finger ‘innate imitation modules’ and other such concepts founded on pointing and mmm and eee sounds. Each baby’s behaviour during the ideal of neonatal imitation ‘should be modified or abandoned these 60-second periods was filmed and later coded according to altogether’. They said the truth may be closer to what Piaget which faces, actions or sounds, if any, he or she performed originally proposed and that imitation probably emerges from during the different researcher displays. around six months. CJ

In Current Biology

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Your pilot’s decisions are probably as irrational as yours and mine In Applied Cognitive Psychology

Flying a plane is no trivial task, scenario they were told but adverse weather conditions two statements that were are where things get seriously reassuring for heading challenging. Tragically, a for the strip (e.g. another contributing factor to many fatal pilot had flown the route accidents is when the pilot has minutes ago) and one misjudged the appropriateness that was problematic of the flying conditions. Now in (e.g. the visibility was a somewhat worrying paper in very low). In each case, Applied Cognitive Psychology the participants had to Stephen Walmsley and Andrew say which piece of Gilbey of Massey University have information was most shown that pilots’ judgement of important for deciding weather conditions, and their whether to land at the decisions on how to respond to nearby airstrip or not. them, are coloured by three Across the scenarios, the weather and get lucky could us surmount the complexities of classic cognitive biases. What’s participants showed no real be led by this bias to see their the world day-to-day. But when more, expert flyers are often the preference for one type of decisions as wise, and the stakes are high, whether it most vulnerable to these mental statement over another. This increasingly discount the risk be aviation or areas such as errors. might sound sensible, but involved. Note that both the medicine, these tendencies The researchers first actually it’s problematic. When confirmation and outcome need to be countered. Simply addressed the ‘anchoring you want to test a hypothesis, experiments also contained an raising awareness that these effect’, which is when like ‘it seems safe to land’, you expert subgroup, and in neither biases afflict professionals information we receive early on should seek out information case did they make better may be one part of the solution. has an undue influence on how that disproves your theory. decisions than other pilots. Another may be introducing we subsequently think about a (No matter how many security The use of cognitive work processes that encourage situation. Nearly 200 pilots (a guards, alarms and safety heuristics and shortcuts – slower, more deliberative mix of commercial, transport, certificates a building ‘thinking fast’ in Daniel reasoning. That way, when pilots student and private pilots) were possesses, if it’s on fire, you Kahneman’s memorable scan the skies, they might be given the weather forecast for don’t go in.) So pilots should phrase – is enormously more likely to see the clouds on the day and then they looked at be prioritising the disconfirming useful, necessary for helping the horizon. AF visual displays that showed evidence over the others, but in cloud cover and horizontal fact they were just as likely to visibility as if they were in a rely on reassuring evidence, After learning to identify with someone else’s face, cockpit, and their task was to which is an example of what’s do people think their appearance has changed? quantify these conditions by eye. known as ‘the confirmation The pilots tended to rate the bias’. In Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology atmospheric conditions as In a final experiment more better – higher clouds, greater pilot volunteers read decisions Past research has shown that it’s possible to hack our sense of our visibility – when they’d been told that other pilots had made own bodies in bewildering ways, such as perceiving another person’s earlier that the weather forecast about whether to fly or not and face as our own by stroking both in synchrony. These body illusions was favourable. Essentially, old the information they’d used to can alter our sense of self at a psychological level too. For example, and possibly irrelevant make their decisions. embodying a child-sized body in a virtual-reality environment leads information was biasing the Sometimes the flights turned people to associate themselves with childlike concepts. Can such judgement they were making out to be uneventful, but other effects also operate in the opposite direction, from the psychological with their own eyes. Within the times they resulted in a terrible to the physical? A new paper published in the Quarterly Journal of sample were 56 experts with crash. Even though the pilots in Experimental Psychology aimed to find out by seeing if shifting over 1000 hours of experience, the different scenarios always people’s sense of self at a psychological level warped their sense and these pilots were especially made their decisions based on of their facial appearance. prone to being influenced by the the exact same pre-flight Sophie Payne’s team at Royal Holloway, University of London earlier weather forecast. information, the participants manipulated their participants’ sense of self by repeatedly Next, hundreds more pilots tended to rate their decision presenting them with a black-and-white cropped photo of a gender- read about scenarios where a making much more harshly appropriate face that was labelled ‘self’, and with two other face pilot needed to make an when the flight ended in images that were labelled as ‘friend’ and ‘stranger’. To consolidate unplanned landing. An airstrip disaster than when all went these associations, the researchers then tested the participants, was nearby, but the conditions well. repeatedly showing them one of the earlier faces together with the for the route were uncertain. It concerns Walmsley and correct label used earlier or the wrong label, and the participants Each participant had to solve Gilbey that pilots are vulnerable had to say each time whether the label matched the face or not. five of these landing dilemmas, to this error – an example of the As the test went on, the participants became especially quick deciding whether to head for ‘outcome bias’ – because pilots at spotting when the ‘self face’ was correctly labelled as ‘self’, just the strip or re-route. For each who decide to fly in unwise as the researchers hoped would happen. This suggests that the

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 511 digest

previously unknown face had been incorporated into their self concept, at least temporarily. Think of it as a weaker version of the way we are particularly sensitive to any sounds that resemble our name, even against the hubbub of a cocktail party. Having incorporated this face into their self-concept, did the participants view their facial appearance any differently? To address this, the researchers presented the participants with 100 faces and asked them to rate how similar each face was to their own. Fifty of the faces were blends of their own real face with the ‘stranger’ face from earlier, and another 50 blended their real face with the ‘self face’ paired earlier with their self concept. The participants had actually completed this resemblance task earlier, before they had learned to associate the ‘self face’ with their self concept. The crucial test was whether, now that they had learned to associate themselves with the ‘self face’, they would see themselves as resembling that face physically, more so than they had done earlier. Payne’s team predicted that they would, but in fact the results showed that this hadn’t happened. Identifying themselves with the face hadn’t made them believe that they looked like the face. Payne’s prediction was credible partly because we know the psychological self is malleable, body perception is malleable, and changes to body perception usually result in shifts in sense of self. Furthermore, and making this new result extra surprising, A preliminary psychology of binge TV watching psychological influences have already been shown to affect our judgements about the physical appearance of our own face. In Journal of Health Psychology For example, a study from 2014 showed that people were more likely to say that they resembled a face that reflected a blend of their A new study in the Journal of binge-watched an average of own face with someone else’s, when that other face belonged to a Health Psychology is the first to 1.42 times in the past week, trustworthy partner in an earlier trading task rather than a cheat. provide a scholarly definition of taking in an average of 2.94 Essentially, that result showed that the lines between self and other binge TV watching and to episodes in 2.51 hours. BBC can be easily blurred, unlike in the current study. What gives? investigate some of the factors iPlayer and Netflix were the The non-significant result in the current study may have that explain how much people most popular means of uncovered the limits to these kinds of blurring effects. The findings indulge in it. bingeing. suggest that it may be quite easy to adapt our self-concept, for According to Emily Walton- A quarter of the difference example attuning us to identify with a new nickname or onscreen Pattison at Newcastle University in how much people binged was avatar, but that for this process to go deeper and influence how we and her colleagues, binge TV explained by their intentions to perceive our own physical appearance, we need a more motivated, watching is when you ‘watch binge and expectations that it involving, and perhaps social context, like being betrayed or treated more than two episodes of the would be a rewarding, fun thing loyally. same TV show in one sitting’ – to do. Other factors that were The new hypothesis, then, is that we are engineered to a habit that has become more also relevant included perceptually link – or distance ourselves – from those who have frequent since the popularity of experiences of automaticity helped or wronged us, and that the heat of social emotion is the DVD box sets and streaming TV (‘I did it without thinking’) and soldering iron that fixes these connections fast. Further research services. anticipated regret and goal will tell. AF I have fond memories of conflict (seeing bingeing as my own first binge TV session: interfering with other activities) watching 24 with my wife in – both of which were associated The material in this section is taken from a holiday cottage in the Lake with less bingeing. the Society’s Research Digest blog at District, a crackling fire in the The researchers said that www.bps.org.uk/digest, and is written by its background, snow falling ‘further more in-depth and editor Dr Christian Jarrett and contributor outside. Bliss. But the rigorous research into being Dr Alex Fradera. researchers see things watching is warranted’ but that differently: binge TV watching their preliminary findings Subscribe to the fortnightly e-mail, friend, contributes to sedentary already offer hints as to how to follow and more via www.bps.org.uk/digest. behaviour, increases risk of curtail people’s binge watching You can also listen to our podcast obesity and interferes with habits. For example, they said PsychCrunch, including the latest episode on healthy sleep habits. that TV streaming services could how to learn a new language. They surveyed 86 people be adapted to counter the (recruited via social media) mindless aspect of bingeing. New: download our free app via your iOS or about their binge TV watching ‘Some online streaming services Android store to keep up with the latest habits and various psychological include in-built interruptions psychology research every day, on the go! constructs, such as whether after a number of consecutive they expected to experience episodes have been reached. regret after a binge session. There would be opportunities to Based on the researchers’ harness these interruptions,’ definition, the participants had they said. CJ

512 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 digest

Why organisations should encourage their staff to become friends In Personnel Psychology

They say you should never mix business and pleasure, but in reality many of us find that we become friends with the people who we work with. No wonder, when you consider the hours spent together and the deep bonds formed through collaboration and sharing the highs and lows of the job. A new study in Personnel Psychology is among the first to examine the effects on job performance of having more ‘multiplex relationships’ – colleagues you work with directly who are also your friends outside of work. The researchers say these relationships are ‘a mixed blessing’, but on balance they found that the more of them people had, the better their work performance as judged by their supervisors. Jessica Methot and her colleagues first surveyed 301 staff at a large insurance company in southeastern United States. These staff, who had varied roles across the firm, provided a list of 10 colleagues they worked with closely in pursuit of their responsibilities and 10 staff who they considered to be friends and who they socialised with outside of work. The more overlap there was between a person’s two lists, the more multiplex relationships they had. The participants also completed measures of emotional exhaustion and work-related positive emotions. Four weeks later, the participants’ supervisors were contacted and rated the participants’ job performance. The more multiplex relationships that participants had, the better their job performance. What’s more, this was explained in part by the fact that such relationships were associated with experiencing more positive work-related emotions, like feeling excited and proud. In short, being friends with more of their colleagues appeared to be good for staff and for their employer. However, the picture gets a little more ‘maintenance difficulty’ (the effort of were correlational so they haven’t complicated because the researchers dug sustaining and juggling relationships) demonstrated that work friendships causes deeper and found that multiplex experienced in their work relationships. better job performance, although that is relationships were also associated with The results were similar, with more certainly a plausible interpretation, more emotional exhaustion – presumably multiplex relationships again correlating especially in light of the mediating factors because of the effort involved in maintaining with superior work performance – and this that the researchers identified. Given that more complex relationships and of providing time the association was explained in part having more friends at work appears to be support to friends. In turn, emotional by feelings of greater trust towards beneficial overall, Methot and her exhaustion was related to poorer work colleagues who are also friends. But once colleagues recommended that performance, hence the researchers more, although the overall association was ‘organisations should focus on practices that describing workplace friendships as a mixed positive, there were signs that these promote friendship among coworkers who blessing. Overall though, the benefits to relationships can be a mixed blessing – the can interact for work-related purposes’ such work performance outweighed the costs. more multiplex relationships a person had, as introducing friendly competition between The second study was similar but the more they tended to report having staff, or implementing social intranet involved 182 workers at three shops and six difficulties maintaining their relationships, systems ‘that simultaneously allow restaurants. This time the participants also which in turn was related to poorer job employees to collaborate and share task completed measures of the emotional performance. information while getting to know each other support, trust, felt obligation and We need to be aware that these studies on a social level’. CJ

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 513 digest

A laughing crowd changes the way your brain DIGEST DIGESTED processes insults In Social Neuroscience Full reports are available at www.bps.org.uk/digest We usually think of laughter as onset of the first insulting or Jacob Lomranz and Yael Benyamini, a pair of researchers in Israel, a sound of joy and mirth, but in complimentary word, the point out that some of us are better than others at coping with certain contexts, such as when participants’ showed a larger incongruence and doubt than others – an ability they call it accompanies an insult, it LPP in response to insults, ‘aintegration’ for which they’ve concocted a new questionnaire. takes on a negative meaning, and a more widespread N400. The full version, together with background theory, is published in signalling contempt and Moreover, when there was the Journal of Adult Development. derision, especially in a group the sound of laughter, the size situation. Most of us probably of the LPP was even greater in Stories can change how we know from experience that this the insults condition, whereas think about the world, about the makes insults sting more, now the compliments condition was people they describe, and even a study in Social Neuroscience unchanged. In other words, ourselves. According to new has shown the neural correlates insults almost immediately research, they also influence of this effect. Within a fraction prompt more emotional our attitude to the storyteller. of a second, the presence of a processing in the brain than An article published in the laughing crowd changes the compliments, and journal Personal Relationships way that the brain processes an this more intense processing is suggests that people portrayed insult. accentuated rapidly by a public as stronger storytellers are Marte Otten and her context and the sound of considered as higher status colleagues asked 46 laughter. than those that aren’t – and this participants to read The researchers said their status can make them more 60 insults and 60 compliments findings are ‘highly relevant for romantically attractive, at least presented onscreen one word research that focuses on in the eyes of women. at a time. Half these insults negative interpersonal (e.g. ‘You are antisocial and interactions such as bullying, or Why do many people dislike the word ‘moist’? A New Yorker social annoying’) and compliments interpersonal and intergroup media campaign asking people what word should be deleted from the (e.g. ‘You are strong and conflict.’ They added: ‘While the English language found that the ‘runaway un-favourite’ was ‘moist’. independent’) featured the insulted is still busy reading the Now, in a PLoS One study ‘A moist crevice for word aversion’, silhouette of a crowd unfolding insult, psychologist Paul H. Thibodeau from Oberlin College asked hundreds of people at the the extra sting of of volunteers recruited online in the US to rate how aversive they bottom of each publicity is already found various words, including moist. Verifying the results of the New screen, and the end encoded and Yorker campaign, he found 20 per cent of them disliked this specific of the insult or integrated in the word. Thibodeau tested several potential explanations for this, compliment was brain.’ including that the word is aversive because it brings to mind followed immediately A problem with unsavoury associations. In support of this, Thibodeau found that by a final screen interpreting the people who were averse to the word ‘moist’ also tended to be averse showing the phrase specifics of the to bodily function words like ‘phlegm’ or ‘puke’. ‘and they feel the same way’ study arises from the way that it together with the sound of combined a visual signal of a A new study in the Journal of laughter lasting two seconds. public context (the silhouette of Environmental Psychology, Throughout this entire process, a crowd) and the sound of ‘The dark side of home’, has the researchers recorded the laughter, with the image of the warned that ‘Clutter is often participants’ brainwaves using crowd preceding the start of the an insidious and seemingly EEG. laughter. This makes it tricky to harmless outgrowth of Otten’s team were untangle the effects of a public people's natural desire to particularly interested in the context from the specific effects appropriate their personal N400 – a negative spike of brain of hearing laughter. Indeed, the spaces with possessions that activity that tends to be larger brainwave data showed that, at reflect self-identity and when people hear something a neural level, participants were remind them of important unexpected or incongruent with already responding differently to people, places, and the context – and in the so- public insults before they could experiences in their lives. called ‘Late Positive Potential have registered the sound of the However, when clutter (LPP)’ which is a positive spike laughter. becomes excessive, it can of brain activity that can occur This issue aside, the threaten to physically and 300ms to 1 second after a researchers said their findings psychologically entrap a stimulus and is usually taken as show that ‘the presence of a person in dysfunctional a sign of emotional processing. laughing crowd...leads to home environments which The participants’ brains stronger and more elongated contribute to personal appeared to register the emotional processing. In short, distress and feelings of difference between insults and it seems that public insults are displacement and alienation.’ compliments very quickly. no laughing matter, at least not Within 300 to 400ms after the for the insulted.’ CJ

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 515 Postdoctoral Conference Bursary Scheme

This Research Board bursary scheme supports There are two rounds of the scheme each the work of postdoctoral researchers and year, with submission deadlines on 1 April and Get your applications in now lecturers. 1 October. for the October deadline. Conference bursaries are available to support For the full criteria and an application form Members of the Society who are UK please contact Carl Bourton at the Society’s psychology postdoctoral researchers and office [email protected] lecturers to attend any academic conference, Note: For the purposes of the bursary scheme, a either in the UK or internationally, relevant to postdoctoral research/lecturer is defined as a person the applicants work. Each bursary consists of who is employed at a UK HEI and is within three years up to £150 (UK) or £300 (international) to of the completion of their doctoral research degree (i.e. PhD) in psychology. Please note that this scheme is for contribute towards the costs of registration those having completed a research doctoral degree as and travel to attend the full conference. opposed to a practitioner doctoral degree.

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 517 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE BOARD Lifetime Achievement Award The Professional Practice Board invites nominations for this annual award to recognise and celebrate unusually significant and sustained contributions in a career as a Chartered practitioner of applied psychology.

It is anticipated that this award will be made to a psychologist near the end of their career. Award The award will confer life membership of the Society, and a commemorative certificate will be presented to the recipient at an appropriate Society conference. Criteria The Lifetime Achievement Award is open to current or retired Chartered practitioners in any area of professional applied psychology. Nominees need to be Chartered members of the Society and it is expected that award winners will not only have enjoyed outstanding personal success but will also have reinvested in psychology through encouraging and developing others; contributions to the work of the Society would be evidence of this. The award will not be made to a psychologist, whose main area of work is or was within an academic department. It is not limited to residents of the UK.

Nominations should be sent to the Chair of the Professional Practice Board at the Society’s office to arrive no later than Thursday 1 December 2016.

Full details are available from Carl Bourton at the Society’s Leicester office (e-mail: [email protected]).

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 519 CONFERENCE

How to talk so people listen

Heading up our coverage from the Society’s Annual Conference in Nottingham, editor Jon Sutton reports from Professor Elizabeth Stokoe’s talk to the student stream

Flying the flag for what she called route on a ‘racetrack’ of conversation. ‘Hello, I’d like to make an appointment for ‘faffing around with soggy qualitative For example, why can we spot a cold mediation please’. ‘You are a service that psychology’, Professor Elizabeth Stokoe caller a mile off? The reciprocal elements the person didn’t want and didn’t know (Loughborough University) outlined of conversation are missing. Professor about,’ Stokoe summarised. Zooming in numerous projects that have analysed talk Stokoe played a cringeworthy example, on the moment where the explanation of ‘in the wild’. She did a superb job of which went along the lines of ‘And how mediation happens, she noticed that conveying the thrill of research: ‘There’s are you today?’; ‘Good thanks’; ‘Not too mediation was being sold as an ideology, this thing, and it was just lying around in bad’. Can you spot the missing element? an ethos. Callers tended to respond with the world before someone bothered to If you’re on the receiving end of a cold ‘Well, to be quite honest, I don’t think pick it up, now I’m going to look around call, you know it’s coming from a manual. she’d cooperate’. ‘When you’re in a and see what other examples I can find.’ The caller is not entitled to do this little dispute,’ Stokoe noted, ‘all you really Professor Stokoe has worked in routine which usually denotes friendship want is for people to agree with you – to some fascinating areas, gratifyingly at and familiarity. What should cold callers say that you’re the nice, reasonable one.’ least in part since a ‘Careers’ interview do? ‘Stop building rapport’, Professor If that’s not possible, it’s better to just in The Psychologist [see Stokoe advised. ‘It doesn’t work.’ explain mediation as a process: ‘this www.thepsychologist.org.uk/volume- Professor Stokoe also studied calls happens, and then that happens’. When 26/edition-3/talk-slow-motion] led to to community mediation services, from callers are asked if they would be willing an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s The people hoping to resolve neighbour to take that next step, or it is proposed Life Scientific, a TED talk (in Bermuda!), disputes. She became more and more that they are the nice one, caller uptake a Ta t l e r magazine feature, a WIRED interested in the fact that across 600 is strong (the ‘more than’ response). Innovation Fellowship and more. She has calls, only a third of them ended with Turning to calls to GP receptionists, discovered that talk in natural, everyday the person who called agreeing to free Stokoe said: ‘Almost in the first call we contexts is not as idiosyncratic and messy mediation. On the ‘racetrack’, Stokoe found the main trainable thing that is as we might think it is… we’re not as noticed that callers always start off by going wrong.’ Too often, the receptionist personality or gender driven as we saying ‘Somebody else gave me this is ‘on that racetrack, she can see the finish might assume, instead following a typical number’. They don’t phone up and say line, and the caller is going to have to

520 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 T ONY annual conference D ALE

Professor Elizabeth Stokoe racetracks involve services, callers are more is also due to appear for ‘The ‘openings’, ‘closings’ and likely to agree to mediate if Psychologist presents…’ at projects that progress them the service is explained as this July’s Latitude Festival in in between. Initial enquiries a process (e.g., ‘Mediation Suffolk. We asked her to tell to an unfamiliar works by … what happens us more about conversation organisation might involve first is … and then…’) rather analysis and its practical an explanation of their than an ethos (e.g., ‘We uses. service; calling the GP don’t take sides’, ‘mediation involves requesting an is voluntary’). We live our lives by appointment. All of these Knowing the right talking to others. We build, projects can be done in words can tilt conversations maintain and end our more than one way. CA towards particular personal and professional focuses on how different outcomes. Another finding relationships. We buy and project designs lead to from studying initial sell. We get and give help. different outcomes. enquiries to mediation We are excited, irritated, For instance, analysis of services shows that embarrassed and consoled a corpus of recorded first reluctant callers reverse in response to things others dates reveals their stance say to us. Yet psychologists that they when asked if have often shied away from comprise the they would be studying talk, preferring to delicate project ‘willing’ to try it

ask people to report on of asking about APPEARING ACROSS THE ARTS STAGES out. While asking their communicative lives previous if callers are in interviews or relationships. ‘interested’ in questionnaires, or to Participants do mediation may simulate them in this in one of two get some ‘yeses’, laboratories. Psychologists ways: asking ‘willing’ gets a have argued that people’s indirectly with a trail-off much stronger uptake and talk is too idiosyncratic or ‘or’ (‘So, are you divorced, only ‘willing’ turns clients too messy to capture and or…?’) or asking directly around from ‘no’ to ‘yes’. study systematically. But (‘So what’s your conversation analysts have relationship history then?’). shown that talk is, in fact, Asking indirectly is more From research highly organised. effective – at least if you to training Conversation analysis want to keep the date on These research findings involves collecting corpora course! underpin a training of tens to thousands of approach called the audio or video recordings Conversation Analytic Role- of talk in the wild. The The natural play Method. The approach drag them back. There’s going to be a recordings are transcribed laboratory presents mediators, crash at the end of the call… the patient and analysed using a It’s common to measure doctors, salespeople, police has to keep themselves in an encounter technical system that communication success officers – depending on the just so that they can achieve some permits a forensic analysis exogenously by asking research setting studied – service.’ The more instances there were of the constituent activities people to report how they with a line-by-line of patients having to push for things in that comprise complete feel about their encounters. transcript of a real this way, the lower the score on a GP interactions. Collectively, Dates rate their date; encounter, rather than experience survey. ‘These are simple, conversation analysts have customers rate their staged, hypothetical ones, small things to fix,’ Stokoe concluded, investigated all aspects of experience; patients rate allowing them to assess ‘if you can only find them.’ social life from first dates to their satisfaction. However, what really happens in their Analysis of Metropolitan Police medical consultations and conversation analysts communicative world, recordings of hostage negotiators in the from family mealtimes to establish the effectiveness practise what they might field, trying to stop people committing cockpit interaction. of communication say next in such a situation, suicide, completed Stokoe’s winding endogenously, inside the and see what works when journey. These professionals are very natural laboratory that completing their particular well trained, and amazing at what they Conversational recorded datasets provide. projects. CARM makes a do, Stokoe said. Nevertheless, using her racetracks The effectiveness of unique research-based Conversation Analytic Role-play Method It can be useful to think of a questions about previous contribution to (www.carmtraining.org) she hopes to conversation in terms of a relationships in first dates communication training. By ‘finesse the training’. By going back and racetrack with a distinct is assessed by examining looking under the bonnet at thinking in a fine-grained way about what landscape. We start at the what happens after direct the engine that drives social happened and what worked, Stokoe can beginning with our (misalignment) and indirect life, we discover that the have real impact in hard areas. Far from recipient(s) and, along the (alignment) questions. In answer to the question of soggy, and job done in terms of her stated way, complete projects of calls from prospective how to talk so people listen goal of inspiring those ‘treading the non- various kinds. All clients of mediation was there all along. traditional path’.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 521 annual conference Compassion and wellbeing Drawing on her extensive work looking P into the wellbeing of nurses and social AUL B

workers, Gail Kinman (University of OX / Bedfordshire) spoke in the first keynote REPORTDIGITAL address of the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference about .

a key concern of occupational health CO . psychologists – the implications of UK delivering compassionate care for the mental health of health and social care professionals. Some of the recent high-profile cases of failures of care, such as those documented in the Francis Report, Professor Kinman said, pointed to a need for a more compassionate culture of care. There has, she added, been some progress made towards such a culture, thanks to values-based recruitment techniques. But having a caring workforce is not enough – there also needs to be a focus on staff wellbeing and health. Compassion, care and empathy are the cornerstone of health and social care, and employees often have an intrinsic drive to be involved in this sort of work. Kinman pointed out that many people go into Compassion, care and empathy are the cornerstone of health and social care caring work because they want to make a difference, and they have often had a exhaustion (a key element of burnout), and hope), reflective ability, emotional notable experience in their early years. but over nine out of every ten respondents support, psychological flexibility and Compassion benefits not only service reported felt that they were making a a sense of belongingness gained from users, who see compassionate clinical staff difference to people’s lives. The long-term positive placement experiences. as more competent and are more likely to implications of burnout are serious in Kinman and her collaborator, Louise comply with their advice, but also terms of ill health, absenteeism and Grant, have carried out intervention work professionals themselves. Showing retention problems; Kinman outlined with social workers along key points of compassion can lead to personal growth, shocking figures that show the average their career paths. This included using an and feelings of fulfilment from the job can working life of a social worker is only ‘emotional log’ to reflect upon emotional help to prevent burnout. eight years – with three years in training responses to interactions with service But what of the current state of and one in assessed practice. Similarly, users (both positive and negative), leading wellbeing in health and social care? two in every 10 nurses will have left the to benefits for the trainees’ emotional A recent Labour Force Survey published profession by their third year of practice. literacy, empathy and wellbeing. The by the Health and Safety Executive found What can protect people in caring social workers were also given an eight- that 46 per cent of employees in the professions against burnout? Kinman said week mindfulness intervention, and the health and social care sectors had self-care and compassion were key researchers saw an increase in emotional experienced work-related stress, protective factors along with psychological self-efficacy, self-compassion, and depression and anxiety over the previous capital – which comprises elements such compassion satisfaction. year. Although comparatively high levels as hope, optimism, self-efficacy and Kinman said that while individually of absenteeism are also found in these resilience. In her own work Kinman focused interventions were useful in sectors, presenteeism (where people recruited several samples of social workers building emotional resilience and show up for work when not physically and nurses and found that emotional protecting wellbeing, they risked or mentally well enough to do so) is a literacy, emotional self-efficacy, ‘bounded’ pathologising people who are unable to greater concern for the long-term health empathy, reflective ability, self-care and cope. Burnout may very well be a logical and effectiveness of the workforce. compassion were just some of the facets response to the intense emotional Kinman said these professionals also of resilience. demands of caring work, particularly as experience emotional labour – or having In another ongoing study, Kinman’s many areas have seen intense cutbacks to ‘display’ positive emotions to their team is following a cohort of nurses in resources. Kinman added that work patients or service users and mask their through their 36 months of training. Some should not be hazardous to wellbeing, real feelings. This is a risk factor for of the protective factors for nurses’ mental and that sources of stress are often on an burnout. She presented some recent and physical health were having previous organisational level rather than an figures from a study of burnout in social experience in a caring role, a moderate intrinsic aspect of the job. It is therefore workers suggesting that 73 per cent amount of intrinsic motivation, vital to carefully diagnose organisational experience high levels of emotional psychological capital (especially optimism hazards and monitor change over time. ER

522 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 annual conference Real-world education One duty of university a lower classification (2:2 teaching sensitive topics. stressed the importance of educators is to prepare or below). Completing a Short reflected that historical providing students with our students for life after placement appeared to atrocities, such as the opportunities to prepare for university. Jens Binder, Thom enhance final degree mark by Holocaust and other genocides, the experience in advance and Baguley and Fliss Miller (all 3.4 marks on average. Overall felt remote when taught in reflect on it afterwards. There Nottingham Trent University) the benefit was surprisingly social psychology lectures to was a delicate balance between evaluated the impact of stable, with the effect students who often had no supporting and empowering student placements, often remaining even when personal connection to such students through an seen as a crucial way in controlling for gender, events. To overcome the emotionally intense which universities support ethnicity and whether the challenge of bringing the world experience. Upon their return employability. The study placement was optional. to their students, they have the students were able to share included over 15,000 students Fay Short outlined an begun taking their students to their experience with peers from across 186 degree innovative approach used at the world. who had been unable to go, courses at the university. the University of Bangor to The first field trip widening the impact of the In multilevel analysis, a provide students with a very organised was to Auschwitz, trip. An unexpected benefit placement was associated with different form of real-world with the aim of enabling was the strength of peer an increased probability of education, in a symposium students to deepen their relationships formed amongst gaining a higher final degree convened by the Division of understanding through the students, who have classification (2:1 or above) Academics, Researchers and experiential learning. The themselves organised a repeat and a decreased probability of Teachers in Psychology on visit was optional, and Short visit. AJ Coming unstuck?

Last August, Phil Banyard (Nottingham Trent University) wrote criticised Banyard for focusing on the psychology of the 1960s and to The Psychologist bemoaning the lack of testable theories, 1970s and said he’d failed to mention one of psychology’s greatest headline discoveries and transformational products in contributions – vision. Since the 1960s psychologists have helped psychology (www.thepsychologist.org.uk/where-psychologys- us understand how we see and perceive the world. As well as non-stick-frying-pan). Where, he asked, is our non-stick frying hearing, speech, learning, O’Connor said psychology had shed new pan? In an animated late-night fringe event at this year’s Annual light on all the senses. Conference of the British Psychological Society, Banyard came ‘Psychology has changed nearly every single thing we do; face-to-face with BPS Research Board chair Professor Daryl medicine, law. And it saves lives,’ O’Connor argued. He pointed O’Connor (University of Leeds) to defend his stance – which had also to the government’s ‘Nudge Unit’, where psychological proved somewhat unpopular. principles underlie its policy recommendations and decisions. Opening The Psychologist and Research Board ‘Impact Somewhat on the ropes following forceful blows from the Challenge’, Banyard claimed he is met with bluster whenever he enthusiastic audience, Banyard fought back with the repeated asks colleagues what psychology’s biggest achievement is. Some claim that psychology cannot be positioned as a science: that its of their suggestions include the two-stage memory model: ‘But theories, applications and potential products are simply not the doesn’t that just say that you remember some things for a long same as in other sciences. He said in terms of the subject’s focus time and others for a short time?’, Banyard it was facing thoroughly in the wrong quipped. When chemistry has the periodic direction. Harking back to the research on table, biology the theory of evolution and memory which he opened with, Banyard physics the theory of relativity, can drew on George Miller’s address to the 1969 psychology really stand alongside other APA convention to suggest that psychology’s sciences? Banyard said that many argued real contribution is in how we understand that psychology is a young science, but he ourselves. countered: ‘It’s 150 years old – it’s very O’Connor disagreed on the need for young compared to physics, but not a grand theory – ‘just because psychological compared to genetics or electronics, which research lacks a grounding in physics does have given us so much more.’ not make it a lesser science’. A lively The Psychologist’s Managing Editor debate followed, including input from Dr Jon Sutton gave some examples of BPS Lead Policy Advisor Dr Lisa products developed via psychology Morrison Coulthard on the Society’s own including Black Magic chocolates, the contributions via the Impact Portal, which Windows ‘Start’ button and the £1 coin The Psychologist has begun to draw on (www.thepsychologist.org.uk/where- for articles that demonstrate a psychologys-non-stick-frying-pan). Then concrete contribution to the world O’Connor began his rhetoric-packed reply (www.thepsychologist.org.uk/volume- with: ‘This is the easiest gig of all time.’ He 29/february/riots-crowd-safety). ER

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12 WAYS TO IMPACT Race, gender and In this year’s Presidential Address Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes showcased 12 ways in which the British Psychological Society caste in education makes an impact. Test your knowledge in Alana James’s ‘12 Ways to Impact’ quiz. Find the answers in a transcript of Jamie’s address at This year’s winner of the Award for Promoting Equality of http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/twelve-ways-make-impact and Opportunity, Paul Ghuman (Emeritus Professor, Aberystwyth then tweet them @psychmag for your chance to win a prize! University), was recognised for his career promoting equal opportunities in education. After moving to the UK from the 1. Research and Teaching Punjab in the 1950s, and via an interlude as a bus conductor in How many subscribers are there for the BPS Research Digest Reading, Ghuman became a teacher in a secondary-modern in email? Birmingham in 1959. Moving to a grammar school post showed a. Approx. 20,000; b. Approx. 32,000; c. Approx. 38,000 him how the educational system was perpetuating social class 2. Conferences inequalities; Ghuman’s research has since confirmed the salience How many conferences have been organised by the Society and its of social and cultural factors in educational performance. networks in the last year? His first research project, in the mid-1970s, explored the a. 21; b. 12; c. 18 cognitive development of Punjabi boys in Birmingham and found 3. Public Engagement that their performance was significantly closer to that of

Which festival of literature did the BPS run events at in October? T a. Cheltenham Literature Festival their English peers than their ONY D

counterparts in the Punjab. ALE b. Bath Literature Festival In later years his work has c. Bristol CrimeFest addressed the struggles of 4. and 5. Awards and Recognition Asian girls trying to reconcile From the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours List and the 2016 New the often conflicting demands Year’s Honours List combined, how many psychologists have been of home, school and wider made Dame Commanders of the Order of the British Empire in the society and shone a light on last year? the impact of the caste a. 2; b. 3; c.4 system. Ghuman realised that 6. Media the system has reproduced How many news articles were generated from the 18 press releases itself in Indian diaspora in the UK with consequences for children at last year’s Annual Conference? who may experience bullying in Asian majority schools as a result a. 444; b. 555 c. 666 of a Dalit, ‘untouchable’, caste identity forced upon them. AJ 7. and 8. Practice and Policy I You can read more about Ghuman’s research on Dalit resistance The BPS has started the process of entering a framework and identity in the July 2015 issue of The Psychologist agreement with which psychotherapy organisations to further the Society’s reach in that sector? a. BACP and BPC; b. UKCP and BPC; c. BACP, BPC and UKCP 9. Politics As far as we are aware, for the first time in the Society’s history Presidents’ Award a psychologist has been elected as a Westminster MP. Who is it? a. Lisa Cameron (SNP); b. Yvette Cooper (Labour) Matthew Lambon Ralph (University of Manchester) was c. Alex Salmond (SNP) this year’s recipient of the Presidents’ Award, for research 10. Social Justice investigating the role of the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) in the In August 2015 psychologists walked 100 miles over 5 days, in Walk neural basis of semantic representation. His journey so far has in the Talk, to raise awareness of social policies that are leading to a sense begun and ended with patients. Patients with semantic psychological distress. Where did they walk from and to? dementia experience impaired comprehension and anomia, with a. BPS Leicester to the Houses of Parliament; b. BPS Leicester atrophy found in the ATL but not in other language regions; to BPS London; c. The Houses of Parliament to BPS Leicester a puzzling finding given that the ATL is not implicated in classical aphasia models. Rather than accept this as a red herring, 11. Structure Lambon Ralph began utilising an array of technologies to The Society’s impact is achieved through the work of its members, uncover the mechanisms behind how semantics happen – committee members, Trustees and staff, and is currently in the describing himself as a ‘frustrated psychological engineer’. midst of the biggest structural transformation in its history. At the He found that early PET research had not identified ATL time of the talk how many Divisions, Sections, Special Groups and involvement because scans were either not deep enough or had Branches did the Society have? not measured the bottom of the brain, and that using TMS to a. 5 Divisions, 10 Sections, 2 Special Groups, and 8 Branches knock out ATL function impairs performance on synonym, but b. 10 Divisions, 15 Sections, 3 Special Groups, and 11 Branches not number, tasks. Further, he has recently collaborated with c. 15 Divisions, 18 Sections, 4 Special Groups, and 12 Branches neurologists in Kyoto who use electrode implantation to link 12. Vision neurological structures with function in pre-surgery patients with What ‘motto’ might you have heard Jamie say frequently in his term epilepsy. They found that direct cortical stimulation of the ATL as President about how the Society can achieve impact? impairs picture naming and synonym judgement. By sparing this a. Yes we can; b. United we stand; c. Together, we can! region surgeons can now achieve better clinical outcomes for patients. AJ

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Rehabilitation SPEARMAN MEDAL Can brain stimulation lead to improved learning in arithmetical tasks? The 2014 after brain injury British Psychological Society Spearman Medal winner Dr Roi Cohen Kadosh (University of Oxford) has tested out this idea to see if To conclude the highly popular student people. The team, was, and is, truly transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) conference, the Deputy Warden of multidisciplinary – though can improve performance and learning. Goldsmiths University of London, neuropsychologically led it also involves Cohen Kadosh taught participants an Professor Jane Powell, delivered a moving support from occupational therapists, algorithm to solve arithmetical problems keynote address about her neuro- physiotherapists and speech and language either with stimulation or without – it is rehabilitation work with patients with specialists. impossible for participants to tell whether they traumatic and acquired brain injury. Her This group aims to help patients set have received it or not. He found this type of work has focused on the quality of life of achievable goals for patients to move stimulation had the greatest effect on learning these patients post-injury. Many are left towards more independent living and for particularly difficult problems (an effect with deficits in cognition, social skills, better overall quality of life. In Ben’s case that was replicated). movement, sensory and perceptual he was driven to live a more active, However, he pointed out, subjects differ in problems and, potentially, reduced quality independent life and the team helped him the levels of connectivity between essential of life in general. along with this; encouraging his uncle to brain areas – in this case the dorsolateral Professor Powell spent much of her allow Ben to have more responsibility on prefrontal cortex and parietal areas. In career in the development of an outreach the building sites on which they both arithmetic training there is a shift from using team that was focused on improving the worked, supporting Ben to get out using the former to the latter as one becomes quality of life of brain-injury treatments public transport, and teaching him familiar with certain problems. Those with high after discharge from hospital. She gave the strategies to tackle the anxiety he felt in functional connectivity between both areas example of one of the team’s patients, Ben, social situations. tend to learn this type of problem better and do a 22-year-old who suffered brain injury In a randomised control trial, Powell not benefit from stimulation. However, those following assault. His problems ranged and her team looked at the effects of this with lower levels of connectivity showed a from having difficulty following kind of outreach work on patients’ lives. marked improvement with tRNS. conversations to PTSD symptoms such They found around 70 per cent showed a Stimulation for those with existing levels of as flashbacks to the marked improvement high connectivity, Cohen Kadosh explained, can assault, in which he in at least one area of cause interference with hit his head on a kerb. their lives. In more these brain systems. He Powell said in the recent, ongoing said in such experiments late 1980s and early 90s work, patients in the it was important to take there was little support outreach teams care into account the baseline for brain-injury patients are being assessed on physiology of individuals post-discharge, and a number of and how stimulation may quality of life for these measures, including affect certain people people was rarely quality of life at while interfering with the assessed. She and a team admission, discharge cognition of others. from across 10 different and six months after Cohen Kadosh countries developed the discharge to assess dedicated his award to QOLIBRI scale to whether the gains Alan Cowey, who died last year. He said: ‘When measure quality of life given by outreach I joined the department as someone from in this particular group. work are maintained outside it was quite overwhelming, and Alan Its 37 questions with in the long term. was an island of sanity. His door was always seven subscales aimed So far, increases open and he was always happy to give advice to measure some of the in quality of life have and mentor. It seems fitting that Alan was the typical issues with been seen after second recipient of the Spearman Medal.’ quality of life patients discharge. Powell The 2015 Spearman Medal winner, Dr suffer following brain said some of the best Iroise Dumontheil (Birkbeck, University of injury. Initial work with predictors of good London), followed with a whistlestop tour of the scale showed quality of life are improved her developmental and adult work looking into patients with the most severe disability self-organisation skills, good mobility, the brain systems involved in cognitive control following brain injury had lower quality psychological wellbeing and socialising. and social cognition. She has found these two of life. However, Powell pointed out, only The best predictor of all is that a person is systems work in parallel, when an executive 30 per cent even of these patients with the involved in productive employment, which function task requires the use of social most severe disability rated their quality of includes voluntary work and participation information and vice versa, however the two life as low. in family work. systems don’t interact. Dr Dumontheil is also The outreach team that Powell has Powell finished her talk pointing to looking into the differences between been involved with was started in 1992 another patient’s testimony of her work individuals’ dopamine systems and what role after the Department of Health funded 10 with the outreach team and recovery – this plays in social cognition. ER ‘model’ services to develop community- human resilience is a truly astounding based rehabilitation teams for brain-injured thing. ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 525 annual conference All consuming myths Can beer make you smarter? Are a range of benefits to physical blueberries the key to a long and healthy health, including lower risk of life? Newspaper headlines appear almost stroke and improved heart every week that make bold claims for the function, but how do they affect next big ‘super-food’. In some cases cognitive functioning? Rodent reports are conflicting about the benefits research has demonstrated that they and risk of certain substances. For can reduce the impact of ageing on example, red wine has often been cited cognitive functioning in older in the news as being beneficial for animals. With our ageing cardiovascular health, yet at the same population, these types of findings time articles report a rise in risky levels of are promising if they can be drinking in the adult population and replicated in humans. In the short advise cutting down. During this term, studies have shown that Psychobiology Section symposium on diet blueberry juice can improve and brain health, convened by University memory test performance in of Northumbria’s Philippa Jackson, a typical population, while in researchers attempted to counter some of children with ADHD, blueberries these myths and provide an overview of improved attention and reaction current evidence in this important area times. While more research is for our health. needed, Lamport pointed out that As Daniel Lamport from the University some of the benefits of flavonoids tend to it is vital that we learn to choose healthy of Reading highlighted in his talk, some be found in people who were not eating meals. Some suggest that breakfast may newspapers did report that beer would any to start with. In other words, they be one of the most important meals, and indeed make you smarter: however, you could bring about the most improvements Louise Dye of Leeds University spoke would need to drink so much of it that for more at-risk groups of people who are about a review of the benefits of eating your overall health would most likely be otherwise consuming unhealthy diets. breakfast. Compared with eating no harmed. Lamport’s talk discussed evidence Such healthy eating habits are often breakfast, eating this meal was associated on flavonoids, which are found in a range developed during the critical period of with a range of short-term improvements of food groups, especially fruit and adolescence. Our eating habits during this to attention, memory and executive vegetables. These polyphenols bring about time tend to persist into adulthood, and so functioning. For young people, breakfast

WHAT COUNTS AS HAPPINESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?

What makes you happy? mentioned by just one person. Happiness research is a The most common items were growing and important field family, friends, music, pets and for psychologists, so it is food. Interestingly, food was one timely to consider what exactly of a number of items that made happiness is, and how we the participants unhappy as well should measure it. Cordelia as happy, for example if it was Sutton from the Open unhealthy, or if you ate too much University argues that much of a favourite item. When research so far has sought out reflecting on happiness, the the meaning of happiness participants also considered the from a quantitative flipside, showing how the status perspective, and that this of happiness changes across might be too narrow for such a time during adolescence. complex concept. Specifically, While this was a small study Sutton is concerned with using a novel method, the sheer adolescence, because prior breadth of items discussed research has tended to focus map’, with themselves at the To illustrate Sutton’s during the interviews shows the on adults, and her research was centre. Then they were asked to argument for the need to complexity of happiness, and conducted to try to understand draw things that were most conduct qualitative research in how it is described by young what meanings were attached to important to their happiness this area, these maps, drawn by people. Sutton plans to follow up the notion of happiness in 13- to near to the centre, and moving 40 participants, revealed 672 these discussions with focus 15-year-olds using qualitative outwards to draw other less different items that were groups, and use her findings to techniques. Participants were important things on the outer important for the participants’ contribute to better methods for asked to draw a ‘happiness circles of the map. happiness; and over a third were happiness research. ED

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interventions often involve could improve cognition and mobility in interventions, rather than relying solely giving children the opportunity older women. Omego-3 is found in fish on cognitive tests or behavioural measures. to have the meal at school, in such as salmon and tuna. The researchers Jackson and her team have used NIRS to ‘breakfast clubs’. However, the found that there were some really positive measure the effects of caffeine, fatty acids secondary benefits might be improvements to the walking speed and and resveratrol, which is the ‘magic improved social relationships, test scores on a battery of cognitive tests ingredient’ in red wine that led the and increased academic six months following the intervention, newspapers to hail it as a miracle performance. Breakfast clubs but some people appear to respond to the substance. The findings of these studies also tend to lead to better multi-nutrient intervention much better suggest that it is a feasible and reliable attendance at school, which than others. More information is needed method by which to increase our of course also improves pupil about the specific physiological effects of knowledge of the specific impact of our performance. Dye pointed out specific nutrients on the brain, and diet on the functioning of the brain. that this means it is difficult to whether they be delivered via breakfast Techniques such as this allow researchers determine what specific interventions, blueberry juices, or in tablet to build up a more complete picture of the nutritional components lead to form. impacts of specific nutrients. the greatest benefits for children; Philippa Jackson from Northumbria We can of course expect many more she also highlighted that the University discussed the use of an attention-grabbing headlines, but rest biggest improvements are seen accessible measure of brain imaging, near assured that behind these news stories, our in more deprived areas. infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and its use in colleagues are working hard to understand Also in this symposium, Leigh exploring the physiological effects of diet. more about the impacts of our diets in Gibson from the University of Roehampton This piece of equipment has the benefit of order to make talked about links between cognition and being lower in cost and easier to use than evidence-based mobility in the elderly. Gibson reported on other neuroimaging techniques, thus it recommendations a randomised controlled trial to test may be a practical way that researchers can to improve our whether omega-3 fatty acid supplements explore how the effects of nutritional overall health. ED Sexuality in later life A fascinating symposium explored the developing field of identify as LGBT, and the different sexuality among older people. Among discussion of the needs and barriers of this group. The marketing of Viagra and body image in the older LGBT literature in the area is extremely sparse, population were talks on wellbeing and sexuality in later life Brooke said, and many studies did not and those with dementia who identify as LGBT. set out to look into LGBT people and Sharron Hinchliff, who works within the School of Nursing dementia but only made mention of the and Midwifery at the University of Sheffield, said sexual population. There were no studies wellbeing was a relatively new term and has only recently been exploring the challenges transgender people face in dementia examined within the older population. Dr Hinchliff said that, care. Looking at work from 2006 onwards – when important despite belief in popular culture, many older people remain papers changed care, and there was more discussion around the sexually active though there are some physical barriers to sex, human rights of people with dementia – Brooke identified 14 including issues with the genitals themselves, physical health studies for inclusion in a scoping review. The main theme seen and medications that may interfere with sexual functioning. was a lack of recognition and relative invisibility of the LGBT Her own work has found people feel frustrated, rejected or people within dementia services. There was also a fear of distressed when there is no sex in their relationship. She went disclosure of sexual orientation to healthcare professionals. on to cast a critical eye over much of the research into sexual Brooke said the role of stigma was important: older LGBT wellbeing, pointing out that there’s only a small amount of such people are doubly stigmatised and when dementia is added into research on older people and that most is focused on this mix they feel even more so. Older adults are also often heterosexual sex. Much is also quantitative, Hinchliff added, presumed by carers to be heterosexual or not sexual at all, and and so we know little about older people’s experiences. Viewing sex among older people with dementia is seen as a symptom problems in sex within a biomedical framework as a disease or rather than sexual expression – even without context of a dysfunction means that people see them as an inevitable side of person’s previous sexual behaviour. Also consider that many getting older and may not seek treatment or advice for their older LGBT people will have grown up in a society which problems – even if it’s impacting on their lives. pathologised homosexuality. During dementia people may revert Hinchliff suggested potential future directions for research back to previous traumatic experiences, and as a result some of including the need to define ‘older people’; some research classes the LGBT population may fear coming out to healthcare those over 50 as ‘older’ while other research focuses on 70-plus. professionals. The difference in experience between the two groups can be vast, Brooke concluded that while LGBT people are not included and Hinchliff said it was also important to acknowledge that not in dementia research, their voices will not be heard. She all older people wanted to be sexually active. suggested that sexual and gender minority monitoring data Joanne Brooke (University of West London) has worked in needed to be routinely collected offering an opportunity to a team of researchers looking at people with dementia who also determine the number of LGBT people with dementia. ER

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Exploring Arctic expeditions

Imagine going on an expedition through the Arctic, carrying that having a set routine for daily tasks was important, as was a heavy pack with everything you need to survive at sub-zero planning, preparation and harmonising with the environment. temperatures, battling the elements, fighting off frostbite, and Participants also reported using various adaptive strategies to help keeping a keen eye out for polar bears. You are tired, hungry and them to ‘switch off’ when the going was tough. For example, by cold. However tough and perhaps unappealing this might sound, repeatedly listening to a set playlist of music, saving food for these physical challenges may be much easier to cope with than specific times and, as one participant put it, ‘trying consciously the challenge of maintaining positive and supportive not to think’. relationships with your fellow explorers. The micro-culture within the team was, however, one of the According to Danny Golding of the University of Bedfordshire, most important factors that helped participants cope with the who has been conducting research into stress and coping during strains of the expedition. Golding says that this is the key to expeditions, the social aspects of these journeys are vital to their a happy and contented outcome, and consequently, a sense of success. Defined as a journey with a purpose, expeditions appear growth from participating in such an extreme experience. If the to be underresearched in comparison to other aspects of sport and team can support each other they can focus on shared goals and exercise psychology. Given their social and cultural significance, complete their tasks in a cohesive manner. When negative Golding sought to shed light on what he calls the ‘unique micro- behaviours were perceived or experienced, this led to tension, cultures’ that emerge within these temporary communities. strain, and conflict. According to one participant, when this Golding’s interest in this unique topic area was sparked when happened, they felt like the journey became a ‘prison sentence’. he took up a call for teachers, like himself at the time, to join a It might be difficult to understand just why people put five-week East –West crossing of the Greenland Icecap. Together themselves in these challenging situations. However, overcoming with his group, he travelled using skis, kites and dogs in the style such adversity may enable these explorers to achieve personal of a classic polar journey, relaying the findings of science projects growth, and the ability to overcome some of the problems faced on they conducted during the trip back to schools. Golding’s current the journey was seen as a good experience. Participants suggested research applies a transactional model to explore the structure and that they are attracted to such journeys because they are not dimensions of stress and coping during expeditions such as these. experienced by many others. For some, these experiences allow Using in-depth qualitative analyses of diaries, field notes, them to feel significant and part of something bigger within the interviews and momentary capture, Golding has developed a world. All of these factors may contribute to the overall wellbeing model of coping that considers the social, environmental, external, of those who endure such tough journeys. Golding now hopes to and personal factors that contribute to stress during a journey. extend this work by moving on from stress and coping to The research has drawn on participants who have taken part in exploring aspects of eudaimonic wellbeing. five quite different, but similarly challenging expeditions, for For the rest of us, perhaps it is time to consider dusting off that example a five-month Antarctic journey, and a two-week mountain backpack, gathering up a carefully selected group of friends, and and river journey. Within these experiences, findings suggest that heading off to the wilds, to face some extreme hardship and new proactive coping strategies helped the participants to respond to environments. We may just become a little bit more resilient and the magnitude of the challenges that they faced. It became clear happier because of it. ED

528 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 annual conference Tackling the hard problems In his new book The Voices Within: The Leaping back 600 years to The Book of History and Science of How We Talk to Margery Kempe (see tinyurl.com/zwtjjth), Ourselves, psychologist and novelist Fernyhough demonstrated how voices Professor Charles Fernyhough (Durham take on an extraordinary range of forms. University) notes that William James They can be auditory but non-verbal, once described reflecting on one’s own auditory but non-human, even thoughts as ‘trying to turn up the gas multisensory. All of this is prefigured/ quickly enough to see how the darkness described beautifully in this medieval looks’. As part of the student stream at manuscript. Fernyhough gave an the Society’s Annual Conference, evocative account of Margery’s meeting in Fernyhough served as a shining example Norwich with Dame Julian of Norwich, of a classy, old-school psychologist who’s whose Revelations of Divine Love is the not afraid to tackle the hard problems. first book in English known to have been ‘The voices within’ is dedicated to written by a woman. In this ‘early hearing Cambridge psychologist James Russell voices group’ the women described the and it’s easy to see why: the pair share a distressing, weird experience of hearing love of ‘cumulative, substantial, satisfying’ voices as ‘a conversation you can’t quite psychology that considers not what we overhear’. are like or what we tend to do, but how One model of voice hearing it is that we can do what we can do suggests that such experiences involve (https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volum a ‘misattribution’ of normal inner speech e-29/january-2016/king-ghosts). Here to an external source. But if this were Fernyhough hopped from descriptive the case, why do such people have any experience sampling to brain imaging, anything about the person.” I thought, if normal inner speech at all? Vaughan Bell from present to future to past, from you could just randomly sample [people’s has also pointed out that such models science to art. everyday experience], that would be neglect social dimensions of voice That tour de force began with a segue good.’ hearing. Fernyhough and the Hearing from the Mel Gibson film What Women Catching inner speech as it happens the Voice team at Durham are now Want to the thinking of Fernyhough’s naturally, Hurlburt has found there isn’t as working with UCL’s Joanne Atkinson obvious hero, Lev Vygotsky, a Soviet much of it as you might expect. Inspired on inner experience and voice hearing developmental psychologist born in 1896. by Hurlburt’s work, Fernyhough has in people who have been deaf from The former is an interesting view of how developed a smartphone app ‘Inner Life’, birth. our culture views thinking, largely as and has now taken a similarly naturalistic For any budding psychologist in internal language. The latter’s ‘beautifully approach to inner speech in the brain the audience, this was a timely reminder simple, incredibly rich ideas’ propose that scanner, Fernyhough has discovered that their careers don’t have to unfold as children are social from day one, and that that when you wait for inner speech learning more and more about less and inner speech comes from private speech, to happen naturally, you get activation less until they know absolutely everything which comes from social dialogue. This in bilateral Heschl’s gyrus (auditory about nothing. Fernyhough is a true means that inner speech has a dialogic perception) but not in Broca’s area, polymath who seeks out problems that quality, and it can be expanded or left interior frontal gyrus (speech are so blindingly obvious most others condensed. Throughout our lives, we production). When inner speech is have failed to see them; he then hops can move between these levels. instead elicited, you get the opposite over disciplinary boundaries, nips about But how can psychologists study such pattern. If this distinction is seen more in time and borrows all manner of an ineffable phenomenon? Fernyhough widely with other tasks, it could have big navigation aids in search of paths to covered individual difference studies, implications for neuroimaging studies. enlightenment. JS dual-task paradigms that ‘knock out’ speech, and neuroscientific methods. His passion, though, seems to be the The fashion industry and media tend to portray older ‘descriptive experience sampling’ method women in either a negative or unrealistic light, with evidence pioneered and developed by Russ suggesting that exposure to the media ideal of how a woman Hurlburt. Starting out as an engineer should look is associated with body dissatisfaction. Carolyn working for a company that made nuclear Mair and Soljana Cili of the London College of Fashion sought weapons, Hurlburt had devoured books to explore the impact of these images and the views of from the Arlington County Library. women aged 40–89 on this important topic. Almost half of ‘What I found was that every book in their survey participants reported being annoyed with how psychology would start by saying, “I’m women their age were presented in advertisements, and going to tell you something interesting nearly 40 per cent reported that this made them feel bad about people”,’ he told Fernyhough, ‘and about their appearance. The researchers point to a need for then I’d get to the end of the book and marketers to step away from airbrushed models and say, “Well, I didn’t learn anything that represent a wider range of women, if they want to continue I thought was actually very interesting: to attract consumers. ED I learned the theory but I didn’t learn

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 529 annual conference T ONY D ALE Facing the facts It is well known in psychology that there’s something special about faces – they embody our sense of self, we have dedicated regions in the brain for processing them, and humans are excellent at recognising faces. Or are we? Professor Dame Vicki Bruce (University of Newcastle) explained that her interest in faces began with cases of mistaken identity by eyewitnesses that had led to wrongful convictions. She gave the example of Ronald Cotton, convicted of a horrific rape after the victim, Jennifer Thompson, pointed to him in a photo array and subsequent live line-up. Cotton spent 10 years in prison before it emerged that another man had committed the rape. Thompson, who now campaigns together with Cotton to spread the word on wrongful convictions based on eyewitness testimony, had said: When I first saw the photo of him and I saw the pictures of the men that were in front of me. Ronald Cotton – he just looked exactly like the man who raped me. And not a lot of time had elapsed between the crime and me looking at the pictures, so my memory was still very fresh. And then when I saw him in the physical line-up and I was actually able to see him as a person and his they should simply be asked who most resembles the offender demeanor and his postures – it just further convinced me rather than pointing the finger to who did it. She moved on to that Ronald Cotton was the man. He looked exactly like the the use of composite sketch programmes in investigations where man. He looked like the sketch that I had given to the police. witnesses are asked to focus on individual facial features. In experiments where participants are asked to make a composite Our italics here highlight Bruce’s key point: that resemblance of an unfamiliar face, such as a snooker player, then snooker is not the same as identity. We excel at recognising resemblance, fans attempt to identify the player, accuracy is ‘woeful’ according but we need to understand that there are shifts in representation to Bruce. Why is it so hard to create a recognisable composite? as faces become more familiar. Seeing a resemblance has seen Bruce explained that using memory to recall specific facial many people get convicted wrongfully: and, in the case of Jean features is unnatural and difficult. Witnesses would also be Charles de Menezes, killed. unfamiliar with the faces and in this case they tend to recognise In some of her early work Bruce found that people were external features such as ears and hair rather than internal facial surprisingly bad at matching a face to the same face shown in an features. In contrast, we remember internal features of familiar array at a slightly different angle – something she thought people faces. In an experiment subjects were asked to match a photo to would score 100 per cent in. It appears we are poor at comparing one of a group of composite sketches – when internal features faces, even if we are just shown a pair of faces and asked if were blurred they showed good recognition, but when only they’re the same. When internal features were visible performance was poor. experts in the area, in this case So how could these systems be improved to create more passport control officers, are recognisable composites in police investigations? Bruce pointed ACADEMIC DOPING asked to do a similar task they out four potential ways – the first, in cases where there are Doping usually refers to also perform poorly. It seems multiple witnesses, is to get each to create a composite and substance use to enhance two pictures of the same morph these. In these morphed faces the features that are performance, but academic person taken a few years apart agreed-on across witnesses will be more visible and errors will doping may instead be connected can look very different while be minimised. to hiding poor performance. two pictures of different Second, in interviewing witnesses it is useful to use a holistic Lambros Lazuras (Sheffield people can look surprisingly approach by asking people about traits of the face including Hallam University) and similar. attractiveness and intelligence. Evidence has shown this colleagues conducted a social- Bruce suggested we may interviewing method results in better composites compared cognitive study of use of be over-confident in our own to a usual interview focusing on individual facial features. neuroenhancement substances ability to recognise faces. It is Third, it is useful to exploit people’s natural ability for seeing (NES) amongst 348 quite common knowledge resemblance across faces. The Evofit system presents groups of undergraduates. Use was from neuroscience that we faces that are built out of certain features. People pick those that predicted by positive attitudes have processes in the brain most resemble the target and the array of faces evolves to come and subjective norms towards for this purpose alone, and closer to the person’s actual face. In this case people aren’t forced NES, and by mastery avoidance face recognition is a staple to recall individual features but faces as a whole. goals. Rather than trying to of popular fiction and in the Finally, it can be useful to focus first on internal features of a achieve superior academic media. The true picture may face by using the Evofit system but blurring out external features, performance, students appear to be quite different. and adding on external features later, which results in more use NES to overcome learning When witnesses are asked accurate composites. Bruce concluded her fascinating talk by deficits. AJ to identify suspects in a line- suggesting that we use what we know about face recognition to up or photo array, Bruce said, build even more accurate and helpful tools for investigations. ER

530 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 annual conference World shifts – the effects of direct and indirect trauma exposure

Survivors of a traumatic event may in time experience mental health professionals who psychological adjustment, a coping process where they readjust. supported citizens in Canterbury, There is debate as to whether survivors can also undergo post- New Zealand following the series of traumatic growth, a transformative process of positive earthquakes between 2010 and 2012. psychological change as a result of dealing with highly Over the two-year period there were challenging circumstances. Laura Blackie, Stephen Joseph and 57 earthquakes above 5.0 magnitude, Nicki Hitchcott (University of Nottingham) analysed testimonies meaning recurrent fear of injury or of 22 survivors of the Rwandan genocide, written 10 to 17 years loss of life and protracted stress of after the event. The themes of acceptance, hope and feeling a repeated insurance valuations. responsibility to live were considered to reflect psychological Professionals faced a dual exposure: adjustment. Themes of wisdom and forgiveness, however, as residents, they were themselves appeared linked to post-traumatic growth, as they involved going personally affected by the same issues beyond managing one’s pain and distress. as their clients. Thematic analysis Another study indicated that the impact of traumatic events identified challenges including ongoing higher workload, and can extend beyond those immediately affected. Menachem Ben- compassion fatigue and burnout. The shared experience could Ezra (Ariel University) conducted a nationally representative be positive for clients, but led to blurred boundaries and survey of 1982 French citizens four weeks after the Charlie repeated rehashing of personal trauma for practitioners. Hebdo attack. Nearly 12 per cent fitted symptoms of PTSD, Johal also reflected upon researchers’ vicarious exposure to compared with a historical prevalence of 4.9 per cent in France. trauma, which can be prolonged and overlooked. Measures Substantial proportions reported heightened mortality salience adopted in their study to reduce the negative impact included and lowered sense of personal safety, and that the attack had spacing interviews, increasing supervision, and planned caused a shift in their political views. withdrawal from the research. It is important that the impact of The impact of indirect trauma exposure is also felt by trauma on direct and indirect survivors is understood, and that professionals who support survivors. Sarbjit Johal and Zoe the support needs of both mental health professionals and Mounsey (Massey University/GNS Science) interviewed 25 researchers are safeguarded. AJ

Language and ageing YOUR

What happens to our linguistic nouns and verbs seems to start Groups were controlled for REPORTERS skills as we get older? to decline at the same time, their hearing using pure tone Neurolinguist Professor and at about the same rate. averages and speech Dr Emma L. Davies – Oxford Loraine Obler (CUNY Obler has also assessed discrimination scores. When Brookes University Graduate Center), started her whether health can play any the last word was predictable Dr Alana James – Royal talk with one piece of good role in the decline of language and noise levels were low Holloway, University of news: some abilities will be with age. A group of 174 those in their seventies London retained with age. Vocabulary participants aged between 55 performed as well as those in in particular, she said, and 90, half of whom had their thirties – but, Obler said, Ella Rhodes – Journalist improves throughout life. hypertension, were tested on in every other condition you Dr Jon Sutton – Managing Editor However, the main crux of her action and noun-naming. see a linear decline in humorous talk explored those Hypertension is linked to performance with age. For additional reports, see things, linguistically speaking, mini-strokes, Obler pointed In another complex thepsychologist.bps.org.uk. We we can all expect to struggle out, which can affect brain sentence comprehension test, with in older age – some regions associated with where participants indicate the may also be collating them in a aspects of language even start naming. Indeed she saw this truth of a sentence that may free special edition in our iOS/ to decline scarily early in life. group were less accurate in include double or triple Android app. Naming ability, which their naming by about 1.3 per negatives – for example doesn’t just include nouns but cent – a significant effect in ‘Because the ceiling light is not For information on next the whole lexicon, seems to action naming and near- off the room is dark’ – there is year’s BPS Annual Conference, begin its decline at around the significant in noun naming. a decline in accuracy that is to be held in Brighton next May, age of just 50. In one of her In another study also linked with age. studies Obler asked people to participants were asked to Comprehension of complex see www.bps.org.uk/ac2017 and name actions or objects when repeat the final word of a syntax is worse under stressed the advertisement on p.i presented with pictures. sentence – some predictable, conditions, including with (centre-page pull-out) of this Although people are better at some not – with differing overlaid noise or unpredictable issue. naming actions, naming of amounts of noise overlaid. content. ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 531 Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in Practice

The Professional Practice Board invites nominations for this annual award to recognise and reward psychologists who have made an outstanding contribution to professional practice within the United Kingdom.

It is anticipated that this award will be made to a psychologist in mid-career. Award The Award will confer life membership of the Society and a commemorative certificate will be presented to the recipient at the Annual Conference of the Society. The recipient will also deliver an address at the said Annual Conference. Criteria The Award for Distinguished Contributions is open to any current practitioner of psychology in any area of professional applied psychology and is not restricted to members of the Society. It is anticipated that the nominee will be employed or self- employed for the majority of their time as a professional psychologist engaged in the delivery of a service to the public. The award will not be made to psychologists whose main area of work is within an academic department

Nominations should be sent to the Chair of the Professional Practice Board at the Society’s office to arrive no later than Thursday 1 December 2016.

Full details are available from Carl Bourton at the Society’s Leicester office (e-mail: [email protected]).

EMDR Training Schedule Fully accredited EMDR trainings for Psychologists EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) and EMDR-Europe Association (EMDR-E) accredited trainings conducted by Alexandra (Sandi) Richman, Chartered Psychologist. Learn how to integrate this evidence-based therapy into your existing clinical skills. RICHMAN EMDR TRAINING offers the complete 7-day training in 3 parts: Part 1 (3 days), Part 2 (one day) and Part 3 (3 days). Attendee numbers are limited for each training. EMDR Part 1 Trainings 2016/17: London 21-23 September, 16-18 November 7-9 December, 8-10 February Glasgow 9-11 November Leicester 8-10 June Other training levels throughout the year

For more information contact: Linda Moore, Training Co-ordinator (t) 020 7372 3572 email: [email protected] www.emdr-training.com

532 vol 29 no 7 july 2016  SfDBT ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2016 4th November at Manchester University Members £50 Non-members £100 ' #" !"*  !!$((##

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 533 Now including Research. Digested. PODCAST and APP Free.

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534 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 The British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference 3–5 May, Hilton Brighton Metropole

Confirmed Keynotes: Dr Helen Bevan, Chief of Service Transformation at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement Professor Rosalind Gill, City University London Professor James W. Pennebaker, Regents Professor of Psychology, University of Texas, USA Dr Martin E.P. Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology Centre, University of Pennsylvania, USA Submissions open in August 2016! Follow us @BPSConference using #bpsconf

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‘big picture’ pull-out www.thepsychologist.org.uk i BIG PICTURE learns statistics viaashared adventure fictional story through whichthestudent Eight years ago Ihadtheideatowritea are, andfindingtheheartbeatshidingin Reality Enigma writing and afterfive years ofplanningand graphic novel illustrator. Theideastuck, would becool tocollaborate witha with themaincharacter. Ithoughtit himself. It’s aboutlove, remembering whoyou and numbers, abouthimlearning tobelieve in it’s alsoaboutZachfacing hisfear ofscience who mysteriously disappears. However, scientificgenius a his girlfriend,Alice – about amusician,Zach,searching for gaps between you andthepeople you love. It’s alsoaboutstatistics, whichIhopewill effortlessly sinkintoreaders’ brains while they are engrossed inthestory. Ifnothingelse,the statistics mightberelief from theterrible fiction. We’ll see. created graphic novel strips thatare woven throughout thebook.Thisisoneofmyfavourite panels. Zachhasjust broken intothe Beimeni Centre, where Alice works. Hestands inawe at the laboratory infront ofhim,dazzled bythe realisation ofhow brilliantAlice is.Hefeels out Superficially, thebookisastory I worked withthefantastic JamesIles, who An Adventure inStatistics:The is complete. Beimeni Centre Zach visitsthe image byJamesIles (www.jamesilesstudio.com) Words by by Words students whostare attheirstatistics modules reader andmyself.Zachrepresents the many also thatthismomentisametaphorfor boththe the senseofspace thatJameshascreated, but magnitude ofhisquest. Ilove thecolours and of hisdepthinherworld, andsuffocated bythe realising how outofmy comfort zoneIwas,and in-stats He alsorepresents meatthestart oftheproject, and feel alittle ‘whoa’aboutthejourney ahead. https://study.sagepub.com/field-an-adventure- For more information andtobuythebook,see by AndyFieldisoutnow, publishedbySage. An Adventure inStatistics:TheRealityEnigma an ambitionthatIthoughtwasbeyond me. now attheendfeeling overwhelmed atfulfilling Professor AndyField (University ofSussex);

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iv vol 29 no 7 july 2016 Technical Support in Psychological Teaching Award 2017 Closing date for nominations: 31 October 2016 The Education and Public Engagement Board and the Association for Technical Staff in Psychology are delighted to invite nominations for a new annual award. The award recognises the valuable role that technicians play in supporting the student learning experience within their psychology Faculty for Children, Young People departments. & their Families The Award seeks to recognise excellence by psychology technicians in one or more of the following criteria: G Technological skill G Interpersonal communication skills G Instruction/teaching skills G Admin/finance skills G Problem solving G Innovative skills G Special skills There should be a single application for each nominee, which should take the form of a narrative report evidencing each of the criteria above. This should be a maximum of 1000 words supported by testimonials from staff or students as appropriate. Applications should be submitted by the Head of Department by 31 October 2016. For further information on how to make a nomination and the award criteria please contact [email protected]

Technical Support in Psychological Research Award Closing date for nominations: 31 October 2016 The Research Board and the Association for Technical Staff in CYPF Conference 2016 Psychology are delighted to invite nominations for the annual 4–5 October 2016 award recognising the valuable role that technicians play in Hilton Sheffield supporting research within their psychology departments. The Award seeks to recognise excellence by psychology technicians in the following areas of skill: ‘Voices worth hearing – clinical G Using technology psychologists and experts by experience G Interpersonal communications G Instruction/research at the heart of improving child mental G Problem solving health and psychological wellbeing.’ G Innovation G Special skills Programme released online G Project management Book before 4 August to benefit G Publications from Early Bird rates There should be a single application for each nominee, which should take the form of a narrative report evidencing each of the criteria above. This should be a maximum of 1000 words www.bps.org.uk/cypf2016 supported by testimonials from staff or students as appropriate. #cypfconf For further information on how to make a nomination and the award criteria please contact [email protected]

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 535 contrasting phenomena were implicitly conceptualised as negative, positioned as intrinsically undesirable. So, for example,

ARTICLE optimism tended to be valorised as an Positive psychology – unmitigated good, and pessimism as a categorical impediment to wellbeing. Some scholars did paint a more nuanced the second wave picture; for instance, Seligman (1990, p.292) cautioned that one must be ‘able Tim Lomas delves into the dialectical nuances of flourishing to use pessimism’s keen sense of reality when we need it’. However, in terms of the broader discourse of the field, and its cultural impact, a less nuanced binary t is nearly 20 years since Martin wellbeing – could be brought together message held sway. Seligman used his American and considered collectively. Thus, as While seemingly offering an upbeat IPsychological Association presidential a novel branch of scholarship focused message – linking positive emotions to address to inaugurate the notion of specifically and entirely on ‘the science beneficial outcomes, such as health ‘positive psychology’. The rationale for its and practice of improving wellbeing’ (Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998) – this creation was Seligman’s contention that (Lomas et al., 2015, p.1347), it was valorisation of positivity was problematic, psychology had tended to focus mainly a welcome new addition to the broader for various reasons. Firstly, it often failed on what is wrong with people: on church of psychology. to sufficiently appreciate the contextual dysfunction, disorder and distress. There However, positive psychology was complexity of emotional outcomes. For were of course pockets of scholarship that not without its critics. A prominent instance, ‘excessive’ optimism can be held a candle for human potential and focus of concern was the very notion harmful to wellbeing (e.g. contributing excellence, like humanistic psychology. underpinning the entire field. Essentially, to underappreciation of risk), while Nevertheless, Seligman argued that on the positive psychology appeared to be pessimism may be beneficial, such as whole, concepts such as happiness did promulgating a rather polarising positive– when it prompts proactive coping not attract much attention or credibility negative dichotomy. Certain phenomena (Norem, 2001). Of even greater concern in mainstream psychology. Emerging to were labelled as positive, and thus was Held’s (2002, p.965) suggestion that redress this lacuna, positive psychology presented as inherently desirable. The this emphasis on positivity contributed to soon became a fertile new paradigm, necessary corollary, of course, is that a ‘tyranny of the positive,’ to the cultural encompassing research into expectation that one should be a panoply of processes and upbeat, with social censure for qualities that could be people who could not find the deemed ‘positive’, from requisite positivity. Similarly, in overarching constructs such the work arena, Ehrenreich (2009) as flourishing to more specific accused organisations of concepts like hope. compelling forced jollity as a way Of course, none of this of hindering dissent and cajoling was radically new: many of more out of workers. these topics had been studied Perhaps most perniciously, empirically for years by this ‘tyranny’ fed into a pervasive scholars in disparate fields, cultural discourse in which and indeed had been debated negative emotional states are not for centuries, millennia even. simply seen as undesirable, but However, part of the appeal pathological. As Horwitz and of the new field was that it Wakefield (2007) suggest in The created a conceptual space Loss of Sadness, dysphoric where these diverse topics – emotions that were previously all of which shared the ‘family regarded as natural and inherent resemblance’ (à la Positive psychology has tended to promote a somewhat dimensions of the human condition Wittgenstein) of pertaining to polarising positive–negative dichotomy have largely been re-framed as

Bauman, Z. (2013). Liquid love: On the positive thinking fooled America and Queen's University Press. Worth, P. (2015). Second wave positive frailty of human bonds. New York: the world. London: Granta. Henrich, J., Heine, S.J. & Norenzayan, A. psychology: Embracing the dark side of John Wiley & Sons. Fredrickson, B. & Levenson, R.W. (1998). (2010). Most people are not WEIRD. life. London: Routledge. De Boinod, A.J. (2007). The meaning of Positive emotions speed recovery Nature, 466(7302), 29–29. Keene, D. (1967). Essays in idleness: The

references tingo: And other extraordinary words from the cardiovascular sequelae of Held, B.S. (2002). The tyranny of the Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō. New York: from around the world. London: negative emotions. Cognition and positive attitude in America. Journal Columbia University Press. Penguin. Emotion, 12(2), 191–220. of Clinical Psychology, 58(9), 965–991. King, L.A. (2001). The hard road to the Dyrness, W.A. & Kärkkäinen, V-M. (2008). Gabriel, B. (2004). The unbearable Horwitz, A.V. & Wakefield, J.C. (2007). good life. Journal of Humanistic Global dictionary of theology. strangeness of being. In B. Gabriel & The loss of sadness. Oxford: Oxford Psychology, 41(1), 51–72. Nottingham: IVP Academic. S. Ilcan (Eds.) Postmodernism and the University Press. Lazarus, R.S. (2003). The Lazarus Ehrenreich, B. (2009). Smile or die: How ethical subject. New York: McGill- Ivtzan, I., Lomas, T., Hefferon, K. & manifesto for positive psychology and

536 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 positive psychology: the second wave

disorders, and certainly as problematic. (McNulty & Fincham, 2011). Positive psychology arguably contributed, Even happiness and albeit unwittingly, to this process. sadness are not immune from such considerations. Meet the author Superficial forms of happiness Blending light and dark might forestall efforts to ‘When I was offered a lectureship in positive psychology The above critiques could be regarded pursue deeper states of in 2013, it was wonderful to become immersed in this as undermining positive psychology. fulfilment, or tranquillise exciting area. But part of me found the field somewhat However, my colleagues and I take a us into acquiescing to social daunting. It often gave the impression of being so different view: stimulated by these contexts that ultimately relentlessly upbeat that, if you weren’t swept up by this concerns, we feel the field is responding undermine our wellbeing. spirit of positivity, you could feel like an outsider. It soon receptively, evolving into what we Conversely, sadness may be transpired that some other colleagues and students felt describe as ‘second wave’ positive thoroughly appropriate, such something similar. psychology (SWPP) (Ivtzan et al., 2015; as in response to loss; it may As we opened up to these ideas, the field started to Lomas & Ivtzan, 2015; Wong, 2011). even have real salutary value, feel more real, more human, closer to the ambivalent, If the ‘first wave’ is characterised by a humane response to suffering fluctuating blend of light and dark that characterises valorisation of the positive, SWPP perhaps, or a refined aesthetic most people’s lives. We hope that this second wave of recognises that wellbeing actually response to transient beauty. the field will be useful not only to those who are already involves a subtle, dialectical interplay As we dwell on such enjoying the warm sun of positivity, but also to all people, between positive and negative considerations, clear-cut even – or rather, especially – during times of darkness.’ phenomena. This recognition challenges determinations of ‘positive’ and that idea that wellbeing is coterminous ‘negative’ become harder to with constructs like ‘happiness’; rather, it make. Dr Tim Lomas becomes a more expansive term, one that It is not just that such is at the School of Psychology, includes negative emotions if these serve appraisals are difficult; the University of East London some broader sense of ‘being/doing well’. second principle of co-valence [email protected] For instance, Pollard and Davidson reflects the idea that many (2001, p.10) define wellbeing as ‘a state phenomena comprise positive of successful performance across the life and negative elements course integrating physical, cognitive and (Lazarus, 2003). This is social-emotional function’. One could see even so for arguably the most how ostensibly negative emotions, like cherished of all human phenomena: the greater the risk of heartbreak. As prudent anxiety, could subserve this love. While there are many forms of Bauman (2013, p.6) eloquently puts it, larger goal. More specifically, SWPP is love – from the passion of eros to the ‘to love means opening up to that most underpinned by four dialectical selflessness of agape – all are a dialectical sublime of all human conditions, one in principles: appraisal; co-valence; blend of light and dark. There are many which fear blends with joy into an alloy complementarity; and evolution. ways of viewing this dialectic, but all are that no longer allows its ingredients to The principle of appraisal states that variations on the poignant lamentation of separate’. it can be hard to categorise phenomena C.S. Lewis (1971): ‘To love at all is to be Finally, the principle of evolution as either positive or negative, since such vulnerable. Love anything and your heart contextualises the very idea of SWPP. Just appraisals are fundamentally contextually will be wrung and possibly broken.’ Thus, as SWPP is defined by an appreciation of dependent. For instance, as noted above, even while love contains pleasure, joy and dialectics, it is itself an example of a ‘excessive’ optimism can lead to bliss, it also harbours worry, anxiety, and dialectical process, in Hegel’s sense of miscalculations of risk, whereas fear. However, this recognition of co- thesis-antithesis-synthesis. One might pessimism may promote prudence. valence leads us inexorably to the third view mainstream psychology, with its Prosocial emotions like forgiveness can principle: complementarity. The potential apparent concern with ‘negative’ aspects be harmful if it means one tolerates a dysphoria inherent in love is not an of human functioning, as the thesis. In situation that one might otherwise resist, aberration, but the very condition of it. critiquing this and embracing ostensibly such as an abusive relationship; The light and dark of love are inseparable, positive phenomena, positive psychology conversely, ‘anti-social’ emotions like complementary and co-creating sides of presented itself as the antithesis. However, anger can impel one to resist iniquities, the same coin. Consider that the stronger critics subsequently discerned flaws in and drive progressive social change and more intense one’s love for another, this antithesis. Crucially though, this does

psychology in general. Psychological doi:10.1080/17439760.2015.1127993 Maslow, A.H. (1972). The farther reaches York: Cornell University Press. Inquiry, 14(2), 173–189. Lomas, T., Hefferon, K. & Ivtzan, I. (2015). of human nature. London: Maurice Pollard, E.L. & Davidson, L. (2001). Lewis, C.S. (1971). The four loves. New The LIFE model: A meta-theoretical Bassett. Foundations of child wellbeing action York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. conceptual map for applied positive McNulty, J.K. & Fincham, F.D. (2011). research in family and early childhood. Lomas, T. (2015). Positive cross-cultural psychology. Journal of Happiness Beyond positive psychology? Paris: UNESCO. psychology. International Journal of Studies, 16(5), 1347–1364. American Psychologist, 67(2), Prusinski, L. (2013). Wabi-sabi, mono no Wellbeing, 5(4), 60–77. Lomas, T. & Ivtzan, I. (2015). Second 101–110. aware, and ma: Tracing traditional Lomas, T. (2016). Towards a positive wave positive psychology. Journal of Norem, J.K. (2001). The positive power of Japanese aesthetics through cross-cultural lexicography. Journal Happiness Studies [Advance online negative thinking. New York: Basic Japanese history. Studies on Asia, of Positive Psychology [Advance online publication]. Books. 2(1), 21–45. publication]. doi:10.1007/s10902-015-9668-y Pesmen, D. (2000). Russia and soul. New Scheibe, S., Freund, A.M. & Baltes, P.B.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 537 positive psychology: the second wave

not necessarily mean an abandonment window onto concepts that may be For a start, words are polysemous; as of positive psychology, a reversion to the particular to a given culture (Wierzbicka, such, each of these words would ideally original thesis. Rather, the next stage is 1997). Moreover, I speculate that this have its own entire article, delving into its ideally synthesis, in which the truths of lexicography might help people (from all multidimensional nuances. Moreover, both thesis and antithesis are preserved, cultures) to develop a richer interior while the explications here are based on while their flaws are overcome. SWPP is world, and experience and express new definitions offered by dictionaries and just such a synthesis, moving away from dimensions of wellbeing. This claim will scholars, my interpretations are inevitably a binary classification of phenomena – require a programme of empirical inquiry subjective and partial (particularly since valorising positivity while condemning to substantiate it. I’m from a WEIRD society myself!). negativity – towards a more nuanced In starting to build the lexicography, However, I’m hoping that this appreciation of the dialectical I undertook an analysis of 216 such lexicography will evolve with the help of complexities of wellbeing (King, 2001). words (Lomas, 2016). Moreover, through scholars throughout the world, who may grounded theory analysis, I developed be able to add to and refine it in a spirit of a conceptual ‘map’ of the terms, thereby collaboration. Indeed, a webpage has been Delving into the nuances expanding the nomological network of set up for this purpose: This exploration of the dialectical concepts within positive psychology. www.drtimlomas.com/ nuances of flourishing, the delicate The words were organised into three lexicography. With that in mind, we turn interplay of light and dark, can take many overarching categories, each of which to the words themselves. forms. One addresses another prominent contained two main themes: feelings criticism of positive psychology: that its (comprising positive and complex conceptualisations of wellbeing are rather feelings); relationships (comprising From Wanderlust to yugen culturally specific, reflecting the North intimacy and prosociality); and character The theme of complex feelings American context in which the field (comprising personal resources and contains concepts and processes that are emerged (Lomas, 2015). While concepts spirituality). I shall finish here by beautifully ambivalent and co-valenced, in positive psychology have largely been elucidating this theme of complex and are thus emblematic of SWPP, derived from research with ‘WEIRD’ feelings, as its words provide a beautiful reflecting the dialectical nature of participants – Western, Educated, illustration of the kind of ambivalent flourishing. These are not all words for Industrialised, Rich and Democratic constructs that SWPP is concerned with. feelings per se, but include terms that (Henrich et al., 2010) – the field has often Before introducing this theme, there either: (a) relate in some way to complex tended to presume that these findings can are two general caveats relating to this feelings; or (b) embody a dialectical mode be generalised to other cultures. Mindful project. Firstly, it can be difficult to of appreciation. Regarding the latter, of these critiques, positive psychology is understand a word in isolation without arguably the exemplary concept in this becoming increasingly appreciative of knowing how it relates to other linguistic respect is the Chinese notion of yin-yang cultural differences in constructions and terms in a system (the great insight of (), associated with Taoism. experiences of wellbeing. structuralism), or how it is deployed in Separately, yin means cloudy/overcast, For my own part, this burgeoning context. That said, this does not mean and yang ‘in the sun’ (shone upon). cross-cultural sensitivity has focused on that learning foreign words is impossible Together, they imply the two sides of a language. More specifically, I have begun or valueless if these conditions are not mountain (one sunlit, one in shadow), to create a lexicography of so-called met. Take, for instance, a word like and thus articulate the idea of ‘holistic ‘untranslatable words’ relating to karma, which has been adopted into duality,’ i.e. that reality comprises co- wellbeing, gathered from across the English to refer broadly to causality with dependent opposites. This notion is an world’s cultures. The general premise of respect to ethics. Most English speakers overarching motif for this entire class of the lexicography is that a culture’s values who use this word probably do not know terms: in their various ways, the words and traditions are encoded in its how it relates to other Sanskrit terms, nor here are a dialectical blend of positive and language, which in turn shapes the its wealth of meanings in the context of negative, light and dark, together creating experiences and understanding of that Hindu and Buddhist teachings. a rich and complex sensibility. culture’s members, a perspective broadly Nevertheless, such speakers evidently find Within this overall theme are a referred to as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. the word useful, and arguably deploy it in number of subthemes. The first is an The more specific premise of the ways that are not completely discordant evocation of hope and anticipation. lexicography is that untranslatable words with its original meanings. Secondly, the Words here are truly co-valenced, a – words for which English purportedly definitions in this lexicography are tantalising blend of savouring the future, lacks an equivalent term – offer a unique neither complete nor final and canonical. combined with fear that it will not come

(2007). Toward a developmental Portuguese emotion. Emotion Personal or interpersonal University Press,. psychology of Sehnsucht (life Review, 4(2), 203–211. construal of happiness: A cultural Wong, P.T.P. (2011). Positive psychology longings). Developmental Suzuki, D.T. (1973). Zen and Japanese psychological perspective. 2.0: Towards a balanced interactive Psychology, 43(3), 778–795. Culture. Princeton: Princeton International Journal of Wellbeing, model of the good life. Canadian Schwartz, E. (2007). Waldeinsamkeit: University Press. (Original work 2(4), 354–369. Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, Subjective ambivalence in German published 1959) Watts, A.W. (1957). The way of Zen. 52(2), 69–81. romanticism. International Journal Tanizaki, J. (2001). In Praise of London: Penguin Books. of the Humanities, 5(4), 201–210. Shadows. New York: Random Wierzbicka, A. (1997). Understanding Seligman, M.E.P. (1990). Learned House. (Original work published cultures through their key words: optimism. New York: Pocket Books. 1933) English, Russian, Polish, German, Silva, Z.B. (2012). Saudade – a key Uchida, Y. & Ogihara, Y. (2012). and Japanese. New York: Oxford

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example of a foreign term that has imperfect beauty, and sabi () to aged been adopted into English, arguably beauty. Whereas mono no aware points because it fulfilled some unmet towards erosion, wabi-sabi reminds us need. Indeed, as De Boinod (2007, that in this process of changing, a certain p.5) says ‘[t]he English language dignity is nonetheless retained. Think of has a long-established and voracious the mysterious power of old ruins, and tendency to naturalize the best the reverential qualities of depth and foreign words.’ In Russian, prostor meaning they can evoke. This sense is captures a desire for spaciousness, depicted by Tanizaki (1933/2001, roaming free in limitless expanse, pp.11–12) in his classic exposition of not only physically, but creatively Zen aesthetics In Praise of Shadows. He and spiritually (Pesmen, 2000). describes preferring a ‘pensive lustre to Finally, the strange German term a shallow brilliance, a murky light that, Waldeinsamkeit articulates the whether in a stone or an artifact, bespeaks feeling of solitude when alone in the a sheen of antiquity… We love things that woods, a mysterious state described bear the marks of grime, soot, and by (Schwartz, 2007, p.201) as the weather, and we love the colors and the ‘pseudo-magical pull of the untamed sheen that call to mind the past that made Waldeinsamkeit wilderness; a place of living nightmares them.’ caught between the dreamscape and Finally, we have yugen (), to pass. In Italian, magari – both an Fairyland’. described by Suzuki (1959/1973, adverb and an interjection – roughly Finally, there are words capturing pp.220–221) as evoking obscurity, means ‘maybe,’ but also encompasses ‘in complex aesthetic states, evoked through mystery, unknowability, and yet not ‘utter my dreams’ and ‘if only,’ encapsulating contemplation of the transient mysteries darkness’. It reflects the notion that the both a hopeful wish and wistful regret. of life. Japanese is particularly rich in elusive mysteries of existence may Similarly, in Indonesian, the auxiliary these terms, possibly because Japanese nevertheless be sensed in some inchoate, verb belum means ‘not yet,’ but with an culture has traditionally been steeped in intuitive way. Moreover, yugen does not optimism that an event might yet happen. dialectical models of cognition and simply depict awareness of these strange In German, Vorfreude is an intense, joyful appreciation (Uchida & Ogihara, 2012). depths, but the sense that one is moved anticipation derived from imagining With these concepts, it feels like we are at to one’s core by these mysteries, without future pleasures. Rather more melancholic the very heart of SWPP, so I shall end by quite knowing why. The 13th-century is the Korean han (
), a culturally vital dwelling on these in a little more depth. Japanese poet Kamo no Chōmei term expressing sorrow and regret, yet The first term of interest is aware ( characterises yugen thus: ‘It is like an also embodying a quiet patience, hoping ). This expresses the bittersweetness of autumn evening under a colorless expanse that whatever adversity is causing the a brief, fading moment of transcendent of silent sky. Somehow, as if for some sadness will eventually be righted. beauty, while the compound mono no reason that we should be able to recall, Related to han are words pertaining to aware ( ) articulates the pathos tears well uncontrollably’ (cited in longing and yearning that are at the heart of understanding that the world and its Dyrness and Kärkkäinen, 2008, p.65). of their respective cultures (Silva, 2012; beauty are transient in this way. As Western psychology arguably has Wierzbicka, 1997). In Portuguese, expressed by Yoshida Kenko⁻ (1283– constructs that are similar to yugen, like saudade is a melancholic longing or 1350), ‘If man were never to fade away the profound state of elevation Maslow nostalgia for a person, place or thing that like the dews of Adashino… how things (1972) labelled ‘peak experiences’. These is far away, either spatially or in time; would lose their power to move us! The go far beyond mere hedonic pleasure or indeed, as Silva points out, it can reflect most precious thing in life is its even fulfilment, involving qualities like a vague wistfulness for phenomena that uncertainty’ (cited in Keene, 1967, p.7). awe and self-transcendence. However, may not even exist, like a better future. In Zen – a Buddhist tradition nearly what is especially unusual and potent Similarly, the German Sehnsucht translates synonymous with Japanese culture – about yugen is the apparently ‘ordinary’ as ‘life longings,’ and captures an ‘intense the pre-eminent symbol of mono no aware nature of the phenomena that can evoke desire for alternative states and is the cherry blossom, whose fragile it. This is reflected in this haiku by Basho, realizations of life,’ even (or especially) if efflorescence captivates attention during often regarded as the ultimate expression these are unlikely to be attained (Scheibe the bloom of spring. Crucially, of yugen (Watts, 1957): ‘On a withered et al., 2007, p.778). To s k a in Russian and appreciation of its beauty is heightened by branch; A crow is perched; In the autumn hiraeth in Welsh articulate a complex mix awareness of its transiency. Matsuo Basho evening.’ Conceptualisations of peak of nostalgia, wistfulness and longing for (1644–1694), arguably the greatest master experiences tend to imply that these can one’s homeland. Likewise, in Japanese, of the haiku, captured this sense with only be experienced on some literal or natsukashii ( ) is a nostalgic particular genius: ‘Summer grasses –; the metaphorical (e.g. developmental) longing for the past, featuring a delicate only remains; of warriors’ dreams.’ Thus, summit. With yugen though, there is the blend of happiness for fond memories, yet as Prusinski (2013, p.23) says, ‘the beauty profound experience of the ordinary – sadness that those times are no longer. lies not in the object itself, but in the which is within everyone’s reach – being Related to words articulating longing whole experience, transformation, and revealed as extraordinary, as if lifting a veil are terms expressing desire for freedom. span of time in which the object is present on the sacred. Yugen is thus an apposite In German, Fernweh is described by and changing’. place to finish here, a perfect example of Gabriel (2004, p.155) as the ‘call of A second term at the heart of Japanese how untranslatable words can usher us faraway places,’ or homesickness for a aesthetics is wabi-sabi, an intriguing into new dialectical modes of place one has never been to. Here too is counterbalance to the ephemerality of appreciation, and reveal hitherto hidden the well-known Wanderlust, a wonderful mono no aware: wabi (
) refers to dimensions of flourishing.

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ARTICLE – making their salience in the conception of ‘perception’ obvious. However, we don’t experience the world in only the visual The knowing nose and auditory modalities, so understanding how we perceive, conceptualise and talk Laura J. Speed on how olfactory studies can inform theories of language about the other senses is important. Any and perception differences to vision and audition could reveal interesting facts about human cognition. Here I focus on the olfactory modality, which could be considered most e live in a loud and colourful Philip Johnson-Laird (1976), make the distinct from the dominant senses for a world, with our visual and slip of referring to perception as ‘what number of reasons, as we shall see. Wauditory systems bombarded with is seen’. Of course, vision is our most information. But what of the lower sense reliable sense for orienting in the world, of smell? Can we learn anything by providing fine-grained spatial Talking about odours studying olfaction? information. Similarly, audition is We find it pretty easy to describe a Think about your experience with extremely important for temporal painting to someone, the outfit your vision. Viewing a beautiful colleague wore yesterday or scene we can pick out various your new favourite song. It features, identify colours, we would appear that our can describe the scene in language system works very detail, and later recall the effectively with our scene vividly in memory. We perceptual systems. Early can even create an image of psycholinguists proposed that a comparable scene easily by knowledge acquired through using visual imagery. These vision and knowledge feats seem easy and have been acquired through linguistic thoroughly researched and input were represented theorised in the psychological similarly, making talking literature. But here I would about vision easy. Consistent like to argue that by focusing with this idea, spatial on the dominant sense of representations acquired from vision, our picture of vision and spatial language and perception representations acquired from might be skewed. language have been shown to Finding relevant literature be comparable. Avraamides et on ‘language and perception’ al. (2004) had participants doesn’t take long, with learn spatial layouts through Google Scholar retrieving visual perception or spatial almost three million articles. descriptions and later make But what proportion of these direction and distance papers discuss senses other judgements about the spatial than the dominant vision? representations. Results I expect very few. ‘Perception’ showed that participants is often conflated with performed similarly in both ‘vision’. Even in the first pages visual and linguistic of the influential book conditions. Language and Perception, the Odour perceptions and judgements can easily be shaped by verbal Evidence for the strong authors, George Miller and labels and visual information link between language and

Allopenna, P.D., Magnuson, J.S. & odors and words. Neuropsychologia, Keys to odor identification. Science, flavor expertise is equal: The Tanenhaus, M.K. (1998). Tracking the 51(1), 123–131. 203, 467–470. language of wine and coffee experts. time course of spoken word Avraamides, M.N., Loomis, J.M., Klatzky, Cain, W.S. & Polak, E.H. (1992). Olfactory PLoS ONE, e0155845. recognition using eye movements: R.L. & Golledge, R.G. (2004). adaptation as an aspect of odor de Araujo, I.E., Rolls, E.T., Velazco, M.I. et

references Evidence for continuous mapping Functional equivalence of spatial similarity. Chemical Senses, 17(5), al. (2005). Cognitive modulation of models. Journal of Memory and representations derived from vision 481–491. olfactory processing. Neuron, 46(4), Language, 38, 419–439 and language: Evidence from Chu, S. & Downes, J.J. (2002). Proust 671–679. Arshamian, A., Iannilli, E., Gerber, J.C. et allocentric judgments. Journal of nose best: Odors are better cues of de Wijk, R.A. & Cain, W.S. (1994) Odor al. (2013). The functional Experimental Psychology: Learning, autobiographical memory. Memory & quality: Discrimination versus free neuroanatomy of odor evoked Memory, and Cognition, 30(4), 801. Cognition, 30(4), 511–518. and cued identification. Perception & autobiographical memories cued by Cain, W.S. (1979). To know with the nose: Croijmans, I. & Majid, A. (2016). Not all Psychophysics, 56(1), 12–18.

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vision has also been demonstrated using Compared to vision, olfaction eye tracking and what is known as the is more ‘ineffable’ (Levinson & ‘visual-world paradigm’. Here, eye Majid, 2014) – olfactory movements around visual scenes are experiences are more difficult Meet the author closely time-locked to linguistic input, to put into words. In English, and fixations to objects in a scene can and other languages spoken in ‘For many years I have been fascinated in “embodied provide a fine-grained measure of lexical the West, there are very few cognition”, specifically how the body and the senses access (Allopenna et al., 1998). For words that exist to talk only can be involved in language understanding. Research example, upon hearing a sentence such about odours. We can say assessing the relationship between language and vision as ‘Pick up the beaker…’ eye movements something is ‘stinky’ or in this area has been abundant, and includes exciting towards a visually present beaker, and to ‘fragrant’, but it’s hard to find findings about how language can affect visual perception a phonological competitor beetle, begin specific odour words that give and vice versa. But the area of language and olfaction to increase from the onset of ‘beaker’ you any more information has been relatively ignored. Yet odour is a powerful and showing that both ‘beaker’ and ‘beetle’ about an odour other than its emotional sense. The single sniff of a fragrance can are lexically retrieved. pleasantness. This is of course transport you to a distant but vivid memory. A smell can For odours however, the connection important, and it is thought be enough for you to decide to stay or leave a room, eat between language and perception is much that pleasantness is the main a meal or not, or whether or not to go on a second date. weaker. In Western societies people dimension by which odours Because of the strength of odours, and the ways in seldom talk about odours. But when they are perceived (Yeshurun & which olfaction differs from the dominant senses, a do, they are often incorrect in their Sobel, 2010), but it really theory of language and perception without olfaction is descriptions. People can correctly name limits the number of ways incomplete. My journey with olfaction has been an odour (in terms of the source object of in which we can talk about extremely exciting so far, challenging my previous views the odour) only around 50 per cent of the odours. Many people instead and informing me about the capabilities of language and time (e.g. Cain, 1979), even common resort to talking about the perception.’ everyday odours like coffee and peanut odour source, for example ‘it butter. This deficiency in naming is quite smells like banana’, ‘it smells shocking when compared with the ease of fruity’, which consequently Laura J. Speed naming visual objects. Imagine only being activates other conceptual is at Radboud University able to name half of the colours of the associations with that object, Nijmegen, The Netherlands rainbow! Naming odours becomes much like shape and colour. It seems [email protected] easier when a list of label alternatives is then that in language, odours given (de Wijk & Cain, 1994). Research rarely enjoy the spotlight suggests that words with strong olfactory alone. associations (such as cinnamon) can activate primary olfactory cortex (Gonzalez et al., 2006), implying that an Perceiving and judging odours whether two odours are the same or odour word could provide an olfactory It has been suggested that because of the different). Language can also change the template to which the odour can be limitations in thinking and talking about perceptual interpretation of an odour. matched. It seems possible then that the odours, odour perceptions and Simply labelling the same odour as weak link between odour and language judgements can easily be shaped by ‘cheese’ versus ‘body odour’ can lead to is unidirectional: we find it difficult to verbal labels and visual information. Herz differences in pleasantness judgements retrieve words when given an odour, but (2003) argues that olfaction should be (de Araujo et al., 2005). Similarly, Zellner words are reliable cues for odour influenced by language more than other et al. (2008) found explicitly labelling information. perceptual modalities are because we unisex fragrances as male (or female) Talking about what we see, we have cannot see odours, we cannot easily made participants perceive the fragrance at our disposal ‘a stable world of objects, spatially locate them, nor can we easily as more masculine (or feminine). These regions, motions, distances, gradients, identify them. So, instead we search for effects have been described as ‘olfactory directions, events’ (Miller & Johnson- any other information in the environment illusions’ (Herz, 2003). Laird, 1976), but on what dimensions do (such as language) to inform odour How does this compare with the we conceptualise our olfactory world? perception. Giving an odour a name (de effect of language on vision? A wealth What are the contents of our subjective Wijk & Cain, 1994) has been shown to of research has provided evidence that perceptual experiences of odour? aid in odour discrimination (determining language can affect visual perception. For

Engen, T. & Ross, B.M. (1973). Long-term González, J., Barros-Loscertales, A., of Neuroscience, 27(1), 649–677. by ascribing meaning to novel memory of odors with and without Pulvermüller, F. et al. (2006). Reading Herz, R.S. (2003). The effect of verbal stimuli. Current Biology, 18, verbal descriptions. Journal of cinnamon activates olfactory brain context on olfactory perception. R410–R41210 Experimental Psychology, 100(2), regions. NeuroImage, 32(2), 906–912. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Lupyan, G. & Ward, E.J. (2013) Language 221–227. Gottfried, J.A., Winston, J.S. & Dolan, General, 132(4), 595–606. can boost otherwise unseen objects Gilbert, A.L., Regier, T., Kay, P. & Ivry, R.J. (2006). Dissociable codes of odor Levinson, S.C. & Majid, A. (2014). into visual awareness. Proceedings of R.B. (2006). Whorf hypothesis is quality and odorant structure in Differential Ineffability and the the National Academy of Sciences, 110, supported in the right visual field but human piriform cortex. Neuron, 49(3), Senses. Mind & Language, 29(4), 14196–14201 not the left. Proceedings of the 467–479. 407–427. Majid, A. (2015). Cultural factors shape National Academy of Sciences 103, Grill-Spector, K. & Malach, R. (2004). The Lupyan G. & Spivey, M.J. (2008). olfactory language. Trends in 489–494. human visual cortex. Annual Review Perceptual processing is facilitated Cognitive Sciences, 19(11), 629–630.

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example, we are faster to discriminate between colours or shapes when they have different names. Gilbert et al. (2006) found that discriminating a colour target from distractors was easier when the distractors had a different colour name (e.g. blue target with green distractors) than when they were the same (e.g. green target with green distractors), even though the colour distance between target and distractor was fixed (i.e. the two conditions were perceptually matched). Similarly, Lupyan and Spivey (2008) found that visual search for a target among distractors was easier when the objects were labelled as ‘2s’ and ‘5s’, compared to having no verbal labels. Thus language appears able to facilitate visual processing. But can language actually change the perceived identity of a visual object as it can for odours? We all know the visual illusion Rubin’s vase, in which at one moment two faces are visually perceived, the next moment a vase. In this illusion we can control which interpretation we see by thinking of each particular concept. There are also more recent demonstrations of ‘changing what we see’, such as Lupyan and Ward (2013), who showed that language can bring object perception into conscious awareness. Participants’ visual awareness of familiar objects was suppressed by It could be argued that odours themselves are generally more ambiguous at the outset using a method called continuous flash suppression. In this method, an image were not perceptually manipulated, but visual areas identified with brain imaging of an object is presented to one eye while presented in their standard form. For (e.g. Tootell et al., 1996). Many visual a visual masking pattern is sent to the vision however, the effect of a label on areas are mapped retinotopically, with other, leading to overall perception of visual identity occurs specifically when cortical organisation reflecting real-world visual noise. When a verbal label was the visual object was designed to be spatial information. Moving from the given matching the ‘suppressed’ object, ambiguous or distorted – language affects primary visual cortex V1 up to visual participants were more likely to detect visual interpretation when perception is motion processing MT, visual areas have the object (Lupyan & Ward, 2013). most difficult. The threshold for an effect been characterised with specific functions Thus language effectively changed the of language on perception therefore may that determine features of visual input at perception of visual noise to the be lower for olfaction. However, it could various grains of information, gradually perception of an object. be argued that odours themselves are increasing in complexity (see Grill- Although, on the surface, effects of generally more ambiguous at the outset. Spector & Malach (2004) for a review). language on visual perception and effects The currently known facts about the of language on odour perception appear olfactory cortex are less enlightening. comparable, there are differences. In the Odour and the brain There is indication that the primary odour studies described above (e.g. The visual cortex has been extensively olfactory cortex has subregions Zellner et al., 2008), the odours used mapped, with more than a dozen putative responding differentially to odour

Majid, A. & Burenhult, N. (2014). Odors Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19(6), European Annals of Wnuk, E. & Majid, A. (2014). Revisiting are expressible in language, as long 314–321 Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck the limits of language. Cognition, as you speak the right language. San Roque, L., Kendrick, K.H., Norcliffe, Diseases, 128(1), 18–23. 131(1), 125–138. Cognition, 130(2), 266–270. E.J. et al. (2015). Vision verbs Tootell R.B., Dale, A.M., Sereno, M.I. & Yeshurun, Y. & Sobel, N. (2010). An odor Miller, G. & Johnson-Laird (1976). dominate in conversation across Malach, R. (1996). New images from is not worth a thousand words: From Language and perception. Cambridge, cultures, but the ranking of non- human visual cortex. Trends in multidimensional odors to MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard visual verbs varies. Cognitive Neurosciences, 19, 481–489 unidimensional odor objects. Annual University Press. Linguistics, 26, 31–60. Weber, S.T. & Heuberger, E. (2008). The Review of Psychology, 61, 219–241. Olofsson, J.K. & Gottfried, J.A. (2015). Soudry, Y., Lemogne, C., Malinvaud, D. et impact of natural odors on affective Zald, D.H. & Pardo, J.V. (1997). Emotion, The muted sense: Neurocognitive al. (2011). Olfactory system and states in humans. Chemical Senses, olfaction, and the human amygdala: limitations of olfactory language. emotion: Common substrates. 33(5), 441–447. Amygdala activation during aversive

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hedonics (i.e. pleasant versus integrated with semantic information, contains a number of specific abstract unpleasant odours) (Zald & information integral to word meaning smell terms, comparable to colour terms Pardo, 1997) and that (Olofsson & Gottfried, 2015), odour (e.g. red, blue) in that they don’t refer different regions process objects are instead endowed with emotion to specific odour sources (e.g. lemon, odour quality (identity) and memories. cinnamon) but abstract across a number versus odour structure Another important fact about the of odours (see also Wnuk and Majid, (Gotffried et al., 2006), but organisation of the olfactory system 2014, for similar finding in the Maniq the organisation of the concerns its connections with the brain’s language). The term cŋɛs, for example, olfactory cortex has not been language system. Odour and language are is used for odours with a ‘stinging’ smell, mapped in a topographical said to be ‘poorly connected’ (Olofsson & such as petrol, smoke and bat droppings. manner comparable to vision. Gottfried, 2015). At a neural level, the Thus, speakers of the language are better In fact, it has been suggested olfactory cortex is more ‘directly’ equipped to talk about smell than that odours may be processed connected with language regions of the speakers of Western languages, who holistically rather than by brain: the integration of linguistic and have few terms to specifically describe individual components olfactory information occurs at only the an odour. For people in the Jahai culture, (Engen & Ross, 1973). third synapse from the receptor neuron. odour is an integral part of their daily Mapping the organisation of But this means that, in comparison to lives, featuring in their cultural practices the primary olfactory cortex visual information that has been and ideals. This raises the question to becomes more problematic processed at multiple cortical and what extent experience and cultural because structurally related subcortical levels, odour information is practices can affect language and odours may smell different less processed and more coarse by the perception. In line with this, evidence but structurally distinct time it reaches linguistic information from experts (e.g. vinologists) suggests odours may smell similar (Olofsson & Gottfried, 2015). It is that odour naming can be shaped with (Cain & Polak, 1992). This therefore much less elaborated than visual relevant experience (Croijmans & Majid, suggests that the relationship information, which subsequently makes 2016). between odour sensation and word finding more difficult. Since odour perception is olfactory information is received at a unpredictable (Gottfried et al., coarse grain, it is more likely that broad Why study olfaction? 2006). categories are activated for naming (e.g. So what can olfaction tell us about There are further fruit) rather than a specific odour quality language and perception overall? Since characteristics that or source term (e.g. lemon). olfaction is a less dominant modality in differentiate olfactory everyday interactions, it can reveal how perception and language from language and perceptual processes differ vision. First, the location of the Odour across cultures for a more neglected modality. Is the olfactory cortex is significant. The Recent work has highlighted the frequency of use and utility of olfaction olfactory cortex is located very close to importance of cross-cultural investigations and vision reflected in the way these the limbic system, being well connected of the language–perception relationship modalities are talked about and their with emotion and memory systems (Majid, 2015). The discrepancy between vulnerability to linguistic influence? (Soudry et al., 2011). This proximity to visual language and perception and Perhaps olfactory language and perception emotion and memory can lead individuals olfactory language and perception may be is merely ‘good enough’ for what olfaction to have strong emotional just a Western problem. is needed for. By integrating findings from reactions to odours (e.g. In the West, smell is the olfactory domain into theories of Weber & Heuberger, neglected. We rarely talk language and perception we can reveal 2008), and odours can “Jahai speakers could about odours and go to overall mechanisms. Further, predictions be powerful triggers of name odours just as great lengths to try to can be made between language– autobiographical easily as colours” eliminate odours from perception effects and depth of cortical memories (e.g. Chu & our environment. San analysis – vision may be more easily Downes, 2002), with Roque et al. (2015) found talked about and more resilient to memories more emotional (Arshamian et that across 13 different languages and linguistic influence because it is processed al., 2013) than autobiographical cultures, vision verbs were most dominant at a more fine-grained featural level. memories cued by other modalities. in talking about the senses but smell verbs Cortical and subcortical connections may Whereas visual objects are easily were least frequent in all but one also play significant roles in language and language. Yet in some non-Western perception, with odours more amenable to cultures in the world, talking about smell memories or emotional information, and is common, and the languages of such vision instead to semantic associations. cultures actually provide sufficient means Finally, looking at cross-linguistic olfactory stimulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 94(8), to talk about smells accurately. Speakers differences and differences in cultural 4119–4124. of Jahai in the Malay Peninsula, for practices can further elucidate the Zellner, D.A., McGarry, A., Mattern-McClory, example, are just as good talking about experiential factors than can shape R. & Abreu, D. (2008). smells as they are talking about colours olfactory and visual cognition. Overall, Masculinity/femininity of fine fragrances (Majid & Burenhult, 2014). In a free- finding similarities and differences across affects color–odor correspondences: A naming task, Jahai speakers could name perceptual modalities can ‘tell us case for cognitions influencing cross- odours just as easily as colours. In something fundamental about constraints modal correspondences. Chemical contrast English speakers had difficulty on how consciousness and reasoning can Senses, 33(2), 211–222. naming odours but not colours (Majid & patrol our inner lives’ (Levinson & Majid, Burenhult, 2014). The Jahai language 2014).

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 545 AWARD FOR PROMOTING Practitioner of the Year Award EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY 2016 The Professional Practice Board invites nominations for this The Ethics Committee is delighted to invite members of the Society to annual award to recognise, promote and reward good practice submit nominations for the Society’s Award for Promoting Equality of undertaken by Chartered members of the Society in the Opportunity. This award recognises a person whose work as a preceding 12 months. psychologist – teacher, researcher or practitioner – has made a It is anticipated that this award will be made to a psychologist significant contribution to challenging social inequalities in the UK in early in their career. relation to gender, race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age. The recipient is invited to deliver the Award Award lecture at the Annual Conference and to accept a The award will confer a commemorative certificate which will be commemorative certificate, which is presented at the Award presented to the recipient at an appropriate Society conference. Ceremony during the Society’s Annual Conference. Nominations should include a completed nomination form Criteria providing evidence of some or all of the following: The Practitioner of the Year Award is open to practitioners who G personal commitment to equality issues; are Chartered Psychologists in any area of professional applied G impact of the candidate’s contributions to psychological psychology. A nomination will only be accepted for named teaching, research or practice (inclusive of published works individual(s) or for a body of work where the contributions of and influence on professional practice); those Chartered Psychologists involved can be clearly shown. G impact of the candidate’s work on other professionals/service Self-nominations and third-party nominations (including providers; colleagues, employers and clients etc.) will be accepted. It is not G impact of the candidate’s work directly for people from limited to residents of the UK. The award will not be made to marginalised and oppressed social groups. psychologists whose main area of work is within an academic department. A copy of the candidate’s up to date curriculum vitae should also be Nominations should be sent to the Chair of the Professional included. Guidance for assessors and the nomination form can be Practice Board at the Society’s office to arrive no later than obtained from [email protected]. Thursday 1 December 2016. The deadline for nominations is 19 September 2016. No award will be made in the absence of a candidate of sufficient merit. Full details from Carl Bourton at the Society’s Leicester office (e-mail: [email protected])

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 547 Given that adolescence is a time when there is a great deal of pressure to conform to peer norms, young people

ARTICLE who are not linking up romantically can feel lonely and out of step with their peers. For example, on the internet site girlsaskguys.com, an anonymous young Teenagers in love woman asks: I’ve never had a boyfriend or Susan Moore considers the research and what it means for effective parenting girlfriend. Would you assume that there is something bad or wrong with that person that makes people not want to go out with them? I think it’s he singer of a plaintive hit song from known. The US-based National because I am ugly. I am not fat the 1950s croons ‘Each night I ask Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health however. What is wrong with me? Tthe stars up above, Why must I be a (Add Health), involving a representative teenager in love?’, as he bemoans the ups sample of thousands of school children in On a different advice site (quora.com), and downs of his romance, one minute Grades 7 to 12, found that over 80 per this young man similarly questions why on top of the world, next minute in the cent of those aged 14 years and older he is different: deepest slough of despondency. Such were or had been in a romantic I am 21 and never had a girlfriend. angst! relationship, including a small number Most of my friends are in a Has anything changed? In modern (2–3 per cent) in same-sex relationships relationship. I feel kind of depressed pop songs, young people still sing about (Carver et al., 2003; Grieger et al., 2014). and that I would never have a their crushes, unrequited loves and Many of these relationships were short girlfriend. What should I do? I’ve romantic break-ups; about feeling term, especially among younger asked a couple of girls whom I like to awkward, unsure, in despair, adolescents, but a significant number go out with me in the past and they overwhelmed, joyous and inspired, were a year or more in duration. Evidence declined. although these days the sexual imagery that these relationships were socially is much more obvious. And it can appear normative was shown by the finding that Of course, not every young person is that the tender feelings of first love are at in most cases, parents had met their interested in romantic relationships. odds with today’s world of ‘out there’ child’s romantic partner and the couples Some feel they are not ready, some want sexuality. Adolescents are heavy had told others of their romantic status. to concentrate on their studies or sport, consumers of online pornography, they There is limited data on romantic others are more tempted by the casual are sexting, and using ‘apps’ to meet relationships in other developed sex culture of temporary ‘hook-ups’. partners for casual sex countries, but Nevertheless, most adolescents begin hook-ups. They may existing research their sexual lives within the context of

post on Facebook G suggests similar a romantic relationship and generally, about their sexual and USTAVO percentages to the US involvement in romantic relationships romantic successes and data, although with in adolescence is developmentally V failures. Research has ARGAS somewhat older age appropriate and healthy (Collins et al.,

not yet caught up with T groups (e.g. Moore et 2009). the long-term ATAJE al., 2012). implications of these The normative new ways of courting, nature of adolescent What happens when teenagers but it does seem that romantic fall in love? falling in love and relationships means Falling in love is an emotional upheaval romantic relationships that those young at any age, but for adolescents the feelings are still part of the people without a are likely to be even more difficult to developmental girlfriend or manage. Teenage bodies and brains are timetable for many boyfriend can feel maturing at a rate not experienced since adolescents. stressed or ‘different’ infancy. There is a growth spurt, Let’s look at what is (Scanlan et al., 2012). development of secondary sex

Braams, B.R., van Duijvenvoorde, A.C.K., J.B. (1992). Are adolescents the research and practical implications of Adolescence, 32(5), 1209–1223. Peper, J.S. & Crone, E.A. (2015). victims of raging hormones: (pp.23–56). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Davila, J. (2008). Depressive symptoms Longitudinal changes in adolescent Evidence for activational effects of Erlbaum Associates. and adolescent romance. Child risk-taking. Journal of Neuroscience, hormones on moods and behavior at Collins, W.A., Welsh, D.P. & Furman, W. Development and Personality, 2(1),

references 35, 7226–7238. adolescence. Psychological Bulletin, (2009). Adolescent romantic 26–31. Brand, S., Luethi, M., von Planta, A. et al. 111(1), 62–107. relationships. Annual Review of Erikson, E. (1968). Identity, youth and (2007). Romantic love, hypomania, Carver, K., Joyner, K. & Udry, J.R. (2003). Psychology, 60, 631. crisis. New York: Norton. and sleep pattern in adolescents. National estimates of adolescent Connolly, J. & McIsaac, C. (2009). Fisher, H.E., Aron, A. & Brown, L.L. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41(1), romantic relationships. In P. Adolescents’ explanations for (2006). Romantic love: A mammalian 69–76. Florsheim (Ed.) Adolescent romantic romantic dissolutions: A brain system for mate choice. Buchanan, C.M., Eccles, J.S. & Becker, relations and sexual behavior: Theory, developmental perspective. Journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal

548 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 teenage love

characteristics and young people cent higher than that of a girl, change in appearance from child to adult. while her oestrogen level Physical awkwardness often results from becomes 20 to 30 per cent growth asynchronies; young people can higher than his. These Meet the author feel embarrassed and self-conscious about hormones have strong effects the sexualisation of their bodies or their on mood and libido. Young ‘It’s a long time since my own adolescence, but like so perceived inadequacies in terms of often- people are hormonally ‘primed’ many people I will never forget the heady emotions of unrealistic body ideals. As well, the toward being sexually attracted first love, the embarrassing things I did and the mistakes adolescent brain has been described as to others but, especially in I made. The world has changed greatly since “my time”, ‘a work in progress’, with certain areas early adolescence, they are not but from over 40 years of research into the adolescent maturing more quickly than others, used to the feelings associated experience (as well as being a mother, step-mother and leading to potential mismatches between with the rapid increases and grandmother to adolescents) I can see that much physical, emotional and cognitive fluctuations in their hormone remains the same. There is more freedom and tolerance development. For example, there can levels. High concentrations of of youthful romantic and sexual experimentation, but the be incongruities between adult bodily certain hormones for one’s age, risks of poor decision-making persist. Some of these are appearance, increasing sex drive and the or rapid fluctuations of new, like being the victim of a sexual predator or brain development required for mature hormone levels may trigger experiencing “revenge porn” on the internet. Some decision-making and self-regulation of more negative moods and are as old as history, like regretted sex or unplanned behaviour and emotions. The ‘executive greater mood variability pregnancy. Parents, teachers and counsellors of young functioning’ area of the brain – the (Buchanan et al., 1992). people can offer more effective support if they become prefrontal cortex – is among the last areas Emotions associated with familiar with the latest research on adolescent romance, of the brain to fully mature, usually being ‘in love’ or ‘in lust’ are including the role of brain development, social attitudes, sometime in the twenties (Petanjek et al., likely to be confused and and online culture. In a recent book, Sexuality in 2011). Adolescence therefore becomes a confusing, even overwhelming Adolescence: The Digital Generation (2016, Taylor & time of diminished prefrontal cortical for some (Temple-Smith et al., Francis) my co-authors and I examine these issues control, with the heightened possibility of 2016). in detail.” risk-taking and poor judgement decisions, It’s not only the sex especially in environments described as hormones that are involved in Susan Moore ‘reward-sensitive’, where the temptations falling in love. Ortigue and his is Emeritus Professor of of immediate feel-good experiences are colleagues (2010) used brain Psychology at Swinburne high, such as in romantic and sexual imaging to show that when University of Technology in situations (Braams et al., 2015; Suleiman a person falls in love, 12 areas Melbourne, Australia & Harden, 2016). of the brain work in tandem [email protected] Hormonal changes, triggered by brain to release euphoria-inducing and body developments, are strongly chemicals such as dopamine, implicated in the intense feelings of adrenaline and serotonin. sexual attraction and falling in love. Adrenaline is a stress hormone, causing led these researchers to conclude that Testosterone and oestrogen – male and sweating, heart palpitations and dry serotonin level is associated with those female sex hormones – are associated mouth – just catching a glimpse of the constant thoughts about the loved one with heightened sexual urges, while the new love can trigger these bodily that are part of being ‘love struck’. hormones oxytocin and vasopressin are sensations. Dopamine stimulates desire In another illustration of how some implicated in attachment and bonding. and pleasurable feelings, and has been of these effects are manifest, a study by During puberty, the volume of these described as a ‘feel good’ hormone with Brand and colleagues (2007) compared circulating sex hormones in the body similar effects to the drug cocaine. Fisher newly ‘in love’ adolescents with a control rises dramatically. In girls, the ovaries et al. (2006) found heightened levels of group who were unpartnered. The ‘in increase their production of oestrogen dopamine in the brains of couples newly love’ group scored higher than the sixfold and in boys, the testes produce in love. Further, Marazziti and Canale controls on hypomania, a mood state 20 times the amount of testosterone. (2004) examined levels of serotonin in (with accompanying thoughts and Both sexes have male and female the bloodstreams of couples in love and behaviours) in which emotions are more hormones circulating in the bloodstream, people with obsessive-compulsive labile: euphoric one minute, in despair but during adolescence a boy’s disorders. Their finding that levels were the next. The diary entries of the testosterone level becomes 20 to 60 per similarly heightened in the two groups adolescent love birds showed they had

Society B: Biological Sciences, 361 Grieger, L.D., Kusunoki, Y. & Harding, 931–936. adolescence to emerging adulthood. (1476), 2173–2186. D.J. (2014). The social contexts of Mitchell, A., Patrick, K., Heywood, W. et Journal of Adolescent Research, 20(3), Foshee, V.A., Bauman, K.E., Arriaga, X.B. adolescent romantic relationships. al. (2014). Fifth National Survey of 346–374. et al. (1998). An evaluation of safe Focus, 31(1), 15–17. Australian Secondary Students and Moore, S., Leung, C., Karnilowicz, W. & dates, an adolescent dating violence Leitz, M.A. & Theriot, M.T. (2005). Sexual Health 2013. ARCSHS Lung, C.L. (2012). Characteristics prevention program. American Adolescent stalking: A review. Monograph Series No. 97. Australian and predictors of romantic Journal of Public Health, 88(1), 45–50. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Research Centre in Sex, Health and relationships in late adolescence and Garcia, J.R., Reiber, C., Massey, S. & Work, 2(3), 97–112. Society, La Trobe University, young adulthood in Hong Kong and Merriwether, A. (2012). Sexual Marazziti, D. & Canale, D. (2004). Melbourne, Australia. Australia. Australian Psychologist, hookup culture: A review. Review of Hormonal changes when falling in Montgomery, M.J. (2005). Psychosocial 47(2), 108–117. General Psychology, 16(2), 161–176. love. Psychoneuroendocrinology 29, intimacy and identity: From early Mulford, C. & Giordano, P.C. (2008). Teen

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 549 teenage love

more positive morning and evening precursor for independent living. When these situations than is healthy, for moods than the controls, shorter sleep there is good will and warmth between example interpreting jealousy and overly times but better quality sleep, lowered the partners, romantic relationships offer possessive behaviours as reflections of daytime sleepiness and better a safe environment for learning about and love. concentration during the day. experimenting with sexuality and sexual Sexual coercion within romantic Falling in love takes some getting orientation (Collins et al., 2009). Teenage relationships is relatively common. used to, all those different emotions, romantic relationships are, in a sense, A national survey of over 2000 Australian mood swings, needs and desires. a training ground for adult intimacy, secondary students in Years 10, 11 and 12 Nevertheless, through their romantic providing an opportunity for learning to found that among those who were relationships, adolescents have the manage strong emotions, to negotiate sexually active, one-quarter had potential for psychological growth as they conflict, to communicate needs and to experienced unwanted sex (Mitchell et learn about themselves and other people, respond to a partner’s needs (Scanlan et al., 2014). Reasons given for having sex gain experience in how to manage these al., 2012). when they did not want to included being feelings and develop the skills of intimacy. too drunk to say no (49 per cent), They also face new risks and challenges. frightened (28 per cent) or pressured by These positive and negative aspects of Challenges and problems their partner (53 per cent). A US study of adolescent romantic relationships are On the downside, romantic relationships over 750 female students found almost 50 discussed below. can sometimes lead to unhealthy per cent had had at least one experience outcomes. Young people can become of unwanted sex, 70 per cent as part of too exclusive when they pair up, cutting a casual ‘hook-up’, and 57 per cent in a Psychosocial development themselves off from friendship and committed romantic relationship (Garcia Lifespan developmental theorist Erik support networks in ways that do not et al., 2012). Regretted sex is also not an Erikson (1968) viewed crushes and advance optimal development. Identity uncommon phenomenon among youthful romances as important formation may be compromised if a teenagers (e.g. Skinner et al., 2008). contributors to adolescent self- teenager closes off developmental options Other challenges facing young people understanding and identity formation. through a partnership in which unhealthy seeking or participating in romantic He described teenage ‘falling in love’ as living choices are made, or through early, relationships include unrequited love a form of self-development rather than unplanned parenthood. and breaking up. In the case of true intimacy. Adolescents, becoming Adolescents can be unrequited love, fantasies about more self-aware as their cognitive powers exposed to abusive and “With experience, the other can be intense and develop, can try out their ‘grown-up’ violent interactions or if all goes well, obsessional, sometimes leading identities with romantic partners and unwanted or coerced love becomes a to misinterpretations that the through feedback from the partners’ sexual activity within little less blind” feelings are reciprocated. In responses and behaviours, gradually their romantic extreme cases this may result in clarify self-image. The endless talking relationships (Mulford maladjusted acting-out behaviours, (and now texting) that often accompanies & Giordano, 2008). Aggression between such as aggression and stalking (Leitz & teen romances is a way of experimenting romantic partners is common, with boys Theriot, 2005), but more commonly the with different forms of ‘self’ and testing as likely to report abuse behaviour as distress is turned inwards, contributing their effect on the other person. girls. Collins et al.’s (2009) review to depression and low self-esteem, As well as aiding identity indicates that, depending on the sample sometimes with the risk of self-harm. development, adolescent romantic surveyed, 10 to 48 per cent of adolescents Break-ups are a very common feature relationships – both short term and experience physical aggression and 25 to of adolescent romantic relationships, longer term – can provide positive 50 per cent report psychological some of which last only a few weeks. learning experiences about the self, for aggression from their romantic partner, Among a large sample of young people in example through influencing self-esteem including being sworn at, insulted and their early twenties in Australia and Hong and beliefs about attractiveness and self- threatened. These days, aggression and Kong, 80 per cent had experienced a worth, and raising status in the peer bullying also occur online, for example, break-up (Moore et al., 2012). The impact group (Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2001; vengeful ex-partners have been known of splitting up may not be particularly 2004). They can assist young people in to share private photos or information severe or long-lasting, especially in the renegotiating and developing more on social media, causing embarrassment, case of short-term liaisons. Nevertheless, mature and less emotionally dependent humiliation or worse to the victim. Some some teenagers are more vulnerable than relationships with their parents, as a teens appear to be more accepting of others. Several studies have shown

dating violence: A closer look at Petanjek, Z., Judaš, M., Šimić, G. et al. Headspace, Orygen Youth Health Suleiman, A.B. & Harden, K.P. (2016). adolescent romantic relationships. (2011). Extraordinary neoteny of Research Centre: Australian The importance of sexual and National Institute of Justice Journal, synaptic spines in the human Government Department of Health romantic development in No. 261, pp.34–40. Available via prefrontal cortex. Proceedings of the and Ageing. Retrieved 6 February, understanding the developmental www.nij.gov/journals/261 National Academy of Sciences of the 2016 from tinyurl.com/h6s6prg. neuroscience of adolescence. Ortigue, S., Bianchi-Demicheli, F., Patel, United States of America, 108(32), Skinner, S.R., Smith, J., Fenwick, J. et al. Developmental Cognitive N. et al. (2010). Neuroimaging of 13281–13286. (2008). Perceptions and experiences Neuroscience, 7, 145–147. love: fMRI meta-analysis evidence Scanlan, F., Bailey, A. & Parker, A. (2012). of first sexual intercourse in Temple-Smith, M., Moore, S. & toward new perspectives in sexual Adolescent romantic relationships – Australian adolescent females. Rosenthal, D. (2016). Sexuality in medicine. Journal of Sexual Medicine, Why are they important? And should Journal of Adolescent Health, 43(6), adolescence: The digital generation. 7, 3541–3552. they be encouraged or avoided? 593–599. London: Routledge.

550 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 G

USTAVO teenage love V ARGAS

romantic break-ups associated with T normalise teenage romantic depression, particularly among ATAJE relations – and breaking up – also those who have already experienced help young people to frame their mood disorders (Davila, 2008; expectations and experiences in Welsh et al., 2003). In our 2012 context. Some teenagers may study, 40 per cent of participants need extra encouragement to felt very hurt following their maintain links with their friends relationship break-up, even though and peer group, and to keep up the majority of these dissolutions their sports and hobbies when were self- or mutually initiated. they are in the throes of an Break-ups were more distressing if intense romance. But it is they were partner-initiated, and important that they do maintain among adolescents with more these support links in order to ‘clingy’ relationship styles and help them resist the kinds of greater tendencies toward negative relationships that are too mood. interdependent and have an Usually, time heals and obsessional quality. When this experience teaches. Connolly and kind of relationship breaks up, there McIsaac (2009) researched break- is a greater risk of distress and ups among Canadian adolescents and relationship set backs and break ups. depression. Maintaining links with friends found that the most common reasons ‘Hopefully’ is the operative word here, provides a distraction from troubles and a given for ending a relationship related because we know that people of any age sounding board for adolescents to discuss to unmet affiliation, intimacy, sexual or can be undone by their heartbreaks and their romantic successes, failures and interdependence needs. In other words, poor romantic choices. Nevertheless there hopes. young people were ‘moving on’ when are some protective factors likely to assist In today’s world, cyber safety is a key their relationships were not fulfilling, and young people to negotiate first romantic issue for all of us, but especially young in the process, hopefully, were learning relationships and survive break-ups. people. Education about topics such as more about themselves and others. Over Early sex education is important, the potential dangers of sexting, online time, and through talking with others, ideally emanating from the home and sexual predators and the distortion of including parents, peers and partners, supported by the school curriculum. It’s a romantic relationships depicted on adolescents can develop cognitive bit late for ‘the talk’ on the eve of a young pornography sites is essential for frameworks for better understanding the person’s first date. Education that goes adolescents. Parental monitoring of online nature of intimate relationships and learn beyond the mechanics of sex and activity, especially among children and to cope with their ups and downs. One emphasises mutual respect, decision- younger teenagers, may be advisable, and example comes from a study by making and the meaning of consent this requires that parents too become Montgomery (2005) of nearly 500 young should help young people to resist educated in new media – savvy about people aged 12 to 24 years, in which it relationship bullying and sexual coercion. Facebook, Instagram, Tinder and the like. was shown that older adolescents were School and community-based While adolescents need their privacy, it is less prone to romantic idealisation than programmes that focus on teaching the important for parents to be watchful for younger ones. They were more realistic characteristics of healthy romantic warning signs of obsessive and secretive in their expectations of a romantic relationships, recognising gender-based internet use. The heady emotions of partner, so less liable to be disappointed. stereotypes, improving conflict- falling in love can lead teenagers into With experience, if all goes well, love management and communication skills, unwise activity; the problem with the becomes a little less blind. and decreasing acceptance of partner internet is that sexts and social media violence can effectively reduce dating posts can come back to haunt them well violence in adolescent relationships after a relationship is over. Protective factors (Foshee et al., 1998). In addition, In summary, adolescent romantic With age and maturity come more parental modelling of respectful relationships – with all their ups and realistic expectations and, hopefully, interrelationships sets a pattern for young downs – have the capacity to be growth- stronger capacities to make discerning people to aim for in their own promoting, confidence-boosting and partner choices, communicate and interactions. healthy experiences that teach young negotiate with partners and recover from Family and peer discussions that people about the give and take of intimacy. They also provide traps for young players. And while we cannot (and should not) shield the adolescents in our care from all the hurts and Welsh, D.P., Grello, C.P. & Harper, M.S. of dating: Associations with (2003). When love hurts: Depression psychosocial functioning from early to disappointments that life throws up, there and adolescent romantic middle adolescence. Journal of are protective factors that limit the relationships. In P. Florsheim (Ed.) Adolescence, 24(3), 313–336. likelihood of serious harm from toxic Adolescent romantic relations and Zimmer-Gembeck, M., Siebenbruner, J. & partnerships or distressing break-ups. sexual behavior: Theory, research and Collins, W.A. (2004). A prospective Watchful, kindly and respectful parenting, practical implications (pp.185–212). study of intraindividual and peer strong friendship networks and Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum influences on adolescents' relationship-oriented sex education can Associates. heterosexual romantic and sexual all play their part in helping adolescents Zimmer-Gembeck, M.J., Siebenbruner, J. behavior. Archives of Sexual Behavior, & Collins, W.A. (2001). Diverse aspects 33(4), 381–394. enjoy their romantic adventures and learn from them.

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 553 interested in issue of linguistic variation in its own right. At the same time, linguistic variation brings new questions to the fore. Do we really think in words? If so, speakers of different languages are thinking very INTERVIEW differently from one another in their inner The content of minds mentalese. Or do we think in some other unit of thought that is universal? If so, Asifa Majid talks to Jon Sutton about language and thought then what is it? And how do we map our thoughts into words when we want to communicate them to another person in the specific language we speak? These are 've known you since we were know what it is that we are counting. the sorts of questions that preoccupy me. Ipostgrads, and I’ve always found This interest in the content of minds you fascinating. You’re now one of the brought me to the study of words because I think it was Roger Brown and Eric most interesting and interested people many scholars assume that the general Lenneberg who made a distinction I follow on Twitter. Would you say purpose, non-linguistic units of thought between language as ‘a cloak following you’re a curious person? are things like red, four and chair – i.e. the contours of thought’, or individual There is a lot to be curious about! I’m just words. But if you look at different languages as ‘holds into which infant glad I was born in the minds are poured’. Could you give me technological age where you examples of language use to support

can have the internet in your M either option? pocket. ILETTE Colour is a good example. Across the

R world, languages differ in how many basic I guess you were always AATS colour words they have. For example, going to end up taking an Umpila spoken in Cape York, Australia interdisciplinary approach only has three colours words: black, white, to your research. and red; whereas English has a much If you’re interested in what larger repertoire of 11 basic colour words: makes people who they are, I black, white, red, yellow, green, blue, don’t think there is orange, pink, purple, brown, and grey. So, a way to avoid being an Umpila-speaking child will have to interdisciplinary. We are learn a different set of distinctions to an a product of our biological English-speaking child. inheritance and our Or take body parts. We make a particular socio-cultural distinction between our hand and our arm. upbringing, so engaging with But if you’re a speaker of Indonesian you the relevant literature from just refer to your tangan (which includes both perspectives is both hand and arm). And if you speak important to me. I’m grateful Jahai (in Malaysia) you have to specify to have received my early further. You have to make explicit whether university education in you mean your upper arm bliŋ, or your Scotland where I was able to lower arm prbԑr. There is no general arm. study multiple disciplines in In English we can both cut a carrot parallel. I think that certainly with a knife and cut a piece of paper with fostered my multidisciplinary scissors, but in Dutch you can only thinking. snijden the carrot and knippen the paper. English speakers smoke cigarettes but You’re trying to understand drink water; Punjabi speakers pii both. to what extent there are I could go on. Diversity in word shared aspects of word meanings is pervasive. But this diversity meaning across languages, is not unbounded. When you start and where similarities or comparing languages systematically, you differences come from, Asifa Majid is Professor of Language, see some recurring themes and principles is that right? Communication, and Cultural Cognition at the Center structuring the lexicon. For example, I’m really interested in how for Language Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen there is a regular order with which the mind works and, in [email protected] languages expand their colour vocabulary. particular, what the units of If the Umpila language were to gain thought are. This is a another colour word, we could predict foundational issue in psychology because languages around the world you start with some certainty the next word would all our models of memory, reasoning, to see that there is little one-to-one be either green or yellow, and not purple decision making, et cetera, rely on correspondence between words in one or pink. Similarly, although body part assumptions about the units of thought. If language and words in another. The more terms vary across languages, they seem to working memory has a limit of 7-plus-or- I started investigating cross-linguistic obey segmentation principles from vision. minus-2, then we’d better differences in meaning, the more I became It is unusual in languages to find a term

554 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 interview which refers to the hand and just three You’re right, methodology is very shared cognition and experience. The quarters of the arm, for example. important. This is another reason why unusual can shed light on the potential of interdisciplinary work is crucial. If you human language; they help us see what is So this is all intimately tied to have guerrilla researchers parachuting possible. Each language lost is a loss of a perception itself? Languages differ into a country, conducting experiments in worldview that could help us understand markedly in their lexicons for smell, a few weeks, then whisking off to write a humanity better. touch, sound, temperature, pain. paper about their ‘discoveries’, you would But language loss is not inevitable. Yes, language is shaped to perception have every right to feel sceptical about We can put language policies into place and cognition. But it is also shaped by their findings about what a language can that help ensure children will continue to cultural, environmental and historical and cannot do. But a lot of the important learn their ancestral mother tongues, if factors. Take the colour example again. cross-cultural research is based on in- communities want that. Part of this can Colour words mirror our colour vision depth fieldwork, where researchers have be done through bi- or multi-lingual system. But they also fit contingent spent years learning the local language schooling, for example. And language cultural factors. For example, languages and studying the indigenous culture. change and evolution is a never-ending with fewer basic colour words also have This background knowledge is critical to process. New varieties appear, as we see simpler colour-dying conducting systematic with newly emerging village sign technologies. In modern investigations within the languages which occur when a high Western societies we “Each language lost is a community. Of course, density of deaf individuals come together apply colours to all loss of a worldview that there can still be and evolve a new way to communicate sorts of things: from our misunderstandings; with each other. So while there are lips and hair, to our could help us understand just as your average people, there will be languages to study. clothes and walls. And humanity better” undergraduate can we have a wide palette misconstrue the Are some experiences impossible to to choose from when instructions an experimenter put into words? we do this. There have been centuries of gives them in a lab. But a good study will Our experiences are particular, but words innovations in dying technologies. Other never rely on just one source of data. in language are generalisations. So when communities do not apply colours in the There will be experiments, in-depth we express our experience using a same way. Objects come in their natural linguistic analysis, and ethnographic specific word, it is only ever a rough colour, so you do not need to single out observation. The combination is critical. guide to convey the experience we had. colour as a property that distinguishes From my perspective I find the Say I saw a triangle and told you ‘I saw them. reactions of academics to new findings a triangle’. From just the word triangle, Or take smell. We spend billions on from other cultures as interesting as the you wouldn’t know if what I saw was the flavour and fragrance industry every cultural phenomena themselves. First, a scalene, isosceles or equilateral triangle. year. Smell is important to us. But still there is outraged scepticism: ‘How could When you hear ‘I saw a triangle’, all you we struggle with naming even familiar this possibly be?’, followed by accusations know for sure is: ‘Asifa saw a closed smells. But amongst the hunter-gatherer of exoticisation. Then comes the: ‘But this figure with three straight sides and three Jahai speakers, talking about smells is is not so different to what we have in our angles’. You only get a rough guide to my easy. The Jahai have a dozen or so culture after all’, where some parallel to experience. dedicated verbs to talk about different the newly discovered phenomena (that For some sorts of experiences, even qualities of smell. For example, the smell was seconds ago impossible to believe) these approximations do not seem to of petrol, smoke, bat droppings, millipede are paraded around. Only after this do work very well. Humans are incredible and leaf of gingerwort are cŋԑs, but the people settle down to discussing what the at face recognition. We can discriminate smells of mushroom, cabbage, some implications are of the new facts for how endless numbers of individuals. But it species of hornbill, and the fur of the pig- we understand the human mind. seems impossible to describe a face such tailed macaque are all pɁus. It’s hard for There are some really exciting studies that it individuates it from all other faces. us to imagine some of these smells. being conducted right now that bring If you had to say what sets apart Katy You’ve probably not even experienced together psychological, linguistic, and Perry’s face from Zooey Deschanel’s, or them. But the smell words in Jahai are anthropological perspectives, but it is still Will Smith’s from Barack Obama’s, you not restricted to these sources. They apply a challenge to foster cross-disciplinary would struggle; never mind trying to even to novel smells Jahai speakers have dialogue. produce a description that would not experienced before, as we found out uniquely identify Katy Perry or Barack when we tested people under In researching this area, presumably Obama from the millions of other faces. experimental conditions. the diversity of the world’s languages Or, let’s think about pain. When the So, we need to take into consideration is a great help. Are you fighting a doctor asks you to describe the pain in socio-cultural factors, as well as losing battle against time, as these you have the back, what resources do you perceptual-cognitive ones when thinking languages die out? really have to express the exact pain? Or about meaning. According to Ethnologue around six what about the time you were on holiday languages per year are being lost at the and tried an exotic fruit. Now try How vital is methodology here? moment. Over 30 per cent of the world’s describing it to your friend so they can Whenever there’s a new article finding 7000 or so languages used today are recreate the exact flavour experience you that some remote tribe only has three threatened and severely endangered. had. It’s hard! But compare this to words in their number system, I just This, of course, has huge repercussions. describing the location of the pain, or the think ‘really?’ Or is it just that cultural In my research, I’m trying to find out colour of the fruit. In comparison that and linguistic barriers inevitably make both what the recurrent patterns are in seems relatively easy to do. studying language problematic and languages, and what is unusual. The These examples are interesting unreliable? recurrent patterns can shed light onto because they potentially tell us something

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 555 interview

important about language, and what it also abounds with conventionalised really evolved to communicate; and how metaphor. People use terms from language interacts with other aspects of one domain to refer to something cognition. If some experiences are in another. ‘ineffable’ – i.e. difficult or impossible to For example, in English sweet put into words – then this tells us about (taste) can also be used to describe the limits of language, and our underlying people; i.e. a ‘gentle, kind or cognitive architecture. friendly’ person. But in Hebrew It turns out some examples of when sweet is used metaphorically ‘ineffability’ are only weak ineffability. it refers to ‘inauthenticity’. A spicy That is, they only hold for some person in English might be languages, not all. Smell is an example of considered ‘full of spirit’, but a this. Since Plato and Aristotle, it has been spicy person in Hebrew would be widely-held that smells are impossible to someone ‘intellectually describe. And this certainly seems true of competent’. If a young man in English. However, as we saw earlier, Jahai Guhu Samane (Papua New has an elaborate vocabulary to talk about Guinea) described a group of girls smells, and Jahai speakers find it as easy as sweet, the man could relate to to talk about smells as they do to talk them as sisters, and approach about colours. This suggests the inability them. But if the girls were to name smells might not be a necessary described as bitter, that would be fact about the language faculty, and because they are potential wife theories which try to explain odour- material (because they come from naming difficulties (amongst English the appropriate clan), and so the speakers) by solely appealing to neuro- or young man should be cautious If people run up against a limit of their language, cognitive-architectural constraints are not and keep his distance. These are all they can coin new ways of expressing themselves sufficient. examples of how taste vocabulary can be used for traits and characteristics of that varied in its vertical position – it I love that idea of ‘drinking’ smoke, people. Metaphor is pervasive in appeared higher or lower on the screen; I think that’s the same in Turkish. It language. or they saw a line that varied in thickness. really emphasises the cross-modal We found Dutch people sang the same nature of perception. Do you speak more than one language note back higher in pitch when they saw People are creative. When they run up yourself? If so, do you think this has an a line higher on the screen (versus lower against a limit of their language they can influence on your thinking? on the screen). The vertical height coin new ways of expressing themselves. I grew up bilingual in Punjabi and manipulation made no difference to the Metaphor is one way we can do this. English, and remember feeling very sorry singing of the Farsi speakers. But Farsi When Robert Burns says in his poem: for the people who could only understand speakers sang the same note back higher ‘O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, that’s one of the two languages. They were when they saw a thinner line (versus a newly sprung in June’, he coins a novel missing so much! I would be struck by thicker line); Dutch speakers were not metaphor to try and convey the depth the misalignments between the languages. affected by this manipulation. This shows of his feelings. Aside from these literary For example, in English sounds have a for a Dutch (or English) speaking person, metaphors, ordinary, everyday language high pitch, but in Punjabi when a sound high sounds are really thought of as high is ‘high’ it means it is loud. High pitch in space, whereas for Farsi speakers the sounds are described, instead, as being same sound is thought of as thin. The Articles breek ‘narrow’; and its opposite isn’t a metaphors are cognitively real. Malt, B. & Majid, A. (2013). How thought is wide sound but a ‘heavy’ sound. Go mapped into words. WIREs: Cognitive Science,

reading figure. How does Dutch academia compare 4, 583–597. Recently my colleagues and I had to the UK? Will we ever see you back Levinson, S.C. & Majid, A. (2014). Differential ineffability and the senses. Mind & Language, a chance to visit these different ways here? 29, 407–427. of talking about sound. English The Netherlands is a very vibrant place Majid, A. & Burenhult, N. (2014). Odors are systematically uses a vertical spatial intellectually. I am lucky enough to expressible in language, as long as you speak metaphor to talk about variation in pitch: receive generous funding from the the right language. Cognition, 130(2), 266–270. sounds are high or low. But in Farsi Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Boroditsky, L. (2011, February). How language people don’t talk about high and low Research, and have great support from my shapes thought. Scientific American, pp.63–65 tones, instead they use a different spatial university. UK universities are some of the Evans, N. & Levinson, S.C. (2009). The myth of metaphor and talk about thin and thick best world-wide, but looking at some of language universals. Behavioral and Brain tones. We asked whether these different the proposed changes to science funding Sciences, 32(5), 429–492. Books ways of talking about sounds influenced and university policies makes me worry Dedre Gentner & Susan Goldin-Meadow (Eds.) the way people think about the sounds about the future. (2003). Language in mind: Advances in the too. We asked Dutch speakers – who, Still, the UK is home, despite having study of language and thought. Cambridge, like English speakers, use the high–low lived abroad for so many years. I miss MA: MIT Press. metaphor – and Farsi speakers to listen proper mugs of strong tea, and British Barbara C. Malt & Phillip Wolff (Eds.) (2010). to some sounds and then sing them back. chocolate (sometimes Belgian chocolate Words and the mind: How words capture A very simple task. At the same time as doesn’t quite hit the spot). Ultimately, as a human experience. New York: Oxford they listened to the sounds, they also saw researcher, I have to be in the place where University Press. a visual stimulus. People either saw a line my research is supported and funded.

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Piaget, Rawlings, Spearman, and Myers all left something to Psychology … What will you leave? A lasting contribution The British Psychological Society is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. Formed in 1901, it now has approximately 45,000 members. By its Royal Charter, the Society is charged with national responsibility for the development, promotion and application of pure and applied psychology for the public good, and with promoting the efficiency and usefulness of Society members by maintaining a high standard of professional education and knowledge. With your help the Society works to: ■ To encourage the development of psychology as a scientific discipline and an applied profession; ■ To raise standards of training and practice in the application of psychology; ■ To raise public awareness of psychology and increase the influence of psychological practice in society. By including us in your will you can help ensure the future of your discipline in the years to come by continuing to support the Society. For more information on how to leave a legacy please contact Russell Hobbs, Finance Director at [email protected] or call him on 0116 252 9540.

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 563 psychology. The word “division” in itself is an interesting word to use in this context, when we need to be cohesive.’ Irvine tells me that the landscape is

CAREERS changing rapidly, and that our profession needs to keep up with the changes. ‘Psychologists have huge potential roles, Little people, big questions ranging from confessor to story-teller to health promoter and, most importantly, Ian Florance talks to educational psychologist Irvine Gersch problem solver – you name it, we use our skills and knowledge to facilitate it. Dividing us up can get in the way of these wider roles.’ met Professor Irvine Gersch at the need to publish three articles a year. If In education work, Irvine is a firm University of East London (UEL) you look at my publication list, you’ll see believer that ‘the child must be at the I where he is Director of the Professional it reflects a variety of topics raised by my centre of things’. ‘I was lucky when Doctorate in Applied Educational and actual work and experience with children, I started my job that I wasn’t given a job Child Psychology. I quickly discovered and the way educational psychology’s description. I was told that my goal was he’d looked at previous ‘Careers’ roles needed to change to “to do what’s best for the children and interviews in The Psychologist and be most relevant and helpful. This means to help” and that removed barriers. As prepared a list of possible questions, but being adaptive and creative and fitting the a principal educational psychologist we ended up having a rich conversation real-life context within which children I wanted my team to be creative, to take about his real passion: how psychology and families live.’ risks, to draw from a variety of fields and can help children. Irvine also committed time to working to be pioneering, all the time applying Irvine started working with children on professional issues, first within the the best of psychology to improve the in his mid-teens. ‘I did youth leadership British Psychological Society and then lives of children and families, schools work and naturally chose children with advising on government policy. ‘I felt and organisations. So I set up a mediation special educational needs to work with. strongly that a one-year master’s degree in service to deal with the many special I didn’t particularly want to be a teacher educational psychology wasn’t enough to needs legal disputes; established learning – I’d like to go back and thank the give new psychologists an support teams to work with children extraordinarily insightful careers in-depth understanding of children. In with special needs; and set up a trauma interviewer who suggested to me when I particular, it didn’t equip them to really service. Working with teachers and was about 18 that I become an educational listen to children. Underlying everything speech therapists, we also ran groups psychologist. He got it spot on.’ I’ve done is a real desire to empower for children with speech and language In his own words, he ‘started to fly’ children through listening to their voices. difficulties and learning issues, and those during his degree at Bangor. ‘I’d not done I chaired the Society’s training committee excluded from school.’ well at school. After I finished my degree for educational psychologists, and this led At the same time Irvine completed I saw a report on me from my school to work with government on the DfEE his doctorate on what makes an effective which said “this boy is not university report On the Future of Educational head teacher (which included children’s material”. I went on to do a four-year Psychology (2000). This taught me about views of the qualities needed). This led to postgraduate course to become an the process of change. Working with a a head teacher and teacher mentorship educational psychologist at Swansea wonderful group of committee members scheme and a consultancy role with the University. The whole thing came who were experienced and leading National Audit Office working group that naturally. I got a job in the London psychologists, I had to engage and carried out research and reported to the Borough of Waltham Forest and stayed convince government, unions, the society government on poorly performing there for 26 years, moving up from a and profession. We succeeded – our core schools. ‘Some of these roles are now junior to a principal psychologist role.’ training for educational psychology is quite common, but then were new.’ The stability of Irvine’s early career indeed a three-year postgraduate In 2002 the BPS awarded Irvine the disguises the energy and creativity with professional doctorate.’ annual Award for Distinguished which he addressed being an educational The experience also reinforced Irvine’s Contributions to Professional Psychology psychologist. He published a lot. ‘I was views on the profession of psychology. for his work. ‘I’m proud of what we did at told by a lecturer at Swansea that you ‘Ultimately there are no different forms of Waltham Forest.’

Have you taken a look at our website, For other Society careers resources, see www.thepsychologist.bps.org.uk? www.bps.org.uk/careers.

If you click on the ‘…meets’ tab across the For the latest jobs, visit top, you will find an archive of all our more www.psychapp.co.uk. Society members can

careers online careers personal pieces, including our ‘Careers’ sign up for suitable e-mail and RSS alerts. pages. Alternatively, just search ‘careers’ Recruiters can post online from just £750, with our new and improved site search. The and at no extra cost when placing an ad in archive is complete – back to 1988. print. For more information, see p.568.

564 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 J careers ACOB G ERSCH

As Irvine starts on the story of the and then use this information to inform second half of his career, eloquence gives planning and action.’ way to slight embarrassment as he related Arguing that the debate as to what he described as a weird experience. whether psychology is an art or a science ‘I was on holiday and was talking to is ‘beside the point’, Irvine says ‘we must someone who did not know me, but be open to external influences. Insights insisted on making three predictions in a of spirituality, philosophy and the rather mysterious tone. The first performing arts, for instance, will make prediction was that I would help children us more creative thinkers. We need to be in a wider area than one local authority. as creative as any artist but with one The second was that I would become major difference – once we’ve had those interested in spirituality and philosophy. new thoughts we must evaluate them And the third was that I would become a through the tools of psychological professor in a year. Despite my research. We must measure the effects of scepticism, they all came true.’ what we do. Evidence-based practice is Irvine became Director of Training fundamental to applied psychology. for Educational Psychologists at the We’re different from disciplines like University of East London in 2000. philosophy because our thinking and This seems an odd move for someone analysis are not ends in themselves: they so committed to working directly with are aimed at action. We could be at the children. ‘I felt I was still making a I had been intrigued that Irvine listed beginning of a new stage in psychology in difference. Every educational and child one of his interests as spiritual listening. which we cover more diverse areas, but in psychologist, whatever specific role they ‘I define spiritual as that which deals with which divisions and specialisms converge. have, affects children at different levels – the animating or vital drive. It may be There will be much more cross-over through work with individual children religious or not. So, in a sense the little between public and private work, and or, training others, changing systems, boxes are to do with spirituality. But I was new psychologists must expect and plan advising schools, or through affecting initially criticised that I was slipping in for portfolio careers.’ school, local authority and government religion under a disguise, so I tend to talk He sees psychology as needing to policy. But UEL also appealed to me about philosophical conversations and follow an external agenda. ‘What are as an entrepreneurial university, in the philosophical listening. In fact, I’m rather people worried about? How can our best possible sense – there seemed to be proud that we’ve had feedback on the profession help or address these issues? a scope and open-mindedness here. As little boxes from people of all religions Fear of terrorism is a major concern in a professor, I can think outside the box and those with none, and all of them society – how can we help not just society and say even more crazy things than found the boxes to be relevant and useful, in general but children and parents with I normally do!’ with none finding anything objectionable their undoubted fears? We have a Irvine started studying early thinkers to their beliefs. This is not surprising, proactive role here, seeking to pre-empt and mystics. ‘Psychology has missed out because our tools raise questions, thus rather than cure.’ through largely ignoring early – and later leaving children to find their own To be even more futuristic, Irvine – philosophers, and is the poorer for that. answers and to make plans. And I’ve thinks we have a role in dealing with Psychology tends to dismiss spiritual just finished a coaching course and hope new technologies and the impact they writers, and that’s also a big mistake. that soon we’ll be able to do a box of big will have on children and adults. What From my point of view this reading questions for adults.’ will psychology’s role be in an era when began to challenge the view that children Some years ago Irvine stepped down artificial intelligence and augmented are not able to answer big questions about from his role as a programme director reality develop? Brain implants, self- meaning and purpose. Is that true? I and for the initial training programme for conscious machines and robots, are all my students started to study this and, lo educational and child psychologists to predicted in my children’s lifetime. Surely and behold, of course children can. take over a course for practising psychology has a role in coping with They’re totally at home with the big educational psychologists who wanted these developments?’ questions that go back to Socrates, to upgrade their MSc to a doctorate. He And finally, what does the future Aristotle and others, and they can answer now works at UEL 50 per cent of the hold for Irvine. ‘I would like to record them very lucidly and with amazing time. ‘I also work with my son who has some of my experiences, lessons from insight.’ This work has so far led to a mediation company dealing with SEN life, my personal and professional two publications: The Little Box of Big and other issues. We work with about journey – perhaps as a podcast for my Questions [see www.smlworld.co.uk a third of local authorities in England. grandchildren. Luckily one of them is and www.thepsychologist.org.uk/ I also mentor colleagues within the a film maker, and my daughter a theatre volume-26/edition-4/reviews] and university and external clients.’ director.’ The Little Box of Big Questions 2 [see It seemed a good time to talk to Since he’d prepared his own answers, www.thepsychologist.org.uk/volume- Irvine about what the future looks like I can tell you that Irvine would have been 29/february/reviews]. Each comprises for psychology and for students entering a pilot if he hadn’t been a psychologist, a series of cards designed to promote the profession. Just as well, then, that one and his favourite film is The Bridge on the (as it says on the tin!) ‘philosophical of his many interests is futurology. ‘First, River Kwai. ‘I love that film because the conversations with young people.’ Irvine I hope people working with children will British Major taken prisoner simply tells me ‘Children think and say, and can understand just how very different refuses to accept his role as captive, and do, wonderful things. If only we could individual children are. Sometimes we ultimately takes charge. Nothing could just harness their ideas, the world might treat them as too similar. And we need to diminish his attitudes and sense of be a better place.’ listen more than ever to what they say, justice.’

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 565 careers Twists and turns from Wales to Canada

Tracey Herlihey on the importance of persistence and networking in finding that ‘dream job’

hat do you want to be when at York University in Toronto, Canada. sending out applications. I considered you grow up? It’s such a simple The position in Canada offered a monthly careers in academia (why not? It’s the Wquestion, one that you have likely stipend, so I opted for the research next logical step), teaching (I had always been asked or asked others countless position so I could afford to come home enjoyed teaching during my PhD and times. for Christmas. Little did I know that this then as a sessional instructor during my If you had asked 11-year-old Tracey seemingly flippant decision would go on postdoc), management consulting (make this question, she would have told you to have the biggest impact on my career. lots of money), marketing or market she wanted to be a police officer when she I finished my ‘sandwich’ year at the research (what do you do with a PhD in grew up. 14-year-old Tracey wanted to be Centre for Vision Research in Toronto. psychology?), and project management a lawyer. 16-year-old Tracey wanted to be I enjoyed the research and so upon (ditto). a forensic scientist. But 16-year-old Tracey returning to I interviewed at worldwide didn’t select the appropriate options at Cardiff for the management consulting firms A-level, so 18-year-old Tracey wanted to final year of and multinational technology be a forensic psychologist. You might have my undergrad corporations. Most interviews noticed a theme in what I aspired to be, so I opted to pursue (and there weren’t very many) you might be surprised to hear that 31- a PhD. I had were unsuccessful, some were, year-old Tracey from Cheshire is a Human hoped to pursue but there was often a roadblock Factors Specialist at the University Health my PhD in (e.g. funding cuts) at the last Network in Toronto, Canada. Canada (to return hurdle, or timing issues (I was So how did I get here? What got me to my boyfriend, unwilling to move at the time interested in psychology? And, did I ever now husband), I was offered a position). I was grow up? but unfortunately frustrated by the lack of I first considered psychology when that wasn’t meant recognition of the skillset I had I was selecting my A-level courses at to be (since my developed over the course of my college. I remember going to the open international PhD and postdoctoral training. evening and picking up a purple leaflet applications were Many positions requested work with one of those black clip-art stick unsuccessful). experience but did not recognise figures that were so popular back in the Instead, I stayed the additional years spent in late 1990s. The stick man was scratching in Cardiff and academia as such. his head and the text next to him read – spent three fun While attending a project ‘Why do people think they’re teapots?’ years investigating the visual guidance management workshop I met a fellow I didn’t know, but it was enough to make of walking. After finishing my PhD Psych PhD and we got talking/ranting me want to find out. As it turned out, I emigrated to Canada. I had spent the about the move from academia to I still don’t know why people think they’re last year of my PhD frantically writing, industry. This is how I learned about the teapots, but I know a lot more about other collecting data and applying for world of user experience (UX) research stuff that I find to be just as interesting. postdoctoral fellowships that would and a grant designed to help academics When selecting universities I was set enable me to return to Toronto. I hadn’t make the transition to industry. This on studying forensic psychology, but really considered other career options at impromptu conversation was a real based on very good advice from my this point. A postdoctoral fellowship turning point for me. I started to look into college tutor I decided to pursue a more seemed like the next logical thing to do. UX roles and applied for the grant (offered general degree and specialise later on. I landed myself a fellowship in cognitive by Mitacs, an agency funded by the I was excited to be accepted at Cardiff neuroscience at the University of Toronto. Canadian government). I landed myself University for their Applied Psychology This was quite the switch from my visual a six-month fellowship that contributed ‘sandwich’ degree (now renamed to guidance of walking work, but it allowed to my salary at a small start-up UX firm. ‘degree with professional placement’). me to continue with some patient research During my fellowship I took on a second My plan was to spend the additional year I had been trying to do on the side during sessional instructor role teaching working overseas in a forensic psychology my PhD. psychology and design. The goal was to placement. Forensic placements were As the end of my two-year fellowship build on my skills learned in my new UX coveted (and still are!). I reached out to approached I found myself asking the design role as well as continuing to potential supervisors overseas without any same question – what did I want to expand my skillset as a teacher. Once my luck. While I was excited to be offered be? At this point, I knew three things: six months were up I was ready to move a forensic placement not far from Cardiff, (1) I wanted my PhD to be recognised; on. I had enjoyed my first step into I had to make the decision between my (2) I did not want to go back to school, industry, but realised that UX was not for passion for forensics and my desire to and (3) I wanted to stay in Toronto. me. spend time overseas. Overseas won. I considered a number of different At this point I had learned that I loved I applied to a number of different types career options and spent many months applying psychology. The part of my UX of placements and was offered an conducting informational interviews, role I enjoyed the most was collecting and occupational psychology placement in attending networking events and skills analysing research data and, based on Australia and a research assistant position workshops, joining ‘Meetup’ groups and what we know about people, making

566 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 careers recommendations on how to improve the April 2013. In May I received a message If I were to offer some advice it would usability of products. The part I did not through LinkedIn asking if I would be be to network, network and network enjoy was the lack of impact: projects interested in interviewing. I started my some more. I didn’t get my current job included improving a website that tracked role as a Human Factors Specialist in July. because I applied to a posting on the parcels and restructuring a professional Why the long story? I hope it company’s website. The same goes for my services firm’s intranet to make things highlighted that there are many twists and previous job and my postdoc before that. easier to find (yawn!). And so I found turns in figuring out ‘what If networking in myself pondering again… what did I want you want to be when you person isn’t your to be? grow up’. There are often thing, I get it, it isn’t I had been attending seminars hosted many failed applications “Poor career choices mine either. I did by the Human Factors Interest Group at hiding in the shadows of helped me figure out what this a few times and the University of Toronto for some time successful ones, but these I did not want to do” it didn’t work for and had recently attended a ‘careers’ are often not talked about. me, so I did one-on- luncheon. This is where I learned about I hope it provides some one informational my current company. I e-mailed one of inspiration and shows that there is light at interviews instead. These worked much the managers directly and asked for an the end of the career search tunnel. Each better. People were helpful; I found if they informational interview. I wanted to learn time I hit a roadblock, time spent reaching couldn’t help me themselves, they would whether my skillset would be appropriate the block was not time wasted. Failed point me in the direction of someone they and what I could do to improve my interviews were great practice. Poor career knew who they thought could. chances of moving into the field of choices helped me figure out exactly what Don’t expect to find your dream human factors (I had previously been told I did not want to do and what I enjoyed job immediately. As you gain experience I would have to complete a master’s degree doing. Informational interviews helped you will learn more about yourself, your in human factors if I wanted to move into me make some great contacts and perfect interests, and your talents. From there that field). The phone call went well, but my résumé. I certainly hope that outlining your idea of your ‘dream job’ will evolve the company had recently hired a number the road to my current career provides with you. And, when you finally do find of summer students and a full-time some motivation to keep trying and a role that fits you, be prepared to give employee so wouldn’t be looking for new adapting, because eventually you will find back and help others as I’m sure many employees in the near future. This was in something that fits. will help you along your way. Jobs of the month on www.psychapp.co.uk

Psychologist Chartered Occupational Psychologist The National Autistic Society Symbiotics Performance Solutions Location - South East (SPS Ltd trading as Resource Group) Salary - £43,072 pa - £51964 pa Location - Midlands - West + £499 pa Area Allowance Deadline - 24/06/2016 Deadline - 13/06/2016

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Psychology Consulting Psychologists (Counselling Psychology) Dyslexia Action University of Wolverhampton Location - South East Location - Midlands - West Salary - Competitive Salary - £33,574 - £47,801 pa Deadline - 15/06/2016 Deadline - 23/06/2016

MST Clinical Supervisor Clinical or Forensic Psychologist Birmingham Children Hospital St Andrew's Healthcare Location - Midlands - West Location - Midlands - East Salary - £39,632-£47,559 Salary - £40 - £60k Deadline - 27/06/2016 Deadline - 26/06/2016

To view these jobs and more please visit www.psychapp.co.uk

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 567 Advertising opportunities in 2016

CPL has been appointed by the British To discuss the opportunities for advertising Psychological Society and we are very and promotion in The Psychologist, excited to be your point of contact for all www.psychapp.co.uk and Research Digest, advertising. CPL is an award-winning please contact Matt Styrka on 01223 378005 or full service agency that was established email [email protected]. in 1996. Upcoming Display Appointment Publication In early 2016 we will be launching a new issues advert section date deadline deadline appointments website. It will be accessible on mobiles and desktops, with increased search August 29 June 6 July 21 July functionality, greater ease of use and navigation. September 27 July 3 August 18 August It will also have many more targeted options to allow you to promote your roles to members and other visitors to www.psychapp.co.uk. You will be happy to hear that all recruitment advertisers in the print edition of The Psychologist will continue to have their adverts included on the new appointments site.

Senior Educational Psychologist / Maingrade Educational Psychologist Leicestershire County Council Permanent appointments, full-time and part-time applications considered Leicestershire’s Educational Psychology Service has a long-standing and strong commitment to applying psychological research to improve the educational outcomes of vulnerable young Role: Course Leader: BSc (Hons) Psychology of Fashion people throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Demand for commissioned work means we look to recruit new staff. Employer: University of the Arts London Applications are invited for the post of Senior Educational Psychologist/ Locality Manager. Description: Course Leader: BSc (Hons) Psychology of Fashion This is a key leadership appointment which requires the post holder to manage a small team Permanent, full-time of educational psychologists, contribute to the leadership of the Service at strategic and Salary: £43,483 - £52,389 pa operational levels and work collaboratively with other partner agencies. College/Service: London College of Fashion The Senior EP post is paid at Soulbury Scale B, 3 to 6 (negotiable) with 3 additional SPA points available for eligible candidates. Location: London College of Fashion - John Prince’s St

Applications are also invited for the post of Maingrade Educational Psychologist (Soulbury The role: of fashion. Possible areas of investigation Scale A, point 8, with 3 SPA points additionally available). The successful candidate will This is a uniqueopportunity to lead our new include organisational psychology, social promote the use of evidence-based psychological research, especially positive psychology undergraduate course and to work closely cognition, lifespan development, self- frameworks, to address concerns about children’s development, emotional well-being, mental with the Subject Director Psychology in identity and well-being. health and academic progress 0 to 25 years. this new curriculum area for the College. You will be responsible for the academic Your profile: Existing SPA points will be honoured for both posts. leadership and management of the course, You are an expert in your field with a PhD Essential Requirements for both posts: ensuring that the curriculum is relevant, in Social Psychology and a successful current and consistent with the missions research profile. You will have taught t

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DIVERSITY IN ALL AREAS arts.ac.uk. OF ACTIVITY AND UAL Service for preliminary enquiries. Tel: 0116 305 5100 POSITIVELY WELCOMES APPLICATIONS FROM To apply, please visit: https://ual.tal.net/vx/lang-en- Email: [email protected] BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC STAFF WHO GB/appcentre-1/candidate/postings/2144 Closing date for applications: 15th July ARE CURRENTLY UNDERREPRESENTED AT Closing date: 17 June 2016, 23:55pm. http://jobs.eastmidlandssharedservices.org/Leicester/ THIS LEVEL.

568 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 Job Title: Paediatric and Educational Psychologists Employer: Mind Institute/Little Academy Nursery

Again, a faraway location for a Psychologist Featured Job: last month we highlighted roles in Thailand; this month we focus on a psychologist role in Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Doha is far and away the largest city in the country with a population close to 1.5 million. Qatari nationals make up a minority of the population: the majority are from South East Asia, though with sizeable populations from Australia, the USA and Europe. The city is on the Persian Gulf coast; its climate will appeal to someone who likes heat and sunshine and doesn’t crave rain! Arabic is the among the children they were seeing. It soon became clear that official language though English is used widely as a second the Little Academy Nursery couldn’t accommodate children with language, especially in commerce. learning disabilities and so a centre with dedicated facilities and The investment going into the city is unrivalled. It held the 2006 staff was needed. The Mind Institute was born. Asian games and will host the FIFA 2022 World Cup. There are This is a brand new, state-of-the-art facility that works with many sports facilities in the city, new investment in transport children with communication disorders, fine and gross motor systems (including a new airport and a metro system under challenges, language delays, emotional disorders, sensory construction) and a number of art and cultural initiatives including integration issues, social skills challenges, and more. The facilties the iconic Museum of Islamic Art. and staff are the first of their kind in Doha, featuring multilingual Mind Institute began with the dream of two sisters, both experts special needs therapy. It will offer a holistic non-medical after- in education, who founded Little Academy nursery in 2006. It grew school programme using brain-based approaches, targeting quickly to being rated as one of the top five nurseries by the measurable changes in academic performance. Ministry or Social Affairs in Doha. Substantial growth demanded a The Mind Institute is a catalyst of demonstratable change for second branch, which opened in 2014. Its cross-disciplinary team, children with special needs and their families. From the success of from the UK, Canada, USA, South Africa, and France, includes Little Academy Nursery and the vision to take it a step further, the nursery teachers and managers as well as nurses and a leaders of Mind Institute have expanded their scope, refined their nutritionist, who all share a vision for the next generation in Doha. methods, grown their resources and, most importantly, stayed true The more Little Academy Nursery grew and expanded, the to their original purpose and passion: educating children of the more these educators noticed the prevalence of special needs future.

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seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 569 REVIEWS

A small museum making a big impact

Since its inception in 2003 the prestigious annual Art Fund Prize their power, portraying the two dominant conceptualisations for Museum of the Year has been a showcase for an surprisingly of mental health at the time: mania and depression. Raving is wide range of museums across the UK. This year one of the chained, raising uncomfortable questions from the outset about nominations is Bethlem Museum of the Mind, a small but perfectly restraint and freedom, stigma and stereotypes, and further on is formed museum to mental health, which is part of the mental displayed a straitjacket and, behind a wall and against a mirror health trust I work alongside, South London and Maudsley. Since so that only the reflections can be seen, a collection of leather the Museum moved to its new building in February 2015 I have restraints. One of the rooms contains padded walls salvaged from been meaning to take a look, but like most things that are in your the hospital, and at all times you are aware that this is a place own backyard, it sometimes takes an extra push (like a where mental health treatment of all types happened. There is nomination) to make a trip. also clever repurposing of the building itself, with the dark rooms I should have visited earlier. There is much to provoke thought housing the collections giving way to corner spaces overlooking here, all housed in a building that used to be an administrative the beautiful gardens of the Maudsley, where light swims in from centre for the Bethlem Hospital, and sitting right in its centre. We windows at foot level, and from portholes in the roof. Highlights entered to the famous life-size statues of ‘Raving and Melancholy include works by Richard Dadd, who was at Bethlem himself, Madness’ that greeted patients and visitors at the entrance of the having been declared a ‘criminal lunatic’ after he committed a Bethlem Hospital from 1676 to 1815. They are extraordinary in murder in the 1840s; and by Louis William Wain, known for his images of cats. I visited with a colleague, Dr Richard Corrigall, a consultant psychiatrist specialising in adolescence, and an artist himself. We looked together at William Kurelek’s famous ‘The Maze’, depicting the inside of his ‘unravelled head’, and partially painted while he was a patient at the Maudsley. I could not begin to describe on paper why Kurelek’s image is so powerful and enduring, but it is. As I stood in front of it, viewing it from the vantage point of ‘well’, it left me with an impression of my own head, and how close to unravelling any one of us might be at any time. As we looked at a piece by Joan Molly, in which a broken grandfather clock spewed forth billows of purple velvet from the open door of its tower, Dr Corrigall and I talked about the roles art can play in mental health. It can help those with mental health problems make sense of their illnesses and their identity; it can convey to others what it feels like to be unwell, communicating something that can’t be explained by science; and crucially it can break down the stigma surrounding mental health by its very humanness of self- expression. This museum, with its clever juxtapositions of art alongside mental health artefacts, achieves all of these and more. The Museum houses permanent and temporary collections, Bethlem Museum of the Mind but that is not the whole story. Its central aim is to educate, to Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, inform, and to promote understanding about the context of mental Beckenham BR3 3BX health and mental health care. To this end, items from the collections may be borrowed, and whole exhibitions can be loaned.

570 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 reviews

How far we have come… In a Different Key: The Story of Autism John Donvan & Caren Zucker

John Donvan and Caren Zucker, the legacies of research that award-winning journalists, have were carried out, and that written a fastidious, historical continue to be pioneering, account of autism that will including that of Lorna Wing, appeal to the lay person and Uta Frith and Simon Baron- professional alike. In a Different Cohen to name a few, are Key presents narrative accounts deserving of greater mention of individuals’ experiences of and further analysis than this autism. The book commences book provides. in the 1930s with a child called For anyone interested in Donald Triplett whose parents autism, this is an essential read sought answers to his atypical as it reminds presentation, which resulted in readers of the grim a seminal meeting in Baltimore, realities that were with Leo Kanner. Kanner later faced by individuals identified Donald as Case 1, and with autism in the thus starts the history of how past, and autism emerged as the acknowledges the developmental condition that sacrifices that There is also a small reference library, and comprehensive Kanner called a ‘sample of were made by archives, dating back to around 1550, including patient records serendipity’. those to progress from the 1850s. All are available to researchers, and there is There is no stone left the rights of a dedicated archivist to facilitate access. Vicky Northwood, the unturned in this book. Accounts individuals with autism. The Director of the Museum, is on a mission to expand its of the underbelly of autism that book ends with the story of educational function. To facilitate this, on Mondays and include the historical contexts Donald’s 80th birthday, Tuesdays the Museum is closed to the general public to allow of Bruno Bettelheim’s ‘mother- surrounded by many friends group visits: groups of students in search of knowledge to blaming theory’, the unveiling in his local community, who enhance their studies; or clinicians and service users of Kanner’s Nazi background, embraced his difference and interested in the insights the Museum can provide. Other the impact of Wakefield’s MMR allowed him to thrive in an than students, clinicians and service users, who comes to the research, as well as the litany inclusive setting. There are teary Museum? The general public are coming in their droves, and of atrocious conditions that moments also, particularly the it’s everyone from local people to an international audience. individuals with autism story about Archie Casto who Visitor numbers are steadily increasing, and the buzz created experienced in residential spent his life in a residential by the Museum of the Year nomination can only be a good settings in the United States, setting only to be released at 74 thing. are also narrated. years of age and who saw the As visitors enter the collections upstairs they are greeted We are also introduced to ocean, for the first time, at 81. by the words of those who have had a relationship with individuals who advocated for Archie’s account is a stark Bethlem over the ages. One quote has stayed with me: the rights of those with autism reminder of the harrowing ‘A young man came to the cell, and putting his face through and who battled to ensure treatment individuals faced but, the bars, interrogated the madman, why he was put in there: appropriate access to education despite the odds, managed to the madman fixed his eyes upon him, and looking with for children. These individuals have some quality of life in their ineffable contempt, turned away: the young man repeated his include Tom Gilhool, a lawyer twilight years. Any reader of this question, with some clamorous insult. The madman rose and who led the flight in the courts. book would appreciate how far advanced towards him, upon which the person spate in his Accounts of parents’ we have come in embracing and face; and laughing, again renewed his interrogatory – for what experiences of raising a child supporting our neurodiverse was you put into this cell? The madman, with calm disdain, with autism weave a thread population. stooped down, took up some of the straw, whereon he lay, through this book. There is the wiped the spittle with it from off his face – and smiling said, harrowing story of a father who I Crown Publishers; 2016; “You ask, why I was put into this dismal cell. I’ll tell you, Sir. killed his son in desperation, Hb £32.99 It was for the loss of that, which God Almighty never gave you, and the uplifting stories of Reviewed by Paula or you wou’d not have treated me with such indignity.”’ (The Temple Grandin, Alex Plank and Prendeville, a Chartered London Chronicle, 1761)’ Ari Ne’eman, whose families Psychologist who teaches on Whatever the young man had not been given, he might just embraced their difference. the professional course at the have found it in this museum. The book also presents the University College Dublin. She The winner of the Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year is roles played by stalwarts in also works as an educational due to be announced on 6 July at a special dinner at the autism research in the UK. The psychologist in the Brothers of Natural History Museum in London. story of the groundbreaking first Charity, a service for children epidemiological study of South with autism in Cork, Ireland. I Reviewed by Sally Marlow who is Public Engagement Fellow, African Victor Lotter, who She is a Visiting Scholar at Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience attempted to count prevalence Georgetown University, rates in the UK, is told. However, Washington DC.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 571 reviews

‘But the patient is lost’… Blue/Orange Young Vic, London (Matthew Xia, Director)

Joe Penhall’s iconic play Blue/Orange In the interval I discuss this with Dr examines power, psychosis, ethnicity and Demjaha, who is clear from the outset that psychiatry. Dr Sally Marlow talks to the borderline personality disorder is a playwright and to a psychiatrist, and looks misdiagnosis, and that Christopher has at the literature in the area, to explore the psychotic symptoms and is very unwell questions the play raises, and how ready we indeed. For the rest of us, without the are to answer them. benefit of her psychiatric training, it takes Blue/Orange premiered at the National a little longer fully to understand the extent Theatre in 2000, and won the Olivier Award of Christopher’s illness. for Best New Play. The play is a three- The playwright Joe Penhall clearly hander, and the premise is simple. understands psychosis and schizophrenia. Christopher, a patient, is due to be I met him a week after watching the play, discharged the next day from a psychiatric and asked him why he chose to write ward, but his doctor has reservations Blue/Orange. He says it was a coming concerning his diagnosis and his delusions. together of many things. He had a friend He discusses these with his consultant, and with schizophrenia who had spiralled into what ensues is a power struggle between alcoholism and homelessness. Alongside the junior and senior clinicians, in which the this Penhall spent two weeks working needs of Christopher all but disappear. alongside another friend with borderline Christopher is a young black man being personality disorder providing support to treated by two white doctors, and at the time people with schizophrenia: ‘another acute, of the premiere, the play raised huge issues visceral insight’. At about the same time in about psychiatry, diagnosis, ethnicity and the the early 1990s he was a reporter on the monetary cost of care. Sixteen years on, the Hammersmith Guardian, regularly reporting Young Vic is staging a revival, and I went to on stories about the Care in the Community see it with Dr Arsime Demjaha, a initiative. He wrote a feature about people to satisfy his own ends. Although a key tenet psychiatrist specialising in psychosis, to see being released too early and resources of psychiatric treatment is patient-centred what had changed. being overstretched, but felt he couldn’t care, there is none of that on this stage. The premise of the play may be simple, quite communicate the essence of what the Penhall told me it wasn’t his intention to but the play itself is incredibly complex, and story was. Blue/Orange was born out of his pillory psychiatry per se, and that he doesn’t raises a myriad of issues. The staging is realisation that this subject was inherently believe any psychiatrist would behave like spot on: as we took our seats, Dr Demjaha dramatic, emotional, visceral, and Robert, either then or now. The fact that the leaned across to me – ‘that looks exactly like something that couldn’t really be captured in two doctors talk about their patient as my office’. (Apart from the ashtray, that is – a newspaper. For Penhall, Blue/Orange was though he isn’t there, even when he’s on the was it really only 16 years ago when patients a microcosm of the economic rationalisation stage with them, was poetic licence, and a would routinely smoke in consultations?) As and monetarisation he observed going on kind of metaphor ‘for how people are the junior psychiatrist, Bruce, enters, they’ve everywhere at that time, but at its worst in conspired against because of their lack of got him spot on too, right down to the top the mental health sector. Bizarrely another articulacy, and their lack of vernacular…and button undone under his tie, the precisely of Penhall’s projects also informed the play. their lack of privilege and their lack of rolled up sleeves, and the way he wears his While working on early drafts of a film about education… and they become a football… belt slightly down at the front, with his NHS Idi Amin, he interviewed the Ugandan and the play is a sort of crude satire of that’. ID clipped to one side of the belt, and a dictator’s psychiatrist, who spoke to him Robert veers into the absurd as he pager to the other. about Amin’s grandiose, delusional nature. justifies discharging Christopher. It will be Luke Norris as Bruce exudes the Amin does make a cameo in the play, not as bad for Robert’s career, and for Bruce’s too. earnestness and naivety befitting his role. a character, but as one of Christopher’s Robert uses spurious arguments to dismiss The play starts and there is humour, but delusions. Penhall had tried to write all of Bruce’s protestations, and then Bruce it’s dark. Bruce to Christopher: ‘What Blue/Orange several times, but his work uses the second diagnostic term: does alcohol do?’ Christopher to Bruce: researching Idi Amin was ‘the final piece of schizophrenia. An interlude where they bat ‘It makes your blood thin.’… Bruce: ‘Sorted’. the puzzle’. diagnoses backwards and forwards between Christopher: ‘Sorted for Es and whiz’. Penhall told me he wanted to write them is funny, if tragic for Christopher. But Bruce… ‘Indeed’. We learn that Christopher about power, and power within the then Penhall uses Robert to ratchet up the is expecting to go home the next day, but institution. Robert, the senior consultant drama. Nobody likes the idea of people also that Bruce isn’t entirely comfortable psychiatrist and Bruce’s boss (beautifully losing their liberty, and from the mouth of with that idea. Our loyalties are divided – is hammed up by David Haig), is a mechanism this thoroughly unlikeable man come words Christopher really so ill that he has to stay in by which he explores this. Robert is we want to believe: ‘If you keep him here, he hospital? Or is he just a little exuberant? The immediately unappealing and inappropriate, won’t be able to go home because he won’t first diagnostic term is used: borderline ignoring Christopher and making sexual know what home is any more… treat him in personality disorder, and Bruce voices his jokes about Bruce’s wife. Dr Demjaha the home – he’s more comfortable, we’re reservations about this diagnosis for the pointed out to me that from the beginning, more comfortable.’ There’s more. We can all first time. Daniel Kaluuya, as Christopher, Christopher is invisible to Robert apart from relate to Robert’s statement ‘We blithely owns the stage with his reaction. when Robert needs [email protected] assume that we know what “normal” is…

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that he wanted to demystify the popular their bewilderment: ‘The question thus fallacy that the mad are sane and the sane remains: what processes are operating are mad. compulsory admission for African- Throughout the play there is something Caribbean patients, particularly men, and else – an issue of ethnicity. Robert moves Black African patients?’ along the spectrum from mild cultural So, can Blue/Orange answer that assumption through to ethnocentricity. How question? As a scientist I have to say no – many steps from racist is he? Penhall says it’s a play, it’s not a programme of research Robert may be ethnocentric, but he’s not that systematically tests a hypothesis. But racist, at least, he’s no more racist than as a theatre-goer, I have to say Blue/Orange middle England. Robert’s racism is part of is for me one of those pieces of work which his power struggle with Bruce, and Bruce’s scratches an itch that science does not injudicious use of the n-word is manna from seem to have been able to reach. Penhall heaven for Robert in that struggle. explains: ‘The great thing about art is you I turned to the scientific literature to see can say what you want to say. There’s no what I could find about psychosis and scientific exigency. You don’t have to be ethnicity. Fearon et al. (2006) in the AESOP objective… You can climb in with your views, study examined all those presenting with and if something appears to you to be psychotic symptoms in southeast London, intuitively self-evident, an empirically Bristol and Nottingham, and ‘found measured truth that you’ve experienced, remarkably high incidence rate ratios for then you are at liberty to divulge it.’ I asked both schizophrenia and manic psychosis in him what was that truth in this play, for him. both African-Caribbeans’, in fact a five- to ‘That ethnocentricity and cultural tenfold difference in incidence, when assumptions and eventually institutional compared with the UK white population. racism is everywhere, in all strata of our Other studies suggest rates of schizophrenia society to some degree, on a continuum, in the Caribbean are comparable to the UK on a spectrum.’ white population (Bughra et al., 1996; This play about hierarchical power Hickling & Rodgers-Johnson, 1995; Mahy, struggles, and the place of those at the 1999). There’s also a question of whether bottom of the hierarchy, has lost none of maybe we’re the sick ones.’ However, someone is more likely to be compulsorily its power in the 16 years since I first saw it. Robert is clearly far from the archetypal detained for their disorder. Morgan et al What has changed I believe is that care is wise psychiatrist whose understanding of (2005) report that in the AESOP sample more patient-centred than it was. But can humanity surpasses all others. Penhall ‘African-Caribbean patients were we say the same about power abuses within summed it up to me eloquently: ‘He’s significantly more likely to be compulsorily hierarchical structures? That appears to still appropriating liberalism, a fascinating admitted than White British patients, as be a work in progress. technique that was pioneered in the 90s… were Black African patients’. So what is appropriating a seemingly liberal going on? Fearon et al. (2006) don’t get I Blue/Orange is on at the Young Vic until argument… that a person should be free; beyond ‘additional risk factors… (which) 2 July (see www.youngvic.org/whats-on/blue- [appropriating liberalism] for the sake of increase risk for schizophrenia and mania orange) expediency, the rationalisation, cost in these groups’. In 2015 Tortelli et al. Reviewed by Dr Sally Marlow who is Public cutting…. it seemed like an appalling trick considered this and other evidence in Engagement Fellow at the Institute of to me.’ a systematic review, and listed several Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, If Robert’s arguments ever were potential candidates for these elusive King’s College London reasonable, they are demolished the more ‘factors’, offering up for discussion (but we see how unwell Christopher is, and the broadly discounting) cannabis use, social References more Robert alludes to the cost of keeping deprivation, population density, and Bughra, D., Hilwig, M., Hossein, B. et al. (1996). First him in hospital. This is where the inequality as increasing risk for psychotic contact incidence rates of schizophrenia in Trinidad Blue/Orange comes in. Christopher thinks disorders in black and minority ethnic and one-year follow-up. British Journal of Psychiatry, 169, 587–592. that oranges are blue, even though he groups, landing on cumulative social Fearon, P., Kirkbride, J.B., Morgan, C. et al. (2006). knows on some level that they are not. disadvantage and adverse life events Incidence of schizophrenia and other psychoses in Idi Amin also makes his entrance here. in childhood. These appear to be more ethnic minority groups. Psychological Medicine, Christopher discloses that he is the son of prevalent in black Caribbean and African 36(11), 1541–1550. the Ugandan dictator, but is increasingly communities in England, and present an Hickling, F.W. & Rodgers-Johnson, P. (1995). The uneasy. His determination to go home increased risk for schizophrenia. Morgan incidence of first contact schizophrenia in Jamaica. wavers, and he tries to find a way to ask to et al. (2005) similarly attribute their findings British Journal of Psychiatry, 167, 193–196. stay. Robert however is having none of it. on compulsory admission to ‘factors’. They Mahy, G.E., Mallett, R., Leff, J. & Bughra, D. (1999). First-contact incidence-rate of schizophrenia in He has manipulated Bruce, is manipulating found that diagnosis and perceived risk are Barbados. British Journal of Psychiatry, 175, 28–33. Christopher, and has manipulated the independently associated with compulsory Morgan, C., Mallett, R., Hutchinson, G. et al. (2005). audience. Dr Demjaha pointed out to me admission, but neither of these could Pathways to care and ethnicity. 1: Sample that Robert himself becomes almost as actually account for the excess rates of characteristics and compulsory admission. British delusional as his patient – delusional about compulsory admissions. Social isolation Journal of Psychiatry, 186(4), 281–289. his position, and delusional with the accounted for only a small proportion of the Tortelli, A., Errazuriz, A., Croudace, T. et al. (2015). increasingly florid arguments he concocts to variance, as did the pathway to care, in other Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders in prove that he is right about Christopher, and words, how the patient had been referred to Caribbean-born migrants and their descendants in England. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric that Bruce is wrong. Penhall says however services. Morgan et al. (2005) state up front Epidemiology, 50(7), 1039–1055.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 573 reviews

Integrity and sensitivity Louis Theroux – A Different Brain Jamie Pickup (Director)

When I was first asked by our Communications Team if I would be willing to collaborate with BBC Two on a programme about brain injury I was unsure. On the one hand, the true impact of brain injury, which is often referred to as a ‘hidden disability’, is only ever fully experienced by those involved, so the idea of a documentary to help promote awareness and understanding of the real-life struggles of those affected seemed an opportunity too good to miss. On the other hand, the presenter was to be Louis Theroux. I had always enjoyed his weird and wonderful documentaries, but his choice of subject matter had ranged from ‘The Most Hated Family in America’ to sex workers in a brothel in Nevada. I was not sure if I felt happy allowing him access to the vulnerable adults with gain the consent of those to be filmed. whom I work on a daily basis. Having Louis at the centre created a great deal of excitement, The series producer quickly reassured me. He explained about and I was impressed at the ease with which he spoke to service Louis’ more recent work around dementia, transgender children and users and was happy with the ever requested ‘selfie’. subjects that involve complex human dilemmas. He also said that Initially the crew filmed various activities with a range of people, although final editorial control would rest with the BBC, The Brain but over time they began to narrow their focus to a few individuals to Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) would be able to veto anything if we allow their stories to be told and to present the complexity of their had a valid concern regarding the integrity of the Trust or privacy of lives following brain injury and the impact this had on their families. an individual. As a result, it was important to manage the expectations of those With the support of BIRT’s Communications Manager, we invited who had been interviewed but would not be part of the final the producer and an assistant to come to our Halloween party at documentary. Redford Court in Liverpool. This was a good opportunity for them Louis and the crew were always accompanied by a member of to meet the people we support and their families in an informal our clinical team and we were all impressed by the integrity and setting, and for us to assess their reaction to the idea of being part sensitivity they showed and how they managed a number of of a documentary. I was delighted with the interest they expressed. emotionally charged situations. It was clear that they saw a value in telling their stories so that Six months and over 70 hours of filming later, I was delighted at others might understand the challenge of changes after brain injury. the result, a thought-provoking and honest documentary that will Over several weeks the production team visited Redford Court raise awareness of the issues surrounding brain injury and the role and followed the everyday life of the centre; sitting in on reviews, psychology has to play in the rehabilitation process. attending assessments of new referrals and going out on rehabilitation activities. Once it was decided that BIRT would be I By Ivan M. Pitman who is Clinical Lead/Consultant Clinical involved, a great deal of effort was taken to assess capacity and Neuropsychologist at the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust

Full of facts The Science Inside the Child: The Story of What Happens When We’re Growing Up Sara Meadows

When it comes to children, I am psychoneuroendocrinology wondering ‘And…? So what? How a bit of a brain geek. Working out to epidemiology and beyond. do I apply this?’ how children think and what A commitment to scientific The result is a book packed wires their brains together is method runs throughout this full of facts in epic taster what fires me up in the morning. book and Meadows’ rigorous chapters on neuroscience, So this book ought to have been examination of the evidence base evolution and psychology, which my ideal gift. is welcome in a field where so I can see myself referring back to And it is a truly admirable many so-called ‘parenting for memory refreshers and book. Sara Meadows sets out to experts’ base theories of bringing starting points, but in which there summarise everything that up children on anecdote and is simply too much science and science currently tells us about subjective experience. not enough story. how children develop. But all that science makes Encyclopaedic in scope, each a tough read. Meadows is clear science into policy I Routledge; 2016; Pb £19.99 chapter examines the science of from the outset that this is not recommendations or practical Reviewed by Anita Cleare who children from a different angle – a parenting manual and explicitly advice. But the lack of is a parenting writer, speaker from genetics to sets out not to translate the interpretation left me constantly and coach

574 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 reviews

So what shall we do today? And why it matters Academic Diary Les Back

Readers can forget the academic diary three academic terms), there are notion. The subtitle – Or Why Higher commentaries on issues such as Education Still Matters – is more important. preparing for open days and Les Back’s book contains over 50 short page welcome weeks, the new year’s commentaries on topics relevant to higher honours list, public libraries, prison education today. The diary device may be education, student fees, the social useful for some topics, but it is not etiquette of conferencing, academic important and it seems odd to start with writing, the viva, the value of graduation. I have never met Les Back, and I personal notebooks, Twitter, and the am not sure that I would want to. With one double-think of open access, to stroke he could probably demolish any views name but a dozen of the 52 entries. that I might have on higher education. Mixed in with daily vignettes are Actually this is unfair – we would probably insightful comments on the contributions of be published by Goldsmiths Press – a new both have a fascinating discussion as we key figures: Stuart Hall, Richard Hoggart, venture at Goldsmiths University. It is good have been in higher education for more John Berger, Primo Levy, Zygmunt Bauman, to see a new university press in this time of years than we would care to remember. Vic Seidler, etc., as well as those of other austerity. If all its books are like this one it Back’s book is a powerful criticism of less well-known authors, and students. will do well. modern university life, but there are Back concludes with a section on how the sometimes gentler words about its aims, its book came to be written and a useful set of I Goldsmiths Press; 2016; Pb.£9.99 staff, its students, and even its tips, leads and follow-ups. An author index Reviewed by James Hartley who is administrators! might have been helpful here. Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Keele Written in three parts (to match the This Academic Diary is the first book to University

Adding it to my reading list The Psychology Research Companion Jessica S. Horst

The Psychology Research Companion is just what I’ve I give students advice similar to that outlined in this book been looking for to support my research methods skills on a daily basis. I am now able to offer a page reference in teaching for master’s students. This book goes beyond this book for students to follow up. I will be adding this book the usual textbook research methods textbooks by to my reading list for my students as part of their outlining and clearly explaining the skills that professional skills development within their research researchers need in order to succeed in research, such as: methods training. collaboration, time management, data organisation, managing IT, presentation and writing tips. The advice provided goes beyond the I Routledge; 2016; Pb £19.99 generic and is specific to the research process. For example, advice Reviewed by Laura Biggart who is a Lecturer in Psychology in the on how to get an email answered and using mail merge as part of School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich the participant recruitment provides a level of detail often missing in standard texts. In another example, in the section on Excel, Jessica provides many tips for simple checks for data, such as for checking whether values are above or below a certain cut-off count: Find more online, including artist Toby Brown on his portraits of IF(D2:D21, “>10”). mental health problems (www.thepsychologist.org.uk/me-eyes- There is an abundance of excellent advice on organising tell-story).

files and folders. I often spend a lot of time with project students contribute unpicking a tangle of files types all labelled ‘dissertation’, some ‘Reviews’ covers psychology in all forms of media and beyond. of which are chapters, some are questionnaires, some are stimuli So if you have seen or heard anything psychological recently – information, other files are data, others are raw data. There is a TV, radio, play, film, exhibition, podcast, a useful website, etc. – whole chapter called ‘all in a day’s work’ devoted to organising data and information from storing journal articles to tracking participants get in touch. E-mail the editor on [email protected] or tweet and managing their data, all of which is invaluable for students @psychmag. managing their research projects. Another important feature of the book is that these skills For a full list of books available for review and information on are explicitly shown how they are transferrable to other forms of reviewing for The Psychologist, see www.bps.org.uk/books employment. If ‘employability’ is a term you hear in your teaching environment, this book fits the bill by translating the research skills Send books for potential review to The Psychologist, learned from psychology degrees into many employment 48 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7DR competencies expected from employers.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 575 The only BPS Textbooks series to be approved by the in Psychology BRITISH No other series bears the BPS seal of approval PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Refreshingly written to consider more than Northern American   









  
 







  


 

 





 
 
 
 
 
  


 

 

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576 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 Take part in 1 of 3 full day workshops on Wednesday 19th October Workshop 1: Psychotherapy and the Integration of Mind 5th International Conference Presented by Prof Dan Siegel & Compassion: Integrating Body, Prof Paul Gilbert The human mind evolved to be capable Mind & Culture of a complex and multifaceted range of motives and emotions that serve a variety Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the of different functions. Compassionate Mind Foundation The integration and coordination of this complex mind can be challenging. 19th-21st October 2016 In this workshop Professors Dan Siegel and Paul Gilbert will discuss Mercure Manchester Piccadilly, Portland Street, Manchester M1 4PH the issue of integration as a key focus Take part in one of 3 workshops on Wednesday 19th October: for psychotherapy. Participants will Compassion & the Integration of Mind: Prof Daniel Siegel & Prof Paul Gilbert be introduced to key concepts of Compassion Focused Therapy for Trauma: Dr Deborah Lee psychological integration linking to Prof Compassion Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders: Dr Ken Goss Dan Siegel’s recent work on the nature of Join us on Thursday 20th & Friday 21st October for a range of symposia, mind and Prof Paul Gilbert’s concepts of keynotes & poster presentations with speakers including compassion as an integrating process. Prof Thomas Schroder, Prof Jeremy Holmes, Dr Allison Kelly, Dr Alan Book your workshop place using the Watkins, Dr Chris Irons & Dr Mary Welford. website link below.

For full conference details and to book your place please visit www.compassionatemind.co.uk/conference

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 577 but eventually Conrad won through and found himself in the Psychology Department in Cambridge, with a whole cohort of ex-servicemen, including Donald Broadbent, Malcolm Piercy and Christopher Poulton. Quality and longevity Conrad’s path to a research career was not straightforward. He had done an Dorothy Bishop celebrates the career of one of her academic heroes, as he undergraduate project with Bartlett that LOOKING BACK LOOKING reaches 100 had worked out well, and Bartlett had offered him a job at the MRC Applied Psychology Unit on the strength of it. However, when Conrad’s final examination results came out, they were euben Conrad, like Inspector value of such an approach – his work so bad that he felt he should write to Morse, was never known by his on decay and confusions in short-term Bartlett suggesting he was free to Rfirst name. To his colleagues he memory, and on inner speech in the deaf, withdraw the job offer. Fortunately for has always been just Conrad. He has long is still cited today. Conrad, Bartlett would hear nothing of been one of my academic heroes, and it is Conrad went up to University College this, and so Conrad was launched on a a great pleasure to have this opportunity London in 1938, when psychology was a career at the APU. to celebrate his long and distinguished new subsidiary subject that was generally Conrad’s PhD viva was another career as he reaches the grand old age of regarded as an easy option. He tells how unedifying experience. He had the strong 100. When he was a mere stripling of 89, he was completely hooked on psychology impression that neither of his examiners Conrad was one of the first people to be by Cyril Burt, who gave vivid and (Alan Welford and James Drever) had interviewed for the Oral History Project dramatic lectures, at one point arriving actually read the thesis, and he was so of the British Psychological Society, by with a chimpanzee that he had borrowed discouraged by their lack of interest that Evelyn Fenton, and it was a delight to from London Zoo. Conrad could not he turned away from the topic – how be able to listen to his tales of life as a remember what point Burt was trying people allocate their attention to psychologist after demobilisation in 1946. to illustrate, but he remembered the simultaneously perform several time- Those tapes presented a vivid picture chimpanzee. In 1939 at the outbreak dependent tasks, and moved on to study of life as a research psychologist in the of war, the UCL memory. second half of the last century – a life Psychology The Unit had originally remarkably different to that of today. Department was been housed in the Many changes are for the better: for evacuated to “The fact that we have one Psychology Department, a start there was a startling lack of women Aberystwyth, where of the most memorable but was eventually in the psychological world that Conrad Conrad remembers a postcode systems in the relocated to its current inhabited. He would hardly recognise the handful of students world is largely down to premises – a large house profession as it is today, where women enjoying Burt’s Conrad” in leafy Chaucer Road equal or outnumber men in most engaging seminars as about a mile from the city subdisciplines. There was also a lack they walked along the centre. There’s a story that of professionalism, which provided promenade. But the war endured and so Norman Mackworth, the new Director opportunities for an ‘old boy network’ to young men were having to join the Army. after Bartlett, saw the house on the ensure that jobs and opportunities were Conrad was all set to be shipped off to market, decided it was perfect for his given to the ‘right sort’ of person, with a India as an anti-tank gunner, when he was Unit, made an offer on it, and then wrote handful of powerful figures able to make told that Burt had asked that he should go to MRC Head Office to tell them they or break careers without any and work with him in the War Office. But would have to pay for it. And they agreed. accountability. Teaching appears to have Burt subsequently fell out with the War It proved to be a wise investment: the been haphazard – often, in the circles in Office, and Conrad found himself back accommodation was pleasant and allowed UCL and Cambridge where Conrad in the Army, where he ended up with no the Unit to expand to become one of the trained, inspirational, but at other times degree but considerable expertise in major centres of psychological research in inadequate. artillery. the UK. But while musing on how things had When the war ended, he wanted A marked feature of Conrad’s research changed, I also had a sense of nostalgia to complete his interrupted degree, but was that he wanted to do things that for an academic environment that could realised he was much more interested in would be useful, and in particular to foster someone like Conrad. I wonder if occupational psychology than in Burt’s apply psychology to problems confronted he would have survived as a researcher in favourite topic, factor analysis. He realised by civilian workers. He was never all that the modern age, where success hinges on that Cambridge would be the ideal place interested in theory unless it could help publications in ‘high impact’ journals and for him, but he had to persuade them to him understand everyday problems. The grant income. Conrad is the opposite of give him a place as a mature student. APU had a long tradition of doing flashy and self-promoting: during his time Frederick Bartlett, whom Conrad research on naval ratings, but Conrad as a researcher, he was far more interested described as excessively talkative, and wanted to look at how human factors in solving practical problems than in intimidating – ‘thin and willowy, like influenced people working in settings making major theoretical advances. He a spiral going up into the stratosphere’ such as factories. For a long time he would take time to get things right, rather – was prepared to give him a place, found this pursuit difficult: he made slow than rushing out results. The quality and provided he could find a college who progress, did not publish much and felt it longevity of his work demonstrates the would accept him. That was not easy, was rather a lonely theme to be working

578 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 looking back on. A breakthrough came when he got the death of his wife. By this time he Larry Weiskrantz, then head of the together with a small group of like- was deputy director of the Unit, but this Experimental Psychology Department in minded people to found the Ergonomics tragedy devastated him and made him Oxford, suggested he relocate there. This Society, and met a man who was a lose all interest in his research. After six was a good decision – not only did it get consultant to the Post Office. He months, he felt he had to get away from Conrad away from Cambridge, with its introduced Conrad to the administrators Cambridge and change what he was sad memories, it also was geographically there, and he persuaded them that they doing. Conrad had a boat moored in the far more suitable for a project that could benefit from psychology. For middle of a river on an east coast estuary involved seeing children from all over the instance, if a telephone keypad was and he decided to go and stay there until country. One thing Conrad was clear designed in an optimal way, there would he had worked out what to do with his about: he would need a very large sample, be fewer misdialled numbers, which life. He described the experience of going because there were many variables that could lead to a substantial saving for the through a set of options and seeing if any could affect results. He decided that with Post Office. Similarly, with postcodes: of them rang a bell in his head. He found his dedicated team his goal would be to what was needed was a code that could that the idea of working with children test every deaf school leaver in the accommodate three million addresses, to elicited a faint tinkling, and helping country. facilitate automated sorting of letters, but people with handicaps produced a loud It is the body of resulting work, it had to be easy to use, or people would clang. He had the sudden insight that all published in 1979 as a book The Deaf just not use it. The UK postcode system the work he had done on acoustic School Child, which first made me aware was the result of masses of experiments processing in memory was enormously of Conrad’s seminal contribution. It was that confirmed that what worked best was relevant: if internal acoustics are very clearly written, and almost like a a code that included a letter part that had important for memory, what happens if novel in taking the reader through the a clear relationship to the place different aspects of the study. It was name, followed by a series of also a beautiful piece of applied digits and letters that specified psychology, using insights from the precise address, with letter studies of short-term memory to and digits in a standardised design tasks for deaf children that place. Because in a sequence would probe ‘what was going on in digits are easier to recall than their heads’, as Conrad put it in his letters, they were put in the interview. When he found out, he middle of the code, and hard-to- was horrified at the mismatch recall consonants went at the between how deaf children easier far end. The fact that we processed information and how they have one of the most memorable were educated. The UK at that time postcode systems in the world is was in the grip of ‘oralism’ – the largely down to Conrad. idea that deaf children should learn Although Conrad was not to speak with the help of hearing trying to develop theory, findings aids and lip-reading. Sign language of theoretical importance forced was banned because it was thought themselves upon his attention. it would interfere with the He had previously noticed that acquisition of oral language. Conrad when people were asked to debunked all of these ideas. He remember a series of letters, they showed that oralism simply did not tended to confuse certain letters, work, but that instead of ‘inner like D and T and E. Conrad speech’, deaf children could use ‘inner initially thought that this was sign’. Thus by depriving deaf children of due to poor equipment: the memory lists you are deaf and don’t have internal the opportunity to sign, teachers were were played to experimental subjects over acoustics? Conrad emerged from his hindering rather than helping their a tape-recorder, and it was assumed that cabin after a week and went to talk to education. It took years, but people did poor acoustic quality was responsible for Sir Harold Himsworth, then head of the eventually listen. Many younger teachers the errors. However, in the 1960s Conrad Medical Research Council and described were very ready to act on his message: it took a sabbatical at Ann Arbor where his idea. What happened next would was the old establishment who had been there was a much higher level of astound anyone used to current promoting oralism for years who resisted. computational and technical procedures for grant applications. ‘Give But ultimately, they could not hold out sophistication, and he returned with me half a page of paper describing your against the overwhelming evidence a piece of equipment that enabled him plans,’ he was told. He did so, and the produced by Conrad: if you want to teach to test memory in groups of subjects by plan was approved. a profoundly deaf child, you need to do presenting letter series in a visual array. Conrad could be regarded as the so in a medium they can access. Conrad To his great surprise, the error patterns father of ‘slow science’, because having is a quiet and unassuming man, but when were just like he had observed when determined what he wanted to do, he describing this part of his life, he says people were listening to letter lists. This realised he needed to find out much with justifiable pride: ‘We really did turn led to the insight that verbal information more about deaf children. He got himself the thing around.’ is encoded into an acoustic form in seconded to the Ear, Nose and Throat memory regardless of whether it is Hospital in London where he taught some I Dorothy Bishop is Professor of received visually or acoustically. psychology while learning about deafness. Developmental Neuropsychology at the Conrad’s career took a dramatic turn After about three years, he was ready University of Oxford in 1968 when he was greatly affected by to start a major project, and his friend [email protected]

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 579 ocean, friendly people and a Ward by Margaret Gibson). It’s national sport, cricket, which a comedy built around two … with Professor Dame Til Wykes is a played only by women. roommates – an aspiring drag queen and a young woman One inspiration with a diagnosis of ‘Feistiness in the Mums can be scientists! schizophrenia. It tells of their

ONE ON Knowing inspirational (and problems and successes as normal) ‘Women in Science’ is they make their way in a face of a challenge’ a real support as I sit in rooms world full of discrimination. full of grey suits. So hats off to Craig Russell’s performances Sally Davies, Athene Donald as Joan Crawford and Barbara and Jane Wardle – all of whom Streisand are truly memorable. did their bit to show what is There’s no ‘happily ever after’ possible and have achieved ending, but there is hope that One album For example, in cancer, for important things for society. these personal journeys will After considering jiggling every £1 the government produce fulfilling lives despite round to Tamla Motown, spends on research, charities One reason you became all the bumps in the road. chilling with Mozart and add another £2.75, but in a psychologist being uplifted by Tracy mental health, charities add I wasn’t tall enough to reach One paper Chapman I have plumped for only 0.3p. We are not short of the books on architecture or Jerome Frank’s 1974 paper Stop Making Sense, by Talking questions from scientists, the accountancy. on the restoration of morale Heads. This album reminds public and people with mental as the sole aim of any me of a crowded bus over the health problems. We just need psychotherapy. Effectively Andes with my two children, the resources to answer them. what Frank was saying is aged four and five, singing But all is not gloomy. that we are all just second- ‘Life During Wartime’. The People are speaking up in hand car salesmen flogging resonance of life under gunfire Parliament and in the media. one paradigm or another to is not lost, especially with the The BBC have been active in produce the same outcome current Syrian crisis. getting information to the – improved morale. He public in their drama and suggests that therapists One pressing concern documentaries (e.g. should master as many For years UK mental health EastEnders, Professor Green models as possible and then services budgets were raided on suicide), demystifying and match their approach to to shore up acute care. highlighting the problems the individual before them. Promised investment is always encountered by people with This was written way before jam tomorrow or recycled jam mental health difficulties. the current enthusiasm for and never closes the gap on personalised therapies. a service under increasing One holiday destination I have often wondered if it pressure. People with mental Despite swimming with the would be possible to carry health problems are so often seals in the Galapagos, out a trial where different not heard or are silenced by watching the sunset in the case formulations were thoughts of the discrimination Caribbean, breathing in the One proud moment randomly assigned to clients they might face if they do views from the Himalayas or Defying the odds to become to see if there are any speak out. Parity of mental freezing with the Northern a Dame. The predictive factors differences. The outcome and physical health seems Lights, I will plump for Île- for getting a knighthood are would really depend on the impossible even in research. des-Pins, New Caledonia: a a private education, Oxbridge therapist’s selling ability. But it small island in the Southeast degree and being a man. So is probably (not definitely) Pacific. It has a strong coming from a working-class unethical. Professor Dame Til Melanesian culture without background, living in a Wykes large hotels or the frippery council house for most of my One secret for success is Professor of Clinical of mass tourism – perhaps early life, state educated and Patience and persistence – Psychology and because it is so hard to reach. the only one of my generation I ran a campaign to provide Rehabilitation at King’s On my return visit after 15 to go to university didn’t boost a National Statutory Minimum College London years it still has talcum my chances for club Wage, mainly to persuade [email protected] powder sand, a bright blue membership. There must be trade unions. Even after it some ‘resilience factors’ and became Labour Party policy, they are probably an irritation it took another 18 years to be with a slow pace of change, enacted. Boy, was that a day Psychobiography, heroes and villains, and much more... feistiness in the face of for celebration! Persistence is I Contribute: reach 50,000 colleagues, with something to suit all. See challenge, and strong family also vital if you want to be an www.thepsychologist.org.uk/contribute or talk to the editor, Dr Jon support. academic – grants do not come Sutton, on [email protected], +44 116 252 9573 easily, papers are rejected. You One film just need to keep trying. coming soon coming I Comment: email the editor, the Leicester office, or tweet @psychmag. I To advertise: Reach a large and professional audience at bargain Outrageous (Canadian Film, rates: see details on inside front cover. Director Richard Benner, More answers online at 1977, based on The Butterfly www.thepsychologist.org.uk

580 vol 29 no 7 july 2016 President Find out more online Professor Peter Kinderman President Elect at… www.bps.org.uk Nicola Gale Vice President Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes

Honorary General Secretary Dr Carole Allan

Honorary Treasurer Professor Ray Miller

Chair, Membership and Standards Board Dr Mark Forshaw

Chair, Education and Public Engagement Board Dr Carl Senior

Chair, Research Board Professor Daryl O’Connor

Chair, Professional Practice Board Dr Ian Gargan

The Society has offices in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow and London, as well as the main SOCIETY NOTICES office in Leicester. All enquiries should be addressed Postdoctoral Conference Bursary Scheme – call for applications See p.516 to the Leicester office (see PPB Lifetime Achievement Award – call for nominations See p.518 inside front cover for address). Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in Practice – call for nominations See p.532 BPS Annual Conference, Brighton, 3–5 May 2017 See p.i The British Psychological Psychology4Students/Psychology4Graduates 2016 See p.iv Society Technical Support in Psychological Teaching Award – call for nominations See p.535 was founded in 1901, and Technical Support in Psychological Research Award – call for nominations See p.535 incorporated by Royal Charter DCP Faculty for Children, Young People and Their Families Annual Conference, Sheffield, in 1965. Its object is ‘to 4–5 October 2016 See p.535 promote the advancement and Psychology in the Pub (South West of England Branch) See p.541 diffusion of a knowledge of Award for Promoting Equality of Opportunity – call for nominations See p.546 psychology pure and applied PPB Practitioner of the Year Award – call for nominations See p.546 and especially to promote the Division of Clinical Psychology Annual Conference, Liverpool, 18–20 June 2017 See p.553 efficiency and usefulness of CPD workshops 2016 See p.558 Members of the Society by BPS conferences and events See p.559 setting up a high standard of Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference, Belfast, 14–16 September 2016 See p.559 professional education and Crisis, Disaster and Trauma Psychology Section Conference ‘Working with Refugees – knowledge’. What We Need to Know’ and AGM, London, 9 September 2016 See p.560 Extract from The Charter