the psychologist vol 28 no 12 december 2015 www.thepsychologist.org.uk

A matter of life and death Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson on psychologists’ role in helping people with Advance Decisions

letters 950 giving a voice to people with dementia 976 news 960 the uncensored truth about morality 982 careers 1012 attachment – beyond the interpersonal 986 looking back 1028 interview: Gerd Gigerenzer 994 Contact The British Psychological Society the psychologist... St Andrews House 48 Princess Road East ...features Leicester LE1 7DR 0116 254 9568 [email protected] www.bps.org.uk

The Psychologist www.thepsychologist.org.uk A matter of life and death www.psychapp.co.uk 972 [email protected] Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson argue there’s a role for psychologists in helping tinyurl.com/thepsychomag people with their Advance Decisions

@psychmag Giving a voice to people with severe dementia 976 Amanda Henwood and Maggie Ellis on Advertising ‘Adaptive Interaction’ Reach 50,000 psychologists at very reasonable rates. The uncensored truth about morality Display Aaron Hinchcliffe 982 020 7880 7661 972 Chelsea Schein, Amelia Goranson and Kurt Gray [email protected] consider why immoral acts always seem to be Recruitment (in print and online those that cause harm – especially to children at www.psychapp.co.uk) Giorgio Romano 020 7880 7556 Attachment – beyond interpersonal [email protected] relationships 986 Antigonos Sochos considers whether a familiar November issue concept can be extended to social groups, 55,364 dispatched ideological systems and social institutions Printed by New voices: Can we be scientific about Warners Midlands plc on 100 per cent recycled science education? 992 paper. Please re-use or recycle. Zayba Ghazali with the latest in our series for budding writers ISSN 0952-8229 976 ...digests Cover Tim Sanders thinking in metaphors; that dress; sexist packaging; www.timonline.info iffy practices; and more from our free Research Digest (see www.researchdigest.org.uk/blog) 966 © Copyright for all published material is 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, Adrian Needs, trace the copyright holders of all Paul Redford, Sophie Scott, Mark Wetherell, Jill Wilkinson illustrations. If we have unwittingly Conferences Alana James History of Psychology Matt Connolly 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 the psychologist vol 28 no 12 december 2015

the issue ...debates ‘Do you risk being dead when you’d rather have been alive, or alive when letters 950 you’d rather have been dead?’ These the Human Genome Project; volunteering; alien abduction; men; Jeb Bush; words, in an e-mail to me from Celia reward systems in classrooms; obituaries; and more Kitzinger, cut straight to the heart of an issue of personal significance: ...reports Celia’s sister, Polly, was kept alive in a vegetative and then minimally news 960 conscious state, from which she has new Antimicrobial Resistance Champion; Hubbub investigate rest; Antarctic emerged to full consciousness but challenge; gender and science subjects; Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction; profound physical and neurological new play research centre in Cambridge; and more disabilities. Celia and Sue Wilkinson now raise awareness of ‘Advance society 996 Decisions’: if you might want to President’s column; book awards; new Sections; stories in clinical psychology refuse treatments in advance of losing the capacity to do so, you can ...meets write a legally binding document. My conversations with Celia and interview 994 Sue prompted much personal Gerd Gigerenzer Lance Workman meets , Director of the Max Planck Institute for reflection, and they offered to help Human Development and the Harding Center for Risk Literacy in Berlin me write my own Advance Decision. careers 1012 A draft accompanies the online we meet Chartered Psychologist and financial adviser Kim Stephenson; version of their article: I welcome talk community psychology with Maggie Peake; and Emma Nielsen and your feedback. Is it unethical for me Kavita Solder remove the ‘clinical’ blinkers and experience the career peaks to make such calls on behalf of my and troughs together future self? We hope this article contributes to that debate, but I’m one on one 1032 convinced there’s a sea change: Marcus Munafò with , Professor of Biological Psychology at the University people are increasingly demanding of Bristol control over their own bodies, brains ...reviews and, ultimately, their destinies. Dr Jon Sutton A Little Life; Ai Weiwei exhibition; Managing Editor @psychmag Mental – the vacuum cleaner; How to Be Happy; Love and Mercy; Robert Newman’s The Brain Show; and more 1022 1022 ...looks back Madness from the outside in 1028 Gail A. Hornstein considers artistic depictions of insanity

Three years ago Go to www.thepsychologist.org.uk The Psychologist and Digest for our archive, Editorial Advisory Committee including a special Big picture centre-page pull-out Catherine Loveday (Chair), Phil Banyard, issue – the five Psychologist and medical doctor Emma Beard, Olivia Craig, Helen Galliard, senses and Jennie Jewitt-Harris uses drawing, Harriet Gross, Rowena Hill, Stephen beyond collage, and 3D stereo photography McGlynn, Peter Olusoga, Peter Wright to consider the psychology relating to how our memories and opinions are shaped

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk Not in your genes LETTERS

What would lead to acceptance of the null hypothesis of the Human Genome Project as regards psychological traits? The hypothesis of the Human Genome Project (HGP) was that differences in DNA sequences would significantly explain why one individual is more likely to possess a trait than another. This has been proven to be true for some physical differences, such as anatomical ones, like height. But, so far, there are no psychological traits – none at all – which have been shown to be significantly influenced by specific variations in DNA (James, 2016). Robert Plomin, the most widely cited authority in this field in the UK, told the Guardian newspaper in 2014 that, as regards psychological traits, ‘I have been looking for these genes for fifteen years and I don’t have any’ (Wilby, 2014). Genome Wide Association (GWA) studies have scanned up to a million sites on the individual genomes of tens of thousands of subjects. Whilst some variant DNA sequences have been established as associated with specific traits and in some cases that has been replicated, they provide negligible heritability: when the effect of the variants is summed all together, they produce heritability estimates of only 1–5 per cent (James, 2014, 2016). It seems highly probable that GWA studies will find no significant role for genes. The only other approach which still holds out hope that DNA directly effects individual differences in psychological traits are gene–environment interaction studies of candidate genes. Studies of epigenetics, junk genes or Genome Wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) do not test the HGP hypothesis because they do not link specific DNA sequences to any specific trait outcomes (James, 2014). Although there have been some promising results in gene- environment studies (Belsky et al., 2009; Rutter, 2014), there and those of twin studies was labelled Missing Heritability have been a great many non-replications. Of 103 (Manolio et al., 2009). The evidence is increasingly suggesting gene–environment studies of candidate genes conducted between the heritability is not missing; it is non-existent. 2000 and 2009, only 27 per cent of attempts to replicate proved There have always been grave doubts about the robustness of positive (Duncan & Keller, 2013). When the direct impact of the twin method (Joseph, 2015; James, 2016). It is possible that candidate genes for a variety of traits was reviewed in 100 GWA twin studies will turn out to have been conflating supposedly studies, very little effect was identified (Siontis, et al., 2010). high heritability with shared environmental factors. THISE It is quite possible that the gene–environment hypothesis will analysis – Twin Studies’ ‘Heritability’ Is Shared Environment – never be supported, or only be shown to have a minor influence proposes that twin study heritability findings really indicate that on psychological outcomes. for this trait, parents treat their children more similarly (James, At first, when the HGP had consistently found trivial or 2014). A great deal of what has been assumed to be genetic nonexistent heritabilities, the large gulf between those findings influence could be the consequence of identical twins being

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950 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 letters T IM S ANDERS Money on my mind The future generation of than male graduates, and clinical psychologists is graduates from more treated more similarly than non- perhaps more acutely aware prestigious universities earn identical twins: the obvious of austerity’s effect on career more than graduates from less implication of the HGP findings aspirations than ever before: elitist universities. Over four is that the equal environments ‘Graduates told “work for fifths of UK graduate assumption is false, a proposition free” for a year if you want employers are offering paid which already had considerable to be employed by the work experience and work evidence to support it before the NHS’ (The Mirror: programmes for students and HGP (Joseph, 2015). tinyurl.com/o9pjwmm). The recent graduates (13,049 paid At the end of the newspaper article tells us this ‘news’ is work placements being interview with Robert Plomin he a ‘shocking indictment’ of the available). was asked what he would conclude pressures being placed by the These figures do not if the genes he is looking for are Tory government. Be this as compare favourably with never found. Plomin replied: ‘I will it may, the expectation that what’s on offer for graduates still believe that [genetic] psychology graduates work in our profession. Are we heritability is true’. This sounds voluntarily is nothing new. undermining the value of more like faith than science. Whilst My heart sinks, listening psychology by working for it is impossible to prove a negative, to a recent graduate, eager nothing, and, according to one what will be regarded as sufficient to gain yet more voluntary university’s FAQs: ‘Is evidence that the null hypothesis of experience, which she finances volunteering worth doing? the HGP should be accepted? It by doing a carer’s shifts. She Yes, firstly it’s a nice thing to behoves the likes of Plomin to tell wants to become a clinical do and… it will help support us. psychologist but it’s so your application’ (see In the meantime, the practice competitive. She sighs. tinyurl.com/ofmwfxd). of beginning scientific articles with Psychology continues to Sure, but why are we the assertion that such traits as be one of the most popular expected to transcend the intelligence, ADHD and undergraduate subjects. The materiality of the economic schizophrenia are ‘highly heritable’, majority of students are and political world and based purely on studies of twins or female. We find the same adoptees, should be ended. This feminisation trend in assertion is simply no longer tenable in clinical psychology the light of the HGP findings. training: 83 per cent of Similarly, undergraduate and secondary education courses accepted applications should cease teaching that any psychological traits are ‘highly’ are women (see heritable. At the very least, it should be explained that the tinyurl.com/olsjl53). HGP findings pose a major challenge to that claim. Examining the career Oliver James CPsychol attraction of female The Bowlby Centre trainee clinical psychologists, Baker and References Nash (2013) identified Belsky, J, Jonassaint, C., Pluess, M. et al. (2009). Vulnerability genes or plasticity themes, such as ‘making genes? Molecular Psychiatry, 14, 746–754. a difference’, ‘idealising Duncan, L.E. & Keller, M.C. (2011). A critical review of the first 10 years of candidate a challenge’, and gene-by-environment interaction research in psychiatry. American Journal of ‘identifying with distress’. Psychiatry, 168, 1041–1049. Important life goals were embrace poverty and James, O.W. (2014). Not in your genes: Time to accept the null hypothesis of the anticipated as sacrificed or inferiority? Is the reluctance Human Genome Project? Attachment: New Directions in Psychotherapy and postponed during training and to pay highly skilled Relational Psychoanalysis, 8, 281–296. some perceived NHS salaries professionals a subjugation of James, O.W. (2016). Not in your genes: The real reasons you’ re like you’ re parents. as demotivating. clinical psychology, associated London: Vermilion. Whilst graduate with the female, nurture and Joseph, J. (2015). The trouble with twins. London: Routledge. psychologists earn on average sacrifice? A socio-economic Manolio, T.A., Collins, F.S., Cox, N.J. et al. (2009). Finding the missing heritability of £20,667, the Graduate and politically driven complex diseases. Nature, 461(7265), 747–753. Market Report (see subjugation of women? Whilst Rutter, M. (2014). Commentary: G x E in child psychiatry and psychology: A tinyurl.com/qh3ygz8) known, has something in the broadening of the scope of enquiry as prompted by Munafò et al. (2014). Journal predicted a median graduate cycle of knowing been of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 55(10), 1102–1104. salary of £30,000 (e.g. forgotten? Is it wilful amnesia Siontis, K.C., Patsopoulos, N.A. & Ioannidis, J.P. (2010). Replication of past candidate investment banks paying and complacency or the work loci for common diseases and phenotypes in 100 genome-wide association £45,000; law firms £40,000). of a collective unconscious, studies. European Journal of Human Genetics, 18, 832–837. And whilst salary figures vary where socio-economic Wilby, P. (2014, 18 February). Psychologist on a mission to give every child a learning depending on the source and exploitative practices pass as chip. The Guardian. various other factors, there is natural? Today, the gender pay a trend that female earn less gap remains the clearest

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 951 letters

example of inequality. Female are willing to make and males Perhaps the idea of women in References managers earn 22 per cent less won’t, hence, the gender power still creates anxieties so Baker, M. & Nash, J. (2013). Women than their male counterparts disparity in (clinical) that volunteering becomes entering clinical psychology: Q-sort and, according to a report in psychologists? Mental health a place where unconscious narratives of career attraction of The Guardian earlier this services are shaped by men socio-economic gender battles female clinical psychology trainees year, ‘work for free’ for (Morison et al., 2014). Men are being politically acted out? in the UK. Clinical Psychology and nearly two hours a day continue to have the real It’s a complex issue – what are Psychotherapy, 20(3), 246–253. (tinyurl.com/ozqzmmf). Is socio-economic and political we going to do about it? Morison, L., Trigeoris, C. & John, M. ceasing to become an equal power in the UK. Money, Dr Susanne Vosmer (2014). Are mental health services partner in the economic whether we like it or not, goes Truro inherently feminised? The enterprise a sacrifice females hand-in-hand with power. Psychologist, 27(6), 414–416. A discourse of disbelief?

US clinical psychologist Dr Ellen therapists can potentially induce ‘false Lacter (who runs the website memories’. However, in their Extreme endritualabuse.org) warns mental Abuse Survey Becker et al. (2008) found health professionals not to dismiss that more than half of the individuals reports of persecution and responding had specific abuse memories unusual beliefs, since ‘some before commencing therapy. Proponents abusers program bizarre beliefs of the ‘Discourse of Disbelief’ tend to (e.g. alien abduction) in victims to ignore evidence that does not fit their make them feel non-credible and worldview, and dismiss out of hand any appear insane’ (Lacter & disclosures of extreme abuse (see Lehmann, 2008). It is therefore https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/rainer- disconcerting that Professor kurz/0/b14/4a0). Christopher French (‘Close As a volunteer advocate for sexual encounters of the psychological abuse victims I have been bearing witness kind’, October 2015) does not to disclosures of extreme abuse, toddler mention the possibility that rapes, missing babies and violent deaths. neglect, abuse and torture by I firmly believe that practising primary carers in the first five psychologists need to be sceptical of the years of a child’s life can sceptics and help unveil (rather than comprehensively account for the obfuscate) the truth about extreme abuse ‘findings’ he proffers. groups and their cancerous impact on Survivors of extreme abuse are society. bound to struggle with the DRM Psychologists need to be sceptical of the sceptics (Deese-Roediger-McDermott) ‘false Dr Rainer Hermann Kurz FBPsS memory’ procedure that French mentions, (2014) comprehensively debunk a lot of Science & Practice Convener of the BPS and naturally report more dissociative the ‘false memory’ claims that abound – Division of Occupational Psychology symptoms. The Somatoform Dissociations helping to claw back the territory Member of the BPS Committee on Test Questionnaire (SDQ) features items such originally marked out by Pierre Janet’s Standards as ‘I cannot see for a while (as if I am pioneering work on trauma a century ago. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/ blind)’ and ‘I cannot hear for a while (as Beliefs of having experienced alien Rainer_Kurz2 if I am deaf)’ (Van der Hart et al., 2006). contact without being actually able to Mental health professionals need to get to remember details fit the various extreme References grips with such disclosures and recognise child abuse scenarios described in Miller Becker, T., Karriker, W., Overkamp, B. & Rutz, C. (2008). them as indicators of likely neglect and/or (2012), where children are tortured to The extreme abuse surveys. In A. Sachs & G. abuse by primary carers in early ‘breaking-point’ and start splitting off Galton (Eds.) Forensic aspects of dissociative identity childhood. alters who carry sensory memories that disorder. London: Karnac Books. Then consider memory amnesia, one are not consciously processed and may Dorahy, M.J., Brand, B.L., Sar, V. et al. (2014): of the five key indicators of dissociative be gradually released years later when Dissociative identity disorder: An empirical identity disorder (formerly known as the brain considers it safe(er) to do so. overview. Australian & New Zealand Journal of multiple personality disorder). This can ‘Missing time’ experiences are typical Psychiatry, 48(5), 402–417. manifest itself in ‘lost time’, biographical when it comes to torture by extreme Lacter, E.P. & Lehmann, K. (2008). Guidelines to memory wipe-out and everyday memory abuse groups. And taking Professor differential diagnosis between schizophrenia and problems. The MMPI2 ‘faking bad’ scale French’s favoured explanation of sleep ritual abuse/mind control traumatic stress. In R. may be elevated when those with paralysis, a plausible causal account of Noblitt & P.P. Noblitt (Eds.) Ritual abuse in the 21st dissociative symptoms truthfully report this phenomenon suggests a dissociative century. Bandon: OR: Robert D. Reed. memory issues. Clients may express worry process that is closely linked to past Miller, A. (2012). Healing the unimaginable. London: about everyday memory issues, and cultural and personal experiences such as Karnac Books. poorer performance on memory task sexual abuse (see tinyurl.com/qzkmvaq). Van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E.R.S. & Steele K. (2006). would logically follow. Dorahy et al. Poor practices by over-zealous The haunted self. New York: Norton.

952 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 letters

Patient and professional NOTICEBOARD I used to have borderline personality oscillating between screaming and staring We are conducting a survey of psychosocial disorder, now I work as a psychological blindly into space. She was wonderful in specialists (e.g. psychologists, counsellors) wellbeing practitioner. At 18 my mental advocating and demanding help for me. about their work when clients have appearance health deteriorated significantly. Intense I was eventually offered DBT. or body-image concerns. emotions appeared seemingly out of I’ll always suffer from the after-effects The aim of the survey is to understand nowhere and kept me in a state of intense of being traumatised, but I found a great more about the psychosocial interventions and fear and hopelessness. I felt like my body sense of peace and mastery in sitting with support services which are currently delivered was about to explode and my terror and how I felt, allowing it to pass and not across Europe, in order that this information shame would kill me. To cope I would having to resort to self-destructing to could help to improve services in the future and self-harm or take overdoses, more an act cope. I faced my demons and learnt how to direct future European collaborative research of desperation in not knowing how to to soothe myself. I was able to manage in this field. A summary of the findings will be cope with my suffering and the empty my life without going from crisis to crisis. made available through the Appearance void in my chest that was somehow My suffering was significantly reduced. Matters COST website unbearably painful. The depths of the I am lucky to be in an IAPT service (www.appearancematters.eu). hopeless desperation are difficult to that offers excellent supervision and For further information and to take part convey in words. support. However, I am selective in who I (it takes about 10 minutes to complete) go to: For five years I was passed from tell at work. A few people have said it is a http://tinyurl.com/pel66c5 one mental health professional to career death sentence. Furthermore, I feel Professor Diana Harcourt another, I wasn’t offered any treatment the assumption can be made that I could Centre for Appearance Research, University of but diagnosed with five disorders. cause harm. Who would trust a the West of England A psychiatrist said, ‘You have some sort ‘manipulative, violent, attention-seeking’ of psychosis, come back for medication person to provide decent, beneficial care? in a few months.’ Once I was forced to lift But I feel that my lived experience of patients every day. A diagnosis of my top up to prove I wasn’t lying about suffering, therapy and having been BPD doesn’t mean you are inherently self-harming on my stomach. I was through the mental health system makes disordered. It is possible to recover and branded a hopeless case. People suffering me a more compassionate clinician. No if you wish go on to work in a rewarding with BPD are often described as patient has ever complained and I role helping others. manipulative, violent, attention-seeking discharge people every week who have We need to keep breaking down the and impossible to treat. One morning my benefited. No one can ever fully ‘us and them’ barriers. We all suffer at mum came round to my flat, I was lying understand someone else’s unique times – there is no divide between ‘ill’ on the floor, surrounded by blood-stained experience of suffering, but I can relate patients and the ‘normal’ professionals. tissues, the house was filthy and I was and that informs how I interact with my Name and address supplied In support of men I am writing to congratulate showing the need for more many of us may marry men or Dr Jessica McCarrick on her research on masculinity and give birth to boys? Also, what fantastic article ‘The the inequalities faced by men, about our male patients? I am “minority” man’ (May 2015). especially in the area of men’s not sure if the depressingly It seems unfortunate that one health. The writers called for poor response to the vote for of the outcomes of decades of members to vote for a Male the Male Psychology Section is feminist campaigning and Psychology Section of the BPS due to some members having gender stereotyping is the to be established to promote the same sort of attitude as my view that domestic violence this field of research. Sadly, female friends. victims are necessarily female, they have so far received a It may also be possible when men are clearly victims very poor response (see that many of our members too. The article also tinyurl.com/kfkwhvr). (male and female) are highlighted how other I was disappointed by themselves influenced by unhelpful stereotypes impact these ratings were made many of my female friends’ gender stereotypes, viewing negatively on men in the by psychologists. This responses who saw my desire men as tough and emotionally criminal justice system. The demonstrates that even to support men as a vote stoic and therefore not evoking gender stereotyping research, psychologists who spend years against feminism. The two the same sympathy or concern especially the study that training and are supposed to things are clearly not as women. I do hope this is showed husbands’ behaviours be objective can be influenced equivalent. I feel that with not the case. If such biases do being judged as more and biased by gender today’s feminist agenda that exist I believe this would psychologically abusive and stereotypes and to the women have plenty people present a very concerning severe than the wife’s use of detriment of men. fighting their corner, so what’s issue for the society and more the same actions is particularly In June last year The wrong with showing concern importantly our male patients. worrying. However, what was Psychologist had a great special or support for men? Doesn’t it Dr Marie Ferguson even more concerning was that feature on male psychology ever occur to women that Consultant Clinical Psychologist

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 953 letters An open letter to Jeb Bush Dear Mr Bush, I was recently made aware degrees (very few of which are chicken- Quite apart from the psychologists I have of your comments regarding psychology based). trained, I have taught students who have as a profession [see p.961], in which you Personally, I’m doing okay off the gone on to save lives as counsellors and stated that universities had a back of mine, but that’s not really the mental health nurses, to inspire the next responsibility to make their psychology point I wanted to make. The thing with generation of citizens (and voters) as undergraduates ‘realize [they are] going which I take issue is your portrayal of teachers, and to manage the kind of to be working at Chick-fil-A’ (a popular the humanities as frivolous pursuits, multinationals of which you are so fond. US fast-food ones that should take a back seat to more Now, you might have made the point chain). vocational subjects. I'm going to gloss that psychology is a competitive field, and As a over your misclassification of psychology there would have been an element of lecturer in as a humanities subject: psychology is truth in that: In today’s economic climate, psychology, a science, and your insistence otherwise there are few professions that aren’t. I am always betrays your lack of understanding of What you said, though, was that you receptive to the field. ‘just don’t think people are getting jobs suggestions What I find difficult to understand as psych majors’, which is simply not true. about how we about your position is that your degree A degree in psychology is more than just can enhance was in Latin American studies. It doesn’t preparation for a career as a psychologist: the student appear a degree in the humanities did you it is preparation for a rewarding life of experience, any harm. However, it’s perhaps pertinent endless possibility. but I take that, upon graduation, most of my I’ll sign off now, but I wish you the issue with students don’t have family friends that best of luck in the coming Republican your comments. sit on the boards of major international Party presidential primaries. From what It would seem I’m banks, ready to offer them cushy jobs in I hear of the latest opinion polls, it not the only one, given the popularity international finance. sounds like you’re going to need it. If it of the resultant Twitter hashtag What they do have, though, is a first- doesn’t work out, though, don’t worry: #thispsychmajor, through which rate education that equips them with the I hear Chick-fil-A is recruiting. psychology graduates worldwide have critical thinking skills, motivation and Yours sincerely, demonstrated the incredible things that attitudes to be able to excel in pretty Dr Danny Hinton they are doing with their psychology much whatever they put their mind to. University of Wolverhampton Negative effects of reward systems in classrooms

Following Laura Oxley article ‘Do What I find really concerning is the possible schools need lessons on motivation’ long-term psychological affects on that child’s future (‘New voices’, September 2015), wellbeing. Take a child that already suffers from I wanted to discuss a method physical or metal abuse at home: they are already currently used at my children’s starting out with a possible disadvantage and school: the ‘happy and sad list’ potentially a low self-esteem. Our schools should offer reward system. In a nutshell, if all children a safe, happy and inclusive environment, a child has done well their name a place where they should thrive and receive constant is added to the happy list; if a child positive reassurance. Not a place where you are visually ‘misbehaves’ they are put on the reminded every day that you are a ‘bad’ person. Isn’t the sad list. long-term effect more likely to be total disengagement? As a parent, I obviously actively And aren’t the children that are more likely to end up encourage positive reinforcement on the sad list often the children that need the most at home as well as within the help and encouragement? classroom. But I do feel it’s I’m not really sure how putting a child’s name on necessary to raise concerns about the sad list ever encourages a child to improve his/her the negative effects that some behaviour. In fact, I believe it’s more likely to do the reward systems could possibly have opposite. What effect is this shaming going to have on on our children. the child’s self-esteem? And what effect is low self-esteem I wonder how helpful is it for a going to have on his or her behaviour? Surely children that four-year-old to have his/her name added to the sad list… and are taught in a positive and inclusive environment are more possibly within days or weeks of starting their academic careers? likely to do well and feel good about themselves and enjoy being To be publicly named and shamed in front of your peers and at school. teaching staff for being the ‘naughty’ boy or girl, potentially for I would be very interested to hear readers’ views on reward something as simply as not sitting still during story time (which systems in classrooms: from a psychological perspective, what would be difficult for most four-year-olds, especially boys just works and why? starting school). Name and address supplied

954 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 letters

obituary Mike Startup (1950–2015) It was with great sadness that we received news that psychological services of this type to rural areas Mike Startup, Professor of Clinical Psychology and for the first time in Australia. Mike started to former Joint Editor of the British Journal of Clinical become ill during the trial. He was stoic during Psychology, died on 18 August in Maitland Hospital, this period and somehow managed attending Newcastle, Australia. hospital appointments with running the trial, Mike combined a creative and curious mind with supervising research assistants, trial therapists a rigorous empirical approach to his subject, and he had and a host of postgraduate students. Mike a strong track record of high-quality research in several distinct progressively became unwell, to the point where he found it areas of theoretical and applied clinical psychology. Epitomising difficult to continue, and he retired from his position a few years the ‘Columbo style’, Mike drew thoughtfully on his clinical ago. experiences to inform his theoretical ideas – he was a true Mike was an avid music enthusiast, and an accomplished scientist practitioner. guitarist and flautist. He was a formidable player of the ancient After a false start with an English degree, he ‘dropped out’ in Chinese strategy game of Go, and a respected member of his early twenties for an alternative lifestyle exploring spirituality a distinguished Go circle. In recent years he was considering and astrology. Characteristically, he brought a rigorous, inquiring returning to ‘Ole Blighty’ but sadly ill health prevented him. approach to astrology, clarifying the astronomical accuracy of the He is survived by his wife, Sue Startup. planetary types, and engaging actively with the scientific scrutiny Dr Mike Jackson of the subject. He returned to university to study psychology at University of Bangor Goldsmiths, and then a PhD, inspired by the work of Michel Professor Amanda Baker Gauqelin. Mike undertook a substantial reanalysis of the University of Newcastle, Australia Gauqelin data, and a replication in the normal population, Dr Sandra Bucci using the exam results of an entire annual cohort of UK University of Manchester students. Impressively, he rejected his own astrological Professor Michael Barkham hypotheses on the basis of his findings, and his interests moved University of Sheffield on to the psychology of belief in the paranormal, and eventually to the psychosis continuum and the understanding and Note: You can read a longer version of this obituary at treatment of psychosis. Along the way he followed his PhD with http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/mike-startup-1950-2015 clinical training on the Surrey programme, and then a research role at the Sheffield MRC/ESRC Social & Applied Psychology Unit, where he worked with the Second Sheffield Psychotherapy obituary Project (1988–1991), and published on treatment fidelity in different therapy modes, and the evaluation of treatment outcomes. He took these themes into the newly developing Steve Onyett programme of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for psychosis research, when he moved to Bangor North Wales, to a joint (1961–2015) university/NHS appointment. In this role he developed therapy skills training programmes Steve Onyett died suddenly of a heart attack on 28 in the local clinical psychology programme, and in North Wales September. He qualified as a clinical psychologist in mental health services. He conducted a pioneering randomised 1985 and completed his PhD on community mental health teams controlled trial (RCT) of CBT for psychosis, and from this came in England in 1999. His clinical training was in Plymouth but a series of theoretical themes around awareness of illness, most of his career was in the south of England and in South Wales. dissociation and delusions of reference, as well as the Throughout his working life Steve constantly moved his development of adherence measurement in CBT for psychosis, attention between philosophy, theory and practice. In the latter which he continued to refine in his more recent role at the regard his emphasis was on interdisciplinary teamwork and its University of Newcastle, Australia, from 2002. During his time enhancement using solution-focused approaches to mutual in Wales, he also became an associate editor of the British Journal support and change. During the 1980s, after qualifying, he of Clinical Psychology, learned to sail, developed a love of worked in the NHS before dipping his toe in academic life hillwalking in Snowdonia, and played in a successful jazz band. between 1989 and 1992, when he became a Lecturer in Mental He even played at Glastonbury! Health in the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent, where he Mike took up a joint professorial position between the helped to set up an MA for service managers and offered University of Newcastle and the Hunter Area Health Service, consultancy. Australia where he re-shaped the clinical psychology training An indication of him stretching his reach beyond the silo of programme. Along with other team members, he developed his core profession was that he led a successful bid at the time master’s and PhD programmes in clinical psychology and health from CCETSW to create a training package on partnership and psychology, and a professional doctorate in clinical psychology. care management. More boundary spanning became apparent in He also led the development of a successful psychology clinic his next job in the mid-1990s, when he became the project based in the grounds of the university. He was later awarded, manager for teamwork in the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health as chief investigator, a National Health and Medical Research in London, while retaining a consultant clinical psychologist role Council (NHMRC) grant to conduct an RCT of CBT to prevent in the NHS in North Kent. transition to psychosis in ultra high-risk youth. The trial was Steve’s academic trajectory then continued when he became conducted across urban and rural locations, bringing Head of Research at the Centre for Mental Health Services

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Development at King’s College, London. His projects included obituary working with GPs and the mental health of prisoners (in Leicester). At this time Steve’s particular focus on community mental health teams came to the fore. This work then became Professor the basis of his PhD, which he completed under my supervision at the University of Liverpool. He was already such an expert about his topic, that in truth little or no supervision was really Peter McEwen required.. The challenge of professionals both looking inwards to their own tribal group and being expected to work (1920–2015) collaboratively with others in the interests of shared clients in complex organisational systems then became Steve’s personal Peter McEwen, founding challenge, as a facilitator of cooperation and change. Professor of Psychology in In 2000 Steve was ‘head hunted’ into a specialist role 1967 at the newly formed recruiting and leading a multidisciplinary team to support the University of Stirling, died on 12 October 2015. implementation of the National Service Framework for Mental Born in Perthshire in 1920, Peter had a happy childhood in Health (the first ‘NSF’ under New Labour). This service idyllic surroundings. He was talented as a sportsman and athlete, development work kept him busy until 2012 when he moved walking or cycling to school in all weathers. He did well at full-time into running his own business (Onyett Entero Ltd), Breadalbane Academy, Aberfeldy, and was awarded one of only while retaining honorary academic roles at the Universities of three open scholarships to Edinburgh University. His Exeter, Central Lancashire and the West of England. His achievement was all the more remarkable as it was preceded by personally created traditions about appreciative enquiry, a bout of pneumonia at age 17, which may have contributed to teamwork and problem solving, in and for groups within the onset of tuberculosis. Restricted to bed rest for two years, organisations, continued at a pace. he developed a reliance on his inner world, a capacity for deep Right up until the day of his death, Steve remained thought and a love of literature that was to remain for life. committed to pacifism and Green activism. His heart stopped After a period in South Africa, Peter was later a senior during the exertion of a charity bike ride for the Medical Aid for lecturer in psychology at Queen’s University, Belfast. During his Palestinians. His sudden death at 54 left his family and friends years there, he became an active member of the Health Board’s in shock and the world of applied psychology much the poorer. Special Care Committee. As Northern Ireland lacked any formal David Pilgrim social work service, he became involved in setting up and University of Liverpool delivering training to remedy this situation and also chaired the university’s Committee on International Student Relations. At a time of deference and formality in university life, Peter was a man who set a different style in being egalitarian and informal – and this approach was to be a cornerstone of his advancement of the new institution at Stirling. Although he had established his reputation in research at Queen’s (his PhD on figural after-effects was published as a monograph supplement by the British Journal of Psychology), he will be most remembered as a gifted teacher by generations of students. He gave the inaugural Meditative-style aid to self-care lecture at Stirling in 1967 and continued to teach at all levels of the degree programme for many years. He retired in 1984 and, taught in 8-10 sessions: although his health gave rise to periodic concern, he remained active, serving on the local Forth Valley Health Board, was a governor at Dollar Academy and gave of his time to various Personal Autogenic Training other organisations. Always cheerful and optimistic, always looking for the best for Professionals (Self-Care) in other people, Peter was admired for his intellect, clarity of thought and warm personality. He will be remembered by all optionally leading to - who worked with or met him. Angus Annan Six-Day Foundation Course in Stirling Autogenic Training And - P/t Postgraduate Certifi cate in Read more obituaries online: Autogenic Training Phil Ley (1933–2015) http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/ www.autogenic-therapy.org.uk/bps phil-ley-1933-2015 [email protected] Hass Yilmaz (1954–2015) https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/ hass-yilmaz-1954-2015

956 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Spring Training Schedule

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958 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Problem-Solving Masterclass CPD Workshops

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Tackling the antibiotics problem

The potential role for psychologists in combating the rise in patients who demand antibiotics inappropriately. She outlined antibiotic misuse has been highlighted by Dr Helen Lambert, three ways in which health psychologists could lead the way. the new Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Champion for the First, by providing communication skills training to increase Economic and Social Research Council. Lambert said the rise health professionals’ confidence in their ability to have the in resistance to the drugs is as much a societal problem as challenging conversation with patients to explain why the a technological one. prescription of antibiotics is not appropriate; second to train Lambert, the first to hold the champion position which was health professionals to engage in shared decision-making with set up as part of a £150,000 grant, said social science research their patients; and third, by designing theory-informed was as important as laboratory research in tackling the awareness-raising materials to address misconceptions about problem, which is affecting people worldwide. She added: the efficacy of antibiotics. ‘Social organisation is just as important as what happens in the She concluded: ‘In short, health psychologists are very laboratory. We need to find answers to questions such as why well placed to contribute to solving this thorny issue, and antibiotics are often overused, how pharmaceutical supply I encourage the members of the Division of Health Psychology chains and the organisation of healthcare affect access to to heed the call to arms from the AMR Champion to join the antibiotics, or what part farming practices might play in AMR multidisciplinary social scientist army.’ transmission.’ Lambert, a Reader in Medical Anthropology Sarah Golding (University of Surrey) has recently begun from the University of Bristol’s School of Social and a PhD looking into antibiotic use in vets and farmers. She Community Medicine, said she would aim to engage with said we should not underestimate the use of antibiotics in the social scientists to undertake research in the field as well as farming industry. She told The Psychologist: ‘Over half of all highlighting the need for social science evidence to lead to bacteria that infect humans are transmitted between animals new ways of dealing with the threat of infections caused by and humans, so it is vital that the problem of increasing AMR antibiotic-resistant bacteria. is also tackled within veterinary medicine. The One Health Professor Karen Rodham (Staffordshire University), initiative is based upon the idea that human, animal, and Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Health ecosystem health are inextricably linked and it encourages Psychology, pointed out why AMR poses such a problem and doctors, veterinarians and public health experts to work how health psychologists in particular could be part of the together.’ solution. She outlined evidence that has shown health Psychologists who work alongside these professionals, professionals do not always recognise it as a problem. She Golding added, can help to tackle AMR by researching said: ‘In a 2013 study by Wood, Phillips, Brookes-Howell methods of knowledge exchange, and evaluating the and colleagues, 80 primary care clinicians in nine European effectiveness of public health messages. She said: ‘The potential countries were interviewed and most stated that antibiotic consequences to society from a lack of effective antibiotics are resistance was not a problem in their practice. Another enormous. Multi-drug resistant bacteria are already causing contributory factor concerns patient behaviour, both those infections in people and animals that simply cannot be treated; who fail to take the whole prescribed course of antibiotics and rates of these infections are predicted to increase, with those who can be very forceful in their demand for antibiotics potentially devastating effects on our economies, our health from their GP.’ and healthcare systems, and our food security. Health But what exactly should be done to take on this issue? psychologists can assist by encouraging different groups of Rodham said knowledge translation was one of the key lines people, including patients, parents, pet-owners, farmers, of attack – not only for the health professionals who know that doctors, pharmacists, and veterinarians, to use antibiotics they should not be over-prescribing antibiotics, but also for the responsibly.’ ER

960 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 news Hubbub actively investigates rest The first ever recipient of the Wellcome involves participants wearing a beeper look into people’s attitudes towards rest Trust Hub award, Hubbub, has celebrated during everyday life, and when the beeper and how much rest and sleep people from its first birthday. The group comprises an sounds at random intervals they record different parts of the world get. The Rest international team of 50 researchers, what they were thinking, and their Test will also examine wellbeing and scientists, broadcasters, public experience, at that moment. Using DES personality to assess whether there are any engagement professionals and mental during fMRI scans, he and his colleagues similarities or differences across certain health experts all looking into the have found large individual differences groups. dynamics of rest, noise, tumult, activity suggesting the resting-state itself differs In one of the final talks of the evening and work in the modern world. substantially from one person to another. the Director of the Neurology Department At the group’s one-year celebration, In other work he found distinct neural at the Max Planck Institute for Human held at the Wellcome Collection in activation differences between inner Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Arno London, contributors to the work gave speech and inner hearing during resting Villringer, asked why it was important for short talks on what Hubbub had done so states. different disciplines to collaborate on large far and its aims for in the future. At the BBC Radio 4 All in the Mind projects such as Hubbub. He said research Wellcome Collection’s Hub workspace, presenter and psychology graduate is often driven by what funders and where Hubbub is based, there were Claudia Hammond (see interview at research boards are looking for, rather fascinating demonstrations of research https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume- than by academics. He added: ‘Hubbub already being carried out in the area. 22/edition-5/careers) spoke about is not just interdisciplinary but is also Dr Felicity Callard (University of individual differences in the meaning intrinsically motivated by researchers Durham), Director of Hubbub, opened themselves.’ Villringer gave the the talks and asked what doing nothing example of a DJ at the Max Planck at all really meant. She suggested that institute who was interested in rest was not only a physiological researching music, emotion and phenomenon but also a political exercise. From his extensive work he question. Her Durham colleague, patented fitness machines that produce psychologist and writer Professor music as someone works out; this in Charles Fernyhough, discussed the turn has been used to help the difficulty of describing one’s personal recovery of stroke patients. He said experience of the world and said Hubbub and large-scale research cognitive neuroscience had been projects of its kind were like a rocket ‘rubbish’ at integrating observations of exploring the universe of potential brain activity and subject experience. human knowledge. Fernyhough described a new In the next year Hubbub is funded method, descriptive experience for, the research group are hoping to sampling (DES), which he has continue their investigations with further used in work for Hubbub assigned to rest. She said the show collaborations both in the UK and abroad. (see tinyurl.com/onft7ng and would be launching the Rest Test Keep an eye on their website – tinyurl.com/p634qsd). The technique (www.resttest.org), a survey designed to http://hubbubgroup.org. ER Tweeting about the Bush Republican Presidential that psych major deal, that employability. Tenth out of a paramedic and priest. On the Candidate Jeb Bush felt the philosophy major thing, that’s sixteen but still a college major more psychological side many wrath of psychology graduates great, it’s important to have where more than 9 out of 10 psychologists used the hashtag on Twitter after he made liberal arts … but realize, (91.2 per cent) find jobs as to speak of their work helping comments suggesting the you’re going to be working recent graduates.’ He also went people with debilitating best you can hope for with at Chick-fil-A.”’ Did his on to point out that Bush had anxiety and suicidal thoughts. a degree in the subject could comments hold any truth, and three psychology majors But what is the picture like be working in a fast-food where does this perception of working in senior positions on in the UK? The British outlet. Psychologists and psychology being a pointless his campaign team. Psychological Society’s others working in the US degree come from? The hashtag inspired some ‘Destinations’ project is took to Twitter using the As psychologist Dr excellent examples of how surveying psychology hashtag #thispsychmajor to Vaughan Bell wrote on the a psychology degree can be graduates and following their prove him wrong. Mindhacks blog used, sometimes in surprising progress after graduation. Bush said during a town (tinyurl.com/q79bpnk), the ways. The mother of one Although less than 20 per cent hall meeting: ‘Universities facts don’t back up Bush’s psychology major tweeted that of graduates will end up as ought to have skin in the statements: ‘Essentially her son was now a Democratic psychologists, it has found that game. When a student shows psychology is slightly below campaign manager, another psychology graduates leave up, they ought to say, “Hey, average in terms of tweeted that he had become their degrees with many

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employability skills as well analysis, group and individual as their more specific working skills, confidence psychological training. in data analysis, and so on.’ Professor Catriona Morrison To inspire some hope (Heriot Watt University, and in today’s psychology Chair of the Society’s undergraduates, that their Education and Public degree will be valued even if Engagement Board) said: it may not immediately lead to ‘Looking at their careers in a career as a psychologist – we the short term following propose a UK version of the graduation will not give us an hashtag, using #thispsychgrad. accurate picture of the gains Why not add your voice and they have from having studied story to the debate? Copy us psychology. Psychology in on @psychmag. Also, search furnishes graduates with the ‘graduate employability’ at skills they need for a hugely http://thepsychologist.bps.org. Antarctic challenge diverse range of occupations – uk to find much more on the literacy, numeracy, scientific topic. ER An intrepid psychologist is taking part in an Antarctic expedition to carry out research into coping in extreme environments. Nathan Smith (University of Northampton) will join a group of 24 others in March as part of the Leadership on the Edge CHILDREN OF WAR programme led by famous explorer Robert Swann. Dr Smith, a lecturer in sports psychology, will be embarking A psychologist will launch a new programme of joint research on the 2041 International Antarctic Expedition, which sets sail projects with the aim of creating interventions to help children whose from the Argentinian port of Ushuaia – a town nicknamed ‘The mental health has been ravaged by the effects of war. The devastating End of the World’. The 24 expedition members will spend more trauma that can affect young minds has been the subject of extensive than two weeks together, in sub-zero temperatures that can get research by Dr Panos Vostanis (University of Leicester), who launched as low as –25C. The expedition group will sail across the Drake a cross-cultural research group in November. Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula where they will disembark at Vostanis’s work has observed how war affects children directly several points along the coast. through exposure, violence, witnessing and associated fear, through The international group will be assessed on a number its impact on parents and support networks like communities and of psychological factors by Smith. Prior to the expedition schools, and through its aftermath of poverty, displacements and lack participants will fill out surveys assessing personality, personal of basic needs. Professor Vostanis said: ‘We now have sufficient values, motivations to participate and typical coping strategies evidence on the devastating effects of war and other conflicts on used in challenging situations. Smith said: ‘There has been children worldwide. We also have increasing access to effective a good deal of research on personality in extreme conditions. approaches in helping children in the most remote parts of the planet.’ Professors Peter Suedfeld, Lawrence Palinkas, Gro Sandal – who The joint research projects, led by the University of Leicester with is involved in this project – and Gloria Leon amongst others, collaboration from centres in eight other countries, will look into a have consistently examined personal factors in different types of number of different mental health problems and form part of the expedition groups. This has led to a good understanding of the global World Awareness for Children in Trauma (WACIT) campaign. type of person who performs well in such conditions. However, The programme will focus on promoting child wellbeing by most of this research is conducted with trained people, such as integrating cultural diversity in schools and clinical and community full time expedition-goers, military personnel and astronauts. settings such as orphanages. In the present study, we are interested in the profile of a civilian The launch started with a conference in November entitled international expedition group.’ ‘Promoting Children’s Health, Development and Wellbeing: During the trip, participants will be asked to complete Integrating Cultural Diversity’ at the State Islamic University Jakarta, a brief daily expedition diary and contribute to a video-diary at with which the University of Leicester signed a memorandum of the end of each week. Smith will use this to examine changes in understanding last year. During the event Vostanis presented recent emotions during the expedition, and how members have coped research findings from the Greenwood Institute child mental health with the stressors faced and group interactions and tensions. group at the University of Leicester on how different traumatic events Smith added: ‘Given the work that has come before, I would such as war and ethnic conflict affect children, he told The expect most participants to provide a positive account of their Psychologist: ‘Children express their distress emotionally through experience during this short-duration expedition and report nightmares, extreme anxiety, low mood and negative thoughts; but growth on return to everyday life. I am particularly looking also through aggression, and not functioning with everyday life.’ forward to collecting data on group functioning during the During Vostanis’s visit to Jakarta, a training model was also expedition to better understand how the diverse group members implemented with volunteers and staff of non-governmental operate when faced with challenging situations.’ organisations in the city, on helping children who have experienced The programme aims to educate future world leaders on the trauma and establishing sustainable networks. Vostanis added: benefits of protecting the natural world, and the importance of ‘The vision of WACIT is to build on our knowledge and experience, developing resilient people and communities. Smith is hoping and to develop programmes that can be easily used internationally to raise £5000 towards the cost of his research activities – to by charities and statutory organisations across different settings and sponsor the expedition and directly contribute to research on circumstances.’ ER psychology in extremes visit tinyurl.com/osjgawo. ER I For a blog post from Vostanis’s visit to Jakarta and more I For more on ‘psychology at the end of the world’, see information on WACIT see tinyurl.com/qccd8t5 https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-24/edition- 1/psychology-end-world

962 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 news Opening doors for girls in science

A new report released by the Institute of Swan-type project in schools – to psychology – the evolutionary view Physics, supported by the Government encourage girls who take up physics. suggests inherent differences exist Equalities Office, offers guidance to After a fascinating talk on the between genders thanks to previous schools that want to improve the sociological perspective on gender and evolutionary pressures to survive, while accessibility of heavily gendered subjects science participation by Professor Louise social structural theories propose a for all students. The report was presented Archer (King’s College London), Dr person’s environment has more bearing at a launch event in London, supported Stephanie Burnett Heyes (University of on a person’s psychological traits than by the British Psychological Society, and Birmingham) spoke about the evolution. He pointed out that while it suggested schools avoid sexist ‘banter’ neuroscience of gender differences and gender disparities often focus on girls and and create an environment that promotes whether these have implications science there was a huge gap in literacy equality. for education. She pointed among boys. While girls often thrive with Professor Peter Main, from the languages boys

5 Institute of Physics, said the number of r 201 from all countries obe Oct | Report girls taking an A-level in the subject had sics lag behind. One of Phy tute nsti An I tering remained steadily low between 1985 and in coun study even found ols cho in s 2012 and despite many initiatives over Openingo good practicein gDoors that boys with the otyp A guide t tere that time to encourage more girls to take gender s best-educated it. Further work from the Institute also mothers still had found half of state-funded co-ed schools poorer verbal sent no girls to do a physics A-level. abilities than girls However physics is not the only with the lowest- gender-biased subject, computer science educated mothers. is the worst for under-subscription of There is also a gap girls, while subjects such as psychology in female spatial and performing arts are skewed in the abilities, and both other direction. Main explained that an this and language earlier report from the Institute, Closing problems in boys, Doors, looked at six gendered subjects – Stoet said, affect physics, biology, maths, economics, school psychology and English – and assessed performance. He schools on whether their students’ also pointed out that, progression was challenging gender while girls’ stereotypical stereotypes or following the same pattern. to potential causes of gender differences poorer performance in maths is often They found 81 per cent of schools were in the brain including sex hormones spoken about, the gender gap here is still essentially not changing well-known which a fetus is exposed to in utero as three times less than gaps in language gender stereotypes. well as during puberty, chromosome abilities between boys and girls. He also They found the schools that were differences and environmental influences. pointed out that gender differences may best at challenging stereotypical subject Burnett Heyes said research has found in part arise from a gender difference in choices were good at challenging essential differences between male and interests. He said men were more stereotypes in all six subjects, not just female brains, including size: males have interested in jobs to do with things and one, which suggested that a holistic bigger brains while women have a larger objects, while women are drawn to careers approach to changes in school culture was corpus callosum, which connects the where they can work with people – this needed. The Opening Doors report, Main hemispheres of the brain; the amygdala pattern of difference is stable over time explained, was written following extensive is bigger in men while the hippocampus even as countries become more developed school visits to 10 secondary schools is bigger, on average, in women. However, and opportunities in different careers open located both on the south coast and in she pointed out, these differences may up to all genders. However, Stoet did the south west of England. simply point to different brains that are point out that interests are not the only Among the recommendations to ‘designed’ differently to do the same job. factor when choosing a career. emerge from this work were the Burnett Heyes concluded that while Stoet concluded that there is a clear suggestion someone in the school’s senior evidence for gender differences in brains gender difference in abilities and attitudes, leadership should act as a champion for was compelling, male and female brains and biological factors and social gender equality; the school environment are essentially more alike than they are influences both play a role. He said too should encourage equality – for example, different, and that it was important to little work had been done on the gap Main said, many schools have aspirational look not only at differences in brains between boys and girls in reading and quotes on their walls, but these are by and between genders but also at individual language abilities, and suggested there large from men; and that teachers should differences within genders as well. should be a rethink of when children are treat sexist language in the same way they Psychologist Dr Gijsbert Stoet made to make subject choices at schools: treat racist or homophobic language. In (University of Glasgow) then examined could 13 or 14 be too young to make the future, Main said, the Institute would different theories for gender differences mature choices? ER like to hold an annual Opening Doors in education. He opened by pointing out I To read the Institute of Physics Opening conference and potentially start an Athena the different approaches to gender in Doors report see tinyurl.com/oohqzry

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 963 news A rallying call to respect difference

The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non- health. Since parents don’t know Fiction has been won for the first time why the number of autism by a science writer, with Steve Silberman diagnoses went up so startlingly picking up the award for Neurotribes, in the 1990s, they are afraid of a book on autism and its history. any number of things.’ Neurotribes was selected from the Last October, we published longlist by the judges who called it a a special issue on autism. Several ‘tour de force of archival, journalistic and of the contributors to that issue scientific research, both scholarly and have expressed their admiration widely accessible’. Chair of judges Anne for Silberman’s book. Applebaum said: ‘We admired Silberman’s Writing for The Spectator, work because it is powered by a strongly Professor Simon Baron-Cohen argued set of beliefs: That we should stop said: ‘His book could serve as a drawing sharp lines between what we manifesto about extending dignity assume to be “normal” and “abnormal,” and human rights for people with and that we should remember how much autism, just as society has now the differently-wired human brain has, done with other neurotribes such can and will contribute to our world. as the deaf, left-handed or gay. It is He has injected a hopeful note into a for society to respond to his challenge.’ conversation that’s normally dominated In Science, Professor Francesca Happé by despair.’ human suffering in the book, but it also said: ‘Neurotribes blows many common Silberman said that the book began offers the possibility of redemption. It’s an beliefs about autism out of the water. as an article for Wired in 2001. He agreed important story that had never been told. Along the way, it tells the real stories of that ‘there’s a tremendous amount of That’s had a terrible effect on global public children and adults with autism, their

TIME FOR SERIOUS RESEARCH ON PLAY

‘It’s an important time for serious research on play’, said Dr David how to have greater success’. It was stirring stuff (although I do hope Whitebread, launching the Play in Education Development and she had her tongue in cheek when she described ‘playful learning’ as Learning (PEDaL) Centre at the University of Cambridge. ‘We need ‘what we might call plearning’). creative, problem solving, deep thinking adults, yet in modern, The audience were then treated to a film of this approach in Westernised, urban environments the opportunities for play are action, with Bar Hill Community Primary School improving writing under threat.’ skills through playful story making (in research by Whitebread and The centre is funded by the LEGO Foundation, and Dr Whitebread Marisol Basilio). Children were encouraged to build a LEGO model said that this seminar celebrated ‘a developed relationship with a and use it to ‘storyboard’, moving things around to get ideas for their company that believes in doing the best they can for children’. LEGO story. One teacher admitted she initially found it a nightmare, and Foundation CEO Hanne Rasmussen talked of ‘building a future where Whitebread admitted the transition – from ‘fountain of knowledge’ to learning through play empowers children to become creative, ‘co-player’ – can be hard. engaged, lifelong learners.’ She pointed out that children have a The LEGO Foundation, a long-time funder of psychological natural ‘hands-on, minds on approach to learning – they are our role research (https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-25/edition- models.’ 8/when-psychologists-become-builders), clearly see the value of To convince the policy makers of this approach, in an era where their product – Andrew Bollington, Global Head of Research and academic learning and competitive testing are the watchwords, Learning at the LEGO Foundation, said ‘with a jigsaw puzzle, there is psychologists need evidence. And despite evolutionary, one solution, with three eight-stud bits of LEGO there are more than a anthropological, neuroscientific and developmental evidence thousand’. But it’s not just about the brick. Bollington clearly relishes regarding the importance of play (tinyurl.com/n8v82jd), there are still partnering with bright academic minds on varied projects, and he huge gaps. In particular, we don’t know how play has its positive concluded that it’s about ‘taking this knowledge and actually making a effects: there is not enough research taking a longitudinal approach difference with it in the world’. He has been in township schools in and seeking causal links. PEDaL will build and share evidence to South Africa, where there has been a huge investment in early-years show value, identify and support programmes that demonstrate learning. But, Bollington said, ‘this just means the worst of primary results, and look to open minds. education a year earlier. You meet these children… the ability to see Joining by video link, Professor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek delivered an anything in their eyes has disappeared. If they are learning anything impassioned plea for schools to stop ‘shoving content into children’s it’s that there’s one right answer to the question their teacher asks minds’. She advocates the ‘six C’s’, with content alongside them. It’s hard hitting realities out there.’ collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creative innovation In a rapidly changing world, where what you learned yesterday is and, above all, confidence – ‘the confidence to build that one block not necessarily relevant tomorrow but the ability to find solutions is higher and watch it crash down, because even failure has lessons for crucial, could playful learning be the answer? JS

964 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 news families, and the clinicians and and a rallying call to respect difference.’ the answer. The most astonishing researchers trying to understand their Professor Uta Frith told us the book is discovery he made is probably the very different minds. Neurotribes is part ‘a must read for all psychologists. Steve’s existence of a previously hidden link history, part investigative reporting, part writing is absolutely gripping, and I am between Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner. biography, and all poetry. … Neurotribes not surprised that the judges of the But, above all, Steve’s humane can be seen, in part, as a tribute to the Samuel Johnson Book Prize fell under its understanding exhorts us all to embrace contributions that eccentric and socially spell and selected him the winner in a diversity.’ JS awkward outsiders have made to very strong field.’ She told us there is a I Read an extract from Neurotribes at technology, culture, and 21st-century conundrum: ‘If diagnostic criteria for tinyurl.com/pfcpjn2 and find out much society. It is a beautifully written and autism had to be broadened, why were more about autism myths and reality thoughtfully crafted book, a historical they so narrow in the first place? in our October 2014 special issue tour of autism, richly populated with Silberman takes us on an epic journey (digital version at http://issuu.com/ fascinating and engaging characters, through autism’s fractured history to find thepsychologist/docs/psy10_14autism) Sowing the seeds on responsibility Elisa Brann, a research assistant at University College London, reports from a workshop on neuroscience and the law

Breakthroughs in science have human behaviour should responsibility. Rather, relevant features of our actions a rippling effect on all aspects feed into wider society. experimental evidence should in order to be held responsible. of society. Recently, intriguing Offering a scientific assist decision-making Dr Lisa Claydon, of the Open findings within the fields of perspective, Professor Patrick processes on the higher level University Business School, neuroscience have shed light Haggard, of the UCL Institute of society, where responsibility also offered practical insight on how the human brain of Cognitive Neuroscience, must be accounted for. He as to how criminal law makes decisions and triggers gave an introduction to approaches the issue actions. Aside from having the current research of responsibility and significant consequences for being conducted in his the ways in which psychology and philosophy, lab on the sense of neuroscience can such findings could also agency – the subjective inform this process. influence a number of legal experience of being in In addition to the fields, potentially redefining control of one’s actions. four main speakers, ‘responsibility’ in the eyes of Using a method known two discussants, the law and consequently as ‘mental chronometry’, Professor Walter impacting the lives of many his team have been able Sinnott-Armstrong, individuals. to demonstrate how of the Kenan Institute In an effort to bring subjects, when for Ethics at Duke this important issue to the experiencing either University, and forefront of public debate, fear or anger, also Professor David a group of experts from both experienced a reduction Ormerod QC, of the scientific and legal in their sense of agency, UCL Faculty of Law, backgrounds gathered together weakening the binding assisted in presenting on Tuesday 20 October, in link between their and moderating Senate House, London, for actions and the questions to the a half-day workshop titled consequential outcomes. speakers, resulting in ‘Action and Responsibility Haggard stated that interesting debates that in Law and Neuroscience: an whilst such touched upon a number of Interdisciplinary Perspective’. experimental findings recent topical legal cases and During the event, supported would not absolve an expressed how the influence reforms. by the Arts and Humanities individual of their of neuroscience on law is still This half-day meeting not Research Council responsibility for a crime, it in its infancy, although there only brought together a group (www.sciculture.ac.uk/project/ does offer evidence in support is potential to develop a legal of experts from the fields of sense-of-agency-and- of the legal ‘loss of control’ approach akin to evidence- science and law, but also responsibility-integrating-legal- defence. based medicine. welcomed practitioners, and-neurocognitive-accounts), In addition, renowned Contributing the academics and students from six speakers examined the neuroscientist Professor Mike contrasting legal perspective, a range of disciplines including contrasting ways in which Gazzaniga, of the UCSB Sage Professor Nicola Lacey, of the psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience and law view Centre for the Study of the London School of Economics, neuroscience, law, and policy decisions and actions, Mind, presented an overview talked about the cognitive analysis, stimulating discussing how these different of how different levels of conditions required for legal discussion and sowing the viewpoints should be science interact with law, responsibility, presenting the seeds of future neuroscientific managed, as well as how the highlighting how brain science question as to whether or not research as well as legal policy mechanistic scientific study of cannot directly demonstrate we need to be conscious of the development and reformation.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 965 Life is different for people who think DIGEST in metaphors

Some people are literal minded – they think in black and white a further 132 students, they found that those who scored higher whereas others colour their worlds with metaphor. A new paper on having a metaphoric thinking style also tended to show published recently in the Journal of Personality and Social a greater preference for white-font over black-font words, thus Psychology reports on the first standardised measure of this providing good evidence that the metaphor transfer effect is difference, and it shows that having a proclivity for metaphors aptly named, after all. has real consequences, affecting how people respond to the Another study took this out into the real world, tracking 136 world around them and even how they interact with others. people over a fortnight to see whether the amount of sweet food A metaphor uses a concrete concept, often sensory (e.g. consumed on a given day influenced how agreeable they were in ‘light’) or location-based (e.g. ‘forward’), to illuminate a nebulous their interactions with other people. I would have imagined that one, such as emotion or time. While this colouring-in can be if there were any effect, it might be simply due to a glucose buzz. useful – and can endure, and transform language – it may not be But no. The link between sweet food consumption and people’s to everyone’s taste, or necessary for the demands of their day- behaviour that the researchers found was mostly down to to-day life. To systematically investigate this, an international thinking style. That is, the effect was much stronger among the research team led by Adam Fetterman developed a measure – highly metaphorical participants: when they were sweet in tooth, which asks people to choose their preference for various they were also sweet in nature (thus adding a nuance to previous metaphors or equivalent literal phrases, for example: ‘She uses research on this link). her head’ vs. ‘She makes rational decisions’ – and administered Remember, too, that metaphors are supposed to illuminate, it to 132 student participants. particularly when it comes to abstract concepts that can be hard The researchers found a good deal of variability between the to pin down, like the subtleties of emotions. In another students in how they responded, including some who only ever experiment, Fetterman’s team measured participants’ ability selected the metaphor to correctly judge most people’s typical emotional response in option, and others different situations, such as when something unpleasant was only the literal happening that couldn’t be stopped. In this example, the correct alternative. Scores response was ‘distressed’. Crucially, people who scored highly in on the measure metaphoric thinking style tended to perform better at this task. correlated with a This suggests their colourful thinking style actually gave them preference for mental greater insight into emotions. imagery, and they In a final experiment, 50 participants spent five minutes each correlated with the day for a week writing about their negative emotions, and they amount that were encouraged to be either literal, ‘I felt anxious or confused’, participants used or metaphorical: ‘I felt like a leaf in the wind’. The participants’ metaphoric phrases depression symptoms and negative emotion ratings, which were in a free-writing recorded at the start and end of the week, were found to drop in exercise, confirming the metaphorical condition only. Although this experiment didn’t the test predicts measure participants’ metaphoric style, it shows that being actual behaviour. encouraged to adopt this style is more effective in alleviating Conversely, the test negative feelings on troubling topics. scores were not From an experimenter’s perspective, it’s interesting to In Journal of Personality and Social Psychology associated with note that in the font-colour study, participants who were well personality factors, below average in metaphor usage didn’t show any significant with intellectual preference for white words: those transfer effects don’t work ability, nor with the on me, Jedi. In fact, if the researchers had just looked at the ability to visualise, suggesting the test is measuring a mental average scores for the participants as a whole, the metaphor style rather than a capacity. So, then, a metaphoric thinking style effect would have been undetectable. This suggests the new is an actual thing you can measure. But does it matter? measure of metaphorical thinking style can help us to investigate It does. Take the way metaphors can affect our feelings meaning-related effects that might be elusive. For example, it (known as the ‘metaphor transfer effect’). In a classic example, might have value in pinning down findings in the contested area people rate neutral words as more pleasant when they are of social priming, helping to identity those people likely to be printed in a white font rather than a black one – ‘light’ being influenced by such effects. Furthermore, we’ve seen that a associated metaphorically with ‘good’. Before now researchers metaphorical thinking style has emotional benefits, but could didn’t agree on whether this kind of effect is truly down to it also be useful in non-emotional domains, for instance in the reliance on metaphorical representations – a counter extent to which fishy smells activate sceptical thinking? explanation is that these effects reflect fundamental, non- One thing’s for sure – whether we prefer a crystal-clear conceptual associations between different stimuli that were monochrome take on the world, or to ladle on the technicolour, formed early in life – e.g. through repeated pairings of warmth it’s clear that metaphor usage filters how we take in the world, and affection. However, when Fetterman and his team recruited for good and ill. AF

966 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 digest

First brain scan study to feature that dress In Cortex

Earlier this year a dress nearly broke the and 14 see it as blue and black. The key internet. A photo of the striped frock (which finding is that the people who see the dress is actually blue and black) was posted on as white and gold showed extra activation Tumblr and it quickly became apparent that in a raft of brain areas, including in frontal, it looked very different to different people, parietal (near the crown of the head) and spawning furious arguments and lively temporal (near the ears) regions. Yet, no scientific commentary. group differences emerged in a control Specifically, people disagreed condition when the participants simply vehemently over whether it was white and looked at large coloured squares that gold or blue and black. Now, writing in the matched two of the colours that feature journal Cortex, researchers in Germany in the dress, but without any contextual have published the first study to scan information also visible. people’s brains while they look at the dress, These results are broadly consistent What the new study can’t answer is and the neural findings appear to support with the idea that the white/gold perceivers whether this extra neural processing (or earlier, psychological explanations of the were engaged in more interpretative which aspects of it) in the white/gold group phenomenon. mental processing when looking at the is the cause of their perceptual experience When the dress story went viral, dress. To oversimplify, their perceptual of the dress, or the consequence. However, psychologists were quick to explain that experience of the dress is based less purely the researchers describe some future this dress provided a striking example of on the ‘bottom-up’, raw sensory information approaches that could help address this how our perception of the world arises arriving at their eyes, and is distorted more quasi-philosophical conundrum: for from a combination of incoming sensory by their own assumptions and expectations example, by using transcranial magnetic information and our interpretation of that about the background illumination. The stimulation (TMS) to temporarily disrupt the information. In the case of colour extra activity in their brains during the dress extra localised neural activity seen in the perception, when light bounces off an object viewing is likely, at least in part, to be a people who experience the dress as white and hits your retina, its mix of wavelengths neural correlate of all this interpretative, and gold, we could ask: will they still is determined by the colour of the object ‘top-down’ processing. experience the illusion? CJ and the nature of the light source illuminating it. Your brain has to disentangle the two. Usually it does this very well How jurors can be misled by emotional testimony and allowing for something called ‘colour gruesome photos constancy’ – the way that objects of the same colour are perceived the same even In Psychiatry, Psychology and Law under different illumination conditions. However, the mental processing involved As a juror in a criminal trial, you are meant victim in the case). Similarly, the prosecution in colour perception does leave room for to make a judgement of the defendant’s guilt may present disturbing crime scene interpretation and ambiguity, especially or innocence based on the evidence and photographs of the victim, which don’t say when the nature of the background arguments presented before you. In many anything about the defendant’s culpability, illumination is unclear as is the case with trials, however, alongside the facts of the but do exert an emotional effect in the the photo of the dress. case, material and statements are allowed courtroom. For the new study, Lara Schlaffke and that don’t in themselves speak to the Writing in Psychiatry, Psychology and her colleagues scanned the brains of 28 culpability of the defendant. In a murder Law, Kayo Matsuo and Yuji Itoh at Keio people with normal vision while they looked trial, for instance, a parent may take the University in Japan describe how they tested at the photo of the dress. Fourteen of the stand and describe how their life has been the effects of these kinds of evidence on the participants see the dress as white and gold destroyed by the loss of their child (the decision making of 127 students (89 women) who were asked to play the role of juror in a fictional case. The students listened to The material in this section is taken from the Society’s Research a man read out a transcript of a murder Digest blog at www.bps.org.uk/digest, and is written by its editor trial, in which a homeless man stood Dr Christian Jarrett and contributor Dr Alex Fradera. accused of murdering a young female student so that he would be sent to jail and Visit the blog for full coverage, additional current reports, an archive, no longer be homeless. Factually speaking comment, our blog’s (now sold out) 10th birthday party, and the third the prosecution’s case was weak, and while episode of our ‘PsychCrunch’ podcast – how to win an argument! the defendant had confessed to the crime, he later recanted and pleaded innocence. Subscribe to the free fortnightly e-mail, friend, follow, advertise to Among the students who heard a our huge and international audience and more via version of the trial transcript that featured www.bps.org.uk/digest no emotional testimony from the victim’s father, nor any photos of the victim’s body, 46 per cent of them said they thought the homeless man was guilty. Other students heard a version that did contain testimony from the victim’s father, in which he

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 967 digest

expressed his grief, described how kind in part by the negative emotions it aroused voice – the psychological effects of this kind and bright his daughter was, and how in the students, such as anger and disgust. of testimony would likely be far greater in much anger he felt toward the defendant. Among the students who rendered a guilty a real-life trial situation. Although logically this testimony did not verdict those who heard the father’s The researchers said their results provide evidence of the defendant’s guilt, emotional testimony also tended to support showed that ‘emotional information upsets 71 per cent of the students who heard the a harsher sentence for the defendant – 33 jurors and disturbs their legal decisions’. father’s words said they thought the per cent said he should receive the death They concluded that ‘in order to avoid false defendant was guilty, and this rose to 79 per penalty compared with just 16 per cent of convictions and ensure a better trial system, cent if they were also shown photographs of those who did not hear the father's psychological studies conducted in legal the victim’s fatally wounded body. testimony. It’s worth bearing in mind that settings should explore the function of The effect of the father’s emotional the father’s emotional testimony was read emotional evidence as well as the role of testimony appeared to be explained at least out to students by the narrator in a neutral emotions’. CJ

People prefer food that comes in sexist packaging LINK FEAST In Social Psychology Putting unhealthy food in macho average willing to pay less for A Brief History of Our Desire masculine packaging, or healthy it than when the packaging to Peer into the Brain food in feminine-themed contained the football imagery Our attempts to unlock the packaging, makes it taste nicer, only. secrets of the mind range from and people are willing to pay In another experiment, Zhu the pseudoscience of ‘bumpology’ more for it. That’s according to and his team changed tack to to the surprising part played by The a new study in Social Psychology. look at whether reminders of Beatles, writes Melissa Hogenboom Luke Zhu and his colleagues gender could affect people’s for BBC Future. made their finding by asking food preferences in line with the www.bbc.com/future/story/20151028-a-brief-history-of-our-desire- participants (58 men and 82 gender stereotypes around food. to-peer-into-the-brain women) at a local fair to taste- Participants completed a word- test a blueberry muffin. Every puzzle task that involved Inside the Mind of God participant tasted the exact descrambling seven lists of Punitive Big Brother; cosmic petty-thief-catcher; vigilant landlord. same kind of muffin, but it was words into coherent sentences. Why is God so interested in bad behaviour? An Aeon essay by packaged in different ways for When the word lists each Benjamin Grant Purzycki. different participants. When it contained a word pertaining to http://aeon.co/magazine/culture/why-does-god-care-only-about- was labelled as a ‘Mega Muffin’ masculinity (such as men or stuff-that-matters (supposedly conveying an hunting) male and female unhealthy variety) and its participants subsequently Can Neuroscience Explain Why People Are Sexist? packaging was masculine expressed food preferences that A Japanese study that Digest editor Christian Jarrett covered for New (depicting men playing football) were more stereotypically male York's Science of Us claims to have found the brain-scan imprint of both men and women tended to (for example, they said they’d misogynistic views. rate the muffin as tastier, and prefer fried chicken over baked http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/10/can-neuroscience-explain- they were willing to pay more chicken) and said that they had why-people-are-sexist.html for it, as compared with when weaker intentions to eat more the Mega Muffin was in healthily in the future. When the How the Internet Has Changed Bullying stereotypically feminine word lists contained a feminine- Before the internet, bullying ended when you withdrew from whatever packaging, with a woman related word, the effects worked environment you were in, writes Mario Konnikova at the New Yorker. ballet dancer depicted in the in the other direction, prompting But now, the bullying dynamic is harder to contain and harder to background. Similarly, a preference for healthy food ignore. participants’ ratings of the and plans to eat more healthily www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/how-the-internet- muffin were more positive if it in the future. has-changed-bullying was labelled as a Health Muffin The researchers said and its packaging was feminine they had shown the ‘power of The Life Scientific: Robert Plomin as opposed to masculine. cultural stereotypes to implicitly The behavioural geneticist is the latest guest If you’re thinking that there’s shape food preferences’ and on BBC Radio 4's show that profiles the lives something ridiculously retro they believe their findings have of influential scientists (find his research about the implied sexism in implications for public health featured in our archive via these findings, you’ll be policy. The idea of pandering to www.bps.org.uk/digest). heartened to know that in gender stereotypes may make www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06j1qts another experiment the some people uncomfortable, but researchers showed that if the if these effects can be replicated Teenage Mental Health (audio) gendered packaging was taken in future research, the BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind is back with a new series and in the first too far, the results actually implication, at least in the short episode Claudia Hammond is joined by a panel of experts to discuss switched. With the Mega Muffin term, is that healthy food teenage mental health. labelled as ‘The Muffin For Real products are likely to appeal to www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06kch0z Men’ alongside the same more people, whether male or football imagery used female, if they are packaged in previously, participants were on a ‘feminine’ way. CJ

968 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 digest

Survey that revealed iffy practices was itself iffy In Social Psychological and Personality Science DIGEST DIGESTED Full reports are available at www.bps.org.uk/digest Four years ago we were the first to break the disconcerting news that a survey of thousands of US psychologists had found their use A study of hundreds of pairs of twins has helped to pick apart the of ‘questionable research practices’ was commonplace: that is, their root causes of procrastination. The data suggest the tendency to tendency to do things like failing to report all the measures they had procrastinate is at least partly inherited, and that many of the genes taken, or collecting more data after looking to see if their results that influence procrastination are also involved in executive function were significant. and goal management. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General The story went viral, further aggravating the storm cloud sitting over the discipline at that time (it was shortly after the Diederik When we’re anticipating a task, we tend to Stapel fraud case). But now in an ironic development, two leading focus on its extrinsic benefits, such as what psychologists have published a damning critique of the we’ll get paid. However, once we get going, ‘questionable research practices’ survey, raising concerns about the we’re much more interested in what the methods that were used and the way the findings were interpreted. experience is actually like – that is, in its ‘Claims about violations of the standards of good science deserve to intrinsic rewards. Researchers be held to the high standards they endorse,’ they write, ‘not the least demonstrated this by asking participants to in light of the damage that misleading inferences can cause.’ predict how long they’d persist with a task Klaus Fiedler at the University of Heidelberg and Norbert that involved judging jokes or dull computer Schwarz at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, manuals. Journal of Personality and Social point out that many of the survey items were hopelessly vague and Psychology ambiguous. For example, the survey asked whether respondents had ‘failed to report all of a study’s dependent measures’. Fiedler Modern social psychology textbooks in the US present a biased and Schwarz say it would be unrealistic for any psychologist to version of Milgram’s so-called obedience experiments. A new always report every single thing they measure. Really, they argue, analysis found that the market-leading books failed to mention the question should ask whether respondents had failed to report any contemporary criticisms of Milgram’s studies. Coverage of all of a study’s measures that were relevant for a particular finding. traditional criticisms wasn’t much better. Teaching of Psychology The pair highlight similar concerns with other items in the survey. Another issue they highlight is that for a respondent to People who were raised in adversity tend to perform better on demonstrate 100 per cent innocence they would need to answer a measure of mental flexibility (the ability to switch goals) than ‘No’ repeatedly to all 10 items on the survey. When people complete their peers who had more stable childhoods. The finding is surveys, they tend to show an aversion to always providing the same consistent with the idea that people aren’t passively victimised answer, so really a survey should be compiled such that scores by their circumstances but that they adapt to them. Journal of toward a given construct or characteristic are based on a mix of Personality and Social Psychology ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ answers. The original survey also asked if respondents ‘had ever’ conducted any of the questionable practices In can be taxing spending your life feeling like all mishaps are in question, which speaks to the proportion of the sample who’d somehow your fault. However, there may be an upside to such ever committed a given research ‘sin’, but the authors and media ‘guilt-proneness’ – a new study finds that people with this trait went beyond this, to make assumptions about the prevalence of are better than average at recognising other people’s emotions these behaviours. Fiedler and Schwarz liken this logical error to from their facial expressions. Cognition and Emotion making inferences about church attendance based on the proportion of people who have ever entered a church. The stereotype is that Fiedler and Schwarz go on to report the findings of their own skilled computer ‘questionable research practices’ survey, which they gave to 1138 programmers are awkward members of the German Psychological Association. Their survey and unfriendly. A new contained the same 10 items that were used in the original 2011 meta-analysis finds that survey, but with less ambiguous wording. They also asked their introversion is correlated respondents not only if they’d ever committed the dubious practices with programming ability, but also in what proportion of their published work they’d done so. but agreeableness and The new survey finds firstly that admission rates for ever having neuroticism are not. And committed questionable practices were lower than in the 2011 the strongest personality survey – this could be because of the tightened wording, or because correlate of programming this was a sample of psychologists from a different culture. Secondly ability was openness to and more importantly, argue Fiedler and Schwarz, is that combining experience. Journal of the information they collected about prevalence leads to a big fall in Research in Personality survey outcomes. For example, the new survey found that 47 per cent of respondents admitted to at least once claiming to have Sitting in a car affects people’s perceptions of distance, perhaps predicted an unexpected finding. Yet the average prevalence figure helping to explain why drivers often make misjudgements for this practice was just 10 per cent (i.e. respondents on average at traffic lights. Participants judged how far away a cone was said they did this for 10 per cent of their published work). as they sat in a car, or on a chair, or on a chair but behind Fiedler and Schwarz agree it is important to address issues a ‘windscreen’. Those in the car underestimated by more than of scientific misconduct, but they worry that the misinterpretation of those in the comparison conditions; even more so after they had a poorly executed survey risks spreading a harmful message – that spent a few minutes driving the car. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review questionable research practices are rife, encouraging more people to think ‘everybody else is doing it, why shouldn’t I?’. CJ

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 969 You receive a complaint from a client. You count on your broker to help. But can you trust your insurance policy to protect you?

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 971 their own. Could it be time for psychologists to fill a gap in an area that is literally ‘life and death’? ARTICLE Refusing treatment A matter of life and death People’s views about quality of life differ widely, and may change over time. Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson argue there’s a role for psychologists in Psychological adaptation to chronic helping people with their Advance Decisions illness and disability has been extensively studied from a wide range of perspectives (e.g. Livneh & Parker, 2005; Smith & Many of us will lose the capacity to ll of us are at risk of a sudden Sparkes, 2005). Many people adapt, make our own decisions at some loss of capacity to make our own finding meaning and value in a life they point in our life, and we may then Amedical decisions – for example would previously have considered receive medical treatment we through a car accident or sporting injury unbearable (Kampman et al., 2015). would not have chosen for that causes severe brain injuries. Older Others do not – especially when ourselves. Through the ‘Advance people are at additional risk of losing maintaining their lives requires ongoing Decision’ (AD), the law provides capacity due to brain injuries caused by treatments they experience as the opportunity to refuse such falls (the leading cause of traumatic brain burdensome. Patients with decision- treatments in advance. We argue injury among people over 65: Tromp et making capacity may refuse further that psychologists have a key role al., 2001), or by age-related medical cancer treatments, prioritising ‘quality’ to play in raising awareness of ADs conditions that can strike suddenly (like over ‘quantity’ of life, or request the and helping people to write them. a stroke) or cause gradual loss of capacity withdrawal of ventilation with the (such as dementia). Many of us will lose consequence that they die (Phelps et al., the capacity to make our own decisions 2015). towards the end of life. In an important court case in 2002 When someone is unable to give that set the precedent for later judgments, consent, the default position is that a 43-year-old former senior social worker clinicians provide medical treatments who was paralysed from the neck down that they believe to be in the person’s best after a bleed in her spinal cord decided How can psychologists help people interests. These treatments may well be that life as a quadriplegic on a ventilator plan ahead for their future medical what we would have wanted if we could was intolerable to her. She asked the treatment? have chosen for ourselves. But sometimes doctors to remove the ventilator and took questions questions How do Advance Decisions address they are not. Some people have religious them to court when they refused. people’s concerns with quality reasons for wanting to refuse particular Granting her request, the judge made it vs.quantity of life? treatments – like a Jehovah’s Witness who clear that ‘a mentally competent patient refuses blood transfusion. Other has an absolute right to refuse to consent treatments may be unwanted because to treatment for any reason, rational or they are experienced not as saving life irrational, or for no reason at all, even ADA (Advance Decisions Assistance) is but as prolonging the dying process, or where that decision may lead to his or her a small charity, set up in June 2015, as maintaining a quality of life that the own death’ (Ms B v. An NHS Hospital Trust to: raise awareness of ADs and help person would not consider worthwhile. [2002] EWHC 429 (Fam)). people to write them (including

resources Person-centred care, at any age, is When people have the mental simple examples and one-to-one important to the profession of psychology. capacity to refuse treatments their refusals support); provide training for GPs, psychologists and other healthcare Advance Decisions (ADs) are a vital tool are binding. Through the mechanism of professionals; conduct and support for protecting people’s rights not to the AD, the law provides the opportunity research into ADs: receive medical treatments that they do for us to refuse in advance treatments that www.ADassistance.org.uk not want – a right that may be under might otherwise be provided for us once E-mail: [email protected] threat simply because they have become we lose capacity. We can use an AD to Tel: 01757 289453 unable to make or communicate their say, for example, ‘I refuse a feeding tube decision. Yet very few people have written if I have dementia’ or ‘I refuse a feeding

Castillo, L.S., Williams, B.A., Hooper, (2005). Imagining the end of life: On decisions about life-sustaining Hickman, S.E. (2002). Improving S.M. et al. (2011). Lost in translation: the psychology of advance medical medical treatments. Health communication near the end of life. The unintended consequences of decision making. Motivation and Psychology, 20(3), 166–175. American Behavioral Scientist, 46(2), advance directive law on clinical Emotion, 29(4), 481–502. Gwande, A. (2014). Being mortal. New 252–267.

references care. Annals of Internal Medicine, Dresser, R. (1995). Dworkin on dementia: York: Metropolitan Books. Hirschman, K.B., Kapo, J.M. & 154(2), 121–128. Elegant theory, questionable policy. Henry, C. & Seymour, J. (2008). Advance Karlawish, J.H.T. (2008). Identifying Ditto, P.H. & Hawkins, A.H. (2005). Hastings Centre Report, 25(6), 32–38. care planning: A guide for health and the factors that facilitate or hinder Advance Directives and cancer Dworkin, R. (1993). Life’s dominion. New social care staff. London: Department advance planning by persons with decision making near the end of life. York: Knopf-Doubleday. of Health. Available at: dementia. Alzheimer Disease and Health Psychology, 24(4), S63–S70. Fagerlin, A., Ditto, P.H., Danks, J.H. et al. www.ncpc.org.uk/sites/default/files/A Associated Disorders, 22(3), 293–298. Ditto, P.H., Hawkins, N.A. & Pizarro, D.A. (2001). Projection in surrogate dvanceCarePlanning.pdf Kampman, H., Hefferon, K., Wilson, M. et

972 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 advance decisions

‘I do not consent to be kept alive… I should like to die in my own bed’

We have personal experience in our family of the way in which an AD can work to support an older person’s wishes at the end of life. Sheila Kitzinger (Celia’s mother, pictured) campaigned for autonomy and choice in childbirth, challenging its medicalisation. She expressed the same values around dying, making her own choices to refuse treatment when she had capacity, and writing an AD to refuse treatments for when she might lack capacity. At 86 she had cancer and many other diseases of old age and reached a point where she declined further investigations or interventions. Her AD (signed and witnessed in accordance with the requirements) stated: If the time comes when I can no longer take part in decisions for my own future, I want to receive whatever quantity of drugs can keep me free from pain or distress, even if death is hastened. If there is no reasonable prospect of recovery I do not consent to be kept alive by artificial means. I do not wish to be transferred to hospital and should like to die in my own bed.

When her GP surgery tried to insist, a few weeks before she died, that Sheila should be transferred to hospital after a ‘mini-stroke’, she said no. The GP questioned her mental capacity to refuse hospitalisation. We read out her AD and she stayed home. Later the AD empowered both us, as family members, and also her healthcare providers, to provide ‘person-centred care’ with confidence that we knew what Sheila’s wishes were. (For more details see Kitzinger & Kitzinger, 2015.)

tube, ventilator, CPR and life-prolonging Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act extended with medical technologies antibiotics if I am in a continuing 2000, under which ADs are ‘potentially against their – capacitous – wishes vegetative state’. One man with motor binding’; Northern Ireland has no (Wilkinson, 2014b). An Advance neurone disease dictated an AD (using comparable legislation at present.) Decision is not the same as Advance eye movement on his alphabet board) Various similar legally binding Care Planning and/or writing Advance refusing all life-prolonging treatment arrangements are available internationally Statements laying out wishes for end- (including ventilator and tube feeding) (Negri, 2011). A valid Advance Decision of-life care (Henry & Seymour, 2008). ‘in the event that my disease progresses that refuses life-prolonging treatment, Such planning tools are very helpful in to a stage where I am unable to according to the Mental Capacity Act providing a guide to carers, and they communicate my needs and lose the 2005, must: can cover a range of non-medical issues, ability to have any control over my I be a written document specifying such as preferences in food, music, TV decisions of my care and management’ which treatments are refused under programmes and clothing. Advance (X Primary Care Trust v. XB and YB what circumstances; Statements must be considered by the [2012] EWHC 1390 (Fam)) – a decision I state that the decisions apply even if people providing treatment when they supported by the court. Provided the AD your life is shortened as a result; determine what is in a person’s best is properly completed and applicable to I be from a person over 18 and with the interests, but carers are not legally bound the situation the person is in, then these mental capacity to make these to follow them. This makes them very refusals are legally binding in the same decisions (capacity is decision-specific different from an AD, which is legally way as a contemporaneous decision by and must be presumed unless there is binding. If someone administers someone with mental capacity. evidence to the contrary); and treatment knowing that the patient has ADs have a long history in common I be signed in the presence of a witness refused it in a valid and applicable AD law (as ‘living wills’) and were given who also signs it. they could be charged with a criminal statutory force in England and Wales offence. Not everyone feels so strongly by the Mental Capacity Act 2005. (In An AD offers a legal mechanism for about treatment refusal that they want to Scotland the relevant legislation is the ensuring that a person’s life is not ensure that it is legally binding – but for

al. (2015). ‘I can do things now that Kitzinger, C. & Kitzinger, J. (2015, 19 reluctance to discuss advance ethical and legal issues that have people thought were impossible, June). How to plan for a good death. directives: An empiric investigation of arisen for doctors in the UK. BMJ actually things that I thought were The Guardian. tinyurl.com/oj5qyxj potential barriers. Archives of Internal Supportive & Palliative Care [Advance impossible’: A meta-synthesis of the Livneh, H. & Parker, R.M. (2005). Medicine, 154(20), 2311–2318. online publication]. qualitative findings on posttraumatic Psychological adaptation to disability, Negri, S. (Ed.) (2011). Self-determination, doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2014- 000826 growth and severe physical injury. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 49, dignity and end-of-life care. Leiden: Pyszczynski, T., Greenberg, J., Solomon, Canadian Psychology – Psychologie 17–28. Martinus Nijhoff. S. & Maxfield, M. (2006). On the Canadienne, 56(3), 283–294. Marsh, H. (2014). Do no harm. London: Phelps, K., Regen, E., Oliver, D. et al. unique psychological import of the Kitzinger, C. (2014). Advance Decisions: Phoenix. Withdrawal of ventilation at the human awareness of mortality. Do they work in practice? Elder Law Morrison, R.S., Morrison, E.W. & patient's request in MND: A Psychological Inquiry, 17, 328–356. Journal, 4(2), 198–204. Glickman, D.F. (1994). Physician retrospective exploration of the Sachs, G.A., Stocking, C.B. & Miles, S.H.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 973 advance decisions

those who do, ADs (and not Advance especially for those prepared by written document for the refusal. Statements) are the appropriate solicitors from a template or Nonetheless there is evidence that mechanism. downloaded by the person from an refusals will be respected, especially Advance Decisions are for those internet source. Sometimes people where family or friends support the who are confident that they are personally have misunderstood terminology or AD. Several cases have now reached and ethically committed to prospective have not been offered the opportunity court and valid and applicable ADs autonomy (i.e. to making decisions now to think through the various options have always been upheld. about an unknown future). For those and reflect on alternative scenarios. who are less sure, there is the alternative I Be available when needed. There is no of granting a Lasting Power of Attorney national register (such as the organ Supporting people in writing for Health and Welfare (see box). A person donation register) where ADs can be Advance Decisions granted this power would be able to make lodged. As a minimum, an AD needs A YouGov poll (see tinyurl.com/ppaaze3) decisions for them (once their own to be lodged with a GP and put on the revealed that 82 per cent of people in capacity to do so is lost) that take into individual’s medical record; copies Britain have strong views about their account the quality of life they are should also be given to other relevant end-of-life care, yet only 4 per cent report apparently experiencing at the time. healthcare providers, and to trusted having written an AD. (Only healthy family members and/or friends. adults living in the community were I Meet with compliance by health care polled – the figures are likely to be higher Do Advance Decisions work? providers (or, if necessary, the courts). for older people with poorer health, often To be effective in practice an AD must Healthcare providers can be very living in institutions, and/or those do the following (see Kitzinger, 2014): anxious about withholding or specifically planning for end-of-life.) This I Reflect the person’s wishes. In reviewing withdrawing treatment – even when is partly because many people are still draft and existing ADs, we have found a capacitous person refuses it, and still unaware that it is possible to make a that this is not always the case, more when they are dependent on a legally binding decision about treatment in advance of losing capacity (Schiff et al., 2000) and partly because many people believe – wrongly – that ‘next of kin’ will be able to make end-of-life decisions on An alternative: Lasting Power of their behalf. In fact, family members (as such) have no decision-making power for adults in English law – and, in any case, Attorney for Health and Welfare surrogate decision making is notoriously inaccurate (Fagerlin et al., 2001). Creating a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare (LPA(H&W)) is an alternative Other reasons for the lack of uptake way of taking primary responsibility for medical decision making out of the hands of of ADs are avoidance and procrastination clinicians. With an AD the person retains decision-making rights and exercises them in talking about death and dying prospectively, documenting their decisions in advance of losing mental capacity. With an (Hirschman et al., 2008; Sachs et al., LPA(H&W), the person appoints a trusted other (relative, friend or professional) to make 1992) and the difficulties medical decisions on their behalf, once they have lost mental capacity. practitioners experience initiating end-of- But not everyone has someone they trust to act as an LPA(H&W), and even if they do, life discussions (Morrison et al., 1994). many people worry about the burden it might impose on a loved one who is then charged There are also ‘practical roadblocks’, such with making difficult decisions on their behalf, or wonder whether the person would have as difficulties understanding the law, the ‘courage’ to make a decision that allowed death in a situation where that might be their unclear procedures and complex preferred outcome. There is also an important distinction between the basis for decision paperwork (Castillo et al., 2011). making, which can be ethically and practically consequential: an AD is based on what the There is very little professional person wants for themselves, whereas an LPA(H&W) authorises decisions based on the support for people wanting to write ADs. criterion of ‘best interests’. Although Advance Care Plans sometimes It is possible to have both an AD and an LPA(H&W) by drawing them up to cover non- (not always) include information about overlapping decisions (this takes considerable care to get right). ADs, it seems that they are rarely For more information on LPAs – and application forms – visit www.gov.uk/power-of- completed via this route. People often attorney/overview turn to doctors (primarily GPs) or solicitors for help with writing an AD,

(1992). Empowerment of the older et al. (2008). False memories for end- Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 54(8), patient: A randomized, controlled trial of-life decisions. Health Psychology, 837–844. to increase discussion and use of 27(2), 291–296. Wilkinson, S. (2014a). An analysis of calls advance directives. Journal of the Smith, B. & Sparkes, A.C. (2005). Men, to the Compassion in Dying information American Geriatrics Society, 40(3), sport, spinal cord injury, and line (2013). Available via 269–273. narratives of hope. Social Science & tinyurl.com/pwaq78t Schiff, R., Rajkumar, C. & Bulpitt, C. Medicine, 61, 1095–1105. Wilkinson, S. (2014b). Dementia and (2000). Views of elderly people on Tromp A.M., Pluijm S.M.F., Smit J.H. et Advance Decisions. Available at living wills: Interview study. British al. (2001). Fall-risk screening test: A tinyurl.com/nulb54b. Medical Journal, 320, 1639–1640. prospective study on predictors for Sharman, S.J., Garry, M., Jacobsen, J.A. falls in community-dwelling elderly.

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al., 2006); communication problems in end-of-life conversations (Hickman, 2002); variable stability of treatment ADs for all? preferences (Ditto et al., 2005); ‘false memories’ for treatment decisions It is not just those who are approaching (Sharman et al., 2008); and failures their later years who may wish to write an in predictive capacity for end-of-life Advance Decision. When we began preferences (Ditto & Hawkins, 2005). discussing this article with the Editor of The However, there is very little research Psychologist, Dr Jon Sutton, he enlisted our on – or practice-based evidence of – help to write his own. You can read his draft psychologists working with clients with the online version of this article, via to explore their end-of-life wishes in http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk. He said: a way that supports them in writing ‘I firmly believe that attitudes towards death an AD. The charity we have set up is and dying will be the major area of social designed to fill this gap. change over the next 50 years. Loss of Our expertise on ADs was mental capacity scares me more than death, developed through our work in the and I don’t want to leave all the risk Coma and Disorders of Consciousness assessment to medical professionals. Research Centre (cdoc.org.uk; see also Writing my AD, with Celia and Sue, has been Psychologists have the right expertise the multimedia resource at a learning curve and for now it remains a base to provide support for people wanting www.tinyurl.com/vandmcs); through work in progress… I think I would find it to write ADs an ESRC-funded seminar series on valuable to hear readers’ views.’ ADs; and through collaborative but neither GPs nor solicitors can offer research with the charity Compassion in sufficient time or expertise – and they Dying to evaluate their services in relation often lack the knowledge and to end-of-life issues (Wilkinson, 2014a). directing (for example) that she should communication skills required (Kitzinger, We provide CPD training to professional not be given life-prolonging treatment for 2014; Wilkinson, 2014a). The main groups including care home staff, serious illnesses or not given a feeding providers of help for people who want neurologists, independent mental capacity tube if she stops eating, should have the ADs are charities such as Compassion in advocates and GPs. None of these groups moral right to determine what happens to Dying, Age UK, the Alzheimer’s Society, is as well placed to offer individual, the person she becomes in the future – the Motor Neurone Disease Association, personalised support for ADs as are – especially if it turns out that this future and our own charity, ADA (Advance at least potentially – psychologists. person seems to the observer to be happy Decisions Assistance). Psychologists taking on this role would or content (Dresser, 1995; Dworkin, So what role for psychologists? need training in order to develop a sound 1993). There are strongly opposing views Psychologists have the right expertise understanding of the specific legal, ethical and no consensus on this issue. But at base to provide support for people and medical issues, as well as some of the a time when medical advances can now wanting to write ADs, bringing psychological and practical issues extend the lifespan beyond what many professional skills in communication involved in hands-on work – for example, people desire (Gwande, 2014; Marsh, and counselling, and academic and managing uncertain or fluctuating 2014), and when the British Medical professional knowledge in areas such as capacity and supporting assisted decision Journal has launched a ‘Too Much information processing, decision making, making, understanding different attitudes Medicine’ campaign, there is no doubt and mental health. But so far to risk and uncertainty, and supporting that ADs are of renewed interest to psychologists have been very little clients in conflict with family members governments and policy makers. For involved in this domain. Most research or medical practitioners. psychologists, this offers an opportunity on ADs comes from disciplines other than to extend our skills into this new area psychology – medicine, nursing, medical and to make a positive contribution to ethics, philosophy and the law. There is Debate and opportunity supporting people’s rights and choices in some research from the US that explores Advance Decisions have attracted relation to their lives and to their deaths. psychological theory and empirical significant philosophical and ethical evidence relating to ADs – including debate. Ethicists have wrestled with the psychological barriers to thinking about problem of whether the newly diagnosed Celia Kitzinger and planning for death (Pyszczynski et dementia patient who writes an AD is Co-Director of the Coma and Disorders of Consciousness Research Advance Decisions Part 1 Centre, University of York Tues 10 May 2016 [email protected] Advance Decisions Part 2 Weds 28 September 2016 (with Part 1 as a prerequisite) Sue Wilkinson is Honorary Professor in the Prof. Celia Kitzinger CPsychol, FBPsS and Prof. Sue Wilkinson CPsychol, FBPsS Department of Sociology, British Psychological Society London office, Tabernacle Street University of York and Director of the charity ADA Save the dates and book from the end of January via www.bps.org.uk/events/search [email protected]

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 975 Astell, 2004). Abilities established during infanthood, such as, gestures, sounds and eye contact, are amongst the first to

ARTICLE develop and also amongst the last to Giving a voice to people decline. Memory difficulties also mean that interaction attempts by caregivers can with advanced dementia be quickly forgotten, which can lead caregivers to believe that the person with Amanda Henwood and Maggie Ellis on ‘Adaptive Interaction’ dementia is no longer able or no longer wishes to communicate (Astell & Ellis, 2006). As a result, the person with Research suggests that mirroring e enter the world with a advanced dementia becomes viewed is an effective technique that can yearning for social connection. primarily in terms of their disabilities, be used to aid communication in WThis instinctual desire for social their attempts at communication become advanced dementia. However, the contact can be seen in a baby’s early devalued, and successful attempts at evidence supporting this technique attempts at interaction, for example, social interaction appear out of reach. needs substantiation and smiling, making eye contact, and Neglect of this basic social need has the application guidelines need to be crying. As adults, we observe these potential to exacerbate feelings of made clearer. This article explores communication attempts with awe. incapacitation, frustration and low self- a recently developed mirroring Quite naturally, we reflect the sounds and esteem experienced by people with technique called ‘Adaptive gestures that infants make in an attempt dementia (Kasl-Godley & Gatz, 2000). Interaction’ that addresses these to encourage social exchange; if a baby In addition, a lack of socialisation shortcomings with compelling pokes his tongue out, we respond by opportunities has been shown to evidence. The challenges of poking our tongue out too. By dramatically increase behavioural implementing wider social reciprocating their attempts at disturbances and aggression in people interventions within dementia care engagement we allow infants the with dementia (Astell & Ellis, 2012; settings are discussed and some opportunity to participate in meaningful Burgio & Fisher, 1999). In fact, social key suggestions for future research social interactions, even before they are neglect even has the potential to are made. able to speak. We take this process for exacerbate the physical and cognitive granted during the early months, but deterioration associated with the disorder could it also be key in old age? (Astell & Ellis, 2012; Kitwood, 1997). The restrictions on communicative But what is being done to target the ability demonstrated by new-born babies issue of social neglect in severe dementia? What are the potential barriers bear important similarities to those Alarmingly, the importance of social preventing the widespread experienced by people with advanced interaction has long been overlooked in implementation of social interventions dementia. Advanced dementia is the term the history of dementia treatment and

questions questions in dementia care? given to the late stages of dementia in care, which has tended to prioritise the What steps could researchers take to which cognitive abilities have deteriorated physical over the social aspects of the encourage the implementation of social so much that speech-based disorder. However, following the interventions in dementia care and communication is no longer possible. pioneering accounts of figures such as improve the evidence base supporting As cognitive skills deteriorate, those Kitwood (1997), Lyman (1989) and interventions? living with advanced dementia experience Katzman (personal communication 1975 difficulty with the pronunciation and the cited in Chaufan et al., 2012) in recent cohesive interpretations that linguistic years, the implications of social isolation Ellis, M.P. & Zeedyk, M.S. (2014). communication demands. This can often in dementia have been highlighted as a Rethinking communication: The result in a loss of the ability to speak. fundamental concern. This recognition connected baby guide to advanced While more advanced communication has initiated the development of a dementia. skills such as speech are prone to number of communication techniques resources www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6JmzNEQZjk deterioration in dementia, the that are aimed at reducing social isolation www.connectedbaby.net fundamental communicative behaviours in severe dementia. present at birth remain intact (Ellis & Many of these social interventions use

Aldridge D. (1996). Music therapy research (pp.24–31). Nordic Centre for Welfare Fox, P. (2012). Medical ideology as a people with advanced dementia. In and practice in medicine: From out of and Social Issues. double-edged sword: The politics of M.S. Zeedyk (Ed.) Promoting social the silence. London: London: Jessica Brooker, D. (2003). What is person- cure and care in the making of interaction for individuals with Kingsley Publishers. centred care in dementia? Reviews in Alzheimer’s disease. Social Science & communicative impairments: Making

references Astell, A.J. & Ellis, M.P. (2006). The social Clinical Gerontology, 13(3), 215–222. Medicine, 74(5), 788–795. contact. London: Jessica Kingsley function of imitation in severe Burgio, L. & Fisher, S. (1999). Application Ellis, M. & Astell, A. (2004). The urge to Publishers. dementia. Infant Child Development, of psychosocial interventions for communicate in severe dementia. Ellis, M. & Astell, A. (2011). Adaptive 15(3), 311–319. treating behavioral and psychological Brain and Language, 91(1), 51–52. Interaction: A new approach to Astell, A.J. & Ellis, M.P. (2012). symptoms of dementia. International Ellis, M. & Astell, A. (2008). A case study communication. Journal of Dementia Communicating beyond speech. In A Psychogeriatrics, 12(S1), 351–358. of Adaptive Interaction: A new Care, 19(3) 24–26. good senior life with dual sensory loss Chaufan, C., Hollister, B., Nazareno, J. & approach to communicating with Feil, N. (1993). The validation

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mirroring (a technique in which Feil (1993) describes an interaction with able to provide a communicative outlet communication attempts are reflected a lady called Mildred who has extreme for Mildred based on its ability to access a back to the person initiating them) as communicative impairments and has lost source of great value in her life and a means of bridging the communication the ability to speak. She explains that validate her contribution. gap among this population (Feil, 1993; Mildred’s previous job as a legal secretary Mirroring as communication can also Killick & Allan, 2001). was something that brought immense be facilitated by music, which has been value to her life. During the reported shown to elicit a fundamental, emotion- engagement, Mildred was moving her based human connection (Pace et al., Social interventions – mirroring hands quickly as if she were typing at 2011). Aldridge (1996) explains that Two important advocates of mirroring high speed on a typewriter. The caregiver, receptivity to music is an ability that in care settings are John Killick and Kate recognising the significance of this action remains in the late stages of dementia Allan, who have used it to reflect the for Mildred, joined in by replicating the despite deterioration of cognitive abilities. actions and sounds of individuals with One noteworthy example of a dementia (Killick & Allan, 2001). music-based mirroring social This involves taking note of the speed, intervention is creative music intensity and position of movements therapy, developed by Nordoff so that caregivers are completely and Robbins (1971). In this, attuned to the actions of the music is selected to match a individual with whom they are person’s emotional state. For engaging. example, if somebody is For example, they describe an feeling sad, a slow, encounter with a lady with late-stage melancholy musical sound dementia who, despite showing an might be played as a means of initial reluctance to engage in connecting with that person. communication, appeared to show a While the specific guidelines positive response to mirroring. She for the application of this initiated actions such as pointing, technique are notably vague – stroking and shaking the other ‘there is no typical session’ – person’s hand, all of which were a number of individuals with directly replicated by the caregiver, advanced dementia have allowing an ongoing interaction to benefited from this musical take place. The lady signified a intervention in terms of preference for this unspoken mode of increased social participation communication by placing her finger and general wellbeing (i.e. to her lips to indicate that words were Those living with advanced dementia experience smiling and greater social not necessary. Despite her limited difficulty with the pronunciation and the cohesive engagement: Nordoff & Robbins, capacity for language, she concluded interpretations that linguistic communication demands 2011). Thus, mirroring through the interaction with the words music can also be considered a ‘wonderful’. This highly positive useful tool that enables carers and response suggests that simplified methods typing movement. The caregiver loved ones to connect with people with of communication that utilise mirroring commented on Mildred’s ability as a dementia on a more primitive and certainly appeal to those with severe strong typist and asked her how many engaging level. communicative impairments. words she was able to type in a minute. Importantly, however, despite the Another example in which mirroring Mildred, despite not having spoken a noted potential of the mirroring has been used successfully to promote word in six months, responded by saying techniques discussed, many are lacking social interaction is highlighted by Feil the number aloud with pride. In this reference to any specific theoretical (1993), who used mirroring as part of example it appears that Mildred’s lack of framework. Instead, the strategies an approach she calls Validation Therapy: verbal communication may have been implemented appear to be a manifestation a philosophy of care developed for people a result of her unfulfilled psychological of strong values, intuition or more in the later stages of dementia, which needs, such as the need for recognition general, non-intervention-specific, promotes unconditional acceptance of the and appreciation of her hard work. research (i.e. the effects of music on person with dementia and their situation. Therefore, mirroring appears to have been psychological wellbeing). In addition,

breakthrough. Baltimore, MD: Health integration of theory, therapy, and a back in: A Critique of the V. Pace, A. Treloar & S. Scott. (Eds.) Professions Press. clinical understanding of dementia. biomedicalization of dementia. The Dementia: From advanced disease to Jefferies, L. (2009). Introducing intensive Clinical Psychology Review, 20(6), Gerontologist, 29(5), 597–605. bereavement. Oxford: Oxford interaction. The Psychologist, 22(9), 755–782. Neal, M. & Wright, B. (2003). Validation University Press. 788–791. Killick, J. & Allan, K. (2001). therapy for dementia. Cochrane O'Neill, M. & Zeedyk, S.M. (2006). https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/vol Communication and the care of people Database Systematic Review, 3, 1–12. Spontaneous imitation in the social ume-22/edition-9/introducing- with dementia. Buckingham: Open Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (2005). Access to interactions of young people with intensive-interaction University Press. communication. London: David developmental delay and their adult Kasl-Godley, J. & Gatz, M. (2000). Kitwood, T. (1997). Dementia reconsidered. Fulton. carers. Infant Child Development, Psychosocial interventions for Buckingham: Open University Press. Nordoff, P. & Robbins, C. (2011). Therapy 15(3), 283–295. individuals with dementia: An Lyman, K. (1989). Bringing the social in music for handicapped children. In Pace, V., Treloar, A. & Scott, S. (2011).

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these existing techniques are not abilities can be supported by any intervention-specific enhanced (O’Neil & empirical data; they are reliant on Zeedyk, 2006) and personal observation, which is a basic framework is unquantifiable and highly subjective. created from which Thus the demand for a more compelling opportunities for evidence base supporting the use of interaction can be mirroring interventions is clear. established. Unlike Intensive Interaction Adaptive Interaction however, Adaptive Adaptive Interaction appears to respond Interaction focuses to this demand, taking a progressive step on the present towards communicating more effectively moment. This is the potential of mirroring for individuals because we cannot with advanced dementia. Adaptive assume that people Interaction is built on the principles of with advanced Intensive Interaction (Jefferies, 2009): a dementia who have mirroring technique developed for people significant memory with severe learning difficulties and with difficulties will a strong evidence base (Astell & Ellis, necessarily be able Adaptive Interaction takes a progressive step towards 2006; Nind & Hewett, 2005). Intensive to recall previous communicating more effectively the potential of mirroring for Interaction relies on reflecting the deeply encounters. To individuals with severe dementia learned communicative abilities of the communicate socially impaired individual, such as eye effectively with these individuals, it is Wright, 2003). The inclusion of a baseline gaze, facial expressions, gestures and important that caregivers adapt their session rules out some important sounds. Conceptually, one can think of reactions to whatever social action the alternative explanations for positive affect, it as similar to the early communications person with dementia is engaged in at the and also allows the researchers to take between a mother and child; since it is time. For example, if they place their into account the individual nature of each recognised that newborns often reach out hand on one side of their chair, caregivers encounter in order to present an accurate to their mothers using these fundamental might respond by placing their hand on and non-biased account of the observed communicative behaviours to initiate a the other side of the chair, initiating a effect. reaction, mothers automatically view their game-like scenario in which the person Ellis and Astell (2011) recorded six child’s efforts as intentionally with dementia can engage. In this sense, interactions per participant over the communicative. Thus, attempts at unlike the rigidity of many other course of two weeks, during which communication by young children are mirroring approaches, which focus only the communicative behaviour of five valued highly by mothers, who often on direct reflection, the nature of Adaptive individuals with advanced dementia was respond by reflecting any communicative Interaction takes on a certain level of analysed, including physical contact, activity in a playful, caring and engaging spontaneity. This is believed to enrich facial expression, eye gaze, imitation, manner. This natural assumption of what can often be quite repetitive gestures and vocalisation. The results ability and purpose is crucial to the engagements. In this way, interactions revealed a statistically significant increase successful social development of that remain highly personalised to the abilities in communicative behaviour (as measured child (Zeedyk, 2008). Similarly in of the person with dementia and their using microanalytic behavioural coding a caregiving situation, paying attention present state of mind. of video taped sessions) for the Adaptive to sounds, movements and expressions, Perhaps the most important Interaction compared with the baseline can help to develop the communication development brought about by this session – a marked improvement in abilities of the socially disadvantaged technique is the establishment of a control communicative abilities in response to individual, creating opportunities through condition. Baseline interaction sessions the intervention. which a successful interaction can be were used by Ellis and Astell (2011) as a So, by incorporating control measures built upon session by session. In way of comparing the response elicited by and supporting results with empirical identifying these fundamental signals as Adaptive Interaction to one elicited by a evidence, Adaptive Interaction has critical for social development, social ‘typical’ interaction. Baseline sessions were significantly progressed the standard of initiated by speech consisting of routine- research in this area of study. However, based questions such as ‘Have you seen in order to effectively communicate the weather today?’ and ‘Have you had and develop the potential of social breakfast?’. Closed questions such as these interventions in dementia care, it is also Dementia. Oxford: Oxford University Press. are typical of the interactions normally necessary to confront some more general Portacolone, E., Berridge, C.K. Johnson, initiated by caregivers when caring for concerns. J. & Schicktanz, S. (2013). Time to people with advanced dementia (Ellis & reinvent the science of dementia. Astell 2011). Comparing the behaviour Aging & Mental Health, 18(3), elicited by Adaptive Interaction to that The wider struggle 269–275. elicited by a ‘typical’ interaction is Despite recognition of the importance of Zeedyk, S.M. (Ed.) (2008). Promoting particularly important here, as often just a more humanistic approach to dementia social interaction for individuals with someone’s presence alone can enhance care, it appears that prioritisation of communicative impairments. London: mood and improve the behaviour of research funding for dementia remains Jessica Kingsley Publishers. people with advanced dementia (Neal & centred on a biomedical approach. This is

978 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 adaptive interaction a reality that restricts researchers’ a multidisciplinary approach to dementia will this make scientific findings more ability to communicate potential and care that takes into consideration the compelling but also it presents exciting encourage the implementation of social biological, social and psychological opportunities through which to better interventions. Chaufan et al. (2012) factors affecting the illness (Portacolone communicate the potential of existing explain that this is largely due to the et al., 2013). It is believed that looking techniques. Consideration of these common classification of dementia as at these issues side by side will help to aspects must become the central a pathological ‘disease’ that requires reduce the frequently unfulfilled social emphasis of future research. Without physical treatment and prevention. and psychological needs of people with the progression and development of The difficulty of communicating the dementia. This recognition highlights an social intervention techniques, adequate importance of social interventions in exciting direction for future research in standards of care, in particular for those dementia is also exacerbated by common the field of dementia care and a growing with advanced dementia, will remain stigmatisation of the illness itself. Brooker shift towards holistic concerns. largely unattainable. Critically, the (2003) explains that prejudiced attitudes, In summary, it appears that mirroring potential to optimise care for those living which arise from a tendency to associate presents striking potential as a means to with advanced dementia will be missed. cognitive deterioration with a lack of help alleviate the detrimental effects of humanity, often lead to a devaluing of social isolation in cases of advanced people’s right to effective care. The result dementia. Adaptive Interaction in Amanda Henwood is is a dehumanising provision of service particular offers a clear and highly a psychology MSc graduate that fails to meet the needs of a highly personalised approach supported by from the University of vulnerable population. empirical evidence. However, before St Andrews That being said, there is evidence techniques such as this can be considered [email protected] that the increasing body of literature for widespread implementation within highlighting the importance of social dementia care settings, it is crucial that interventions is helping to shift these current techniques are further developed considerably outdated views. In addition, to bring their status in line with the Dr Maggie Ellis is Fellow in the rapid expansion of our ageing biomedical approach. To remain relevant, Dementia Care at the population is creating a growing it may be important for future University of St Andrews demand for quality care in dementia. developments of social intervention Indeed, international leaders in the techniques to consider a multidisciplinary field have proposed a shift from focus approach whereby behavioural and on a biomedical approach, to focus on biological results are combined. Not only  'RFWRUDWHLQ&RXQVHOOLQJ3V\FKRORJ\DQG 3V\FKRWKHUDS\E\3URIHVVLRQDO6WXGLHV '&3V\FK  $-RLQW3URJUDPPHZLWK0LGGOHVH[8QLYHUVLW\

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 981 relevant to only a fraction of moral judgements, and that arguments about harm reflect only convenient post-hoc

ARTICLE The uncensored truth justifications (Haidt, 2012). However, the new theory of ‘dyadic morality’ pulls harm from the shadows about morality back into the spotlight (Gray et al., 2012). Dyadic morality suggests that Chelsea Schein, Amelia Goranson and Kurt Gray consider why immoral acts harm is not only the most important always seem to be those that cause harm – especially to children factor in moral judgment, but the very core of a universal moral template – a template that both detects harm in Moral disagreement is ubiquitous. n December 2014 the British Board diverse moral transgressions (Schein People argue about the morality of of Film Censors (BBFC) banned & Gray, 2015) and fills it in when abortion, taxation, immigration, Ipornographic materials depicting acts apparently absent (Gray et al., 2014). pornography and censorship. But such as consensual spanking, facesitting, In this article, we first describe dyadic everyone agrees that morality is urolagnia, and female ejaculation. morality before addressing three apparent about harm. Not only do harmful According to a spokesman for the challenges to this theory: the intuitive acts seem immoral, but immoral organisation, the ‘BBFC classification nature of morality (intuitionism); the acts seem harmful. Building on this regime is a tried and tested system of moralisation of ‘harmless’ transgressions fact, our article outlines a new what content is regarded as harmful for in other cultures (pluralism); and harm-based theory of morality minors’ and the legislation was aimed at cognitive differences across moral content called ‘dyadic morality’. This theory ‘safeguarding children’ (Quinn, 2014). (modularity). explains many quirks of moral However, critics of the move quickly judgement, such as why pleas of pointed out that this list is not only ‘think of the children!’ feature so ‘arbitrary’, but includes only harmless Categorisation and the prominently in moral disagreement. acts between consenting adults. The moral dyad Dyadic morality is supported by BBFC and its critics seem to see the In essence, moral judgement is simply experiments in moral psychology, world in two very different ways – one about categorisation. The question ‘Is X and challenges other popular in which pornography is both immoral immoral?’ can be reworded as ‘Does X theories of morality. It also and harmful to children, and one in belong to the category of immorality?’. suggests that people – of all which pornography is neither immoral As decades of research in cognitive political hues and nationalities – nor harmful. This alignment of perceived psychology suggest, stimuli are have fundamentally the same immorality and perceived harm is not categorised by automatically comparing moral mind, but moral coincidental, but instead reflects the them to a category’s prototype (Murphy, disagreement occurs when people central role of harm in moral cognition. 2004). This prototype (or ‘cognitive disagree about which acts are The power of harm within morality template’) emerges from the most harmful. is intuitive, as many of the gravest moral common, salient, and important features violations are those that directly cause of the category. For example, the template harm – murder, assault, theft, rape and of ‘bird’ is something small, winged, seed Why do people morally condemn abuse are acts that are both harmful and eating and capable of flight. The better a ostensibly ‘harmless’ violations? universally viewed as immoral. Harm is stimulus matches the template, the more also central to rhetoric about immorality, robustly it is categorised as part of that Do liberals and conservatives have as the issue of censorship clearly group, explaining why sparrows are questions questions fundamentally different moral minds? illustrates. When people want to argue judged to be birds faster than ostriches. that an act is wrong, they reference its What is the template of immorality? harmfulness, often to children. However, It is based upon acts that are the most Wegner, D.M. & Gray, K. (2016). The mind club: Who thinks, what feels, and why it some recent theories of morality (e.g. universally condemned, the most matters. New York: Viking. moral foundations theory: Haidt, 2012) evolutionary important, and the most The Mind Perception and Morality Lab: have suggested that this harm-based emotionally evocative. Harm fulfills all resources www.mpmlab.org rhetoric is just that – mere rhetoric. These these criteria. Harmful acts such as theories claim that questions of harm are murder and assault are condemned across

Baron-Cohen, S. (2011). The science of Cheng, J.S., Ottati, V.C. & Price, E.D. doi:10.1177/1948550615592241 Greene, J.D. (2013). Moral tribes: Emotion, evil: On empathy and the origins of (2013). The arousal model of moral Gray, K., Schein, C. & Ward, A.F. (2014). reason, and the gap between us and cruelty. New York: Basic Books. condemnation. Journal of The myth of harmless wrongs in them. New York: Penguin. Cameron, C.D., Lindquist, K.A. & Gray, K. Experimental Social Psychology, 49(6), moral cognition: Automatic dyadic Haidt, J. (2001). The emotional dog and

references (2015). A constructionist review of 1012–1018. completion from sin to suffering. its rational tail: A social intuitionist morality and emotions: No evidence Gray, K. & Keeney, J.E. (2015). Impure, or Journal of Experimental Psychology: approach to moral judgment. for specific links between moral just weird? Scenario sampling bias General, 143(4), 1600–1615. Psychological Review, 108(4), 814–834. content and discrete emotions. raises questions about the Gray, K., Waytz, A. & Young, L. (2012). The Haidt, J. (2012). The righteous mind: Why Personality and Social Psychology foundation of moral cognition. Social moral dyad: A fundamental template good people are divided by politics and Review [Advance online publication]. Psychological and Personality Science unifying moral judgment. religion. New York: Pantheon Books. doi:10.1177/1088868314566683 [Advance online publication]. Psychological Inquiry, 23, 206–215. Kohlberg, L. (1969). Stage and sequence:

982 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 morality

cultures, strongly impair genetic survival, The combination of ‘intentional agent people perceive minds, they perceive the and consistently evoke powerful negative and suffering patient’ – or even more potential for evil. emotion (Baron-Cohen, 2011). Of course, simply ‘thinking doer and vulnerable many harmful acts (e.g. car accidents) are feeler’ – gives us a simple formula for not immoral, so our moral template must understanding the moral world. People Moral universals have some additional features. are most morally incensed when powerful The dyadic template not only allows Research finds that our moral thinking doers harm powerless vulnerable for moral differences between people, template involves two interacting minds – feelers (e.g. a CEO kicks a baby). This is but also suggests two powerful moral an intentional agent (i.e. perpetrator) exactly the combination of minds seen by universals. The first is what is harmful harming a suffering patient (i.e. victim; the BBFC censors, who believed that seems wrong (Schein & Gray, 2015). Gray et al., 2012). In other words, the profit-driven movie producers were As the moral template is rooted in essence of immorality isn’t merely ‘harm’ harming children. Conversely, people are perceptions of harm, the more apparently but ‘harm caused by an agent’. This agent least morally incensed when powerless harmful an act, the more it is judged as can be another person, a corporation, or vulnerable feelers harm powerful thinking immoral: first-degree murder (obviously a government, but it must be an entity doers (e.g. a baby bites a CEO). intentional and harmful) is universally perceived to be mentally capable of With this formula of ‘thinking doer condemned, whereas pornography intention and action. Conversely, the and vulnerable feeler,’ we can predict (ambiguous intention and harm) is people’s moral outrage to any less universally condemned, and hence infraction with two questions: a matter of debate. How much does the patient/victim Our lab tested the centrality of suffer? How much does the agent/ harm for determining whether or not perpetrator intend the harm? We can something is immoral in a number of also predicts a situation’s potential studies (Schein & Gray, 2015). One asked for moral outrage by considering the participants to volunteer the first immoral patient’s potential for suffering and act that came to mind. If harm is central the agent’s potential for thought and to moral judgement, people should action. volunteer something obviously harmful, Because this moral template which is exactly what they did. Over 90 involves two interacting minds, it per cent of the acts recalled were dyadic is called the dyadic template, from in nature, such as murder, abuse, theft the Greek work dyo, meaning two. and adultery. Another test asked people Unlike the template for birds (or to rate the immorality of acts that violated dogs or furniture), the moral different kinds of norms, for example template is a matter of perception. those that were harmful, unfair, disloyal, Whether a bird can fly is a matter disrespectful, or gross. Consistent with of fact, but less certain is whether a dyadic template, harmful acts were seen a perpetrator is capable of intentional as the most immoral. The importance of thought, or a victim is capable of harm was also observed in automatic suffering. The inherent ambiguity of judgements, as reaction times to other minds means that good people categorise an action as ‘immoral’ almost can nevertheless have moral perfectly predicted reactions times to disagreement, because they see categorise an action as ‘harmful’. Whether different mental capacities in an act is immoral seems best predicted by potential perpetrators and victims. its perceived harmfulness. Debates about whether children who The second moral universal predicted The BBFC and its critics seem to see the kill should go to adult prison hinge on by dyadic morality is what is wrong world in two very different ways whether they are fully capable of thought seems harmful (Gray et al., 2014). and action – an issue of perception as Imagine you knew nothing about an patient who receives the harm must be much as fact. Likewise, debates about action beyond that people believed it to mentally capable of feeling pain and abortion hinge on whether fetuses are be truly evil. You would assume that this suffering, such as children, or puppies, capable of feeling pain – which is also action was harmful – or at least that these or the elderly. largely a matter of perception. Where people perceived it to be harmful. This

The cognitive-developmental from tinyurl.com/noquu7q Blackwell. approach to socialization. In T. Schein, C. & Gray, K. (2015). The unifying Turiel, E. (1983). The development of social Mischel (Ed.) Cognitive development moral dyad: Liberals and knowledge: Morality and convention. and epistemology (pp.151–235). New conservatives share the same harm- Cambridge: Cambridge University York: Academic Press. based moral template. Personality & Press. Murphy, G.L. (2004). The big book of Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(8), Young, L. & Saxe, R. (2011). When concepts. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 1147–1163. ignorance is no excuse: Different Quinn, B. (2014, 2 December). Shweder, R.A. (2012). Relativism and roles for intent across moral Pornography law bans list of sexual universalism. In D. Fassin (Ed.) A domains. Cognition, 120(2), 202–214. acts from UK-made online films. The companion to moral anthropology Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2015 (pp.85–102). Chichester: Wiley-

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 983 J

morality IM W EST / REPORTDIGITAL perceived harm is an inevitable incidental emotions, and can sometimes consequence of a dyadic moral seem contradictory (Greene, 2013). As . template, which not only determines CO dyadic morality embraces the power of . how stimuli are categorised, but also UK harm, some have assumed that it also shapes how stimuli are perceived after embraces the reign of reason. Nothing categorisation. Like any lens through could be further from the truth. The role which we view the world, schemas of templates in categorisation – whether powerfully shape our perceptions, moral or non-moral – progresses often without our knowledge. intuitively and automatically. When Consider again the template of people think about birds, they need not birds. Because the concept of flying consciously ponder about the importance is central to birds, you will of flight as they categorise sparrows and automatically assume that something ostriches. Instead, key template features labelled ‘bird’ can fly. Because the are used automatically and effortlessly in concept of ‘harm’ is central to While it is true that liberals and conservatives categorisation. immorality, you will automatically often morally disagree, they share similar As we reviewed above, studies reveal assume that something labelled harm-based moral judgements that the role of harm in moral judgement ‘immoral’ is harmful. Of course, with is both intuitive and automatic – birds, you can objectively learn that some judgement (Turiel, 1983), it conflicts with consistent with a dyadic moral template. birds cannot fly. But because harm is one popular theory of morality – moral People rapidly see harm in moral subjective, people can seldom ‘objectively’ foundations theory (MFT: Haidt, 2012). violations, automatically use this learn that something they see as evil is Moral foundations theory argues against perceived harm in forming their moral also harmless. Returning to the example the overarching role of harm, instead judgements, and effortlessly perceive of censorship, no amount of cajoling advocating for distinct moral modules, harm in response to immorality (Gray about the harmlessness of consensual each corresponding to different kinds of et al., 2014; Schein & Gray, 2015). spanking or facesitting is going to change moral content, such as ‘purity’ or Of course, people can (and often do) use perceptions of those who already perceive ‘fairness’. In these theories, harm is considerations of harm in subsequent it as harmful (and wrong). No one ever merely one ‘little switch’ of the moral deliberative moral reasoning, but initial says ‘It’s harmless and wrong’. mind, and not a global template. perceptions of harm are automatic. This link from wrong to harm (and Advocates of MFT have challenged dyadic back) isn’t just rhetoric, but automatic morality primarily along three lines: Moral pluralism and intuitive. In one study from our lab, intuitionism, moral pluralism, and Anthropologists have long recognised that people read about acts that seemed wrong content differences. We summarise and different cultures have different morals. In despite causing no directly physical harm, address these challenges here, using them the West, there are no clear prohibitions such as masturbating to a picture of your as an opportunity to correct common about what you can eat after a loved one’s dead sister (yes, we know it’s bizarre – misconceptions about the theory of death. On the other hand, in India, Oriya blame our reviewers). Consistent with a dyadic morality. Hindu Brahmans believe it to be immoral dyadic template, participants nevertheless for the eldest son to eat labelled these ‘objectively harmless’ Intuitionism chicken after his father’s misdeeds as harmful. Were these Historic accounts of moral “…moral judgement death (Shweder, 2012). perceptions mere effortful justification? judgement emphasised the reflects emotion- To account for these No. In fact, people were especially likely importance of harm, and based intuitions” differences, theories such to see harm when we impaired their also of moral reasoning. as MFT suggest that our ability to reason by forcing them to These theories – such as basis for morality must extend answer quickly. Kohlberg’s stage model beyond harm to considerations Other studies reveal that these (1969) – suggested that moral judgement of spiritual purity (Haidt, 2012). This perceptions of harm even creep into other relied upon careful deliberation and perspective is called moral pluralism, judgements. After reading about ‘harmless conscious reflection. Reacting against because it advocates for a plurality of immoral acts’, people were more likely to this ‘rule of reason’, more recent accounts moral concerns. On the surface, moral see sad expressions in the faces of have claimed that morality is typically pluralism seems to argue against the children – an experimental demonstration a matter of intuitive judgements and harm-centric dyadic morality. However, of why those against pornography affective reactions (Haidt, 2001). When a closer inspection suggest that dyadic inevitably see it as harming children. people denounce (or fail to denounce) morality is actually more consistent with Importantly, perceptions of harm weren’t pornography, it is rarely because they moral pluralism than is MFT. driven by general feelings of ‘badness,’ as have rationally considered the issue. Although MFT embraces non- other judgements about these children Instead, their moral judgement reflects Western conceptions of morality, it fails were not more negative. Perceived harm emotion-based intuitions. As one analogy to embrace non-Western notions of harm, leads to judgements of evil, and suggests, our faculty of moral judgement rigidly defining it as only direct physical judgements of evil lead specifically to is not an impartial judge weighing the suffering. In contrast, dyadic morality perceived harm. evidence, but rather, it is an impassioned suggests that harm is in the eye of the lawyer arguing in favour of its original beholder, which means that even position (Haidt, 2012). violations of spiritual purity can actually Questions for dyadic morality Significant evidence supports the be grounded in concerns about harm. Although dyadic morality aligns with power of intuition in determining our Consider the example of the Brahman son decades of research on categorisation and moral judgement. Moral judgements are eating chicken – Hindus believe that the historical harm-centric accounts of moral formed quickly, are influenced by eldest son is responsible for processing

984 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 morality the father’s ‘death pollution’ by eating a and judgements of ‘harm’ and ‘purity’ are largely abandoned harm. Inspired by vegetarian diet (Shweder, 2012). By eating highly correlated (r = .87: Gray & Keeney, classic research on categorisation chicken, the son is thereby condemning 2015). Second, previous studies had clear (Murphy, 2004), anthropological the father’s soul to eternal suffering. In confounds – unaccounted-for third pluralism (Shweder, 2012), and modern other words, what superficially seems to variables – which we suspected gave only accounts of cognition (Cameron et al., be just about ‘purity’ is actually about the illusion that purity was special. 2015), dyadic morality has reinstalled harm. This idea is also supported by Studies arguing for unique cognition harm to its rightful place. research from our lab, which finds that all used a specific set of scenarios. These A flurry of recent research reveals that violations of ‘purity’ are judged to be scenarios represented harm through acts harm is both central to moral judgements simply a certain kind of perceived harm such as murder and child abuse, and (Schein & Gray, 2015), and also shapes (Gray & Keeney, 2015). represented purity through acts such as our perception of the moral world (Gray Our research also finds little support masturbating with a dead chicken or et al., 2014). This same research also for another oft-discussed ‘cultural’ getting a tail via plastic surgery. The savvy reveals that moral differences between difference in morality – MFT has reader will recognise that these scenarios people do not reflect deep cognitive suggested that US liberals and differ not only in moral ‘content’ but also differences: Whether British or Indian, conservatives have different ‘foundations’ in severity and weirdness. The harm liberal or conservative, people have the (Haidt, 2012). While it is true that scenarios are punishable by decades in same harm-based template based upon liberals and conservatives often morally prison, unlike the purity scenarios. The the perception of two minds – and it is disagree, they share similar harm-based harm scenarios are also much less weird these perceptions that drive moral debate. moral judgements, as revealed by studies (i.e. atypical) than the purity scenarios. Whether people are pro-life or pro-choice, in our lab. Conservatives oppose gay We read about murder everyday in the or for or against gay rights, depends upon marriage not because it seems ‘impure’, paper, and can easily imagine motivations the same simple (but ambiguous) but because they see it as harmful. One for killing another person. Conversely, we question: Do they perceive a mind being notable anti-gay activist believed that seldom read about tail-plastic-surgery, and harmed? allowing gay rights would destroy the have difficulty imagining why someone The perception of harm may be American family, throw society into chaos would do this. Our studies reveal that subjective, but it has the hot truth of and – of course – harm children. As with these differences in severity and reality to those who see it. The the Hindu Brahmans, MFT dismisses weirdness account for the apparent ‘truthiness’ of these perceptions suggests these perceptions of harm as illegitimate, uniqueness of purity. With careful that arguing about perceived harm may whereas dyadic morality embraces ‘harm experimental controls, the specialness be as difficult as arguing about the pluralism’ – the diversity of perceived of purity disappears altogether (Gray & sexiness of fetishes. Depending on whom harm. With its embrace of both moral Keeney, 2015). you ask, watching consenting adults and harm pluralism, dyadic morality Careful experimental controls also spanking, screaming, and biting each better embodies the anthropological cause the apparent link between purity other may be arousing or morally tradition that MFT seeks to claim for and disgust to vanish. Previous studies repugnant. As the British Board of Film itself. linking these concepts fail to include Censors (BBFC) suggests, the issue of control conditions with other similar censorship does indeed depend on the Content differences emotions (e.g. anger, fear), or use question of whether children are harmed. Dyadic morality suggests that – consistent improper statistical techniques that inflate But answers to the question of harm – with other forms of judgement – moral the appearance of specialness (Cameron like those of sexiness – are in the eye of judgement is based upon comparison to et al., 2015). In our comprehensive the beholder. an overarching template. In contrast, review, we found only one study that met MFT believes that moral judgement is the threshold for experimental controls, underlain by cognitive modules or ‘little and it found no evidence for a special Chelsea Schein switches in the brain’ (Haidt, 2012, disgust–purity link (Cheng et al., 2013) – is at the University of North p.123), each of which has fundamentally consistent with an overarching dyadic Carolina, Chapel Hill ‘distinct cognitive computations’ (Young template. [email protected] & Saxe, 2011, p.203). This module view suggests that violations of one ‘content’ area (e.g. harmful acts like murder) are The evolution of moral theory processed differently from those of Our morals change over time. Smoking another (e.g. purity acts like facesitting). used to be a matter of personal Amelia Goranson The module view also suggests that preference, but now seems morally is at the University of North different kinds of moral content are tinged. Pre-marriage cohabitation used Carolina, Chapel Hill linked to different emotions, such that to be deeply sinful, but now seems like [email protected] harm (e.g. murder) is linked to anger, a prudent choice before lifelong and purity (e.g. facesitting) is linked to commitment. Likewise, the scientific disgust. understanding of morality changes over Despite the common acceptance of time. How people divide norm violations these claims in our field (Haidt, 2012), into ‘inappropriate’ versus ‘immoral’ was Kurt Gray our lab wondered if all was not as it once thought to be a matter of both harm is at the University of North seemed. We examined the research and rational reason. Years later, it was Carolina, Chapel Hill arguing for unique cognition and unique discovered that moral judgement was [email protected] emotions in the content area of ‘purity’, driven by intuitions and emotion (Haidt, and found no support for either claim. 2001). However, in their rush to abandon First, uniqueness requires distinctness, reason, these intuitive theories also

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 985 considering the critical role social groups have played in the evolution of the human species. Cooperation between

ARTICLE Attachment – beyond individuals that enabled early humans to hunt effectively, protect their settlements against intruders and, later, sustain interpersonal relationships efficient agricultural and industrial economies occurred in the context of Antigonos Sochos considers whether a familiar concept can be extended to social common membership of a social group. groups, ideological systems and social institutions It is this common membership and sense of belonging to a greater human whole that has provided the essential glue This article presents some n the past decades attachment theory holding together individuals dedicated preliminary ideas on how has emerged as one of the most to the same goals and sharing the same attachment theory could provide an Iimportant psychological paradigms, world views. integrative framework that brings addressing a range of phenomena from Based on their findings, Smith et al. together different psychosocial child development to adult relationships (1999) argue that although person-to- domains – individual, and mental health. Although it has group bonds differ from close interpersonal, collective. essentially been an interpersonal theory, interpersonal relationships in many ways, Attachment to the social group is recent studies suggest that the attachment the human need to remain emotionally considered as a particular type of framework could be extended beyond the close and to depend on social groups attachment bond while the function domains of interpersonal relationships and implicate the same subsystems and of group beliefs and social individual regulation and contribute to functions that regulate person-to-person institutions as attachment objects our understanding of wider sociocultural attachment. For example, both types of are discussed. phenomena. Do human beings need the bond include support seeking, protection and security offered by the responsiveness and emotional disclosure social group in a similar way to the child as central relational processes, processes needing the protection of the caregiver, affected by past experience and also and the human adult the commitment affecting future relationships. The and recognition of intimate peers? empirical evidence the authors present also confirm their claim that group attachment and group identification are Attachment to social groups distinct phenomena. At the turn of the millennium, a ground- Support for the idea that social groups breaking study exploring the relationship can function as attachment objects also university students form with their comes from studies in group therapy. student societies provided empirical Clinicians claim that therapeutic groups evidence in support of the claim that function like attachment figures – they human beings form attachment constitute secure relational spaces within relationships not only with other which the potential for attunement individuals but also with social groups increases, early attachment failures are (Smith et al., 1999). Those researchers explored and internal working models are What are the challenges in attempting were the first to gather empirical evidence modified (McCluskey, 2002). Gantt and to conceptually link different for an argument originally made by John Agazarian (2011) argue that the group’s psychological domains? Bowlby himself. ability to act as a security provider affects

question question Bowlby (1982) suggested that individuals at the very level of neural attachment to social groups starts to integration – for example, supportive Sochos, A. (2014). Attachment security develop in adolescence, as young persons group experience improves the regulation and the social world. Basingstoke: shift their focus from caregivers to the of the limbic circuit by the middle Palgrave Macmillan. wider social world. Understanding social prefrontal and enhances the capability

resource tinyurl.com/ouadm6x groups as attachment objects is not as of the left hemisphere to provide a new, implausible as it perhaps initially sounds, more functional narrative.

Ainsworth, M.S., Blehar, M.C, Waters, E. Echterhoff, G. & Semin, G.R. (2011). Hopper & H. Weinberg (Eds.), The promotes mystical experiences via a & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of Introduction: From neurons to social unconscious in persons, groups, propensity for alterations in attachment: A psychological study of shared cognition and culture. In G.R. and societies (pp.99–123). London: consciousness (absorption). the Strange Situation. New York: Semin & G. Echterhoff (Eds.) Karnac. International Journal for the

references Wiley. Grounding sociality: Neurons, mind, Gillath, O. & Hart, J. (2010). The effects of Psychology of Religion, 22, 180–197. Bar-Tal, D. (2000). Shared beliefs in a and culture (pp.1–9). New York: psychological security and insecurity Granqvist, P., Ivarsson, T., Broberg, A.G. society: Social psychological analysis. Psychology Press. on political attitudes and leadership & Hagekull, B. (2007). Examining London: Sage. Gantt, S. & Agazarian, Y. (2011). The preferences. European Journal of relations among attachment, Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: group mind, systems-centred Social Psychology, 40, 122–134. religiosity, and new age spirituality Attachment (Vol. 1). New York. Basic functional sub-grouping, and Granqvist, P., Hagekull, B. & Ivarsson, T. using the Adult Attachment Books. interpersonal neurobiology. In E. (2012). Disorganized attachment Interview. Developmental Psychology,

986 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 attachment to groups

In recent years a small number of on them and often make plans to leave makes it less likely for individuals with studies have investigated non-clinical them. an anxious interpersonal style to also social groups from an attachment The second main point made by that develop an anxious attachment style perspective, and their findings seem to literature is that individual differences in towards the group. support three main propositions. Firstly, the way human beings relate towards The third main proposition of that these studies suggest that the individual’s their groups correspond to individual literature suggests that perception of emotional bonds with their social group differences in interpersonal attachment attachment security relates to attitudes as a whole are underpinned by the same style. Rom and Mikulincer (2003) report towards members of the outgroup. In an fundamental dimensions that underlie that individuals with anxious exciting series of experiments, Mikulincer interpersonal attachment – that is, interpersonal attachment are more likely and Shaver (2001) investigated the anxiety and avoidance (Smith et al., to perceive interactions with other group hypothesis that the outgroup may be 1999; Rom & Mikulincer, 2003). Group members as threatening and tend to perceived as a threat and therefore members who are anxiously attached to endorse group goals relating to love and activate the attachment system. At a basic, their groups seem to behave in ways security. On the other hand, those high evolutionary level outgroups may be seen similar to those in which anxiously in interpersonal attachment avoidance as competitors over resources, while attached individuals respond in are more likely to evaluate other group another group’s culture may be interpersonal relationships: they tend to members negatively and endorse group experienced as a threat to a group’s worry that their groups would not want goals that emphasise self-reliance and identity. The authors found that them as members and often exhibit interpersonal distance. The authors also participants who were experimentally extreme affect, positive or negative, note an interesting link between exposed to a control prime (i.e. words towards them. On the other hand, interpersonal attachment style and group unrelated to attachment) evaluated a individuals who are avoidantly attached cohesion: less cohesive groups tend to hypothetical outgroup member more to their groups tend to feel uncomfortable include more interpersonally insecure negatively than a hypothetical ingroup with the idea of developing a dependence individuals, while greater group cohesion member and perceived the outgroup member as a threat. Yet when participants were exposed to a secure-base prime (i.e. words indicating closeness or support), evaluations of out- and ingroup members were equally positive and the outgroup was perceived less as a threat. These very important findings suggest that the experience of attachment security can substantially reduce or eradicate fear, negativity and prejudice towards social groups different from one’s own. While the above studies are of great significance, the literature on attachment and social groups seems to present a conceptual ambiguity: it remains unclear what it is exactly that human beings attach to when they form a bond with a social group. The fact that individuals form close ties with other group members is well-established both in everyday experience and relevant research. It is reasonable therefore to assume that social groups become attachment objects as they provide a space in which individuals can form close interpersonal relationships with others. However, although all group members have close relationships with Do human beings need the protection and security offered by the social group? each other in small, high-entitativity

43, 590–601. Personality and Social Psychology Practice, 6(2), 131–142. Personality and Social Psychology, 84, Granqvist, P. & Kirkpatrick, L.A. (2004). Bulletin, 24, 961–973. Mikulincer, M. & Shaver, P.R. (2001). 1220–1235. Religious conversion and perceived Mayseless, O. & Popper, M. (2007). Attachment theory and intergroup Smith, E., Murphy, J. & Coats, S. (1999). childhood attachment: A meta- Reliance on leaders and social bias. Journal of Personality and Social Attachment to groups: Theory and analysis. International Journal for the institutions: An attachment Psychology, 81, 97–115. management. Journal of Personality Psychology of Religion, 14, 223–250. perspective. Attachment & Human Rom, E. & Mikulincer, M. (2003). and Social Psychology, 77, 94–110. Kirkpatrick, L.A. (1998). God as a Development, 9, 73–93. Attachment theory and group Swaab, R., Postmes, T., van Beest, I. & substitute attachment figure: A McCluskey, U. (2002). The dynamics of processes: The association between Spears, R. (2007). Shared cognition longitudinal study of adult attachment and systems-centered attachment style and group-related as a product of, and precursor to, attachment style and religious group psychotherapy. Group representations, goals, memories, shared identity in negotiations. change in college students. Dynamics: Theory, Research, and and functioning. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

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groups (e.g. families, a close circle of leader, what group members seem friends), this is not true in larger social to form a bond with is an image that formations, such as large organisations or symbolises the group. This takes us national and religious groups. In such back to my initial question – what is groups, individuals form emotional bonds exactly the property of the group only with a very limited number of fellow that needs to be symbolised by the group members while in many cases they group leader, and perhaps also in never personally meet most of the group. other ways, so that individuals can Yet, as we all know, human beings become attached to it? develop very strong relationships with In addition to considering such large groups. leaders and social groups as objects Authors have argued that individuals of the attachment system, Bowlby develop their bonds with social groups (1982) proposed that social through emotion-laden relationships they institutions could also have a similar form with the group leaders, who are function, an idea revisited more regarded to be the best ‘ambassadors’ of recently by Mayseless and Popper the group. Bowlby (1982) suggests that (2007). These authors appear to from adolescence leaders function as refer to social groups and social emotional caregivers, as the family loses institutions interchangeably, a fact its exclusivity and individuals start that perhaps both feeds into and seeking protection and security from helps resolve the conceptual extra-familial social groups. Nonetheless, ambiguity I am discussing. On the Bowlby (1982, p.207) uses the words one hand, social groups and social ‘initially’, ‘probable’ and ‘for many’, institutions are not the same thing. implicitly suggesting that the link Social institutions are frameworks between leader and group is a facilitating, of belief (what reality is and what rather than a necessary element of the reality should be) translated into individual’s attachment to the group. arrangements of practice and Although there is no doubt that in interaction. On the other hand, Participants moved towards supporting tougher many instances group members develop social groups cannot exist without and less tolerant American foreign policy in Iraq close interpersonal relationships with institutions. A number of authors and North Korea when put under mortality salience their leaders, this again is only possible claim that it is group beliefs and their in small close-knit groups. In larger social systematised practical applications, group endorsement of beliefs is linked to group units direct interaction with the leader is institutions, that constitute the essence of attachment (e.g. by using measures the privilege of the very few. Nonetheless, the social group. assessing attachment to groups), a lack of direct interpersonal contact does According to Bar-Tal (2000), shared number of studies provide clear empirical not prevent group members experiencing group beliefs is what defines the identity evidence for a link between such a ‘deep connection’ with their leaders, of a group and what formally specifies endorsement and style of interpersonal even to feel that they ‘love’ or are being group membership. Shared beliefs ‘define attachment. ‘loved’ by them. How many times in the essence of the group and supply the history have ordinary soldiers fought and rationale for the sense of belonging to the died ‘for their King’? Although in such group. [They] provide the epistemic basis Attachment and systems cases many of the characteristics of an that unites group members into one of belief attachment relationship are present entity, serve as a foundation for group In an interesting experimental study that (strong emotion, a sense of protection formation, and form a bond for the took place during the 2004 American and security derived by a powerful other, group’s continuous existence’ (p.35). presidential campaign, Weise and a sense of duty to reciprocate support, Similar views are also supported by colleagues (2008) found no association a sense of despair when the relationship other thinkers who emphasise the between attachment style and preferred is lost), it is clear that what group centrality of shared cognition in social life candidate (Bush or Kerry). However, members become attached to is not a (Echterhoff & Semin, 2011; Swaab et al., when participants were put under a person. Since group members have no 2007). If systems of belief and institution condition of mortality salience (that is, ‘real’ interpersonal experience with the are what holds a group together then when they were asked to imagine their such systems also define the protective own death and write down their thoughts and security-providing capacity of the and feelings) the relatively insecure group – they define the social group as an individuals tended to move their attachment object. If without systems of preference towards the most conservative Bulletin, 33, 187–199. Weber, C. & Federico, C.M. (2007). belief and institution the existence of the candidate (Bush), while the relatively Interpersonal attachment and patterns group is impossible, so is the survival of secure tended to move towards Kerry. of ideological belief. Political the human species. It is therefore Mortality salience also influenced the type Psychology, 28, 389–416. reasonable to assume that what of response that participants advocated in Weise, D.R., Pyszczynski, T., Cox, C. et al. individuals become attached to when they relation to the 9/11 attacks: thoughts of (2008). Interpersonal politics: The role bond with the social group as a whole is mortality made the relatively insecure of terror management and attachment the beliefs and institutions that define the favour a stronger military response while processes in shaping political identity of the group. no such an effect was observed among the preferences. Psychological Science, 19, Although so far no empirical research secure. Furthermore, when experimenters 448–455. has explored whether and how the introduced a security prime after the

988 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 attachment to groups

mortality salience prime, the human bonds fail to do so (Granqvist & centre of particular collectively insecure individuals’ support Kirkpatrick, 2004; Kirkpatrick, 1998). constructed and historically situated for military action was They argue that human beings form with systems of belief called religions. reduced. God an attachment-like relationship as Although for attachment deactivation The above findings seem to that fulfils the main criteria of attachment to take place the deactivator may need to suggest that the perception of proposed by Ainsworth et al. (1978): it be perceived as having human qualities – threat induced by mortality provides a safe haven in times of thus the anthropomorphic God – it is in salience activated the difficulty, it functions as a secure base fact the systems of religious belief and participants’ attachment system to which one regularly returns to re- institution that individuals turn to for and led them to increase their establish a sense of connection and protection and security when they turn proximity to a political leader, receive guidance, it requires a minimum to God. As religions are created by social who now functioned as an degree of emotional and physical groups and define the identity of such attachment figure. However, proximity for a person to feel secure, groups, by developing a bond with God it is important to note that the and it results in separation distress when human beings develop a bond with the political leader did not acquire threatened by distance. religious group as a whole, therefore, with his protective and security- Granqvist and Kirkpatrick (2004) the religious group as an attachment enhancing qualities through present empirical evidence supporting object. a warm and supportive the compensation hypothesis – that is, interpersonal relationship with the idea that individuals turn to God the participants – no such when they feel unsupported and unloved Important implications relationship existed. Potential by their caregivers in childhood. In a So, studies suggest that in addition to the voters came closer to political meta-analytic review these authors found system of dyadic attachment there is an leaders in the presence of a that adults reporting an insecure evolution-based system that predisposes threat on the basis of the ideas relationship with parents in childhood humans to look for security and form and values each leader were more likely to go through a sudden emotional bonds with social groups. represented. The relatively religious conversion, compared with Although these two systems are different insecurely attached were those who reported a secure relationship. in many ways, they also have important attracted to ideas that created According to their findings, sudden similarities so that we could say that they the impression of an unchallenged conversions are typically preceded by represent two different but related certainty and lack of critical doubt while a personal crisis, such as the loss of an attachment domains. In order to the relatively secure were attracted to important relationship, the experience of understand attachment to groups, it is ideas that perhaps recognised greater failure, or the loss of direction in life. In essential to understand what it is that complexity in the human world and addition, Granqvist et al. (2012) report individuals bond with when they relate provided fewer easy solutions. that individuals with an unresolved state with a group as whole. I argue that Nonetheless, the ideas represented by the of mind in relation to attachment, a state although individuals often bond with two candidates were not simply their own very often linked with childhood trauma, social groups as wholes through an personal views. They had been drawn tended to have metaphysical experiences experience of emotional closeness with from wider systems of political belief – and be predisposed to absorption, or the human or human-like figures that in this case, republicanism and liberalism experience of altered states of symbolise the group’s identity, what – systems that had been collectively and consciousness. The authors claim that individuals in fact get attached to is the historically constructed. What functioned mystical experiences provide vulnerable ideological and institutional systems that as an attachment ‘figure’ was not simply individuals with an unchallenged sense of define that identity. a person but a symbol of shared beliefs, security as they create feelings of oneness The above research has important a collectively created symbol of the group. between the self and the world and offer implications. It reveals the potential of Similar findings are reported by revelations of an ultimate reality. attachment theory to provide informative Gillath and Hart (2010) in a study Nonetheless, other researchers suggest links between individual, interpersonal suggesting that participants moved that in addition to the insecure pathway and macro-sociocultural processes, towards supporting tougher and less to religion characterised by problematic contributing towards a theoretical tolerant American foreign policy in Iraq parent–child relationships and sudden integration across psychology and other and North Korea when put under conversions, there is also a secure social sciences. Attachment concepts mortality salience, while such effects were pathway followed by securely attached utilised in that psychosocial domain may buffered by the introduction of security offspring typically adopting the religious advance our insight into important primes. These findings are also consistent traditions of their parents and their phenomena such as the desperate quest with most empirical evidence indicating cultural groups in a process of gradual for protection and irrefutable certainty that relatively secure individuals tend to socialisation (Granqvist et al., 2007). that is so often evident in religious hold more liberal political views while the As is the case with political leaders, fanaticism and totalitarian political relatively insecure favour more God also is a collective and historical ideology. conservative views (Weber & Federico, construction. Although some humans 2007). may have very personal experiences with In addition, attachment research God, whom they perceive as a source of Antigonos Sochos provides strong support for the existential certainty and guidance, those is at the University of implication of the attachment system experiences always take place within Bedfordshire in another crucial ideological domain – particular sociocultural contexts in which antigonos.sochos@ religion. Authors suggest that God is the divine is defined and understood in beds.ac.uk treated as an all-powerful attachment particular ways. Despite being typically figure providing protection when ordinary anthropomorphised, God is an idea at the

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Jennie Jewitt-Harris, a psychologist and medical doctor, uses drawing, collage, and 3D stereo photography to consider the psychology relating to how our memories and opinions are shaped. The flotsam and During her time as Artist in Residence at Watts Gallery in Compton, Surrey, jetsam of life she is exploring, through her artwork, the theories relating to memory triggers, flashbulb memories, and déjà Image by Jennie Jewitt-Harris vu relating to places. ‘I use weathered objects and driftwood as a physical metaphor for the passage Fine Art PhD to investigate what influences the of time. Each anonymous discarded object also specific reluctance of many people to refuse physically shows its own individual long complex consent to transplant corneas from eyes of history. Collected objects are woven into the deceased donors. She has worked in the field of collages, as triggers of memories of a time or organ donation for many years, currently as CEO place, such as music, books, photos, stamps and of the Transplant Links charity, and is intrigued maps, which I think of as the flotsam and jetsam by the special relationship we have with our eyes. of life.’ The work also considers time relating to ‘Our relationship with our eyes seems very mortality and our desire to ‘live in the moment’, different to that with other organs, and contradicting a competing desire to capture and researching this through interviews and making hold on to memories. art will be fascinating.’ Jennie, a member of the British Psychological For details of Jennie’s exhibition and artwork Society, is extending this thinking through her go to www.jenniejh.co.uk. www.thepsychologist.org.uk 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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iv vol 28 no 12 december 2015 MASTER PRACTITIONER EATING DISORDERS & OBESITY A comprehensive, experiential 3 course programme whose QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY BELFAST modules may be taken individually. We offer a substantial discount when all 3 courses are booked together. School of Psychology The modules of this programme are: Applications are invited for admission in September 2016 to the school’s Excellence in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders postgraduate professional training courses. Given the wide geographical An 8 day diploma course teaching integrative theory & effective spread of fieldwork placements, successful applicants will be expected to practical skills for the treatment of binge eating, bulimia & have a full driving licence and personal transport, unless prevented for health anorexia. or disability reasons. The courses operate an equal opportunities policy, are committed to diversity in the professions of clinical and educational psychology • Spring 2016: 3-6 March & 17-20 March, London and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applicants must possess, or expect to obtain prior to enrolment, a primary degree in Psychology which is recognised by the BPS as providing the graduate basis for Essential Obesity: Psychological Approaches chartered membership. 3 days drawing from counselling, clinical and health psychology approaches to change the lives of overweight adults. Doctorate in Clinical Psychology • Summer 2016: 2-4 June 2016, London This is a three year full time course leading to a professional qualification in Nutritional Interventions for Eating Disorders clinical psychology accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and 3 days teaching practical and effective approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as conferring treatment of nutrition-related aspects eligibility for chartered status in the BPS and eligibility to apply for registration of eating disorders. as a clinical psychologist by the HCPC. It is expected that at least eleven successful applicants will be offered trainee clinical psychologist salaries with • 24-26 November 2016, London a commitment to work for the Northern Ireland Health & Social Services statutory sector for at least two years following qualification. Additional places may be offered to candidates with funding from other sources, but this View a prospectus for each course online at: is not guaranteed. All applicants must possess, or expect to obtain prior to www.eating-disorders.org.uk (select ‘Training’) enrolment, at least a 2:1 degree in Psychology. Those with a 2:2 or below will be considered if they have obtained a higher academic qualification relevant Or call 0845 838 2040 for further info. to psychology. Doctorate in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology This is a three year full time course leading to a professional qualification in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring eligibility for Chartered Status and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of training educational psychologists. Successful applicants may be offered training bursaries which carry a binding commitment to apply for educational psychology posts within the Education Authority in Northern Ireland and, having obtained a post, to work as an educational psychologist in Board Services for a period of three years. All applicants must have, or expect to obtain prior to enrolment, at least a 2.1 degree in Psychology or, if they have obtained a Psychology qualification by graduate study, evidence of working at a 2.1 level or above in Psychology. Details of shortlisting and selection criteria and application forms may be downloaded from our web page at: www.psych.qub.ac.uk/ If there are any queries regarding this please contact us by telephoning: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology: 028 9097 5447 or 028 9097 4430. Doctorate in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology: 028 9097 4745 or 028 9097 5651. Closing Dates for Applications: For Doctorate in Clinical Psychology: 4.00pm Wednesday, 3rd February 2016. For Doctorate in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology: 4.00pm on Wednesday, 13th January 2016.

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 991 when it comes to children’s learning? Given that very little work on the relation between different concepts has Can we be scientific about been undertaken in the field of science education, with researchers frequently disagreeing about the nature of concept science education? formation and concept change, a NEW VOICES seemingly unsystematic approach to Zayba Ghazali with the latest in our series for budding writers investigating conceptual development (see www.bps.org.uk/newvoices for more information) within science education has been taken (Tolmie, 2012). This endeavour becomes more difficult due to the fact that the nature of conceptual progression for any discipline is relatively unknown and ‘Have you heard of Evolution before?’ don’t know how best to teach them. The underresearched. There is some evidence ‘Yeah. Scientists believe that there NC for England is organised in a manner to suggest that conceptual progression is was a mistake and everything came that assumes sequential learning of likely to be fragmented, with very little out of a snap and monkeys became concepts, in that generalised complex connection between what seem like humans.’ (Jennifer, aged 9) understanding about certain ideas can logically related concepts. For instance, only be developed on the basis of earlier Tolmie et al. (2009) have shown that even hat does a young child in primary within a single curricular topic such as school know about evolution? In physical state change, understanding of Wfact, what does a primary school melting among eight-year-olds is not child know about scientific concepts in predictive of understanding of general? The truth is, no one really knows evaporation – even though these concepts all that well. The topic of evolution has are essentially opposite ends of the same been included in the new and revamped spectrum (and are treated as such on the National Curriculum for England (NC: NC). Likewise in the field of biology, Department for Education, 2013) for work into children’s understanding of primary education as of September 2014, animate versus inanimate knowledge having previously only been included in would logically rely on the same grasp of the curriculum for secondary school. But the distinguishing properties of animate is the NC effective in engaging with the entities and inanimate objects, yet work ways children best learn? into natural kinds suggests this is not the Already the new NC has been met case (Gelman, 2015; Gelman & with some degree of negativity from Hirschfeld, 1999). educationalists and psychologists alike. In this sense it seems as though Despite the ever-changing politics and concepts are not quite as linked as one curricula, one thing has remained the would assume them to be – knowledge same: curricular design has always been is more piecemeal. It becomes difficult, an activity that rests on some fundamental therefore, to make assumptions about assumptions about the organisation of appropriate conceptual sequencing. knowledge and the development of and simpler concepts. While this does understanding. That does not necessarily seem somewhat logical, there is a distinct mean that it is completely flawed, just lack of any systematic research on the Developments in literacy that something so basic in a child’s processes behind conceptual and numeracy learning should maybe be investigated development. What there is has often More recently there have been advances more thoroughly for its effectiveness, shown children’s learning to be quite in research aimed at trying to understand given the potential consequences for piecemeal and unlikely to progress in conceptual development and progression children’s academic progress. such a straightforward and linear fashion, in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The The problem with not knowing how particularly for science education. So why cognitive changes involved in literacy children learn about science is that we do we make such a huge assumption development are probably the most well

Alloway, T.P., Gathercole, S.E., Willis, C. & arithmetical difficulties’. In R. Cowan, Curriculum attainment levels. genes: The role of the non-obvious in Adams, A-M. (2004). A structural M. Saxton & A. Tolmie (Eds.) British Educational and Child Psychology, children’ s conceptions of the world. analysis of working memory and Journal of Educational Psychology 20(3), 109–122. Society for Research in Child related cognitive skills in young Monograph Series II: Psychological Gathercole, S.E., Pickering, S.J., Knight, Development Biennial Conference,

references children. Journal of Experimental Child Aspects of Education – Current Trends: C. & Stegmann, Z. (2004). Working Philadelphia. Psychology, 87(2), 85–106. No. 7. Number Development and memory skills and educational Gelman, S.A. & Hirschfeld, L.A. (1999). Department for Education (2013). National Difficulty. Leicester: BPS. attainment: Evidence from National How biological is essentialism? In S. Curriculum for England. London: Gathercole, S.E., Brown, L. & Pickering, Curriculum assessments at age 7 Altran & D. Medin (Eds.) Folk biology. Author. S.J. (2003). Working memory and 14 years of age. Applied Cognitive Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Dowker, A. & Sigley, G. (2010). ‘Targeted assessments at school entry as Psychology, 18(1), 1–16. Ghazali, Z. & Tolmie, A. (2014). New interventions for children with longitudinal predictors of National Gelman, S.A. (2015). From blankies to approaches to understanding the

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understood (e.g. Alloway et al., 2004; working memory across childhood but biological concepts within the NC. Hulme & Snowling, 2009), followed by at different points in time. Early findings suggest that children have numeracy, particularly the early stages of However, little is known about the similar overall domain-general learning arithmetic (e.g. Dowker & Sigley, 2010; exact effects of general cognitive abilities structures but differ in terms of their Zheng, et al., 2011). Understanding in on science learning. More recently, there domain-specific learning processes, which these areas has been used to aid teaching are some indications that working vary for each subject and sub-subject. It practice in literacy and numeracy to memory and executive functions might also seems that general cognitive abilities, a degree, but comparatively little work well be implicated in science learning in particularly executive functions – which has been done in the field of science. preschool (Nayfeld et al., 2013). If have been shown to influence academic We cannot assume that the learning progress in different areas is being driven achievement in numeracy and literacy – mechanisms used in literacy and to some extent by the same underlying have surprisingly little to do with initial numeracy education are going to be the capabilities (executive functions, conceptual development and progression same for science education – let alone for attention, etc.) but within differing of biological concepts. The development all subtopics within science (e.g. physics, contexts, it is possible to have no of biologically specific language may be biology, chemistry), which are vastly connection in terms of content between more significant. This suggests that there different from each other. The different conceptual areas and yet still is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to teaching organisation and the development of have similar levels of progress being certain subjects, and different strategies skills and concepts in the various areas made, which is consistent with the are likely to work better for different areas. is simply too different, and established fragmented picture of children’s science There is also little evidence to suggest that research into the domain-specificity of learning that is emerging. conceptual progression among biological conceptual development corroborates concepts takes a linear and sequential this (see Hirschfeld & Gelman, 1994). approach as the NC implicitly assumes. Moving forward The exact nature of progression, and the There’s clearly a risk in introducing a mechanisms behind this change, have yet General cognitive abilities complex topic in the NC without first to be fully investigated in my longitudinal The development of children’s knowledge establishing what – if anything – it might project. is likely to be dependent upon the build upon. It may be that children It seems apparent that in order to increasing sophistication of general struggle with concepts such as evolution, fully enhance children’s learning, we cognitive abilities. Many studies have as they could require the use of more ought to be investigating the ways in considered the effect of executive developed general cognitive abilities to which they learn best, and shape the function and working memory on coordinate a vast array of complex ideas. content of what they are prescribed to academic achievement. A study by More in-depth analysis about children’s learn as a result. While there has been Gathercole and colleagues (2003) found conceptualisations would help to uncover a relatively large amount of work focused that measures of working memory taken the developmental trajectory of on improving children’s attitudes toward at school entry level at age four were conceptual progression, focusing on science education and relevant training found to be highly predictive of children’s a number of related concepts currently among teachers (see the Welcome Trust attainment levels in the NC assessments taught on the primary science report on science education, 2013), at age seven for literacy, but not for curriculum. These concepts in themselves surprisingly little has been focused on mathematics. However, a later study are not unitary but are made up of more understanding the learning processes that (Gathercole et al., 2004) looking at how important subconcepts that range from might explain why children struggle to predictive working memory at age seven topics as simple as taxonomy, to learn scientific concepts. Research into was to English, maths, and science something more complex as genetics. conceptual development within science assessments at age 14, found that working What is needed is a method of capturing education is likely to aid this endeavour. memory was significantly associated with children’s understanding of all these children’s attainment in English and elements in an even-handed fashion so maths but not science, although at age 14 that the relationships between them, and Zayba Ghazali is a Teaching strong links remained between complex to more general cognitive capabilities, Fellow at the University of working memory scores and attainment may be investigated (Ghazali & Tolmie, Edinburgh in maths and science. From these results, 2014). [email protected] it was suggested that the intellectual This is something I have been operations required in maths and science working on as part of my own research are constrained by the general capacity of into children’s understanding about

development of biological concepts in Wiley-Blackwell. Tolmie, A., Tenenbaum, H. & Pino- (2011). Working memory components young children. Educatio Siglo XXI, Nayfeld, I., Fuccillo, J. & Greenfield, D.B. Pasternak, D. (2009). Generalization in as predictors of children’s 32(2), 97–118. (2013). Executive functions in early children’s science explanations. mathematical word problem solving. Hirschfeld, L.A. & Gelman, S.A. (Eds.) learning: Extending the relationship European Association for research Journal of Experimental Child (1994). Mapping the mind: Domain between executive functions and into Learning and Instruction Biennial Psychology, 110(4), 841–498. specificity in cognition and culture school readiness to science. Learning Conference, Amsterdam. Cambridge: Cambridge University and Individual Differences, 26, 81–88. Wellcome Trust (2013). Perspective from Press. Tolmie, A. (2012). Understanding core skills education: Effects from Hulme, C. & Snowling, M.J. (2009). and influences in primary school accountabilities. Issue 4. London: Developmental disorders of language science learning: Taking a scientific Author. learning and cognition. Chichester: approach. London: IOE Press. Zheng, X., Swanson. G. & Marcoulides, G.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 993 methodological tools. And last but not least, I learn something new almost every day from my researchers, so I am never ‘I took the plunge and bored. When I interviewed Daniel Kahneman INTERVIEW chose the risky option’ he explained how he sees human heuristics as having various irrational Lance Workman meets Gerd Gigerenzer, Director of the Max Planck Institute for cognitive biases and weaknesses. You Human Development and the Harding Center for Risk Literacy in Berlin have a different view? I do. Kahneman studies the deviations of human judgement from rational choice models or logic. In his view, when there is a discrepancy, it’s we who should be blamed and never the rational choice ’m very interested to learn about situations in which all of this is known. model. I make a distinction between Iyour work on decision making, but We try to open decision making up by situations of ‘risk’ where we can calculate can I start by going back to a former developing and studying models of the best option with certainty (as in life. I gather you started out playing heuristics that can be superior to so-called monetary gambles) and situations of a banjo as a Dixieland jazz band – how rational models in the real world where ‘uncertainty’, where we do not know did that come about? uncertainty reigns. all alternatives, consequences and I always loved music, and being a probabilities – such as how to invest your musician helped me become financially The ABC contains a very wide range of money and whom to trust. In uncertain independent from my parents at the age academics – do you ever find you speak situations, it is an illusion to believe that of 17. My first instrument the standard models of logic, was the accordion, then probability or rational choice can guitar and banjo. define what a good decision is. What I have shown is that under How did you make the uncertainty, simple heuristics can transition from successful make better predictions than complex jazz musician to academic statistical models such as multiple psychologist? regression or other complex ‘rational’ After getting my PhD, models. That clashes with I had to decide – should Kahneman’s belief that heuristics I continue playing music on are always second-best. Whereas the stage or leave that behind heuristics-and-biases programme me and aim for an academic relied on labels such as ‘availability’ career? As a musician, I was or ‘affect’ heuristics, or the near- raking in good money, empty notion of ‘System 1 and 2’, much more than an we used formal models of heuristics assistant professor earns. to show the effectiveness of simplicity, Music was the safe option so-called less-is-more effects. Without for me, and academics the such scientifically precise models, the risky one. At that point older research programme was not it was anyone’s guess equipped to find these exciting whether I would ever get results, nor could it develop a study a professorship. But I took of ecological rationality that specifies the plunge and chose the the conditions under which a given risky option. heuristic succeeds or fails. After all, we humans are not as dim-witted as I’m glad to see the risky the heuristics-and-biases research option paid off. You’re makes us appear. currently director of the a number of different scientific interdisciplinary Center for Adaptive languages and come at things from You relate the current problems we Behavior and Cognition (ABC) at the really quite different angles? have with handling probabilities to our Max Planck Institute. What sort of The very idea – and the success – of the evolutionary past when we faced quite questions does this group seek to ABC Research Group is to bring together different challenges? answer? young, adventurous scientists from That is one aspect. But it is too general We study decision making under different disciplines to work on the same for making precise predictions. We have uncertainty, that is, in situations where topic. The group currently consists of derived a number of quite precise it is impossible to know all options, about 35 researchers who come from insights. For instance, many experiments consequences and probabilities in advance about 10 disciplines. Because everyone by others used single-event probabilities – just like my decision between the world looks at the same issue from different to demonstrate human cognitive fallacies, of music and academia. Most angles, we learn from one another and such as the question ‘Is Linda more likely psychologists, and almost all behavioural can approach the study of heuristics and to be (1) a bank teller or (2) a bank teller economists, restrict their research to rationality with a wide range of useful and active in the feminist movement?’.

994 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 interview

Most people choose (2), which Tversky understand, say, what the chances are the last financial crisis, the results would and Kahneman attribute to not that a woman has breast cancer if she not have been as devastating. Simple rules understanding the basics of probability has a positive screening mammogram. can be much more effective than rating theory (the so-called conjunction fallacy). For instance, in one study with 160 agencies’ complex and misleading risk Yet in statistics proper there is a debate gynecologists, only 21 per cent calculations and banks’ value-at-risk whether single-event probabilities belong understood that the probability that calculations. These calculations border to the domain of probability theory. a woman has breast cancer if she has on astrology. I am currently working with Whatever the answer, one should not a positive screening mammogram is the Bank of England on a project, ‘simple immediately put the blame on people only about 1 in 10. Most believed it is heuristics for a safer world of finance’. without questioning a controversial norm. between 80 per cent and 90 per cent! Ralph Hertwig and I (1999, Journal of As mentioned, the problem is not simply I’ll certainly look out for that! You have Behavioral Decision Making) turned the in some biases in doctors’ minds, but in conducted a great deal of research in single-event question into a the widespread decision making and in cognitive frequency question (‘Think of use of conditional psychology in general, you have 100 people like Linda: How “I would like to help create probabilities to published a great deal and you have many are (1) bank tellers? a society where most communicate risk. headed a number of research centres. How many are (2) bank tellers people are risk savvy ” So we taught I’m wondering if you have any and active in the feminist doctors how to unfulfilled ambitions? movement?’), which made the translate conditional Oh yes, dozens of them. I want to better so-called fallacy more or less probabilities into understand the heuristics in the ‘adaptive disappear. Thus, the problem is not that natural frequencies. With the help of toolbox’ of experts and laypeople, and people fail to understand the conjunction natural frequencies, 87 per cent of the how they develop in the course of a rule of probability, but rather that doctors finally understood the correct lifetime and training, and I also want researchers fail to critically think about numbers. to better understand the ecological norms of reasoning. We have documented rationality of heuristics, that is to describe that many of the so-called biases reflect You published a book recently called the environmental conditions in which careless thinking on the part of Risk Savvy: How to Make Good Decisions a heuristic is better than, say, a complex researchers. in which you claim anyone can learn to calculation, and vice versa. This requires make better decisions for their health, a formal study of models of heuristics One area you have tried to improve finances, family and business without and environments. And finally, there is is the way that medical doctors needing to consult an expert. If you a larger dream. I would like to help create understand natural frequencies in test could give me just one tip to improve a society where most people are risk savvy results. Why do you think these highly decision making what would it be? and can make intelligent choices on their trained professionals get things wrong Don’t buy financial products you don’t own. We do not need more ‘nudging’ or and how can they learn to improve understand. If everyone on both sides of blaming… we should instead help people this? the Atlantic had followed this rule before to take their lives into their own hands. In the good old days (and even in some backward textbooks today) the message was spread that people cannot think the Bayesian way. Many otherwise competent doctors have considered themselves mathematical duds and avoided statistics when they could. In a 1995 Psychological Review article, Ulrich Hoffrage and I report the results of our experiments that showed for the first time that the problem is not simply in the minds of people but in the way the information is framed. That is, misunderstandings arise through the use of conditional probabilities. When we replaced these by what we termed ‘natural frequencies’, much of the confusion evaporated. And we could identify the reason – natural frequencies facilitate Bayesian computations, being a format that corresponds to the way people learned information before the invention of books and probability theory. We then applied these findings to the medical field, where confusion can have critical effects. First, we www.thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/meets showed that most doctors do not

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 995 President’s column SOCIETY President Jamie Hacker Hughes Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes Contact Jamie Hacker Hughes President Elect [email protected] Twitter: @profjamiehh Professor Peter Kinderman

Vice President Professor Dorothy Miell nd so another BPS year comes to an end, are available on www.bps.org.uk/fpop. Further and we are now nearly 110 (or 115, FPOP workstreams are looking at inpatient Honorary General Secretary Adepending upon when you start the clock). working with older people, mild cognitive Dr Carole Allan And what a year! A really successful Annual impairment, and neurodegenerative diseases, Conference in Liverpool, including some while some of the geographical groups are Honorary Treasurer keynotes that kept the press busy for weeks, the putting on CPD events on therapy with older Professor Ray Miller celebration of our 50,000th member (and we are people. Another example of work is the BPS- well past that figure now and heading towards wide Dementia Advisory Group (DAG), chaired Chair, our next milestone of 55,000), the historic by Linda Clare, whose position paper on election of a psychologist (Dr Lisa Cameron) dementia is now completed and due to be Membership Standards Board as an MP, equally historic new Memoranda of printed by January. Lastly, at next year’s BPS Dr Mark Forshaw Understanding with the 130 year-old Russian conference there will be a symposium on clinical Psychological Society and the much younger psychology with older people, looking at some Chair, Psychological Society of Ireland, and a dynamic, of the issues generally not associated with older Education and Public positive and inspirational General Assembly, at people, such as HIV, drug and alcohol Engagement Board least according to several of the members who dependency and sexuality. Professor Catriona Morrison attended. As the structural review takes shape, In Northern Ireland, and extremely mindful the wonderful work of our Branches, Special as we are that we should use our knowledge and Chair, Groups, Sections and Divisions goes on, all expertise in this area to exert influence on promoting ‘the advancement and policy and practice, the Research Board diffusion of a knowledge of British Psychological Professor Daryl O’Connor psychology pure and applied’, as Society in Northern Ireland our Charter Objects say that we “Dementia is one of the held a conference at Chair, should be doing. No wonder we biggest challenges that Stormont on 30 November, Professional Practice Board feel tired! many of us face as in which I was delighted to be Dr Ian Gargan Speaking of which, my themes our professional and able to attend in order to for this month, as the year draws to personal lives” represent the wider Society, The Society has offices in Belfast, a close, are age and ageing, together advising politicians and Cardiff, Glasgow and London, as with neuropsychology and policy makers. This dementia, and so I wanted to share conference brought together well as the main office in with you some of the wonderful work that is our national and regional experts in the area Leicester. All enquiries should going on and being carried out by your fellow to the heart of government in Northern Ireland, be addressed to the Leicester members up and down the country and across supported by the suite of publications that office (see inside front cover for the four nations. Dementia is one of the biggest the Society has produced in dementia. The address). challenges that many of us face as in our importance of tailored psychological professional and personal lives, and so it assessments and interventions, together with demands new ways of thinking and doing, but psychologically informed services in general, The British Psychological psychological knowledge has a great potential was also promoted to inform Northern Ireland’s Society in supporting policy and practice through this own dementia strategy. was founded in 1901, and transformational change process. In Scotland, members of the Society who incorporated by Royal Charter in The Division of Clinical Psychology’s Faculty have long played a significant role in 1965. Its object is ‘to promote the of the Psychology of Older People (FPOP) has transforming practice and thinking about advancement and diffusion of been working with the Alzheimer’s Society and dementia are actively engaged in helping to Dementia Action Alliance, and in close co- develop Scotland’s Third Dementia Strategy, due a knowledge of psychology pure operation with a wide network of Dementia to launch next year. For example, Dr Jacqueline and applied and especially to Service users through the Dementia Engagement Wilson and Dr Belinda Hacking, with promote the efficiency and and Empowerment Project (DEEP, on a series of Alzheimer’s Scotland, held an expert reference usefulness of Members of the Dementia Workstream papers, the last of which group on behaviour support and the stepped Society by setting up a high was Psychological Alternatives to the Prescribing care model of behaviour support as described of Antipsychotic Medication (in Dementia) and in in our 2013 BPS good practice guide. There standard of professional the spring the remaining chapter, was a unanimous decision taken to promote education and knowledge’. Communicating about a Diagnosis of Dementia psychological assessment, formulation and Extract from The Charter is to be published, along with an accessible psychosocial interventions and a matched, version of the entire suite of papers. The papers stepped care behaviour support model with

996 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 society the Scottish Government, in order to and holding older people at the core. meet the needs of clients with advanced Our neuropsychologists have a unique dementia and behavioural issues which role to play too as, as a society, we can cause care to break down and as a urgently need to consider the safer option than the prescription of psychological needs of those who have antipsychotic medication. neurological conditions. Over two million Dr Wilson also promoted a people are affected, yet within the NHS psychological model of behaviour support this remains a neglected area, although at the Scottish Cross-Party Parliamentary providing for people’s psychological needs group this year with the message that NHS is a key part of meeting the government’s Trusts should aim to provide alternative aim for parity of esteem in the NHS service models to a purely medical model, between physical and mental health needs. by investment in preventative Neuropsychologists, as specialists in psychological approaches and via psychology as applied to neurological multidisciplinary teams for behaviour conditions, provide expertise on how support, with psychology leaders. physical changes in the brain can impact Psychologists provide the research on people’s cognition, behaviour and expertise, the clinical governance and emotions. Thus they can help inform to training knowledge and skill. No advanced an accurate diagnosis of what type of dementia strategy, we would argue, should dementia someone has, for example, or Book be without behaviour support which parts of the brain are affected by psychological models and interventions epilepsy; provide the treatments and throughout the client and caregiver support that help people adapt to changes awards dementia journey. in their emotions, memory or how they In order to bring psychology into the process information; and afford vital Professor Lynne Murray and heart of the debate in Scotland, Scottish assistance for carers to cope with and Michael Bond Branch and Alzheimer’s Scotland are understand these changes. planning a roundtable event next year All of the above are examples of how A book that challenges received wisdoms that will bring together policy makers the Society needs to work in the modern about parenting, using solid research and psychologists from across the Society UK. We need to be able to work with the evidence, and that emphasises the benefit to help to inform and shape the new complexity of our structures to harness of what parents do naturally, has been Dementia Strategy in Scotland. This is and build our knowledge and apply it in awarded a BPS Book Award. Lynne a real opportunity to show what we can increasingly devolved policy settings. Murray’s The Psychology of Babies is achieve when we work flexibly across our There is an undeniably large number of aimed at parents and the professionals boundaries, pooling our knowledge and bodies, agencies and Society subsystems who support them, as well as students expertise. There is a big and important with an interest on dementia. Our of child development, and shows the prize – transforming the lived experience challenge as a Society is to work hard, importance of everyday interactions of people with dementia – and it is one creatively and constructively, in order to with babies from birth to the age of two. that lies within our grasp for significant bring the work of all our subsystems and Professor Murray (University of leadership. networks together into a coherent and Reading), who is passionate about early Meanwhile, in Wales, the Centre for authoritative voice that will have a development and social interactions in Innovative Ageing (CIA) is a leading global significant impact on dementia policy babies, said she felt a responsibility to interdisciplinary research centre in social throughout the four nations that make up write the book after working in the field gerontology based in Swansea University, our United Kingdom. for many years and realising evidence- South Wales. Psychologists, geographers, Some of you may have detected based information for parents was often sociologists and technologists work another theme here as well as the primary hidden away in the academic literature. together to produce innovative world- themes of age and dementia. The theme The book covers four areas: social leading research to directly positively is one of cooperation and collaboration. understanding and cooperation, impact on the lives of older adults both in I have been privileged to visit six of our ten attachment, self-regulation and control the UK and internationally. Working under Branches, eight of our ten Divisions, two of and cognitive development. For the book the three themes of Participation, Social our three Special Groups and four of our Murray filmed babies carrying out every and Supportive Relationships, Sections throughout the year and I have day activities, such as playing peek-a-boo Environments of Ageing and Networks and witnessed, and been really impressed by, or encountering a stranger, and used Translational Work, staff in the CIA are real cooperation and collaboration between these films to present photographic producing research informing Welsh networks. The themes of cooperation and narratives to illustrate how babies develop Government policy and shaping research collaboration were ones that shone out of and how interactions affect their on a global stage. Current research the General Assembly, and they are themes behaviour. includes work on identifying factors that that we are now taking forward though the She told The Psychologist that the can delay or prevent the onset of structural review. The best way of first two years of a baby’s life can set dementia, alleviation of loneliness, ‘advancing and diffusing the knowledge of the pathway a child will follow, affecting transnational relationships and modifying psychology, pure and applied’ is together. them into adulthood. She added: ‘There’s implicit attitudes towards older adults. Together we can! so much evidence showing babies adjust With the central tenet being impactful Wishing you all a wonderful holiday very quickly to the way they experience research, the Centre for Innovative Ageing and a well-deserved rest, and looking the world. By the age of two they’ve is at the vanguard of psychosocial research forward to a cooperative, constructive and generally established quite clear patterns on ageing, engaging novel methodologies, communicative 2016. of responsiveness and interest in the

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 997 society

world, and attachments to their key to certain tones of voice and intonation a lot from being read to. It is one of the caregivers are relatively stable.’ patterns. I think the evidence base can very best ways to promote attention span Surprisingly, a child’s IQ by the age help in myriad ways to support what as well as cognitive and language of two is also quite stable, Murray said: parents do naturally.’ development, and it’s such an easy thing ‘It’s a good predictor of GCSE And this, perhaps is the key message to incorporate into daily life.’ performance. Emotion regulation and from Murray’s book – that while parents Murray said she was delighted to control is also established in this time – are overwhelmed with potentially dubious receive the BPS Book Award in the if a child has developed a persistent, information in some baby books, the Textbook category and added: ‘I’m very pervasive and aggressive pattern of evidence shows that simply interacting glad to make what I have learned myself responses by the age of two to three, it’s with your baby in an ordinary way during available to students, but I also hope that more likely they’ll show a pattern of everyday tasks, is the best thing for a baby the evidence base represented in the book aggression later on. Similarly, babies with in many ways. She said that a ‘good will be of interest, and help, to parents early theory of mind skills by 18 months enough’ parent is what babies need, and and the professionals who support them.’ to two years, will be likely to have better added: ‘I try to show in the book that little The second book to receive a Society social responsiveness later on. These things going wrong can actually be quite award, in the Popular Science category, things aren’t set it stone, but it does mean helpful for babies. They then have the was The Power of Others: Peer Pressure, a child will be on a certain path.’ experience of things not being perfect. Groupthink, and How the People Around Us Also an extra-ordinary professor at Actually just muddling through life in Shape Everything We Do by Michael Bond. Stellenbosch University in South Africa, a normal way is probably better for them As he writes in the prologue to the book, where she spends a few months per year, than having helicopter parents. That mid- ‘[m]uch of human behaviour is only Murray works with parents in the range level, ordinary responsiveness is understandable at the level of the developing world where it is sometimes really helpful. By doing ‘ordinary’ things collective’, The Power of Others examines believed that babies can’t see or hear for parents are already doing something how behaviour is influenced far more by the first few weeks. She said: ‘The amazing.’ others than we realise. Michael Bond said: realisation that they do have these Book-sharing is one of Murray’s main ‘We like to think we’re in control of our abilities changes everything for parents – passions, and proceeds from her book lives, but more than 50 years of they start to interact with their babies and will go to a charity she set up to support psychological research shows that most of speak to them. Parents might not realise book-sharing in the developing world, the the time we’re not. It pays to be aware of that babies are very geared up to respond Mikhulu Trust. She said: ‘Babies can learn the power of groups.’ ER Proposals to form two new Sections

Two proposed new Sections of the Society are seeking support for their formation. The proposals to form the new Sections have met initial requirements in compliance with Society Rule 37(1) with the support of at least 20 Fellows, Associate Fellows or Chartered Members, made in writing to the Trustees. The next stage is to obtain not less than 1 per cent of all Society Members in support as required by Rule 37(2) in order to ensure there is appropriate demand for the Sections.

Proposed Defence and Security Section The aim of the Defence and Security Section is to promote a depth of understanding through multifaceted discussion, sharing of knowledge and investigation. The scope of the Section is necessarily broad, embracing a spectrum of psychology from clinical, through cognitive and neuroscientific to occupational and human factors. Defence and security is considered to be a domain of overlapping concerns arising from military, political, economic, criminal and legal activities affecting the wellbeing of the nation. It includes such areas as: selection and training of personnel for defence and security roles; clinical and therapeutic support to personnel and their families; the design of information, equipment, organisations and work so that they support people performing such roles; research and practice of counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, leadership, management, command and control; ethical consideration of research and practice; and much more. Please indicate your support via: https://response.questback.com/britishpsychologicalsociety/defsec

Proposed Cyberpsychology Section The proposed Cyberpsychology Section has an applied focus encompassing psychological phenomena associated with or affected by emerging technologies, but with a particular focus on the internet. This can include; digital gaming effects, online identity and groups, personality in virtual worlds, effects of the internet and associated activities, online learning, and social networking in cyberspace. Cyberpsychologists are particularly interested in questions such as why we engage or use these systems, as well as how we experience and are affected by them. Being digitally connected is becoming increasingly fundamental to economic and educational advancement and community participation. The fact that these new technologies are vastly becoming a crucial and substantial part of our everyday lives suggests the importance of understanding the way in which we experience and are affected by them. The Section would provide a core network for scholars and practitioners interested in cyberpsychology, as well as additional numerous benefits such as a dedicated publication and annual conference, CPD and training events, and support for the development of clearer guidelines for research-based procedures, specific to online research (e.g. ethics, online questionnaires). Please indicate your support via: https://response.questback.com/britishpsychologicalsociety/cyberpsych

998 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 society Stories of clinical psychology Matthew Connolly reports from the fifth annual Stories of Psychology symposium, held on Wednesday 14 October 2015 at Senate House, University of London

Having just taken up the role Psychology in Britain: of associate editor for the Historical Perspectives, ‘Looking back’ section of The which is due for release Psychologist, I was recently this December – just in time given the opportunity to for Christmas! The book is attend this year’s Stories of the second in a series Psychology symposium, of historical monographs organised by the Society’s published by the History History of Psychology Centre, of Psychology Centre (see and I must say that, overall, it advert on p.1030). was a great success. The topic The first talk was delivered – ‘Clinically applied: Origins by Emeritus Professor Bill Yule of a profession’ – was timely (Institute of Psychiatry, and captivating, featuring Psychology & Neuroscience, high-quality speakers. King's College London), Professor Jamie Hacker taking us back to the ‘early Hughes, current President of days’ of clinical psychology, the Society, opened with some whilst Dr Jennifer Clegg remarks on the theme and its (University of Nottingham) significance to the Division of examined four key display of some early DCP shared her reflections on working Clinical Psychology’s Golden ‘lensmakers’ who helped shape documents held in the BPS with the Department of Health Anniversary in 2016. The the profession, including Jack archives and related material on and how neoliberalism can pose programme was then Tizard, Ann and Alan Clarke, offer at the Senate House Library. a threat but also an opportunity convened by Professor John and Peter Mittler (who was in One aspect that I found for clinicians. Having said this, Hall (Oxford Brookes the audience). This made for encouraging was the space Finally, Professor Bob Woods University) who introduced some interesting points of provided for an early-career (Bangor University) rounded off the four main speakers, all discussion going into the psychologist. This year it was the day with some humorous of whom are contributing lunch break, which allowed the turn of Dr Saima Lofgren insights from his own involvement authors to a new book Clinical for time to peruse a small (Nottinghamshire Healthcare in 20th-century dementia care and NHS Trust), who presented how they might be developed in a short piece on emerging cultural future work. Here’s looking concerns, which really opened forward to next year! my eyes to the challenges facing I Videos of the talks from this Society vacancies psychologists within the NHS. year’s Stories of Psychology event Dr Anne Richardson (formerly of can be seen on our YouTube British Psychological Society University College London) then channel at tinyurl.com/neogjoy President 2017/18 See advert p.1001 Board of the Qualification in Counselling Psychology Registrar SOCIETY NOTICES BPS Annual Conference, Nottingham, 26–28 April 2016 See p.i See advert p.1004 BPS conferences and events See p.1000 Health Psychology Qualifications Board CPD workshops 2016 See pp.1002–1003 Chair Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Brighton, 14–16 June 2016 See p.1006 See advert p.1007 5th European Coaching Psychology Conference, London, BPS Main Boards (various) 10–11 December 2015 See p.1009 ‘History of Mental Health’ conference, Leeds, 22–23 March 2016 Chair (PPB) 2017/20 See p.1010 and Ordinary Members (PPB, EPEB and RB) History of Psychology Centre Monograph No. 2 Clinical Psychology in Britain See p.1030 See adverts p.1009 and 1010

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 999 society Award for Promoting Equality of Opportunity

Professor Paul A. Singh Ghuman, from excellence in combination with its the School of Education and Lifelong practical application. These are exactly Learning at Aberystwyth University, is the grounds on which this award has the recipient of the British Psychological been made to Professor Paul Ghuman Society’s 2015 Award for Promoting for his work on Asian minorities and the Equality of Opportunity. The award, caste system, together with its significant conferred by the BPS Ethics Committee, potential impact on public policy and recognises work which challenges social legislation, in line with the British inequalities in the UK. Psychological Society’s primary goals of Professor Paul A. Singh Ghuman Professor Ghuman has made achieving significant impact on policy significant contributions to the promotion and practice.’ of equal opportunities for South Asian On receiving the award Professor my research (its dissemination and communities in the UK, primarily Ghuman said: ‘I am delighted to learn impact) and teaching. I wish to express through his research and publications, that the BPS has recognised my my sincere thanks to my former students, his teaching and his political lobbying contribution to promote equality of colleagues and Aberystwyth University, activities. opportunity in the fields of “gender” and who have sustained my interest over 45 Society President Professor Jamie “caste” within Asian communities, and years.’ Hacker Hughes said: ‘The British “race” more widely. For my professional I For more on Professor Ghuman’s work, Psychological Society considers this development, the BPS has played a major see his article in the July 2015 issue at Equality of Opportunity Award to be one part in providing me a forum for https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/ of our most important awards combining, discussion, debate, and publication. My volume-28/july-2015/reaching-out- as it does, recognition of academic professional career has revolved around untouchables

Organised by BPS Conferences BPS conferences are committed to ensuring value for money, careful budgeting and sustainability

Psychology4Students 1 December Friends Meeting House, Euston, London www.bps.org.uk/p4s2015 2015 Psychology4Graduates 2 December Friends Meeting House, Euston, London www.bps.org.uk/p4g2015 Division of Clinical Psychology 2–4 December Radisson Blu Portman, London www.bps.org.uk/dcp2015

Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology 14–15 December The Queens Hotel, Leeds www.bps.org.uk/dsep2015

Division of Occupational Psychology 6–8 January East Midlands Conference Centre, Notts www.bps.org.uk/dop2016 2016 Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities 13–15 April La Mon Hotel and Country Club, Belfast www.bps.org.uk/fpid2016

Annual Conference 26–28 April East Midlands Conference Centre, Notts www.bps.org.uk/ac2016

Division of Forensic Psychology 14–16 June Hilton Brighton Metropole www.bps.org.uk/dfp2016

Division of Counselling Psychology 8–9 July Hilton Brighton Metropole www.bps.org.uk/dcop2016

Social Section 31 Aug–2 Sept Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel www.bps.org.uk/social2016

Developmental Section 14–16 September Hilton Belfast www.bps.org.uk/dev2016

1000 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Call for Nominations President 2017-18 A nomination is sought for the requirements and time commitments, in the first instance, contact election of a Graduate, Chartered or are available on request. the Honorary General Secretary, Dr Honorary Member of the Society to Carole Allan (e-mail: fulfil the role of: Procedure [email protected]) for • President 2017-18, who will be A nomination pack, which includes guidance. President-Elect in 2016-17 and further information and a standard Nominations must reach the Vice-President in 2018-19 nomination form, is available from Chief Executive’s Office at the the Chief Executive’s office (e-mail: Society’s Leicester office by The Presidency is the highest office [email protected]). 5pm on Friday 15 January 2016. within the Society. The role includes The Board of Trustees has the Nominations will only be valid if the representing the Society at national responsibility to ensure that there is standard nomination form, including and international functions, and a candidate for this position. In line signatures, is fully completed. acting as Chair of the Board of with previous practice, a Search If contested, these positions will Trustees. Committee has been set up to be decided by membership ballot Descriptions of the role and facilitate this process. Those prior to the Annual General Meeting responsibilities, together with proposing candidates should, 2016.

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Our courses are British Psychological Society Learning Centre Approved and are held at the BPS London, Borehamwood and Edinburgh or in-house. We have trained 1000s of practitioners on our recognised modular courses since the 1980s. The Founder Director of the Centres and Academy is Prof Stephen Palmer PhD. Our experienced trainers have authored books and/or articles in their particular fi elds. They include Chartered Psychologists: Prof Stephen Palmer, Dr Siobhain O’Riordan, Nick Edgerton & Kasia Szymanska. 156 Westcombe Hill, London SE3 7DH. Tel: +44 (0) 208 853 4171. Part of the International Academy for Professional Development Ltd. Website: www.iafpd.com

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1001 The British Psychological Society Promoting excellence in psychology

Professional Development New 2016 programme!

The Society’s 2016 Professional Development programme Issue 1 is now available to view: www.bps.org.uk/cpd and you can book online: www.bps.org.uk/findcpd. For the most up-to-date information keep an eye on the monthly listing here in The Psychologist and on our website. We will be running more than 150 workshops in 2016 to provide learning opportunities to support psychologists and those working in related fields with their professional development. Follow @BPSLearning on Twitter to find out when new workshops are announced.

Wise up to learning

1002 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 2016 CPD Workshops Professional development opportunities from your learned Society

Working successfully in private practice 28 January What does the future hold for psychological services for children, young people and their families 1 February Expert witness: Responsibilities and business (Workshop 1) 3 February Expert witness: Report writing (Workshop 2) 4 February An introduction to trauma (mandatory workshop for ESTSS Certificate) 4 February Developing a mindful eating practice 8 February Working with offenders with intellectual disability in a forensic setting 10 February Refugee trauma – A critical perspective 15 February Integrating social and political action into psychological practice 16 February

Putting the ‘I’ into change: moving through change with confidence (MANCHESTER) 17 February Talent management: Identifying and selecting high-potential leaders 18 February Adventures in playfulness – Exploring the role of play and creativity in working with children and families 19 February Talking about sex in clinical work 22 February Working at the boundary: Intuition and the coaching relationship 23 February Introduction to instensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy: Theory and technique 29 February Using trauma focused CBT to work with PTSD 1-2 March Expert witness: Court room evidence (Workshop 3) 2 March Expert witness: Using psychometrics (Workshop 4) 3 March BDSM and further sexualities 7 March Issues and dilemas in team coaching 9 March

Applying behavioural insights to public health and healthcare (BIRMINGHAM) 11 March Liberation psychology: Developing liberation approaches to our work 14 March

Working with complex couples: An Introduction to PACT – A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (NEWCASTLE) 16-17 March Smartphone biometrics: A powerful tool in research teaching and clinical practice 18 March Resolving ruptures in the therapeutic relationship 21 March Social constructionist systemic approaches 21 March Supervision skills: Essentials of supervision (Workshop 1) 22 March Co-production: Exploring how psychologists can help to shape the future of public services 22 March Supervision skills: Enhancing supervision skills (Workshop 2) 23 March Advanced psychotherapy skills: An introduction to Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) 24 March Talent management: Innovative development of high-potential leaders 29 March

Our workshops are delivered in partnership with Member Networks. For more information on these CPD events and many more visit www.bps.org.uk/findcpd.

Follow us on Twitter: @BPSLearning #BPScpd

www.bps.org.uk/cpd

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1003 BOARD OF THE QUALIFICATION IN The Home of Existential Therapy COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY: Applications throughout the year REGISTRAR VACANCY • MA in Existential Coaching* • MSc in Psychotherapy Studies* + • MSc in Typical and Atypical Development through the Lifespan* + The Society’s Qualification in Counselling • DProf in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling** Psychology (QCoP) is a postgraduate • DCPsych in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy** qualification for independent candidates who • Prof. Certificate Existential Supervision and Group Leadership wish to become Counselling Psychologists and • Foundation certificate in Psychotherapy, Counselling and Coaching chartered members of the Society. The role of * Validated by Middlesex University ** Joint courses with Middlesex University the QCoP Board is to formulate and manage + This course is taught entirely online all matters relating to policy, procedure and In partnership with assessment. The Board is seeking to appoint an experienced Chartered Counselling FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Psychologists with at least five years post- Existential Academy 61– 63 Fortune Green Road London NW6 1DR qualification experience to act as Registrar. The T 0845 557 7752 | 0207 435 8067 E [email protected] Registrar is the senior professional advisor to www.nspc.org.uk the Qualification in Counselling Psychology Board, and is both the link and the official channel of communication between the Board, candidates of the Society’s Qualification in Counselling Psychology and their Co- ordinating Supervisors. The Registrar is responsible for the enrolment, ongoing development and registration for assessment of all candidates. The Registrar also has responsibility for advising on the development and management of the Qualification. The successful applicant should be a full member of the Division of Counselling Psychology and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Applications are welcomed from Counselling Psychologists who wish to invest in the future of the profession. We are seeking an individual with experience and understanding of the processes of assessment at a postgraduate level in Counselling Psychology.

For a full job description, personal specification and further details please visit http://bit.ly/1Hg2LpH. For a Statement of Interest Form or informal enquiries please contact Sergio Gonzalez on 0116 252 9933 or [email protected]. Completed forms and a CV should be received by 5pm on Tuesday 15 December 2015.).

1004 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1005 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS The Division of Forensic Psychology is pleased to announce the 25th Annual Conference Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel 14–16 June 2016 REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Early bird rates available until 19 April 2016. All rates will increase by £15 after this date. Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Professor Anthony Beech, University of Birmingham Professor Kevin Douglas, Simon Fraser University, Canada Professor Mark Kebbell, Griffith University, Australia Dr Jane Wood, University of Kent Confirmed Invited Symposiums: Dr Simon Duff, University of Nottingham Dr Ruth Hatcher, University of Leicester Confirmed Invited Workshop: Mark Linington, The Bowlby Centre In addition to our confirmed keynote speakers there will be a mix of workshops, symposia, individual papers and posters presented, plus social activities and networking opportunities. Submissions Open! We are accepting submissions in the form of Symposia, Papers, Workshops and Posters. Deadline: Mid-day 28 January 2016 Registration Open! Prices starting from £115 for DFP Members

Further information is available at: www.bps.org.uk/dfp2016

1006 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy

“ There is a plethora of research suggesting that combining cognitive-behavioural therapy with hypnosis is therapeutic for a variety of psychological, behavioural, and medical disorders” (Gracie & Hardy, Int Journal of Clinical & Exp Hypnosis, 2007)

“An excellent, Diploma training in 3 parts: well-informed and Certifi cate in Evidence-Based broad basis for Learn the theory and clinical skills to Hypnotherapy (Stage 1) integrate hypnosis into your existing • 6th - 12th February 2016, London practising cognitive- practice or start a practice focused on • 16th - 22nd April 2016, London behavioural cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy Certifi cate in Cognitive Behavioural hypnotherapy in a (CBH) Hypnotherapy (Stage 2) professional and • 27th February - 4th March 2016, London • Fully accredited, externally verifi ed diploma • 7th - 13th May 2016, London effective manner. • Fast track training – three 7-day stages Advanced Certifi cate in Cognitive I highly recommend it.” • Modern evidence-based approach Behavioural Hypnotherapy (Stage 3) • Integrating CBT, Mindfulness and Hypnosis • 18th - 24th March 2016 – Professor Karen Carr PhD, • 11th - 17th June 2016 Professor of Psychology at Cranfi eld University. Next diploma starts: February 2016, April 2016 or July 2016 0207 112 9040 Discount for BPS Members www.ukhypnosis.com

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY QUALIFICATIONS BOARD QUALIFICATION IN HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY Chair

The Board is seeking to appoint a Chartered Member of the Society who is a Health Psychologist to take on the role of Chair from 1 February 2015. The Health Psychology Qualifications Board is concerned with the assessment of the Society’s Qualification in Health Psychology (QHP) Stage 2, which confers eligibility to apply to the Society for Chartered Membership and Full Membership of the Division of Health Psychology, and also confers eligibility to apply to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Health Psychologist. The Board’s work is overseen by the Society's Qualifications Standards Committee (QSC) which consists of the Chairs of all Society Qualifications Board, which in turn is answerable to the Membership Standards Board (MSB).

For further information and a Statement of Interest form, please contact Sarah Day, Qualifications Officer, at [email protected] or on 0116 252 9518 between 2pm and 4.30pm.

Completed forms and documentation should be received by Friday 8 January 2016.

Interested parties are welcome to contact the current Chair Dr Martin Dempster via Sarah Day for an informal discussion before they put forward their statement of interest.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1007 Postgraduate Training in Paediatric Neuropsychology Applications are now invited for entry to our training programme in October 2016 delivered by University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. The Masters in Applied Paediatric Neuropsychology is open to all professional psychologists and psychology graduates. For the first time this year, this programme will also be available as a Post-graduate Diploma course allowing a greater number of entries onto this competitive course. The Masters/PG Diploma in Clinical Paediatric Neuropsychology is open to Clinical Psychologists and Educational Psychologists. To make an application to the programme, view our free on-line lectures or to enrol on one of our short CPD/Taster courses please visit our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/neuropsych Programme Director: Professor Faraneh Vargha-Khadem

1008 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Call for Nominations Members of the Society are invited to submit nominations for the following positions on the Society’s main Boards to serve from the Annual General Meeting 2016 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE BOARD One Ordinary Member (two-year term); One Ordinary Member (one-year term) EDUCATION & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT BOARD One Ordinary Member (two-year term); One Ordinary Member (one-year term) RESEARCH BOARD One Ordinary Member (two-year term) NOMINATIONS To ensure validity of nomination, you should use the standard nomination form, which gives details of the information and signatories required. For nomination forms and further information please contact the Chief Executive’s office: [email protected]. Nominations should reach the Chief Executive’s office by Friday 29 January 2016. VOTING For each vacancy, if more than the appropriate number of nominations are received, a membership ballot will be carried out immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting 2016.

SGCP 5th European Coaching Psychology Conference 2015 Breaking New Ground Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December 2015 at the Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury This Conference will inspire collaborations in research evidence, professional accreditation and training routes. It will provide a platform for setting the aspirations and agenda for both coaching and coaching psychology for the coming years. Keynote speakers Dr Tatiana Bachkirova; Dr Dasha Grajfoner; Dr Suzy Green; Prof Roger Steare; Donna Willis; Dr Helen Turnbull There will be two days of impressive speakers, exciting and new topics and a broad range of master classes, skills workshops and scientific papers covering the following themes: Leadership, Executive and Business Coaching Positive Psychology Coaching (including resilience) Tools & Techniques in Coaching Psychology including CPD & Peer Practice Coaching Psychology Research Network, including international collaborations, international developments, new research, new researchers and new developments This event is organised by the BPS Special Group in Coaching Psychology and administered by KC Jones conference&events Ltd, 01332 224501 Please visit www.sgcp.eu for further information

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1009 CHAIR OF THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE BOARD 2017–2020 Call for nominations Nominations are required for the Chair of the Professional Practice Board to serve in office from 2017 to 2020. The person will serve as Chair Elect following the 2016 Annual General Meeting before becoming Chair following the 2017 Annual General Meeting. The person will be appointed a Trustee of the Society and have a seat on the Board of Trustees. NOMINATIONS Nominations should reach the Society’s office no later than 5pm, 4 March 2016. To ensure validity of nomination you should use a standard nomination form, which give details of the information and signatories required. A short personal statement will also be required.

The candidates will be considered by an Appointments Panel of the Board of Trustees. Any decision will be taken to the 2016 Annual General Meeting of the Society for ratification. For more information about the Board, its full terms of reference, a job description with indication of time commitments and a nomination form, please contact Lisa Morrison-Coulthard, Lead Policy Advisor, [email protected], 0116 2529510

History of Mental Health Joint Annual Conference of the History and Philosophy of Psychology Section and the UK Critical Psychiatry Network 22–23 March 2016 Leeds Trinity University

Keynote addresses Professor Gail Hornstein (Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts) Dr Joanna Moncrieff (University College London)

Final call for abstracts Oral submission deadline - 16:00 Friday 18 December 2015 Poster submission deadline - 23:59 Sunday 17 January 2016

This event is administered by KC Jones conference&events Ltd, 01332 224507

Please visit www.kc-jones.co.uk/history2016 for further information

1010 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 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: London 2015: 2-4 December 2016: 27-29 January, 9-11 March, 20-22 April, 1-3 June, 21-23 September, 16-18 November Glasgow 2016: 17-19 February Leicester 2016: TBA Other training levels throughout the year For more information contact: Michelle Dyer, Training Co-ordinator (t) 020 7372 3572 email: [email protected] www.emdr-training.com

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1011 How did you come to write the books? Nobody else was talking about how the person was important, and I naively thought that people, when they realised

CAREERS ‘The psychology really this, would buy my first book, Taming the Pound, by the million. I’d be famous and the world would be a better, happier dictates all the finance’ place. But no publisher wanted it. I was told it didn’t fit into a bookshop category Ian Florance meets Kim Stephenson so they wouldn’t know where to shelve it. I self-published, and that advice proved right – shops won’t stock it because they can’t put a label on it. or most of us money is a harsh important psychology – and allied However, I got contacted by a US Freality – one we deal with more or areas like evolutionary biology and publisher who wanted to publish less well. Can psychology help us neuroscience – are. something practical that would be of in the seemingly never-ending task of Specific money skills have been value to college students in dealing with trying to make ends meet? Chartered introduced into the school curriculum. their finances, since their student debt Psychologist Kim Stephenson is also This approach assumes that present problem is even worse than the UK, qualified as a financial adviser, and he knowledge will still be useful in 20 years Books on how to invest go out of date certainly thinks so. He has two books time and it focuses on particular states of but my book didn’t take that approach. and a number of other projects to prove affairs and techniques. Nobody asks the the point. obvious question, ‘What is your goal?’. Are there other areas in society where That’s the psychological approach, asking you feel psychology can contribute ? What are you trying to achieve in the about what the objective is and why There are so many. Career choices, in books and website? you’re doing things. terms of being happy and doing To get people to see how powerful and If you answer the question of what something meaningful. In business, where you want to do, you might find money it can inform decision making generally isn’t the best tool to achieve it or as and help handle risk and uncertainty in important as you think it is. You can then particular. It can inform financial policy, start looking at specifics – how important as well as education in making it more money is in achieving what you want; useful in the real world. The problem as I what you need to know and what you see it is that in many areas discussion gets can ask experts to do on your behalf; sidetracked into details rather than bigger where you need advice. questions – why is this being done at all, So I’m trying to help people what is our objective and is it useful? understand that the important skills and knowledge in handling money You deal with the media a lot are positive psychology approaches I do magazine and radio work. It’s mainly to purpose; goal setting and planning; BBC local radio, so I’m trying to spread cognitive insights into unconscious the net with national stations and TV. and conscious decision making; the I’m also trying to push into the direct neuroscience of habits (and things like financial areas. Financial media see CBT and Transactional Analysis ‘life themselves as experts on money, and scripts’); how you change behaviour and claim that psychology is only useful to form new habits. Financial skills come people who are ‘weak’ and ‘broken’ and way down the list if they’re on it at all. who aren’t smart enough to handle The psychology really dictates all the money. finance. But it’s a challenge – the financial Women’s magazines tend to be world sees me as a tree-hugging dreamer interested in the relationship with money, and the psychological world appears to the way that different people react, so see me as a misguided economist. they’re a more receptive audience. Of

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

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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 now complete – back to 1988. print. For more information, see p.1014.

1012 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 careers course, there are no gender differences I went to get some careers advice from I have four projects on the go. in financial ability but at the moment we an occupational psychologist firm. They One is working with young offenders, still have this stereotypical response that suggested psychology as a possible career. helping them to change their future the really clever people (and the men) do I figured it would require my growing prospects by teaching them life skills. the ‘hard’ stuff like money (which is a beard, developing a middle-European The principles of life and psychological actually dead simple) and women bother accent and asking people about their skills apply here just as well as they do about the ‘soft’ stuff like psychology relationship with their mother. I did with money. We may be extending the (which is actually really complex). some research and found occupational work to people coming out of prison, I love doing articles and particularly psychology was about all the things trying to help them develop skills to live broadcast media. I think it’s the fact that I was interested in. independently, and potentially to people journalists tend to ask basic questions, I did a full-time degree, then a who exit any institutions such as former and I can put across basic ideas. Often the master’s. After that I did the standard service personnel. journalists know quite a lot, but they’re things – lots of selection, psychometrics, I’m promoting the new book, which acting for the public who don’t, so they a bit of training – before going freelance, I’m hoping is going to get me contracts to tend to ask ‘why’ a lot. mostly doing associate work in job do something similar in the UK, as well selection, and was approached by a as writing guides for other groups, such Tell me a bit about your background. charity who wanted a ‘talking head’ for as those wanting to invest for retirement, I was born in southeast London, into a roadshow they were doing on teenage those in debt, and so on. There are a close extended family. My parents died finance. I realised that what I found possible workshops in schools and when I was quite young. I considered simple about money other people found colleges about the area. I want to build up myself the ‘man of the house’, so I wanted complicated. some statistical evidence by running pilot to get a job and be self-supporting. The more I looked into it, the more programmes. Because I’d done double subject maths I found that the core message of media I’ve also designed a master’s course (plus economics and English) at A-level, and education was that money is really in behavioural finance. This is about I got a job in finance. Roll forward 14 complicated. But it isn’t. On the other 95 per cent positive psychology, decision years to 1992 and I was on good money, hand, I’d learned the human brain is the making, evolutionary biology and was quoted in the papers and I had all the most complex single thing in the known anthropology, goal setting, behaviour qualifications you can get, but I realised universe. So I thought, ‘Why are you not change, neuroscience and only about I didn’t like it. I enjoyed meeting clients, told that you are the complex and 5 per cent basic finance. It’s aimed at those finding out what they wanted, what important bit, the money is just a tool such as bankers, where the understanding resources they had, and designing a plan for you to use?’ of real-world decision making involving for them to get it, but I was no good at people and finance would be really useful. selling. What are your future plans? The challenge is marketing it!

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seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 1013 careers The only way is clinical? Emma Nielsen and Kavita Solder remove the blinkers and experience the career peaks and troughs together

pple-flavoured crisps, the limited that, the DClinPsy became the goal and Kavita’s story Adiet of fellow interviewees and many I embarked on a head-down, single-minded I too saw clinical psychology as the hours spent watching Strictly Come pursuit of that dream, always thinking only route to becoming that atypical Dancing; perhaps not your typical forwards to the next work experience stereotypical practising psychologist; memories of any assessment process, but placement, that potential internship, the however, my illusions were somewhat nearly nine years later these are some of next job application. Then a serious quickly, and thankfully, shattered as my the things that seem to have stuck most accident stopped me in my tracks, and for undergraduate course in social prominently in our minds. the first time I was forced to stop and take psychology had a very different focus. We had made it through to the stock. I needed to find something new to I remember clearly having a visiting interview stage for undergraduate throw myself into during the latter part of speaker inform us about educational experimental psychology, which meant my recovery. Fortunately, I was taken on psychology, and from that day I knew that visiting the university for a few days and as a part-time research intern. During this was exactly what I wanted to do. I have a lot of ‘firsts’. Boarding for the first time time I realised that I had found a way to always wanted to help people, apply my brought new challenges of organisation answer some of the questions that really psychological knowledge, and education and navigation; not only finding our way bothered me in clinical placements. is something which I value very highly, around the unfamiliar corridors (was Perhaps more than that, I had found so I felt I had almost found a career fitting interpreting a slightly cryptic map a stage something that was so genuinely ‘me’, for me, rather than trying to fit myself in the selection process?), but also that for a moment I had forgotten to into a career. navigating new social dynamics and worry about what was next. Being a naive teenager, I was blissfully finding common ground with candidates The problem was, as a self-confessed unaware just how competitive the course from very different backgrounds from all perfectionist, I don’t really do ‘quitting’ is to get onto. I went through a punishing over the world. Of course there was also and don’t pull off goal flexibility with PGCE course and went on to teach for a myriad of necessary formalities, not ease. Even though I knew I loved two years in Greater London, least the small matter of answering some research, it took a long time to admit encountering some truly endearing and interview questions and completing to myself that I wanted to set aside the lovely, yet at times challenging children, a written paper. Amidst the fun of the clinical blinkers for good, and even more before being accepted onto the Doctoral process we met each other. What started encouragement to believe I had what it Educational Psychology programme. as conversation over our unusually formal took to apply for a PhD. I had almost been so blinkered by my attire ended up as perhaps the most Now, aged nearly 26, I am adamant goal of getting on the course for such important first of all; meeting a fellow that I want to be an academic. I’m just a long period of time that I had not really psychology enthusiast with a strongly past the half-way mark of my PhD and contemplated life beyond the point of held ambition to pursue a career in honestly can’t think of anything I would acceptance. psychology. prefer to be doing. I work in a self-harm Now, only a year into the course, So who are we and what have we research group, primarily looking at I find myself in a whirlwind of reflection, achieved since that early interview coping functions and behaviour change. thoughts and state of fluidity. I find experience? We aim to share a little about Undoubtedly influenced by earlier clinical myself questioning beliefs and ourselves to inspire others to enter the experiences, I am also really interested in assumptions I held prior to the course. world of psychology and to reassure conceptualisations of recovery; what we I look back on my short teaching career others that are on the same voyage as mean by ‘recovery’ and how we measure and wonder what would have been if only us that it can be a turbulent it. Research never ceases I had dealt with a situation in a different journey, but one that in the to surprise me. It is a way, what morale would have been like if most part is rewarding and privilege to be entrusted the staff structure had been altered, and fulfilling. with someone’s experiences so on. I also find myself reflecting on my and opinions, and I am own schooling experience and wonder continually humbled by how that has impacted on my value Emma’s story participants’ generosity systems and constructs. It is with At interview, aged 16, I was with their time, enthusiasm optimism and excitement, although adamant that I didn’t want to and willingness to share perhaps slight trepidation, that I wait to be an academic. I, like many their expertise. As someone see what the next two years of training a psychology applicant before who is relentlessly curious, has to offer me and how it compares to me, was determined to be a academia does now seem the life of an academic that my fellow clinical psychologist. I knew an obvious fit and a role psychology enthusiast is carving for that health and wellbeing that falls exactly at the centre herself. interested me, I was fascinated Emma Nielsen of my original Venn diagram. One of my current research interests by psychology and I wanted to For me, it was a blessing in is home education and, more specifically, do something that would make disguise to be forced out of the comfort the possible impact of this on family a difference in helping people. I’m not of the known and to look up for long dynamics and parent–child relationships: sure I knew of any other role at the enough to realise that other options were a relatively untapped area and under- centre of that Venn diagram. Just like there. represented demographic, which I feel

1014 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 careers could benefit from inroads and are friends with someone so early on in my extensive research and beginning to establish psychological pursuit. The career peaks support. ourselves in our and troughs always seem more bearable So, from beginning respective fields. Despite when you have an understanding peer our journey as ambitious the changes in direction to share them with! Be it those early but inexperienced along the route we have memories of interviews and formalities, applicants, we have now remained undeterred; our undergraduate dissertation concerns, reached a point when we enthusiasm and passion postgraduate application or thesis ideas; can pause to consider for our chosen paths has each ‘first’ we encounter is made easier how, why and where we only strengthened with in the company of a fellow psychology are currently. While there experience. Whilst we enthusiast and friend. As our career paths is much further to travel both reflect on the continue, we welcome a wealth of new before we can claim that Kavita Solder interview process with fond experiences and hope that we can inspire we have accomplished our memories, we are also looking to others to enter the challenging, dreams (or indeed determined the the future with renewed vigour. I feel competitive, but highly rewarding field extent of our ambitions) we have made privileged to have connected and made of psychology.

able to participate in Striving for a fairer society Participatory Action Research. These people could well describe community Ian Florance talks community psychology with Maggie Peake psychologists as ‘tourists’.

How’s it going? Maggie Peake took a degree a way to do good work with have the cure – at a price’. I’m a third of the way through in experimental psychology at people who need it. Whether there has been a part-time taught MA. It has the University of Sussex, and long-term positive change been challenging going back since then has worked mainly What is community for the communities CP has to academia after a long as a qualitative market psychology? researched is harder to absence. Academic work researcher, and also as a Its aim is social change. determine. CP is largely needs to be done in a very RELATE counsellor and Community psychologists presented through an specific way but after years in trainer. She is now taking an strive for a fairer society and academic perspective that the outside world it is hard to MA in community psychology seek to work collaboratively needs to be acceptable to find out what that is. at the University of Brighton. with communities to achieve peers for credibility and I have been learning about It seemed a good opportunity this. They have a set of values funding. Often, academic the equal sharing of power to get a view of a relatively to guide this change. writing does not tell us where and knowledge, so it’s new applied psychology. CP is about psychology funding for projects or the interesting that universities ‘experts’ working with people research question have come themselves are very Why did you choose instead of on people. I think it from, or participants’ views hierarchical structures. They community psychology? tries to redress traditional and experiences after the appear to have all the power! My primary focus in the last clinical psychology‘s view of research has finished. We I am paying for my course and 20 years has been raising my mental health problems as don’t know if long-term have had to work hard to try to two daughters. I haven’t rooted in the individual rather change has occurred or understand the language. As pretended that work came than in society. It also tries to who has really benefited. a student I have sometimes first, and I’ve kept clients who redress the imbalance in It is good that some felt a low priority. Some understood that. Over the systems set up by Western psychologists have come academics seem to only value years my career has moved white men, seemingly down from their ‘ivory towers’ published, peer-reviewed from commercial market interested in money and into the community and want research so don’t really listen research into more public status; such privileged men to make a difference. They to students or think that their sector consultation and social still hold power, in psychology are willing to give up their life experience is of value. research: giving the most as much as elsewhere. ‘expert’ status, give away Guest lecturers talk about vulnerable service users a CP also tries to break their psychology and create their own research but don’t voice and keeping my clients down the research/applied knowledge collaboratively with always relate it to theory or to in touch with their users. I live divide through approaches like disadvantaged groups. the MA programme. I have not in Brighton and was interested Participatory Action Research: However, there are many been taught ‘assessment in CUPP (the Community it emphasises the political other people working in the technique’, as school students University Partnership dimensions of what we do on community – both voluntary tend to be now, so marks can Programme) started by national and international and paid – who don’t have an feel rather random. I’ve had to Brighton University; this issues. For example, the West exit strategy when the be diplomatic as they mark creates links between exported their models of research ends. They have my work! However, overall it’s academics and local economy and mental illness experience of working with all been really interesting and I’ve community organisations. into developing countries, parts of the community long- met some great people. So The MA is a route into CUPP, then charged in saying ‘we term, not just those willing or I’m up for two more years!

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 1015 Advertising with The British Psychological Society

Reach 48,000 readers as part of the publication for psychologists - a large, prime, well-qualified audience. Advertising is also now available on the Society’s award-winning Research Digest blog DISPLAY ADVERT APPOINTMENT PUBLISHING DATE DEADLINE SECTION DEADLINE at www.researchdigest.org.uk/blog. There are also other online options, including the ‘featured job’ at www.psychapp.co.uk. Jan 25 Nov 2 Dec 17 Dec Feb 6 Jan 13 Jan 28 Jan All recruiters in the print edition of The Psychologist get their vacancy posted online at www.psychapp.co.uk at no extra cost. Members can then search by job type and geographical area, and then view full APPOINTMENT SECTION details online or via RSS feeds and e-mail alerts. DISPLAY RATE (WITH FREE ONLINE AD)

Job advertising is also available online-only at any time, Full page £1645 £3000 from just £750 Half (horizontal/vertical) £875 £1800 Advertising contact: Quarter (h/v) £545 £1200 Giorgio Romano Senior Sales Executive Eighth (h/v) £325 £650 +44 20 7880 7556 [email protected] 40% extra: 25% extra. Please contact us for ad sizes, and then send your Outside back cover Inside back cover ad by email to [email protected]

Opportunity is at your fi ngertips    Now in our 30th year, Partnerships in Care is one of the UK’s leading providers        of independent mental health and learning disability services. We are recruiting for a  +/$,  $.$)(&
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  practice and service provision. To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the psychological services team’s policies and procedures. Partnerships in Care off er excellent Clinical/Counselling Psychologist, Somerset career development opportunities at Salary: £50 per hour, up to 16 hours a week all of our sites along with great benefi ts. Choices require a clinical and/or counselling psychologist to deliver assessment and Work with us and you’ll work with teams therapeutic programmes in a specialist children’s home for CSE girls. across many disciplines, with patients, with families, with carers and commissioners, all Successful applicants will have had: of you working together to achieve the best • experience of working with children in care outcomes. If you’re keen to build your career • experience of sexual exploitation and to gain immense reward, in every sense, • knowledge and experience of attachment theory and practice we want to hear from you. You would also become part of the therapy team and have direct input into the development For more information visit of this therapeutic provision, including the training and supervision of care staff. www.piccareers.co.uk/nurse or call 0208 327 1834. Please contact Charlie Mead at [email protected] or on 07802321710 for more information. Also www.cpsforchildren.co.uk and www.phoenixlearningcare.co.uk. All Psychologists employed by Choices will be hcpc registered and hold enhanced DBS certifi cates.

1016 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Maudsley Child and Adolescent International (Abu Dhabi)

brought to you by MACANI SPECIALIST AND HIGHLY SPECIALIST CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH Specialist (“Band 7”) post – 18.7k – 22.3K AED per month + 25 days leave and local statutory holidays. Relocation assistance can be offered, where applicable. Highly Specialist (“Band 8a”) post – 21.7k – 25.5K AED per month + 25 days leave + local statutory holidays. Relocation assistance can be offered, where applicable. We are seeking to expand the team of clinicians in our newly developed Maudsley Child and Adolescent International (MCAI) clinic based in Abu Dhabi. The service was launched in June this year and is seeking to recruit two experienced, dynamic and highly skilled Clinical Psychologists, one specialist (similar to UK Band 7) and one highly specialist (similar to UK Band 8) to support the delivery of the highest possible quality service using evidence- based, multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessments, treatment, advice, training and consultation for young people, their families and professionals. To check the latest MCAI is a joint venture between the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and MACANI, an Abu Dhabi based organisation, with a mission to develop exceptionally high quality jobs please go to health care within the United Arab Emirates. The service is managed through SLAM with a core staff based in Abu Dhabi and visiting clinicians from SLAM providing additional expertise www.psychapp.co.uk and consultation. You will join an existing team of fi ve clinicians and be expected to take a role in further developments of the service. Given that this is a small team, they will need to have a broad range of specialist skills including those needed for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. Previous training and experience in using a specialist neurodevelopmental assessment e.g. ADOS II or ADI-R would be welcomed but is not a prerequisite for these posts. The service has a strong commitment to Continuing Professional Development and the clinic has video conferencing facilities to enable access to teaching and supervision from within the SLAM CAMHS Clinical Academic Group (CAG). Direct supervision will to advertise please contact: also be available within the clinic. Giorgio Romano, The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) regulates the employment of all health professionals and Psychologists need to have a 020 7880 7556, minimum of 2 years post qualifi cation experience, and a licence [email protected] to practice as a Clinical Psychologist from their country of origin. As this is a new initiative a degree of fl exibility and creativity will be required together with an appreciation of relevant cultural issues. The ability to be fl uent in both written and spoken English is essential; the ability to speak Arabic would be helpful but is not essential. Criminal Records Checks – as these posts have access to children, the successful candidates will be subject to Abu Dhabi and UK or last country of residence Criminal Records checks. For an informal discussion about these posts please contact Dr Sue Goode, Consultant Psychologist – Abu Dhabi on +971 2666 2655 or by email [email protected] or Dr Troy Tranah, Lead Psychologist – SLAM CAMHS CAG on 020 3228 2624 or by email [email protected] or Dr Khaled Kadry, Consultant Psychiatrist, Abu Dhabi Lead Clinician on +971 2666 2655 or by email [email protected] Closing date: 10 December 2015. Interview date: 18 December 2015. To apply online please visit our website www.slam.nhs.uk. Reference numbers: CAM 14650 and CAM 14652.

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 1017 To check the latest jobs please go to www.psychapp.co.uk

to advertise please contact: Giorgio Romano, 020 7880 7556, [email protected]

1018 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Part-Time ABA Therapist (2 posts) SEVEN, Psychology at Work, is a highly regarded and progressive to provide intensive intervention for a fi ve-year-old with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). practice of Business Psychologists based in Dublin. We work with Based in Loughton, Essex. 20-25 hours per week, Mon-Sat, £700-1000 per month. individuals, teams and organisations to bring about positive change. 6-month minimum contract from January 2016. SEVEN off ers specialist expertise across: Suitable for motivated, independent, and enthusiastic psychology graduates or newly-qualifi ed clinical • Psychological Assessment and Profi ling. psychologists, willing to learn new skills and to work alongside other professionals. We are looking • Talent and Leadership Development. for two therapists to work with our daughter in a main steam school and home setting. All training • Executive and Team Coaching. provided, and ongoing supervision. An interest in developmental disorders and some experience with • Inclusion and Diversity Audits and Interventions. • Facilitation of Team and Organisational Insights. children are essential. Direct experience of ABA and ASD an advantage. Driving license an advantage To discuss, contact: Mr Owase Jeelani (Paediatric Neurosurgeon) at In line with our plans for growth and the increasing demand for our [email protected]; [email protected] services, we are now seeking applications for Senior Business Psychologists. To apply, email your CV, together with a 300-word personal statement.

We would love to hear from you if the following describes your interests, Deadline for applications: 6 December strengths and ambitions. Interviews mid-December. Do you… • Have a Postgraduate qualifi cation in Psychology or related area? • Have signifi cant experience in the application of innovative Healthcare South West Ltd assessment and leadership development services? Clinical Psychologist Band 7 (preceptorship arrangement) • Thrive by being challenged to deliver in multiple contexts for multiple clients at multiple levels? There is an exciting opportunity for a recently qualifi ed Clinical Psychologist to provide • Connect easily and build collaborative relationships with others, psychological interventions for NHS and privately funded patients at therapeutic centres in in both a team and client delivery context? Somerset. • Strive to be best you can be and to give your best in the service of clients? We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Clinical Psychologist to join our dynamic • Value working as part of a positive, progressive, professional and multi-disciplinary service to provide high quality evidence based assessment and and people-centered team? intervention for patients who have a variety of psychological diffi culties and persistent pain. • Possess an interest and passion for the application of Psychology The role includes providing psychological assessment and interventions, advice, training and in the workplace? consultancy to a multidisciplinary team. CPD, supervision and career development are fully supported by the company. If the above matches your profi le, please forward your CV and a cover letter to Olivia Rourke: [email protected]. Pay band 7, starting spine dependent on experience. See www.seven.ie for additional insight. Please e-mail [email protected] for a job description. To register your interest please Competitive salary/benefi ts package. send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]. Closing date 23rd December. http://www.healthcaresw.com

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 Sophie Guo on: Tel: 020 7514 0927 Email: [email protected] The Norwich Medical School is a Silver Athena Swan Award holder.

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 1019 Job Title: Head of Clinical and Counselling Psychology/Professional Lead for General Adult Mental Health Applied Psychology Employer: NHS Grampian

‘It’s a fine day in Aberdeen’ says Kevin Dawson, the Service Manager of the NHS Grampian Adult Mental Health Directorate, when I ring him up from a very overcast outer London. ‘One of the attractions of this job is where it’s sited – Scotland’s third city. It’s big enough to have city amenities but compact enough, with a population of around 229,000, for people to get around easily and feel part of a community. The city has two great universities and a good further education college, which might appeal to parents. Drive for 20 minutes or so and you’re in Aberdeenshire countryside, a little further on are the Grampian mountains which offer a great open-air life with kayaking, hiking, cycling and mountaineering. And I could mention the world-famous Castle and Malt Whisky trails! Aberdeen is very well connected to the rest of the UK and Europe so moving here doesn’t necessitate being cut off from existing friends and family.’ NHS Grampian serves a region with a population of over 585,000. ‘It’s been rather protected by the gas and oil industry from economic downturns elsewhere in the UK, but this effect is reducing. That’s one change we’re facing. Another is Scottish Government legislation on integrating health and social care services. This comes into effect in April 2016 and this development will affect mental health services, among others. It will be a key issue for the successful candidate but also offer a range of opportunities for them to help shape the delivery of future mental health services. So, he or she will need to able to work collaboratively and operate at quite a high level. He or she must be able to influence, talk and listen to people in other disciplines, managers with less in-depth knowledge of psychology and to senior managers and peers including colleagues in the three local authorities. We’ve already established great interdisciplinary working relationships within Grampian: our mental health teams are multi- agency and multidisciplinary so there shouldn't be a need to overcome “us and them” resistance to change – folk are genuinely committed to getting effective population-led services in place.’ What sort of experience or skills should the person have? ‘I think we’re looking for an applied psychologist with proven professional leadership skills who has got extensive experience of clinical work in adult mental health and also of service planning and delivery in multi- agency settings. He or she will need to be a strong leader, with vision, creativity and must be a team player; but will also be expected to have a clinical caseload. There are opportunities for teaching – the previous postholder certainly enjoyed this and worked with the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at Aberdeen University. And if this person wants to do research, that interest would be welcomed.’ Kevin stresses that ‘communication skills are absolutely vital, not only within but outside the authority. We’re looking for someone who is well networked and can therefore get best practice advice from across Scotland and the UK. There’s a great psychology network in the area with regular meetings and there are two or three peers – in child and adolescent psychology for instance – who will offer and welcome support. This role is in an established team so the person must see him or herself as part of it. They must have a recognised skill set but also be able to see the big picture. To put it simply, they must search for joint solutions and be aware and factor in corporate issues.’ The previous incumbent of the role is retiring, having worked for Grampian for around 30 years, and in this role for around 15, which provides strong support to Kevin’s argument that this is a big, fascinating job in a great place.

1020 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Department of Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen Head of Clinical and Counselling Psychology / Professional Lead for General Adult Mental Health Applied Psychology Band 8D £67,247 - £83,258 per annum, Full-time 37.5 hours per week An exciting and challenging opportunity has become available It is anticipated therefore that candidates applying for this post will to work in the beautiful North-East of Scotland which offers have considerable experience of working in secondary care adult quality of life equal to anywhere in the UK. Based in Aberdeen, mental health services delivering psychology services for a broad a vibrant port and the oil capital of the UK, appointment to this range of moderate to severe mental health problems. Evidence of senior post offers the chance to enjoy the best of city life yet extensive line management experience will be expected together be within easy reach of beautiful scenery along the east coast, with a demonstrated involvement in offering advice at a senior wonderful inland countryside and forestry yielding to spectacular level on professional issues to general managers and service hills and mountains to the west. With excellent schools and a safe planners. Previous leadership training will also be an advantage environment this is an ideal location for families with a choice as will evidence of ability to deliver and supervise in a range of of residing in the city, in any of a number of attractive urban psychological therapy modalities. In addition, a proven record of communities within easy reach of Aberdeen, or alternatively involvement in significant service audit work and in research of enjoying a more rural lifestyle yet readily commutable to work. publishable quality is highly desirable. Due to the retirement of the current postholder NHS Grampian The applied psychologists within our service have a range of wishes to appoint to this post. The Department is based in clinical interests reflecting a variety of theoretical and therapeutic modern accommodation at Royal Cornhill Hospital near the orientations, and an emphasis is placed on good peer supervision centre of Aberdeen and the successful candidate will have and support. Clinical services are also delivered in primary care overall managerial responsibility for eighteen (15.0wte) Clinical settings outwith the city of Aberdeen. There are opportunities to and Counselling Psychologists who deliver services for patients become involved in teaching and research via well established referred from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. The post also links with Aberdeen University Departments of Mental Health, carries responsibility for providing professional leadership for Psychology, and General Practice and Primary Care. We also offer those staff and also for four (4.0wte) Clinical and Counselling supervision to Trainee Clinical Psychologists on the University of Psychologists based in the Moray region of Grampian who provide Edinburgh/NHS Scotland Clinical Psychology (D. Clin. Psychol) general AMH psychology services to that population. In addition Training Programme as well as to Trainee Clinical Associates in to management and professional leadership roles, the post holder Applied Psychology on the Universities of Stirling and Dundee MSc will be expected to carry their own clinical caseload. Programme. All general AMH psychologists work in specialist multi-disciplinary Interview expenses are available to all candidates and an attractive teams each of which serves a defined number of GP practices from relocation allowance of up to £8,000 is available to successful which referrals are accepted of patients with moderate to severe candidates. mental health problems or psychological disorders. Each MDT has Informal enquiries and visits to the Department are encouraged. access to in-patient beds at Royal Cornhill Hospital (or Dr Gray’s Further details may be obtained from Mr Kevin Dawson, Hospital for Moray patients) and psychologists offer in-reach to wards as necessary. The person appointed will join the service at a Service Manager, Adult Mental Health Directorate on particularly interesting and challenging time as Grampian prepares 01224 557282 or e-mail: [email protected] for the implementation of recent Scottish Government legislation To apply please visit www.nhsgrampian.org/jobs and search to achieve greater integration of Health and Social Care services. for Ref No PR12466. Closing date 8th January 2016. It is anticipated that this will have a significant impact on the organisation, management and clinical governance arrangements for all staff working in general AMH services. The successful candidate will be expected to take a lead role in offering advice to NHS Grampian service planners and managers on the implications of proposed caring x listening x improving changes for applied psychologists working in AMH services and for supporting those colleagues through the inevitable processes of change which lie ahead. Join our team... for more information: www.nhsgrampian.org/jobs

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 1021 Fear the pseudo-science A life less ordinary The Fear-Free Organization REVIEWS Paul Brown, Joan Hanya Yanagihara’s first novel (The People in the Trees) took her years to write, and although well Kingsley & Sue received, sank without trace. Her second, A Little Life, was written in an astonishing 18 months (it’s Paterson over 700 pages long). Critically acclaimed and becoming a best seller, it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and had been expected to win. Its popular success is all the more remarkable when This book annoyed me from you consider that it has been described as ‘harrowing’ and ‘unrelenting’, and many reviews have page 1. Had I picked it up in a discussed how upset the book made them. I was in two minds about whether or not I could face bookshop I would have frowned reading it. I’m not drawn to misery memoirs or fictionalised ‘misery-lit’, where any amount of and put it down. I persevered, ghoulishness is justified on the basis that it supposedly reveals because the title promised some inner truth. I did pick it up though. And, cliché though it is, much, those ‘vital insights from I couldn’t put it down. neuroscience’ that I could use A Little Life starts gently, as we are introduced to the four main with my clients to ‘transform characters – Jude, Willem, Malcolm and JB. They first meet each business culture’. other at a college much like Harvard, and become each other’s I hope that most of you firmest and best friends. Jude and Willem are especially close. would not recognise the bleak They graduate, and start to face up to the usual challenges of picture painted of corporate finding work, accommodation, relationships. So far, so culture here. They present conventional. Others have mentioned the similarities to Mary numerous case studies of McCarthy’s The Group, which followed a larger group of graduate dysfunctional people and friends. Any resonance with this story arc is no doubt entirely relationships, all trying to deliberate, and one of Yanagihara’s many strengths is her ability to demonstrate their fundamental play with convention. premise that ‘[f]ear…is what an This comfortable middle-class world shifts at about 70 pages in, overwhelming majority of when we are faced with a dramatic turning point. Jude awakens his bosses use, deliberately or roommate Willem to tell him there’s been an accident, and is mindlessly, to keep order’. bleeding profusely from his arm. We have been subtly alerted to I would not want to pretend that something about Jude which is different from the other three. Not all is sweetness and light where just his orphan status (Willem too is an orphan), but how reserved I work, or in the client he is, and how uncomfortable he is with his body – he walks with a organisations I support, but limp, and keeps himself covered up. The bleeding arm is of course their negative tone, and A Little Life a self-harming incident that has gone wrong. It is the first of many, description of ‘greedy, Hanya Yanagihara many incidents of self-harm in the book. The descriptions of self- performance-driven models’ harm are so visceral that they are at times almost impossible to was off-putting for me. read. Yet they did not seem to me to be ghoulish. Yanagihara is And what of the ‘neuro- willing to stare right at the source of pain, both physical and science’ offered? An mental, and will not turn away. introduction to the limbic It is no surprise that behind this self-harm is something truly appalling, although perhaps in system, amygdala, oxytocin, and a world post-Catholic Church scandal, post-Savile and post-Rotherham, not as difficult to believe an updated Hebbian learning as it might once have been. Yanagihara leads us deeper and deeper into this world. We don’t want theory to say ‘the cells that flow to go there, but we know we must. What I found so remarkable was that I simultaneously dreaded, together, grow together’. How and was desperate to know, what would come next. do these findings relate to the There is much that seems to be wrong with how this book is written. It has an extremely narrow business world? The authors focus, where it’s only the lives of the characters we hear about, and there are no contemporaneous then rely on the work of others references. It’s hard to believe there could be a novel largely set in Manhattan that passes through – David Rock’s popular SCARF 2001 without a single person mentioning 9/11. But this is that book. It can only be a deliberate model and Daniel Goleman’s choice by the author, and it should detract from believability. The characters also shouldn’t work. work on emotional intelligence. Although written by a woman, it is almost entirely populated by men, most of whom are gay: I did not feel that the another challenge to credibility. Some characters are pushed to the background and only allowed authors’ 10-point plan for back in to further a plot point. Others, such as Willem, are too good to be true. The effect is a form a fear-free organisation would of heightened reality. Yet given the subject matter, hyper-reality seems completely appropriate. have much credibility with my Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this novel for a psychologist is having to consider the clients – the first point suggests limitations of what we can do to fix a broken mind. As Jude’s story unfolds, we have to stand that we must ‘have a leader watching on the sidelines, desperate to help. We share the frustration and occasional anger of who is good-hearted’. I cannot Jude’s friends, who also feel powerless. The question is whether we would be able to help in the disagree with this point, but real world. I don’t think this book offered This is, without a shadow of a doubt, a deeply upsetting book, and it is not for everyone. But me any ‘vital insights’ into if you feel up to it, and want to read a novel about love, hate, compassion, cruelty, friendship and shaping such leaders or survival, it is unmissable. transforming business culture.

I Picador; 2015; Hb £16.99 I Kogan Page; 2015; Pb £26.99 Reviewed by Kate Johnstone who is Associate Editor (Reviews) Reviewed by Alison Gregory, who is a management consultant

1022 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 Into the future

Ai Weiwei Royal Academy of Arts

Ai WeiWei: is he an artist, a political activist, his time writing blogs and micro-blogs. admire the vast size of his installations, a celebrity or a self-publicist? Or perhaps he Although his dissent was mostly online reminiscent of ancient installations like is all of these? rather than offline activity, unsurprisingly the Terracotta Army. For example, one hall Ai Weiwei’s artistic family background the CCP did not like his activities and he is filled with rusty iron rods removed from and early negative experiences with the was placed under arrest. When he became the rubble after the Sichuan earthquake Chinese Communist Party (CCP) shaped aware that he was being watched by the in Wenchuan in 2008. China has a history him into the artist he is today. In China, authorities who had surveillance cameras of terrible tragedies. In the past the given names are created by parents who all around the outside of his home, in government tried to keep them quiet often choose words that are significant or a clever and witty response, he set up web in a way that is no longer possible with aspirational for them. Wei means 'future'. cams in every room and broadcast his own modern communication technology. After When growing up, how salient was his name reality show 24/7, until he was told to close the earthquake many volunteers poured in in making him want to change the future or the site down. Several of the installations in to help, including Ai WeiWei and his team, leave a mark on the future of art the exhibition refer who wanted to highlight the poor building or the politics of China? to this, such as the practices and corruption that made many Ai’s view of art is that it is carved marble CCTV of the buildings unsafe. They collected the a means of awakening people to camera, and the twisted iron bars from the substandard the need for change rather than peep show boxes buildings, straightened them and laid them to beauty. He wants to use art to showing his out in a pattern. They also made lists of the make his fellow Chinese citizens imprisonment. names of all the thousands of children killed aware of their lack of freedom, (I dare say all this in the earthquake and these have been particularly freedom of speech, takes place under placed on the surrounding walls. though he knows that many the surveillance of In one area is a huge jumbled up pile Chinese people would rather Free Speech Puzzle, 2014 cameras at the of ceramic crabs (or he xie which is a concentrate on earning money, Royal Academy for homophone for ‘harmonious’). The CCP is buying a house and a car, and getting a good our ‘safety’ as the trains and stations put it.) always exhorting a harmonious society. In education for their children. Ai demands Ai uses a range of materials to put the corner, one single crab seems to be transparency and accountability from the across his message – timber, glass, marble, starting to climb alone up the wall. I wonder, state. He makes great use of the web and tea, sand, bones and metal. Some other does Ai see himself as this crab leading the social media, particularly Twitter, to call for Chinese artists think he wastes materials, harmonious masses into a freer future? this. Chinese characters are more like such as the lovely antique tables he has words than letters, so with 140 it is possible sawn up and the old pottery jars he has I The exhibition runs until 13 December at the to say quite a lot. Twitter and Facebook are overpainted, but as he grew up he must Royal Academy of Arts theoretically banned in China but many have seen the Red Guards destroying every Reviewed by Louise T. Higgins who is people can get round this. traditional Chinese art object they could find Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University At one point, Ai was spending most of during the Cultural Revolution. Some artists of Chester

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1023 reviews

Heed these words Mental – the vacuum cleaner Freud Museum, London

The Metropolitan Police call him a Domestic Extremist. The NHS have described him as ‘highly disturbed’ and labelled him with Borderline Personality Disorder. ‘A real and present threat to the safe running of our lawful business’ is how E.ON described him at the Royal Courts of Justice. He prefers the term Mental. After 10 years of being an outlaw and inpatient, artist activist ‘the vacuum cleaner’ presents an autobiographical performance told This was an important albeit hard to swallow performance. The through his psychiatric records, police intelligence files and simple truths of Maslow’s hierarchy shone through. We all require corporate injunctions collected through the Data Protection Act. our basic needs to be met in order to grow. We need shelter, safety, (from www.thevacuumcleaner.co.uk) food and relationships to sustain us. Only then we can heal and recover. All those concerned about the care of those who experience There we sat, around 25 of us on Sigmund Freud's bedroom floor mental distress should heed the words of the vacuum cleaner and with ‘the vacuum cleaner’ – aka James Leadbitter – who lay deep the Philadelphia Association: especially those responsible for cutting under his duvet in our midst. Surrounded by piles of case notes, his mental health services. medical records, so many they seemed to swallow him as much as the duvet did. Freud, in shadow across the screen, cast across the I Reviewed by Victoria Tischler PhD CPsychol who is an independent bedroom walls, observing from a distance. research consultant On the occasion of the Philadelphia Association’s 50th anniversary we revisited the radical ideas of Ronnie D. Laing and colleagues: in short to listen to and talk to people in distress. Hardly radical and yet in our time-poor, CBT yourself back to work in just Fascinating and salutory six sessions, slap on a label and medicate it, production-line era, this message was an ironic reminder of the fundamental importance Love and Mercy of person-centred care and how it seems to have been forgotten in Bill Pohlid (Director) the mental health system being cut in the name of efficiencies. I, a former mental health professional, experienced toe-curling Those of us of a certain age time of the making of Pet culpability as I witnessed the vacuum cleaner’s patient and personal were lucky enough to live out Sounds when the part of Brian testimony. He rose up from under the duvet and illustrated using his our adolescence in the 1960s is played by Paul Deno and 20 case notes on OHP, the (important) points highlighted – many against a backdrop of some of years later when his life is sweeping and generalised attempts at diagnosis, and often the most exciting and creative changed by meeting the contradictory reports. Such is the difficulty with prescriptive periods of modern music. The woman who was to become accounts of mental distress. Yet all the agents involved – police, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, his wife, when the part is doctors, nurses, security services and therapists, conspired to the Who and from America the played by John Cusack. It is monitor, contain and categorise the man lying before us on the bed. Beach Boys provided us with this second period that forms He was a person to us, but a domestic terrorist to the authorities. a never-ending stream of what the core of the film. After the He was variously described as: a diagnosis unstable PD, proved to be classic pop. The lukewarm sales of Pet Sounds schizophrenic, high scorer on the GHQ, anxious, suicidal, self- Beach Boys originally emerged and despite the success of harming, manipulative and dangerous. On and on it went. Personal singing jolly ditties about surf their greatest hit ‘Good trauma, absurdity and cruelty enacted. sunshine and girls in Vibrations’ Brian Wilson spent The performance evoked powerful bodily surges of empathy. distinctive high falsetto more and more time isolated His pain that words can’t describe hung heavy in the intimate space harmonies, but in 1969 they in the studio trying to produce as the audience sat in stillness and silence. I winced as the vacuum changed tack and produced a a follow-up record ‘Smile’. cleaner described various failed suicide attempts. When it began to much more serious collection By this time he has become feel unbearable, and visitors were advised at the outset that it was of songs in a ground-braking increasingly dependent on OK to walk out, the vacuum cleaner played his favourite tunes on album, Pet Sounds. The record the drugs readily available vinyl and introduced the purest black humour. On his attempt to was critically acclaimed sold in California at the time and hang himself the flex broke, ahhh, this is not my method he wryly well in the UK but failed to sell reached a state when he concluded. The stocky ICD 1 male referred to in a police report: I call in the USA. had an inevitable mental him Gavin. Towards the end he emptied a large cardboard box onto This film is an account of breakdown to the extent that his bed. Out came hundreds of boxes of psychotropic and other the life of the creative force his paranoia led him to destroy mood stabilising drugs, plus drugs to counteract the drugs, etc., etc. behind the group, Brian the tapes of ‘Smile’. The weight of the treatment regime left physical and metaphorical Wilson. It is set in two periods We meet him again in the scars. On his back, scratched deep into his skin, a message to his of his life. First around the 1980s when he is a pale tormentors.

1024 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 reviews

Creative ways to be less sad Sample titles just in: How to Be Happy (or At Least Less Sad) Lee Crutchley Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource

contribute Clay Routledge You have to be severely myopic to peppered with unique, rather humorous The Science Inside the Child Sara Meadows have missed people’s current insatiable exercises, challenging people to switch Play and the Human Condition appetite for wanting to feel good. People off the internet for the day and find Thomas S. Hendricks are hungry for happiness, ravenous in analog versions of websites/apps e.g. Art, Aesthetics and the Brain Joseph P. Huston, fact. It is no coincidence that rates of Google = go to the library, do something Marcos Nadal, Francisco Mora et al. (Eds.) depression and general dissatisfaction spontaneous by only turning left on a Children in Society: Politics, Policies and with life are going through the proverbial walk, listen to an album you hate all day Interventions Craig Newnes (Ed.) roof. So, another self-help book that and find something that resonates with Psychology for Sustainability Britain A. Scott claims in the title to show us all how to you. et al (Eds.) be happy may be greeted with rolled Overall, this book brings a unique Murdered Father, Dead Father: Revisiting the eyes. However, Crutchley, an artist and and creative angle on established Oedipus Complex Rosine Jozef Perelberg author, has developed this ‘creative techniques that may even inspire the workbook’ not to be more happy, but most experienced clinician. However, this For a full list of books and information on rather less sad. book leans more towards the internet reviewing for The Psychologist, see The book is a practical, light-hearted, generation, and as with any self-help www.bps.org.uk/books. Send books for potential fill-in-the-gaps approach, which does not book, it requires a level of self-motivation review to The Psychologist, 48 Princess Road East, overwhelm at first glance. He includes in order to ‘dive in’. Nonetheless, it is Leicester LE1 7DR many common CBT, mindfulness and a nice light twist to support people out values-based exercises within the of a seemingly dark hole. ‘Reviews’ now covers much more than books: number-less pages (encouraging us to if you see a film, play, exhibition, app, TV deal with uncertainty perhaps?), and I Ebury Press; 2015; Pb £8.99 programme, radio show etc that you would like bite-size chapters introduced by his own Reviewed by Eleanor Parker who is a to review for us, get in touch on personal experiences of depression. The clinical psychologist with Barnet, Enfield [email protected] or on Twitter @psychmag sparkle of this book comes from its being and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust

adviser and record practise as a psychologist in producer. California once he was exposed. The film After seeing the film one successfully wonders how on earth he captures the continued to practise anywhere hedonistic nature in the world, but apparently he of the 1960s. The did continue to work in New sequences Mexico and Hawaii. recreating the Films in which psychologists recording of the are depicted in a positive light music are are many: Sixth Sense (1999) and fascinating and Good Will Hunting (1997) come to sound every bit as mind. It is rare to see our good as the original. profession portrayed as such an In fact some of the evil influence as Landy. What scenes of the makes it even more shocking recording of Pet is of course that the film is Sounds were filmed biographical. Dr Landy is not in the original studio. a monster created by Hammer To put it mildly, House of Horror, but a real-life psychology does not come psychologist like you and me. shadow of his former self, Elizabeth Banks who he out of this film well. Dr Landy is It is salutary for us to heavily dependent on medication meets while buying a car. She portrayed as an evil genius who acknowledge that for all the provided for him by his personal immediately recognises that went to almost any length to good that we perceive that we psychologist Dr Eugene Landy, Brian is totally dependent upon manipulate and control his may bring to our work with played by Paul Giamatti. Dr and controlled by Landy. The client. He appears motivated by clients young and old, members Landy it appears controls all film is essentially about their shear greed, be devoid of any of our profession are capable of aspects of his life, provides him relationship and how she ethical or professional using their psychological skills with bodyguards who monitor all attempts to release Brian from standards whatsoever and was for such evil means. aspects of his life, even to extent the all-pervading influence of only exposed when he changed of vetting and ultimately Landy whose role as his client’s will in his favour. We I Reviewed by Dr Jeremy intimidating the young woman, psychologist appears to find out at the end of the film Swinson who is an Educational Malinda Ledbetter played by encompass, manager, financial that Landy lost his licence to Psychologist from Liverpool

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1025 reviews

Generous, genuine humour The Brain Show Robert Newman

You might remember Robert gender biases in celebrities including texture of the first half of Newman as one quarter of The macaques, and Brian Cox, Paul Newman’s set, which broadens Mary Whitehouse Experience in intelligently McCartney and out in the second half to the 1980s, or one half of Baddiel questions the Winston Churchill; concerns beyond the individual & Newman in the 90s – the first experimental paradigms of a story about Isaac Newton at the brain to critique the ideology of stand-up act to pack Wembley neuroscience, appropriately Fair; and a delightful set piece in the selfish gene and make a Stadium when comedy became sceptical about whether which he personifies the Gulf case for cooperation and group the new rock’n’roll. He has been neuroimaging data can Stream as an old girl getting selection. He pulls these out of the limelight for a while, accurately correlate with pissed in a pub, grumbling torrents of ideas together with writing novels and becoming subjective experiences such about climate change. Even a couple of winsome songs politically active in publicising as love, guilt or wisdom. Sigmund Freud makes a brief accompanied by his ukulele, and concerns over climate change. A mesmerising storyteller, cameo appearance, as do many a very funny personal anecdote Now he’s back on Radio 4 with the point at which factual wondrous creatures from the for an encore. Robert Newman’s Entirely reporting blends into funny natural world, for example the Although the show is thick Accurate Encyclopaedia of fairytale fiction is not always Peruvian spider who fashions with complex ideas and wide- Evolution. The similarly titled clear. His erudite and splenetic decoy spiders out of the debris ranging references, the lucid book, The Entirely Accurate critiques of key neuroscientific of her prey. delivery meant that my Encyclopaedia of Evolution, is papers had the audience A particularly rich seam teenaged son enjoyed it as much published by Freight. He is spellbound in silence, until, was his retelling of the story of as I did. Robert Newman strikes currently touring his one man acutely aware of the need to Phineas Gage, the case example the perfect balance between performance, The Brain Show. navigate away from the beloved of many undergraduate scalpel-sharp analysis, romantic A fast and furious journey, dangerous rocks of pomposity, psychologists. Shifting the optimism and generous, The Brain Show opens with an he burst his own balloon with perspective to Gage’s own point genuine humour. account of Robert Newman’s a self-deprecating punchline, a of view, Newman cleverly experience as a research song, or a delightfully silly prop. mocked the scientific I The Brain Show is touring until subject at University College Robert Newman would definitely establishment’s interpretation mid-December 2015, plays at London. He posits that the jump on the clumsily mixed of his foul language as ensuing the Soho Theatre in London failure of the genome project to metaphors of this paragraph, from frontal lobe damage, and from 11 to 23 January 2016, find direct correlates of human and find a joke lurking there. constructed a much funnier, and then tours again behaviour in our DNA has Riffing on Ramachandran more down-to-earth, but equally throughout February – see resulted in a shift of focus in and Baudelaire, we meet many plausible, version of why Gage www.robnewman.com/live.html this century, to bridging the gap of ‘the greats’ in this show – behaved as he did. [Editor’s Reviewed by Jenny Doe who is between the physical wetware a thoroughly researched note: For another hilarious take a clinical psychologist with East of the brain and the subjective reverence for Charles Darwin on Phineas Gage’s day-to-day London Foundation Trust. See experiences of our conscious is matched by a hilarious satire travails, see the chapter in the online version of this review mind. He skilfully takes apart on Richard Dawkins’s less comedian Rich Hall’s Things (https://thepsychologist.bps. the outlandish claims of charitable view of evolution. Snowball.] org.uk/scalpel-sharp-analysis- researchers, for example, to We are regaled with wicked The threads of all these and brain-and-more) for a Q+A with have discovered particular impersonations of a raft of more are woven into the rich Robert Newman.

And we all lived happily ever after?

The Happiness Illusion: How the Media Sold Us a Fairytale Luke Hockley & Nadi Fadina (Eds.)

This slim, but densely packed And even ‘retail therapy’ no be ourselves – ‘warts and all’ – limited background in media volume is a collection of articles longer holds a spell over us. to be truly happy, and not fall studies and analysis. With this from the fields of media studies Given this situation, the under the allure of the fanciful in mind, I would recommend the and psychotherapy. The authors book explores what actual promises of modern-day book to academics and students argue that the media has tried sources of happiness are, in our television and advertising. in media studies. Those with to sell us the illusion of gaining societies. Focusing on different The book was indeed a background in psychotherapy happiness by acquiring products fairytales and their common interesting, but at times I may also find it of interest. reputed to transform our lives. themes (e.g. Snow White, the struggled with the complexity Overall, this is a very thought- Yet in the West, antidepressant ‘Happily Ever After’ endings), the of the flow of narrative, and the provoking book, but perhaps use is on the increase. The mass chapters discuss topics such as terminology used. The in-depth not for those expecting a bit of media have transformed the age, gender, marriage, reality TV focus on symbolism in some a light read! symbolism of fairytales into and therapy, and how these are chapters could also be commodities to be sold. This portrayed in the media, overwhelming. This may be I Routledge; 2015; Pb £29.99 has resulted in the loss of their particularly on television. The more the failing of the reader, Reviewed by Dr Kate Sparks ability to entertain and educate. conclusion is that we should just than the writers, with my own who is a Chartered Psychologist

1026 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 reviews

An informative detailed summary Geriatric Depression: A Clinical Guide Gary J. Kennedy

When planning my review of this book I first asked myself what prevention of suicide. However, many studies quoted here are not I would hope to gain from reading a book about geriatric depression. restricted to a geriatric population and the emphasis on the use of I settled on: an improved understanding of firearms as a means is less pertinent to a UK what is different about the aetiology of population. depression, response to psychotherapeutic I found the ‘Diet, Supplements, and Exercise’ interventions and impact of living with chapter particularly interesting; although depression in this client population compare psychologists do not traditionally provide advice on to others. I have to say I got all this and more! these topics, it includes some valuable information There is indeed a comprehensive chapter which could be usefully delivered as part of an entitled ‘What Causes Depression in Late Life understanding depression group to help participants and What Makes It Difficult to Treat’, which as consider the potential impact of these aspects of their well as acknowledging for example that older lifestyle. people are more likely to be living with Regarding limitations of the book, the author a chronic physical illness and loss, also is an American psychiatrist, so a chapter on emphasises the possible impact of age- ‘Pharmacotherapy’ is to be expected; this being of related changes to subcortical white matter more relevance to prescribers than psychologists. that can both predispose an individual to Some UK studies are quoted but the majority are depression in later life and make that from the USA and at times this may be unhelpful, depression harder to treat. Another chapter, as previously mentioned. However, overall this is an ‘Effective Psychotherapies’, considers a range informative book that is easy to read and provides of therapies, provides a summary table of a detailed summary of current knowledge in this area. their distinguishing attributes and weighs the evidence supporting their use in an older adult population. I Guilford Press; 2015; Hb £26.99 There is a comprehensive chapter entitled ‘Reducing the Risk Reviewed by Dr Claire Pond who is a clinical psychologist with South of Suicide in Later Life’, which provides information about risk and West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust

See http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk for more reviews, including Spectre; The Father; Professor Green’s BBC3 documentary Suicide and Me with Professor Rory O’Connor; and Professor Mary Aiken on how her work inspired the major series CSI:Cyber.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1027 minute variations in emotional expression that signalled, for example, the shift from mania to depression or from illness to recovery. Madness from Diamond (1808–1886), chief psychiatrist at the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum, was quickly dubbed the ‘father of the outside in psychiatric photography’ (Gilman, 1976, p.5). In 1839, within three months of the LOOKING BACK LOOKING Gail A. Hornstein considers artistic depictions of insanity announcement of commercially available materials and methods, Diamond made his first photograph (of a lace pattern). He became fascinated by the medium, photographing houses of famous writers, ince at least the 13th century, artists Diamond’s attempts in the 1850s to create a still life of hunting paraphernalia, as have been fascinated by insanity. photographic ‘portraits of the insane’. Far well as his friends, his wife, his fellow SThere are literally hundreds of more than painting, photography seemed physicians and photographers, and, of images, most stylised and stereotypic, capable of recording the succession of course, the patients in his asylum. of ‘madness’ and ‘the madman’ (or Diamond’s most consuming interest woman). When asylums spread was in depicting moments of madness across 19th-century Europe, – the slight elevation of the eyebrows providing a captive population of that hinted at a feeling of suspicion, mad people, artists began to use the vacant look in the eye of one actual patients as models for their who saw no purpose in living. By drawings and paintings. These the early 1850s he was exhibiting images are often less extreme than grouped photographic portraits of his earlier portraits, but their typically patients, with titles like ‘Phases of the grotesque emotionality is just as Insane’. dehumanising. Diamond wanted to show how Patients are treated as mental states could be represented in specimens, devoid of any context, external signs. Physiognomy had long like tumour cells in a pathology dominated medical thinking: just as a manual. Even in the works of pounding pulse could signal cardiac progressive physicians like Pinel difficulties, a certain expression could, or Esquirol, madness is depicted he argued, reveal mental turmoil. If as brutality or as generalised you could capture the look on deterioration. Esquirol’s particular patients’ faces, you could diagnose interest in pathological types them. And patients were, of course, influenced the thinking of the perfect photographic subjects – generations of psychiatrists and always available (the benefit of locked reduced the patient’s whole life to wards), and ideally suited to reveal, one main symptom (e.g. mania). by their extremes of emotion, the core Of course, today we take this idea qualities of ‘internal derangement’, as far more literally than Esquirol did Diamond called it. A series of in the 1830s – current images of photographs of the same patient madness don’t even show the might even ‘mark the progress and person, just their hypothesised cure of a severe attack of Mental brain defect. Aberration’ (Diamond, 1856). Among the most provocative In the original prints of Diamond’s examples of this way of knowing photographs, patients’ conditions and madness – that is, depicting it from their initials were printed under their the outside – are Hugh Welch Dementia – by Esquirol (1838) portraits. However, as the photographs

Brand-Claussen, B. (1996). The collection Conolly, J. (1858, 6 March). The Brunner/Mazel. of works of art in the psychiatric physiognomy of insanity: No. 4 – Hornstein, G.A. (2009). Agnes’s jacket: A clinic, Heidelberg, from the Melancholia passing on to mania. psychologist’s search for the meanings beginnings until 1945. In B. Brand- Medical Times and Gazette, 37, 238–241. of madness. Monmouth: PCCS Books.

references Claussen, I. Jádi & C. Douglas (Eds.) Diamond, H.W. (1856). On the application Parker, R. (1996). The subversive stitch: Beyond reason: Art and psychosis. of photography to the physiognomic and Embroidery and the making of the (pp.7–23). London: Hayward mental phenomena of insanity. Paper feminine (Revised edn). London: Gallery/Southbank Centre. read to the Royal Society, April 1856. Women’s Press. Burrows, A. & Schumacher, I. (1990). Gilman, S.L. (1976). The face of madness: Star, S.L. (1983). Simplification in Portraits of the insane: The case of Dr Hugh W. Diamond and the origins of scientific work. Social Studies of Diamond. London: Quartet Books. psychiatric photography. New York: Science 13(2), 205–228.

1028 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 looking back began to be reproduced and cited by scenes snapped in the ward, no secret other psychiatrists, the initials portraits taken while a patient was disappeared, illustrating one of the classic unaware’ (Burrows & Schumacher, forms of simplification in scientific work 1990, pp.48–49). This careful posing that sociologist Leigh Star has articulated is evident in Diamond’s photographs (Star, 1983). So, despite the sensitivity of as well as in those of his colleague at Diamond’s portraits, which preserved the Bethlem Hospital, Henry Hering. complexity of individual expression, In his Royal Society paper, patients again became defined in terms Diamond said that ‘photography of their major symptom. presents a faithful record, free By ‘freezing the features’ of his altogether from the painful patients, as historian Sander Gilman has caricaturing which so disfigures almost put it (Gilman, 1976, p.9), Diamond all published portraits of the Insane’. sought to go beyond the standard ‘acute’ He gives examples of patients thanking and ‘recovered’ images that physicians him for the opportunity to see had long used to represent the stages portraits of themselves in disturbed of illness. In a paper read to the Royal states because it let them appreciate Society in London in April 1856, how much they had changed. By Diamond said that the photographer was portraying his patients with the same in a unique position to ‘listen to the silent calm formality as is evident in his but telling language of nature’. He could portraits of friends and colleagues, ‘catch in a moment the permanent cloud, Diamond saw himself as humanising or the passing storm, or sunshine of the madness and helping his patients to soul’. The fuzzy language of emotion recover themselves. could be replaced by the ‘marked But of course these are still precision’ of photography, a crucial essentially depictions of pathological advance for psychiatry, Diamond argued types. For all their noble sentiment, (Burrows & Schumacher, 1990, p.153). photographers like Diamond and One of his most famous portraits, Hering were trying to find some ‘Melancholy Passing into Mania’ (see external mark, some sign that could right), shows a defiant woman in her late give a glimpse of the mad mind. It Melancholy Passing into Mania – by Diamond thirties who refuses to look at Diamond seemed never to have occurred to as he photographs her. Presumably, the them to ask patients directly about their range of works that arrived in response woman in this portrait consented to feelings or the meanings of their unusual to his solicitations. sitting in the elegant wing chair on states. There were drawings in pencil and which Diamond has posed her, but her Hans Prinzhorn (1886–1933) took crayon and charcoal, on school expression remains elusive, her mind the opposite attitude. Trained in both art notebooks, institutional stationery, orange clearly elsewhere. history and psychiatry, Prinzhorn eagerly wrappers, torn envelopes, meal plans, John Conolly, the pre-eminent collected works of art created by packing materials, wartime propaganda psychiatrist of Victorian England, later psychiatric patients. In 1919, when he pamphlets, and toilet paper. There were studied this photograph. In a famous was appointed assistant psychiatrist at paintings on canvas, wood, tissue paper, clinical paper, he wrote: the Psychiatric Clinic of the University and cardboard. Some of the wealthier The eyes seem to discern some of Heidelberg, Prinzhorn began writing patients had gotten access to oil paints; person or object which excites to the heads of asylums across Germany, the poor used tempera, sometimes mixed displeasure or suspicion… The lips Austria and Switzerland asking them to with odd substances like cocoa, urine or are somewhat compressed, and the look for ‘productions of pictorial art by blood. There were collages of painted or lower jaw indicates some half-formed mental patients, which are not simply drawn images pasted to cutouts from determination. The corrugation of the copies of existing images or memories magazines and newspapers, a few frontal muscles is seen to have given of their days of health, but intended as adorned with unusual objects like pebbles way to transverse wrinkles, and a expressions of their personal experience’ or pine needles. There were illustrated partial elevation of the eyebrows, the (Brand-Claussen, 1996, p.7). In less than books bound with a paste of flour and eye having at the same time assumed three years, he was able to assemble a water, their pages varnished or sewn an active character; as if the patient collection more astonishing than any together. A few (of the richer) patients was now beginning to understand other, before or since, consisting of more had even worked in pigskin diaries. There some plot, and distinct ideas of than 5000 pieces by 500 artist-patients. were sculptures made from clay or wood revenge were beginning to excite Works arrived from dozens of or stale bread moistened with water. her…. (Conolly, 1858, p.238) institutions and took every conceivable Embroideries and textiles were pieced form – paintings, drawings, sculptures, together from scraps of material or The technology of picture-taking in those textiles, even installations. Their materials abandoned garments or woven from early years required that a subject sit still were varied and inventive, patients having thread unravelled from hospital uniforms for an extended exposure period. These apparently taken full advantage of any or bedclothes. Some of the works were portraits could never have been made substance, technique or surface they minuscule; others took up a whole room. without a ‘spirit of friendly cooperation’, could cadge or otherwise manage to No matter what their form, they had all as Diamond put it, between physician and acquire in a locked institution. simply been packed up (or, in the case of patient. As two historians of his work Prinzhorn was astounded by patients’ a few larger pieces, photographed) and have recently written, ‘there could be no resourcefulness and by the extraordinary shipped off to Prinzhorn with a tag or a

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1029 looking back © P RINZHORN

few case notes or no notation at all C OLLECTION about the circumstances of their creation. Few of the Prinzhorn artists had , U done artistic work prior to being NIVERSITY institutionalised, and even fewer had H

formal training. But the urgent need to OSPITAL express their feelings and make sense

of their madness experiences had H EIDELBERG apparently led them to create artworks, sometimes only after years of confinement. The timelessness of asylum life in an age before occupational therapy or ward meetings meant that patients could spend years with no structured activity. They had to find their own ways of occupying themselves. Paradoxically, although few patients at the turn of the 20th century had the benefit of treatment (most institutions were simply custodial), the absence of medication did seem to foster creativity. (Today, patients who have been hospitalised August Klett (1866–1928), untitled, dated 1919, Inv. No. 560 for long periods are often so heavily medicated that their hand-eye coordination is too impaired to produce takeover. Many of the artists who techniques like gassing, later used on complex works of art.) created the works in his collection a wide scale to eradicate the Jewish Prinzhorn left Heidelberg in 1921 were murdered as part of the so-called population, were ‘perfected’ on the and died in 1933, just before the Nazi ‘euthanasia’ programme (in which already captive population of hospitalised

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1030 vol 28 no 12 december 2015 looking back mental patients). However, the artworks themselves were not destroyed because the Nazis wanted to use them for propaganda purposes. (For example, to illustrate the supposed ‘degeneracy’ of Expressionist artists, their work was displayed alongside that of Prinzhorn patients.) Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of many devoted curators and staff at the university’s psychiatric clinic, most of the 5000 works that Prinzhorn collected are now in their own beautiful museum in Heidelberg (http://prinzhorn.ukl-hd.de). These images stimulate a range of questions about the visual depiction of mental life. Diamond’s photographs and the works of the Prinzhorn artists are clearly fascinating, but can we say that Agnes Richter and her they actually give us ‘ways of knowing’ madness? Is such a thing even possible, ‘remarkable jacket’ or does profound emotional distress simply defy any attempt to represent it fully? However we choose to answer Agnes Emma Richter, born 21 March 1844 near Dresden, Germany, was a skilled seamstress these questions, we have to acknowledge who supported herself doing that work in Germany and America until her late forties. She had that such difficulties have not stopped saved up a considerable sum by that time, and when police forcibly admitted her to a local people from trying. From the colourful mental institution because of complaints from her neighbours, she told them that people PET scans of the so-called ‘schizophrenic were plotting to steal her money and she ‘believed her life to be in danger’. Increasingly angry brain’ that now fill psychiatric textbooks, and ‘non-compliant’ with her incarceration, she was transferred in 1895 to the state asylum to the cartoon images of at Hubertusberg, where she was kept against her will for the next 23 years, until her death neurotransmitters in pharmaceutical on 1 July 1918. advertisements, to the extravagant We know practically nothing about the details of Agnes’s life in the asylum. Of the 76 performance art created by activists pages of her case file, 70 deal entirely with disputes about who will pay the costs of her in today’s mad movement, images of institutionalisation (suggesting that her concerns about people ‘stealing her money’ may madness are everywhere. I myself think have been well founded and not ‘paranoid ravings’). An unknown asylum staff member sent that the only meaningful approach is Agnes’s remarkable jacket to Hans Prinzhorn, accompanied by a tag that read ‘memories of to start with the lived experience of her life in every piece of washing and clothing’. Even among the thousands of extraordinary individuals, contextualising their objects in Prinzhorn’s collection, the jacket stands out – a powerful and intensely personal ‘madness’ within the rest of their life story piece of textile art with a challenging message. and experience. The title character of my Nothing is known about when or precisely how Agnes created the jacket, except that she recent book, for example, is a Prinzhorn seems to have taken apart her shapeless hospital uniform and reconstructed it into a artist, Agnes Richter (Hornstein, 2009). beautiful and elegant garment. The delicate buttonholes, the cuffs flaring from tightly fitted She told her story in the form of an sleeves, and the peplum (a decorative ruffle attached to the bodice) all offer evidence of her extraordinary jacket – which she considerable talent as a seamstress. The bluish-grey linen is accentuated by sections of constructed out of a re-sewn hospital brown felt attached to the collar and parts of the back of the torso. But what makes the jacket uniform and then turned into an so extraordinary and so distinctive are the dozens of lines of text that cover practically every autobiographical text (see box). What inch, sewn in five colours of yarn and thread that give the impression more of a painting than did Agnes and the thousands of other an everyday garment. psychiatric patients who have left The words are stitched with barely any space between them, spiralling around each narratives want us to understand about sleeve, flowing from the outside to the inside, and then at various points simply trailing off. their experiences? To me, that is the key Agnes used an ornate form of cursive writing (now unintelligible to contemporary German question to be asking – what is madness speakers) called Deutsche Schrift, and this, combined with the compressed form of the from the inside? phrases, give the text an almost hieroglyphic appearance. Certain sections have, however, been painstakingly deciphered, making clear Agnes’s intention to recount details of her experience at Hubertusberg. The words ‘I’ and ‘me’ appear I Gail A. Hornstein is Professor of Psychology often, along with various phrases having to do with her sister, her desires, and her anguish, at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, with ‘I plunge headlong into disaster’ being the most provocative. Massachusetts We cannot now know whether Agnes Richter saw her work as a political act, ‘a weapon of www.gailhornstein.com resistance to the constraints of femininity’ as Rozsika Parker labelled the art of embroidery in She will be a keynote speaker at the joint her classic feminist analysis, The Subversive Stitch (Parker, 1996). But the jacket and its text conference of the History and Philosophy of offer a powerful challenge, reminding us that madness is more code than chemistry, and if we Psychology Section of the British want to understand it, we need native speakers, not just brain scans. Psychological Society and the UK Critical Psychiatry Network, to be held at Leeds Until the end of January, readers can buy Agnes's Jacket by Gail Hornstein at the special price Trinity University 22– 23 March 2016. Details of £12.00 including P&P. Enter code BPSAGNES at the PCCS Books website checkout. and abstract submission are available at www.kc-jones.co.uk/history2016

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 1031 pressures. Fortunately, funding career, and made all the bodies, journals, societies and difference. Part of what … with Marcus Munafò scientists themselves are attracted me to Bristol was the thinking about how to address people, and I still work with this, but it’s a complex many of those people (even ‘Science is a very problem. the ones that are no longer at

ONE ON Bristol). Science is a very One of the main challenges social process – you need to social process’ facing psychology today share ideas and collaborate on I’m not the only one a daily basis. concerned about the impact of incentive structures in science, One other job you could and there’s a lot of debate have done around the ‘reproducibility Another thing that I love One reason why you became tell me what I should crisis’ in psychology and other about academic life is that the a psychologist study. Of course, flexibility gives you the It was chance! I wanted to some research opportunity to pursue read philosophy at university, questions need other interests. I’ve been but at Oxford you have to do substantial resources a rowing coach and philosophy with something. to answer, but not served in the Army I chose philosophy and all of them do. Reserves – both in my psychology, mainly because We’re doing a lot of spare time. So if I hadn’t psychology sounded quite work using publicly been a psychologist I interesting. I’d applied to do available data from probably would have single honours philosophy at genomewide followed one of those the other universities I was association studies, paths instead. But I’ve applying to. After my and all that really been lucky enough to be undergraduate degree I simply requires is time and able to do all three, rather kept studying because I was effort. than just one… still finding psychology interesting. In a sense I’m still One frustrating One film doing that, and one of the aspect of your Pulp Fiction – it’s the only reasons I have such a mixed work film where I wanted to bag of interests is because of There are the usual go back in and watch it this. I have a tendency to frustrations – again straight away after follow whatever seems bureaucracy, too seeing it. interesting at the time. many e-mails, that sort of thing. Every One way to unwind One rewarding aspect of job has those Being near water – near your work though. For the it, on it or in it, I find I love the intellectual and most part I really rivers, lakes and the sea personal freedom. I can have enjoy my work; the (even swimming pools) an idea about an interesting thrill of feeling you incredibly relaxing. research question and get might be onto straight down to answering it something – a new One favourite research the next day. There’s no one to finding or idea – is finding unique. One thing Smokers will change I have become how they smoke when Marcus Munafò concerned about are they switch from high-tar is Professor of the incentive structures that sciences. I certainly don’t think to low-tar cigarettes, so as to Biological Psychology at scientists work within – the the problems are unique to extract the same amount of the University of Bristol pressure to publish, get grants, psychology – all disciplines nicotine. I think that’s a lovely marcus.munafo generate exciting findings isn’t have their own problems, and demonstration of how @bristol.ac.uk conducive to good science. It’s there are some issues (such as behaviour can be under close hard not to respond to these the pressure to publish or get biological control. It also grants) that apply across the means low-tar cigarettes are board. just as bad for you as the high- tar ones! Demography; reproductive health; The Psychologist guide to… you One important influence and your baby; and much more... I couldn’t name just one! I was One place I Contribute: See www.thepsychologist.org.uk/contribute or talk to the really fortunate to work for Bamburgh in Northumberland editor, Dr Jon Sutton, on [email protected], +44 116 252 9573 some fantastic people early in – a beautiful (and generally my career – intellectually empty) beach, hills and dunes

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 generous and willing to let me to get lost in, and a stunning rates: see details on inside front cover. follow my own ideas. That was castle as backdrop. And the perfect for me in my early sea, of course…

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