the psychologist vol 29 no 8 august 2016 www.thepsychologist.org.uk

Behind the masks William Todd Schultz offers a psychobiography primer

Brexit poll 590 heroes and villains 610 news 598 off the beaten track 620 interview 632 poetry competition 630 careers 638 a door to minds and emotions 652 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 Behind the masks 614 William Todd Schultz offers The Psychologist a psychobiography primer www.thepsychologist.org.uk www.psychapp.co.uk [email protected] @psychmag Heroes and villains 610 COM . Drama hinges on the characters we love, or love Advertising to hate. What’s their secret? asks David Robson Reach 50,000+ psychologists ROCKARCHIVE at very reasonable rates. / CPL, 1 Cambridge Technopark, Off the beaten track 620 CEVES Cambridge, CB5 8PB A Ron Roberts argues for a critical take on Recruitment Matt Styrka modernity, through the work of Svetlana Boym

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the issue ...debates There’s a strong theme of ‘the arts’ this month, from the main articles letters 582 to our ‘Big picture’, ‘Careers’ and revolution in the air?; Orlando and ‘othering’ discourses; school skirt bans; ‘Looking back’ pieces. On p.630 socialising with work colleagues; President’s Letter; and more you’ll find the top three in our poetry competition, which attracted more Brexit poll 590 than 50 entries. And on our website we sought your psychologically informed opinion on the EU referendum result; you can read a book extract from you responded in droves (more on our website) Charles Fernyhough, on inner voices opinion 624 and the creative muse. Stacey A. Bedwell on why research using animals is important in psychology In my mind, the arts have always sat well alongside science in psychology and in The Psychologist. ...digests I think one of the most gratifying aspects of our development in parental beliefs about failure; pedestrian behaviour; ‘10,000 hours’ debunked recent years has been increasing again?; what makes our work meaningful?; and more, in the latest from our coverage of psychology in its many free Research Digest (see www.bps.org.uk/digest) 606 cultural overlaps: plays, films, novels, music and more. ...meets Much of this is collected at www.thepsychologist.org.uk/reviews interview 632 and you can find regular the co-founder of acceptance and commitment therapy, Kirk Strosahl, talks to opportunities to contribute by Kal Kseib about his approach following us on Twitter @psychmag. careers 638 We are currently planning a we talk to Naomi Hynd, about psychology and acting; and Lucia Giombini on major overhaul of our ‘Reviews’ the quest for identity in recovery from eating disorders coverage, alongside a wider redesign. We will need your views one on one 656 and your contributions more than with Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science at LSE ever. Do get in touch to help us write the story of our next decade. ...reviews Dr Jon Sutton, Managing Editor [email protected] Lose Weight for Love; Freud; the Musical Mental Health Cabaret; and more 646 ...looks back A door to minds and emotions 652 Derek Collett looks at the life and psychological novels of Nigel Balchin

652 …more Go to www.thepsychologist.org.uk The Psychologist and Digest and our free iOS/Android app for Editorial Advisory Committee exclusives and our archive. Big picture centre-page pull-out Catherine Loveday (Chair), Emma Beard, ‘Art is the process of memory’: Phil Banyard, Olivia Craig, Helen Galliard, Nicky Clayton and Clive Wilkins on Harriet Gross, Rowena Hill, Stephen their collaboration as Professor of McGlynn, Peter Olusoga, Peter Wright Comparative Cognition and University of Cambridge ‘artist-in-residence’ respectively

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk Revolution in the air? LETTERS

I was really heartbroken to read the letters in the June issue discussing Peter Kinderman’s new position as a BPS President and some of the comments he has recently made. Aurora Dunn questioned where the boundaries lie around psychologists’ role in social issues and policy. As correctly articulated context underpins everything we do as psychologists, it seems nonsensical to ignore it for fear of unfortunate consequences or misuse in the future. I find it difficult to see how targeting inequality and creating a fairer society could be detrimental at any point in time, in light of recent research into inequality’s correlation with people’s distress (Pickett & Wilkinson, 2010). Psychologists have moral accountability and a unique understanding of the role of reflexivity, and are therefore in a position to help people not just on an idiosyncratic level. David Harper’s article (‘Beyond individual therapy’, June, 2016) was inspiring, and as a trainee clinical psychologist I find the BPS’s coverage and support of such a movement is helping to keep me engaged during a time of disillusionment and frustration about many psychologists’ fear of questioning the status quo. Mike Davis’s letter refers to this movement as ‘creep’, and this is a creep I very much intend to be part of. I am not part of the ‘opinionated elite’ to which he refers. At the DCP Pre-Qualification Group Conference in March, the future of the profession were encouraged by Dr Masuma Rahim to be the ‘the grit in the oyster’, and Ella Rhodes, reporting the event for The Psychologist (May 216), described ’a hint of revolution in the air’. I don’t think this is a movement that can or will be stopped. I am also keen to see the development of the Political Psychology I am Director of the Division of Clinical Psychology’s Professional Section in an attempt to bring psychology into the real world, Standards Unit, Editor of Clinical Psychology Forum, and a Clinical which I think Professor Kinderman is well and truly grounded Tutor with the Lancaster DClinPsy programme. However, I write within. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the BPS to you not in any of these official roles, but simply as a person for covering such views and supporting those who hold them. who was deeply saddened to see The Psychologist publish a letter Sarah Rose in June’s issue that included the line ‘the lunatics have taken over Teesside University the asylum’. Sometimes people write letters quickly without thinking Reference through the full impact of their words. Therefore it is the Pickett, K. & Wilkinson, R. (2010). The spirit level: Why equality is better for everyone. responsibility of the publication to ensure comments are respectful Harmondsworth: Penguin. and any offensive language is removed. One can express a point

THE PSYCHOLOGIST NEEDS YOU! …and much more We rely on your submissions throughout the publication, and in return we help you to get your message across to a large and Letters

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

582 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 letters

Drawn to remember without needing to resort to ridicule and Plainly, at times many people have The studies described in the Research offence. In my mind, it is irrelevant whom experiences that they (and/or sometimes Digest report ‘Want to remember this was written about. What is important others) find deeply distressing and that are something? Draw it’ (June 2016) are is how we speak about people and the statistically unusual, in the sense that they comparable to the Oliver West method, context of mental health. The British fall outside the range regarded as ‘normal’ which aids dyslexic students in the Psychological Society has a responsibility for a given situation. No one seriously classroom. Instead of note-taking on a not to perpetuate stigmatising language doubts that these experiences are: (1) real; particular topic, each drawing represents and attitudes. If we make space for and (2) worthy of others’ attention, a visual memory aid to help dyslexic language like that in the publication of empathy and support. The question is: Are students retain the topic information for our professional body, what do we they best described using the concept of a future purpose; for example, revision. perpetuate in the streets and therapy ‘illness’, with the connotations this This is now a recognised method, settings? carries? Some, presumably such as British supported by the Dyslexic Association, In the contributions section of The Psychological Society President Professor and like your article uses mental Psychologist website, you claim ‘The Kinderman, would argue that they are not. processes, such as visualisation and deep- Psychologist is all about diversity’. It is Others, presumably such as your level elaboration. The idea is that you good to be inclusive and make space for correspondent Mike Davies (Letters, June remember the lesson content, thus diverse views; this isn’t diversity though, it 2016), would argue the contrary. improving recall, by your drawings. is offensive name-calling and stigmatising This is complex debate, over which The article ended by saying that descriptions. In a time when The rational and reasonable people can the researchers’ experiment at drawing Psychologist is looking to increase access disagree. It is vital to realise, however, that ‘words’ was hardly representative of an to the publication, I am inclined to ask the debate is not about ontology but about academic setting. However, it also how this would be explained to those of the ways in which different discourses acknowledged that more research was us who have lived through psychiatric delineate and constrain possibilities for needed and the Oliver West method, systems, been called names associated action in the social world. It is unhelpful which is a very similar drawing technique with mental health problems, and then to characterise it as an argument about for memory recall, is already happening had our viewpoint dismissed on the scientific truth, and more unhelpful still to in classrooms of students (particularly grounds that we are ‘lunatics taking over characterise those sceptical of the utility of ones holding Dyslexic-friendly School the asylum’. the ‘illness’ discourse as denying the status), which is, of course, representative Dr Stephen Weatherhead existence of human suffering. of an academic setting. A starting point Lancaster University Dr Sam Thompson for further research maybe? Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust Dawn Nelson MBPsS The first two letters published under Humphry Davy School the heading ‘New Society President stirs As the Society’s previous President, I feel Penzance debate’ (June 2016) leave me wondering that it is my duty to write on the subject whether this journal exercises any of psychology and politics. All British editorial standards. Aurora Dunn’s letter Psychological Society members are bound does not seem to leave the journal (or by our Royal Charter, which we have now Father presence indeed the Society) with much of a role held for over half a century, the Objects of Just a brief reflection on the absent anyway as it seems to be arguing for the which begin: ‘to promote the advancement fathers article in the June 2016 issue – inability of psychology to support any and diffusion of a knowledge of the authors offer some very interesting position; then there is Mike Davies’s letter psychology pure and applied…’. As ‘large observations about the connections with its immoderate talk of impeachment S’ Society psychologists, therefore, we are between father absence and accelerated and lunatics taking over the asylum. If duty bound to diffuse our advancing sexual development/behaviour based on anything threatens to bring the Society psychological knowledge wherever most their research. However, I couldn’t help into disrepute, it is publishing appropriate to our ‘small s’ society, and wondering about the ‘opposite’ correspondence of this abysmal quality. this is what I spoke about in my connection between father presence and Yours more in sorrow than in anger, Presidential Address at this year’s avoidance/delay of sexual behaviour. Do Isabel Clarke conference [https://thepsychologist.bps. fathers make early sexual behaviour for Consultant Clinical Psychologist org.uk/twelve-ways-make-impact]. Never females less likely by their very presence Moorgreen Hospital has there been a more apposite or urgent in the family home? Southampton time to do so, using our research-based I am wondering this as a female knowledge and expertise on decision whose father did not live with her after The question of whether mental illnesses making, groupthink, leadership, change, the age of seven; and who is well aware are ‘real’ has seen an enormous amount of loss, bereavement, trauma, survival, that her male teenage friends (future ink spilled, effort expended and – positive psychology and hope. husband amongst them) would have been regrettably – vitriol spewed. But the I would urge you all to join your very unlikely to have been sleeping over question is ill-formed and the argument President Peter Kinderman, President in the family living room if he did! fruitless; in fact, the issue at stake is what Elect Nicola Gage and me in doing so. I’d be interested if the authors have it means, socially and culturally, to Jamie Hacker Hughes any thoughts on this side of the puzzle. describe a person as having an ‘illness’. BPS Vice President Dr Catherine Haynes Coventry

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 583 letters Orlando and ‘Othering’ discourses In June we have seen yet another atrocity, J this time in Orlando, Florida. It is early ESS H

days and more information will be offered URD /

to help us understand it, but two things REPORTDIGITAL are clear: this was a terrorist attack and an attack on the LGBT+ community. It is important that we recognise both of these . CO

elements and reflect on them thoroughly. . We need to understand the full UK complexity of events such as these and not simply rely on the usual ‘mad or bad’ individual trope that is again being offered. The psychological state of the individual is relevant of course, but it is far too limited. As psychologists we know a fair amount about individuals being embedded in their context and culture, about how we utilise available discourses to our own ends and how contemporary ‘Othering’ discourses lay the foundations for such events through their constant anti-LGBT+ negativity. As psychologists, we should the ‘either this – or that’ binary is neither are routinely discriminated against, understand that when media outlets are helpful nor accurate. It is important to oppressed and even killed. unusually slow to report the Orlando recognise that it was both of these things. All the time that reporting is shootings, relegating news reports to later Yet in some forums this aspect was problematic in this way, we all lose. Such time slots, pages within newspapers or contested, sometimes forcefully and ‘invisibilising’ means that society is not referring to it solely as a terrorist attack, sometimes quietly, and the argument offered a chance to discuss how rather than also addressing its anti-LGBT+ made that we should not attend to this discrimination against LGBT+ people, focus, this is problematic. Even if one specific aspect but see it solely as an Muslims, people of colour, women, the were to assume that these were all attack on people. Well intended as this disabled and other minorities has ‘accidental’ it is important to recognise may seem it misses the point. Schoolyard psychological similarities. How everyday that it means that once again LGBT+ bullies, sleazy tabloids and terrorists do prejudice facilitates and fuels individuals experience is minimised. not do their violence just on ‘people’, they when picking their targets. While not assuming that all media pick their target, there is meaning in these We all have a role to play in are culpable, we even had presenters on choices, and unfortunately our everyday challenging this. Academic institutions specific news programmes refusing to homophobia facilitates this in the same can utilise critical thinking and encourage recognise the fact that as well as being a way that everyday racism and anti- debate. The media need to review their terrorist incident, this was a homophobic Semitism have been a part of other recent practices. Professional bodies must target attack. Psychologically we recognise that attacks. The specifics are meaningful. oppressive structures, and LGBT+ people When we downplay the specifics need support in speaking up so their and focus on the general, we are complicit voices can be heard. As the British in making these groups all but invisible. Psychological Society statement EYSENCK – On this occasion commentators opted to (www.bps.org.uk/news/bps-statement- emphasise gun control and terrorist links orlando-shootings) notes, this also ANOTHER SIDE alone and this undoubtedly adds to the provides an opportunity for us to reaffirm stress and discrimination that LGBT+ our commitment to fundamental and Professor Taylor dismisses Hans Eysenck people face. The reporting itself will have indivisible human rights. as ‘aloof’ and ‘dismissive’ (Letters, July significant psychological impact and feed Only by active talking we can learn 2016). I didn’t experience him like that at all. into ongoing and long-term destructive a lot about to how to best respond to I interviewed him a number of times for New and traumatising attitudes. the oppression of minorities. There is Scientist, the French magazine Psychologie These issues in the reporting of currently an onslaught of homonegative and my book Psychologists on Psychology. homophobic attacks also means that and anti-LGBT legislation in the US, and The last time I did so I took my then 15- discussion and insight into our cultural the debate needs urgently progression. year-old son Reuben (who was very critical prejudices and practices are closed down. A more complex psychological debate of Eysenck’s views) with me. Eysenck was As with racism, anti-Semitism and other is needed, one where intersectioning very nice to him, much to Reuben’s surprise. insidious forms of Othering, LGBT+ factors are tracked and illuminated. The lesson: psychologists have many experience must not be overlooked. While As psychologists, surely we have a role sides. LGBT+ equality is still somewhat limited in this. David Cohen PhD in the West, it is absent in many parts of Professor Martin Milton London N1 the world. Even where progress has been Regents University London made it remains contested. LGBT+ people

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of the emotion would be same in a country where it often identical if I chose to express rains and has low temperatures. Order your copy today from it in Greek. But would it be fair to assume www.childmentalhealthcentre.org This promising project that a citizen of a northern brings forward an important country does not experience the perspective of human positive feeling of strolling the experience and communication. streets just because there is no The questions raised by Dr word for it? I believe this is not Lomas’s research prompts a very true. interesting discussion, which I wonder what the results will enrich our understanding of in-depth research would regarding the concept of reveal, and whether they could emotions in various cultures, be replicated and be applicable an understanding that could in a multicultural society potentially lead to diversity promoting wellbeing through acceptance. communication. I look Notice for BPS Chartered members What we have been taught is forward to the continuation working in forensic settings that human beings experience a of Dr Lomas’s project and the 2016 marks the final year of grandparenting for the range of emotions that are the development of this field. BPS forensic contexts testing qualifications, which same across cultures. The Elena Pitsilidou question is how some Nicosia, Cyprus have been developed for practitioners who use civilisations managed to capture tests in forensic settings such as prisons, secure hospitals, courts or probation services.

The qualifications can be gained at two levels - Assistant Test User: Forensic (Test Administration) Rewards of academic life and Test User: Forensic. Chartered members working in forensic settings Having just had a book £11,000 to have the book made who are interested in applying for the qualifications proposal accepted by a major open access. via two grandparenting routes can find further UK social science publisher, I guess the next stage in I was taken aback to be offered the world of academia will be information in the ‘How to Apply and Packs’ section a flat fee of £560 (no royalties) paying universities for the of the Psychological Testing Centre website out of which I would have to privilege of sharing one’s ideas www.psychtesting.org.uk pay for indexing myself. That with students. doesn’t seem much for (Still looking for a 100,000 words and a year’s publisher). work. I was also given the Richard Hallam option of paying the publisher London SE13

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 585 letters

School skirt bans

When I was in high school, girls are denied the right to wear a skirt without being I was told that I could no fully express their gendered accused of being undignified, longer wear a skirt to class identity. I now ask: Is this sexually provoking and because the girls in my school ban a harmless way to distracting, I feel this marks a were wearing them regulate the appearance and crisis for 21st-century gender ‘inappropriately’. Now, as a behaviour of schoolchildren, perceptions. first-year psychology student, or it is causing schoolgirls as Some may argue that I have come to the conclusion young as 11 to succumb to uniforms enforce unwanted that this ban disregards female a vision of patriarchal gender binaries, and state that students’ right to express their ideology? Clothing is not masculinity and femininity is femininity. I question how this simply a body-covering-tool of secondary schools in the imposed through the use of gender disregard can be but a contribution to our UK have given reasons for trousers and skirts. attributed to psychological identity formation, which is their decision to ban skirts: Conventional gendered dress explanations, and how we as especially crucial in school- ‘[skirts are] distracting for is a hallmark of school a society can allow this to aged children where this male pupils’ (see uniform tradition, and to happen? I was told in my first process is most prominent tinyurl.com/q5rp6og), neglect this would mean to lecture at university that ‘there (Erikson, 1968). ‘youngsters are placing fully neglect the existence of is no point studying In 1999 legal action was themselves in undignified gender binaries. I urge schools psychology if you’re not going taken against Whickham situations’ (see to celebrate our differences to change the world with it’. School regarding their refusal tinyurl.com/z5b2hdh), and teach schoolchildren to I have made this my every to allow females to wear ‘We do not want our embrace whatever gender they intention; first port of call – trousers. I find it astonishing girls going outside with identify with. discussing the ban on school how even today, 17 years later, a ‘come-hither look’ (see Madeleine Pownall skirts. I am now protesting for tinyurl.com/z9wybjp): In my University of Lincoln Girls are banned from schools to allow skirts. When opinion, these comments wearing skirts in 63 UK will women finally be able to epitomise the distortions in Reference secondary schools (see stop fighting against the gender perception, appearance Erikson, H. (1968). Identity: Youth and www.schoolskirtban.co.uk). appearance ideals of education and identity in our society. crisis. New York: Norton. Which means in 63 schools authorities? The headteachers When a young girl cannot What it is to be human

Earlier this year I visited the Wellcome Collection, London for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed spending time there, which included taking in the exhibition titled Tibet’s Secret Temple [see Reviews, January 2016]. So I was very pleased when I recently had the chance to go there again, this time visiting the exhibition called States of Mind: Tracing the Edges of Consciousness [see Reviews online at tinyurl.com/hu4ufwj]. I am writing to recommend the exhibition to other readers of The Psychologist as an opportunity to spend a little time in an environment that provides a chance to reflect and ponder on the issues that face us both at an individual level and in a in leadership roles within the community. heightened personal awareness and social context. The pressures on some of the individuals demonstrated the value of appreciating The exhibition explores states of that I work with mean that they are the present moment. consciousness as it guides you through placed in positions where they are The exhibition runs until 16 October galleries that use different perspectives expected sometimes to be superhuman in 2016; but be warned – should you visit from different periods in time to examine relation to others in terms of energy and the Welcome Collection it also has a and provoke thinking about: Science and performance. The exhibition draws practical bookshop, so don’t forget to take Soul; Sleep and Awake; Language and attention to what it is to be human. a large reusable bag as I guarantee you Memory; and Being and Not Being. It Although not the purpose of the will return home needing to find more resonated with me as a large part of my exhibition, at a personal level the Being space on your bookshelves! work is concerned with the facilitation of and Not Being section was a reminder of Jacqueline Mansell learning and development for individuals the fragility of life. This section certainly Nottingham

586 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 letters The long road to qualification I started writing this letter to highlight the I am successful in applying for the new potentially compromising their ability to barriers that aspiring psychologists face in postgraduate government loan scheme, buy a house or have a family. gaining qualifications and development. and then am allowed the maximum of However, in writing this article I have In doing so, I’ve been forced to reflect on £10,000, that still just covers tuition! found that I am conflicted. I’m frustrated how that journey has shaped me as an Advisers told me not to worry and that that my socio-economic status continues individual and a professional. there were enough scholarships to make to delay my career progression and maybe After graduating in 2012, I thought up the shortfall. For that course, for a UK will eventually stop it altogether. On the ‘I can never afford to do a master’s’. student, I found two. I particularly liked other hand, experiences I have been Despite having always aspired to apply how bank loans are also listed on the forced to go out and get after graduation for a forensic MSc, I figured if it wasn’t scholarship page. Isn’t that an oxymoron? have been invaluable. essential to the assistant psychologist Nevertheless, I diligently applied with The limitations of being a Band 3 criteria, why return to juggling essays and my redrafted and revised personalised meant I changed jobs annually. waitressing? What I found was that most begging letters, but no cigar. So I looked Consequently, I’ve worked in varied and other candidates in AP interviews had the further afield and applied to the charities unique places. My first job was at a high- magical MSc. Psychologists that I met that I was eligible for. Again, considering secure forensic hospital, and my most through my HCA-level jobs advised me the materials available, it sounded like recent post is at Drayton Park. The house that obtaining psychologist posts without there were thousands. My shortlist came operates as mental health crisis house for one was impossible, never mind applying to 16. For the majority I was not eligible women with an all-women team, and also to the Clinical because I hadn’t been on admits women’s children in order to keep Doctorate. Alongside benefits, or don’t have families together. The ethos there is based this, I was quickly dependent children, or on trauma-informed practice, drawing outgrowing my Band 3 my family do not practise from alternative and systemic approaches, positions and became a specific religion or trade. which challenged me to develop my frustrated with not I drew the line at applying identity as an individual practitioner. being able to access to a charity that reserves the Do I regret the experience I have more development. right to conduct surprise gained from my low-paid positions? No. I felt resentful towards home visits at any point Am I angered that to continue developing others that seemed to during your course. Seriously? I will have to take on significant debt? have doors opened so I remain hopeful, however, Yes, furious. But I am starting my MSc easily because their and am reluctantly plodding a more skilled, mindful and versatile family had more towards the conclusion that I individual than the person I was when money than mine. will need to rely on a Professional I graduated. I’m sure it will be a struggle, After five years, I surrendered. I finally and Career Development Loan. Whilst and it seems wrong to me that there are ignored my budget and was delighted I may have hopefully improved my is so little support available for the many when King’ College London offered me knowledge and chances of employment, people who work full-time but don’t have an MSc place. Unfortunately, the hard I will have definitely pushed my total debt easy access to £20,000. However, the numbers were still difficult to swallow: up to around £30,000. These prospects pride I have for really earning my degree £9000 for fees alongside my are the main reason that most of my and the enrichment I have absorbed from (conservative) estimate of £11,000 for fellow graduates have abandoned this nursing and working with a variety of living the year in central London. career path altogether. Many say they are extraordinary people is priceless. It fast became clear that doing this unable or unwilling to gamble with other Kirsty Hart independently was impossible. Even if hopes they have for their future, London SE15 In the room, and using your voice Working in an adult mental I work in, one might question that one small sentence and It’s at times like that health service I often think why I chose to work in this the impact system processes I think ‘This is exactly where ‘What the hell am I doing area to begin with? could have on the individual I need to be’, offering up here?’. It seems like Then I have those being referred flooded my psychological ways of thinking ‘personality disorder’ is the in- moments that remind me mind. I looked around the and challenging the dominant vogue diagnostic label of the exactly why I’m here. Such as room to see if my gut reaction discourse so often flippantly moment, and frighteningly the recent time I sat in the had been mirrored by other used in adult mental health powerful medicines are community mental health members of the team and settings. So although I might prescribed faster than I can team meeting and a referral to my relief noticed some only be a small voice in a loud decide what to order from the requesting a psychiatric discomfort. So I did the room, I’m in that room and local takeaway on a Saturday assessment for (and I quote) thing I was there to do as I have a voice! night (even though I always ‘transgender disorder’ was read the psychologist in the Dr Nicola Edwards order the same thing!). So aloud. My stomach instantly team, I acknowledged that Clinical psychologist given that I struggle to agree flipped! Thoughts about the discomfort and talked about Chester with or understand the system derogatory language used in the elephant in the room.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 587 letters Socialising with work colleagues After reading the report ‘Why relationships. Incidentally, why would difficult dynamic to balance when outside organisations should encourage their staff people actively socialise with people they work a relationship is horizontal and to become friends’ (Digest, July 2016), do not gravitate to at work? within work it is vertical. It would be I felt motivated to write a response based When considering any work-related another fair assumption to make that the on some observations I have made over relationships it would be a fair point to relationship probably started vertically so recent years regarding socialising with make that they exist on a horizontal and the senior/junior boundaries are set and work colleagues. Whilst keeping specific vertical level. Relationships on each level acknowledged norms of behaviour are details anonymous, I can safely say would be subject to very different demonstrated. This shifting between the I work in a somewhat unique working dynamics, including power relations. two relationships could be what Methot environment. It is unique in that I have A common complaint found within my was referring to when noting a difficulty never before been employed by a current company is that senior members in relationship maintenance. company that promotes colleague of staff are encouraged to set the A common observation made within socialising in such a salient way. socialising example and are regularly the office is that those who are seen as Socialising is such a promoted activity it obliged to attend events. These are having multiplex relationships with senior is felt by some that it should be added to possibly the sorts of events they would members of staff are more likely to get the list of role specific duties! have been interested in attending in any assigned ad-hoc projects, and more work I am a firm believer that as we spend case, but they actively become antisocial generally. This additional work is often a lot of time at work, healthy working due to an apparent lack of agency over without pay or recognition, so it is relationships contribute towards an attendance. I often hear around the office accompanied with feelings of an abuse of enjoyable working experience. It can be negative statements such as ‘I will not be the friendship and a lack of trust. There is an organic shift that people we naturally “made” to enjoy myself’, so they see the a very strong sense of unfairness of shared gravitate to at work become friends out event as a chore rather than an tasks and a lack of real teamwork. of work, and these relationships can long opportunity to build good working Interestingly, those that do not complain outlast a period of shared employment. relations. The potential for a positive about having an unfair workload seem to Therefore is seems odd for Jessica Methot, working experience and enhanced team be the ones that are less sociable and have the lead researcher in the report, to performance is unrecognised. fewer multiplex relationships. suggest that employers need to encourage Other negative comments are made Name and address supplied what she refers to as multiplex regarding vertical relationships. It is a very

obituary Alex Harrop (1935–2016) Alex passed away suddenly on 10 May. He was former students in higher education, and the effectiveness Head of Psychology and later Director of the School of of part-time study. A paper he wrote with an Natural Sciences and Psychology at Liverpool John Moores Italian colleague, due out shortly, is in the final University. Alex first became interested in psychology stages of publication. He also had time to complete when training to be a teacher. Whilst teaching he studied part- a thriller, Everyman’s Hand, published last year. He was in the time to gain an external degree from London University. He then middle of his second novel at the time of his untimely death. began teaching psychology to trainee teachers at C.F. Mott Alex had a passion for psychology, a passion he was able to College in Liverpool. It was while at C.F. Mott that, together pass onto his students. He loved teaching and genuinely which educational psychologist colleagues Eddie McNamara, appreciated his students, who in turn valued his inspirational Colin Critchley and Nancy Crawford he began a series of studies approach. His colleagues recognised the importance of having looking at the application of behavioural methods to improve such a leader during periods of considerable change with the pupils’ learning and behaviour. These studies led to his first shifts from college, through polytechnic, and finally university book, Behaviour Modification in the Classroom, which was Alex was able to ensure that what could have been turbulent pioneering for its time in introducing teachers to evidence-based times were negotiated with relative ease. Alex will be practice that could enhance their teaching and improve their remembered as a man of great energy and compassion. pupils’ behaviour. Behaviour Modification in the Classroom was Throughout his career he has been responsible for the to stay in print for over 20 years, a testament to its popularity. training of hundreds of teachers and probably more than a C.F. Mott College was later absorbed into the City of thousand psychologists all of whom will remember him with Liverpool College of Higher Education, which subsequently great affection. He was a pioneer in the application of psychology merged with other colleges to form Liverpool Polytechnic, in the classroom and made a highly significant contribution to eventually becoming Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) the development of psychology in Liverpool. He was loved by in 1992. Alex was Head of the Centre for Applied Psychology all who knew him and will be greatly missed for his kindness, before becoming Director of the School. His responsibilities in compassion and good humour. He leaves a widow Sally, two sons developing the Centre and then as Director of a large School and six grandchildren. meant that he published less. However, when in 1999 he retired Jeremy Swinson from LJMU he began a series of half a dozen papers on teachers’ Liverpool verbal behavior, which led to a second book, Positive Psychology Eddie McNamara for Teachers, as well as papers on bullying in school, attitudes of Les Lancaster

588 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 589 Brexit – how do we go forward?

‘The best argument against democracy’, said Winston Churchill, ‘is a five-minute conversation with the average BREXIT POLL voter.’ With stock markets wobbling, political parties in disarray and the consequences of Brexit unlikely to be clear for some time, the wisdom the voters is something many may have thought about recently. Given the divisions revealed in the EU referendum, how do we go forward? Especially in a situation where the vanquished are so worried about the case put by the victors. While it’s tempting to generalise about the motivations of the opposing sides (Remainers = elitists, and Leavers = anti-immigration) it is likely we won’t fully understand these for a while. It perhaps doesn’t help though that, whatever the actual reasons behind the Leave votes, the Leave campaign became dominated by Brexit as a means of restricting free movement of workers. I’ve argued before (McGowan, 2014) that, in a time of economic trouble, the appeal of populist parties and movements rests on, as well as a certain practical vagueness, the finding of scapegoats. So for Donald Trump, UKIP, Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn and the Scottish National Party, the sources of woe are, respectively: Muslim or Mexican immigrants, EU immigrants, the Establishment, bankers/Tories, and Sassenachs. just being a psychological fantasy, but sometimes having some I suggested that this appeal is a call towards a Kleinian paranoid- concrete basis. Scots may justifiably feel that the political schizoid position where the world is split into good (inside consensus in England has moved away from them and, while oneself) and bad (projected into others), with no attempt at the best evidence suggests free labour movement is an economic considering greater complexity. However, when Remainers start good, it may be less brilliant for a low-skilled and poorly to turn Leavers into the baddies by a similar process it might be educated worker than for a latte-swilling elitist like myself worth remembering that the water is muddied by these fears not (Portes, 2016).

Healing the wounds

It’s the week after the EU from this onslaught, we have time. They also kept us be ready to contribute… and referendum vote and we are to ‘look to the future’. That’s handcuffed to two key themes there are many contributions heading towards Brexit. the politicians tweeting. when the electorate needed to to be made. Change is in the air and Psychologically we know that talk about a range of other As practitioners, we work whether we voted Leave or this is problematic, denying an values too. No psychologist with individuals, couples, Remain, many of us are feeling experience is unsettling and worth their salt would run a families and groups that act scared, confused, bruised and confusing and leads to all sorts session in such a regimented out, sometimes in ways akin wounded. We have endured a of difficulties, for individuals fashion. to those I mentioned above. campaign that tested our faith and for communities. One thing has become We are trained to do this, we in our political system, reliant So far the media seem to only too horrifically clear, that do it methodically and as it was on sloganising, lies have avoided any reflection we are living in a divided comprehensively, attending to and deceit, and an absence of on their role in this. In order nation. The gaps (or should facts and to emotion. We detail about what we would be to be ‘impartial’ we are told, that be the chasms) that exists know that emotion can facing. Many are confused and it’s all about keeping responses between us are now crystal provide insights that a simple scared in light of the vicious to soundbites and making sure clear and they lie on the fault reliance on facts cannot. As tone of the campaign too. that if an insult is thrown one lines of wealth, of race, left- or researchers, we recognise that There is a secondary way, it goes back the other. right-leaning politics, and of data can have many meanings, confusion, as rather than face I am surprised people in the geography, and many are that trying to understand the up to the reality, our audiences did not end up with scared that it will be evident point of the speaker is politicians seem to have been whiplash. This insistence on on almost any aspect of necessary if we are to instructed to recast history: the short summaries meant that difference. And this is why interrogate the meaning of viciousness we experienced, the media also failed to I think past President Jamie a text or interaction. We also we are now being told, was recognise that complexity Hacker Hughes is right to have a wealth of experience simply ‘passion’. Apparently needs proper, engaged debate remind us that now is a time and information about the there is no need to recover and thought, and that can take when good psychology should damage done by disrespect,

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A glass cliff in the making?

T For Remainers though it may be too soon to accept IM

S the full motivations of the Leavers. The stakes might The morning of the referendum result, much of the country ANDERS still feel too high. It’s hard to avoid the impression that, woke up to a state of chaos. Less than an hour after the official in terms of Kübler-Ross’s (1969) five stages of grief, result was announced, the country was in for another blow, as many are still be somewhere between 1 (denial) and David Cameron announced his resignation. Unsurprising, 2 (anger). Thus we have a situation where some people considering Cameron had been in favour of remaining, and was are seriously advocating that this was not a properly aware of the negative consequences of a vote to leave. Indeed, democratic process. Reasons offered include: the the climate in the UK following the result can be characterised distortions of the campaign, the percentages required by shock, panic and disarray. It quickly emerged that the Leave or the legitimacy of referenda more generally. Some are side had no plan in the event of Brexit. Meanwhile, SNP leader even advocating that the UK Parliament (technically Nicola Sturgeon has received praise for her response, and appears sovereign) should not honour the result. Aside from to be the only MP with an actual post-Brexit plan. Sturgeon’s the questionable sense in disregarding the votes of good example has led to some debate as to whether we need those who, if we believe the polls, were primarily the more female politicians, and particularly as to whether Cameron’s poorest and most disregarded people, all such successor ought to be a woman. Coincidentally, Home Secretary arguments effectively place a specific issue above the Theresa May is considered a frontrunner alongside Boris Johnson validity of the votes cast. Do we really want to start in the race to be the next UK Prime Minister. But is this due to picking and choosing what we are democratic about? her perceived suitability for the position? Psychological research The People have spoken in a national referendum, the unfortunately suggests there could be an ulterior motive for challenge is that they’ve said such different things. May’s popularity. Dr John McGowan Shock, panic and chaos are the perfect conditions for the Salomons Centre for Applied Psychology creation of a glass cliff. Initially coined by psychologists Michelle Canterbury Christ Church University Ryan and Alex Haslam from the University of Exeter, the term ‘glass cliff’ refers to the phenomenon in which women are more References likely to gain leadership roles during times of crisis (Ryan & Kübler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying. London: Routledge. Haslam, 2005). Essentially, in times of crisis, women are more McGowan, J. (2014). The Scottish question. The Psychologist, 27, 398–401. likely than men to find themselves in precarious leadership Portes, J. (2016). How small is small? The impact of immigration on UK wages. positions than men, with a far lower chance of success. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/zj54jhy Unfortunately, due to the risky and precarious conditions in which the glass ceiling is so often smashed, female leaders can find themselves on a glass cliff with a greater risk of falling. Explanations for the glass cliff phenomenon include the idea that women are better scapegoats than men (Rivers & Barnett, 2013), and their (often inevitable) failure can be attributed to the woman rather than the organisation or system. Ultimately, they are more expendable than men. A more positive explanation is racism and xenophobia, remind our leaders that as well that women are perceived as better suited to lead their team in and other ugly forms of as facts, our nation needs to times of crisis due to their creativity, intuition and nurturance discrimination. And we also get to know their neighbours (Haslam & Ryan, 2008). Whatever the reason, research clearly know how to help people again, to learn to be curious shows that appointment of females to positions of power is more recover from this. and respectful of difference, common in risky and uncertain climates. So maybe we should be and that hiding away or Based on Johnson’s downbeat reaction to the result, readying ourselves to talk to relying on instruction is not combined with his initial reassurances being shot down by the our clients about their Brexit- enough to help with these EU, the coming months could well see a shift in favour of a related confusion and bruising long-standing wounds. female successor such as May. In this event, at best we can hope when it comes up (explicitly I don’t suggest that we do that the female successor will defy the odds, reunite the nation, or implicitly); maybe we this alone. But we should and secure a good deal with the EU. However, the stakes are should be writing to our MPs contribute. Nor do I think this high, and it seems far more likely that a female appointment – yes as citizens but also as will be easy – we are not could create a glass cliff from which the risk of falling is great, psychologists with insight into divorced from this ourselves. and we will all fall with her. the dynamics of local conflict But at least we have some Samantha Wratten and conflict resolution. Our training in these processes, we PhD student representatives should have have colleagues to support us University of Bath the mandate to speak to policy and when you think it through makers and outline what is it this is what the job is all References known about conflict about. And this seems like the Haslam, S.A. & Ryan, M.K. (2008). The road to the glass cliff. The Leadership Quarterly, resolution, and what we know time to do it well. 19(5), 530–546. about the need to go beyond Professor Martin Milton Rivers, C. & Barnett, R.C. (2013). When Wall Street needs scapegoats, women numbers (whether that be Regents University London beware. Women’s eNews. migration-related or Ryan, M.K. & Haslam, S.A. (2005). The glass cliff. British Journal of Management, 16(2), economics). We should 81–90.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 591 letters Asking better questions Decision psychology uses the concept engaging with the complexity of the unnecessary bureaucracy, others were of attribute substitution to describe actual question. thinking about economics and the a particular phenomenon in decision Nick Chater from Warwick Business question was the stock market, for others making and decision error. This is the School’s decision science group has very the question was the NHS, for some the phenomenon where an individual replaces entertainingly applied this to the way the question was an identity one – of being a complex question with a simple one and competence of the England football European, of being British or of being not- answers the simple one, rather than manager is addressed in sports European, some were questions of having commentary. However, in too little resource and others one of the context of the referendum already having too much, some were this predicable cognitive questions of the past and others questions process is more serious in its of the future. consequences. The nature of From this muddle of attribute the referendum question substitution we have a manifest 50/50 invited this cognitive split and a psychological civil war. It is substitution en masse, and critical that we get our psychological the multiple simple questions savvy embedded in the social world as, in that have been substituted for this case, had we ensured that the political the one posed in the process really understood the subtleties referendum have made involved in asking questions (a core part manifest alarming fractures of our practice as psychologists) we could in our society. potentially have contributed to an A multitude of different approach that enabled genuine inquiry decisions about completely and aimed at cohesion in difference, different things have all rather than the confusion of having to coalesced into a single work with a meaningless average that overarching question that we means everything to so many. are told to believe is about We know the power of the framing one thing but is in reality bias and the questions we ask are critical about many different things. to this. We must learn to ask better Some people made the questions. decision one of immigration, Dr Joanna Wilde A multitude of different decisions about completely different others one of emigration, Work and Organisational Psychology Group things have all coalesced into a single overarching question some made it a question of Aston Business School

Not on the outside looking in

‘Let us focus instead on a more he was right as psychologists. movement, worker’s rights… So being outside the EU practical, more attainable True commitments and true the list of institutions and for Norway is not being on the peace, based not on a sudden greatness come from doing commitments Norway has outside looking in. It is being revolution in human nature stuff together, not all alone. could go on far longer then part of an understanding that but on a gradual evolution in I know Norway has been this text allows. As for the EU there are no passengers on human institutions.’ These are in everyone’s talking points on we are part of the European Spaceship Earth, we are all not my words, but those of both sides of the argument in Economic Area and Schengen. crew, and we all need to President J.F. Kennedy, in the Brexit debate. And the And 30 per cent of the laws commit to working together. 1963. He was a true believer ‘Norwegian situation’ has voted on in our Parliament My hope is that the UK in the idea that to make the either been described as come from the EU. comes out of the EU with that world a better place we need heaven or as hell. But if you And we do all this, we same kind of attitude. That to be committed to each other truly want to look to Norway commit to all this, because leaving the EU is not the start through treaties, and through after the dust settles after the we truly believe that the world of a nationalistic project of a international institutions. In storm of the Brexit referendum becomes a better place if we destructive nature, but rather the statement lies also a in the UK, you will se that we commit to each other. This is that you turn it into something realisation about human are a country truly inspired by the basis of our social welfare that stimulates international beings and psychology. Alone, the very same ideas that system, free health care, free commitments and helps and focused only on our self- President Kennedy expressed. schools and universities, and international institutions to interest, we are prone to be We are part of almost all our international commitments. evolve. destructive. And waiting for international agreements and And this came long before we Tor Levin Hofgaard evolution to fix that will be commitments you can find in started swimming in oil, gold President, Norwegian at our peril. He knew he was the world, in human rights, and myrrh. It is the essence of Psychological Association right as a politician. We know education, science, trade, free what Norway is.

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Political ideology, socio-economic fear H ARRIS / and attitudes to immigration REPORTDIGITAL

Socio-economic fears and immigration answered questions measuring their fear negativity . CO

were major issues throughout the EU of current socio-economic conditions, toward diverse . referendum campaign. Interestingly, recent attitudes toward diverse social groups groups, UK research has considered the role of (e.g. scientists, soldiers, bankers) and immigration political ideology in socio-economic fears attitudes toward immigrants in particular. may uniquely and attitudes toward other groups (van Comparisons of the responses to the separate left Prooijen et al., 2015). Political ideology question about political ideology with and right. is frequently seen as a kind of glue that responses to the socio-economic fear and These binds diverse social attitudes together. attitude questions were revealing. data are However, scholars have debated whether Supporting the researchers’ predictions, informative for Immigration – a defining issue some attitudes are special in political people at the extreme on either end of understanding in political ideology? Migrant ideology. If we consider the traditional the left–right dimension expressed more political workers harvesting broad left–right ideological distinction, one socio-economic fear and more negative ideology and beans in Warwickshire question is whether right-wing extremists attitudes toward diverse outgroups. attitudes. In the are more likely than left-wing extremists Further, the link between ideology and current context, it is important to to experience socio-economic fear and to negativity toward the groups was recognise the importance of immigration possess negative attitudes to groups that attributable to the greater socio-economic in relation to political views, both in the are not their own. fear held by people in the extreme left EU and beyond. Van Prooijen and colleagues examined and right. Greg Maio and Geoff Haddock this hypothesis, proposing that political Interestingly, a different pattern Cardiff University extremes at both ends of the left–right emerged in attitudes toward immigrants. spectrum are more likely to display these Here, individuals on the far right were Reference responses than political moderates. Their more negative in their opinions than van Prooijen, J-W., Krouwel, A.P.M., Boiten, M. & study had two phases. In the first phase, individuals on the far left. This suggests Eendebak, L. (2015). Fear among the extremes: Dutch participants rated the extent to that immigration is a defining issue in How political ideology predicts negative emotions which they identified as being left- or political ideology: although both extremes and outgroup derogation. Personality and Social right-wing. A year later, participants manifest socio-economic fear and Psychology Bulletin, 41, 485–497. Are we now self-determined? Can psychology provide the tools to deconstruct Brexit? I have socially connected and having positive and meaningful read explanations focusing on emotional vs. rational decision experiences with others). When these needs are thwarted, making (‘system 1’ vs. ‘system 2’ thinking), but it seems to me individuals may experience negative emotion and strive to that many people on both sides based their vote on emotional regain or satisfy these needs (or adopt defensive strategies). feelings towards ‘independence’ versus ‘togetherness’ (me The pattern of data we have seen could demonstrate that included). There seems clear evidence of confirmatory bias on those who feel they belong in both Britain and the EU, those both sides, where people (again, myself included) provided who have the resources and power that bring them autonomy evidence to support their position as opposed to rationally and freedom, and those with status and an associated sense of weighing up evidence to form a view. We must caution against competence, are more likely to have these fundamental needs the emotive/rational dichotomy fuelling a rather condensing satisfied by the current situation. These were more likely to vote position of the ‘rational’ view as being the correct one, with the Remain. Conversely, it appears to me that these fundamental emotional as somehow less valid. needs are not being satisfied in many of those who voted Leave. Other psychological explanations focused on the obvious Is it possible that the division in the vote is not purely based on role of identity in relation to the vote. Lord Ashcroft's voting poll age, education, attitudes and social class, but instead driven by suggested those identifying as English not British were more levels of need fulfillment and experiences of self-determination? likely to vote leave, as were those reporting that life in Britain is Since the result, feelings of belonging and autonomy are worse now than it was 30 years ago. Those who voted to remain surely challenged amongst the Remainers. The decision has were more likely to see movements such as multiculturalism, been made: it may have been close, but it was a majority, and feminism, globalisation, social liberalism and the green to challenge it fundamentally challenges notions of democracy. movement as forces for good, whereas leavers were more likely The Remainers are now impotent and powerless; they lack to perceive these as forces for ill. But can psychology go beyond ‘competence’. Perhaps it is the challenge to these fundamental mere descriptive narrative of differences in positions of leavers needs that has led to the experiences of frustration, anger and and remainers? resentment, to a negative sense of well-being and lack of self- I was drawn instead to self-determination theory. This determination. Exactly the same emotions and feelings, driven proposes that humans are driven by the fundamental needs of by the need for fulfillment and self-determination that led to autonomy (the feeling of having volition and freedom over one’s those voting Leave only days before? choices of actions), competence (the feeling of a sense of mastery Dr Paul Redford and accomplishment) and relatedness (the feelings of being UWE Bristol

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 593 letters

Examine our PRESIDENT’S LETTER.

33,551,983 UK citizens cast their votes on 23 June in the EU assumptions referendum in conditions of high emotion, poor-quality information and great uncertainty. Among the many things psychological science Without actually looking over preconceptions) and selective tells us is that decisions made in such circumstances are dangerous. their shoulders in the polling perception (allowing our We seem to find it difficult to retain more than a few of the booths, I can say my expectations to influence how massive number of relevant facts, our decision making is influenced colleagues in the psychology we see the world) could grow by emotions, by irrelevancies and by other people. In the chaos, department at the university and spread. As psychologists, complexity and anxiety, we use ‘heuristic reasoning’ rather than logic; where I work voted we are no less immune to we are swayed by our initial assumptions, by the most recent, most overwhelmingly (where these sources of bias than available and eye-catching, and most memorable information, ‘overwhelmingly’ means >80 anyone else. They would irrespective of its truth or relevance. We tend to seek out information per cent) in favour of ‘Remain’. predict the strength of the that confirms – rather than challenges – our assumptions. We seek Most conversations assumed surprise and upset most of my the company of people who agree with us. Once we’ve made our that that was the only logical, colleagues experienced when (quasi-random) decisions, psychological science tells us that we tend intelligent position and this they woke on Friday morning to justify our actions (whatever they were) with hindsight bias and was reinforced by university- after the referendum result was minimise any cognitive dissonance with selective recall and wide e-mails from the vice- announced and, judging by attribution of blame anywhere but to ourselves. Some of us grieve. chancellor supporting that reactions you have published, So, regardless of the political consequences of the decision, view and making it unwise to those of British psychologists there’s plenty there for psychology to unpick. express any alternative view. more widely. Politically and practically, the consequences of the referendum Combine this with polls The solution, as we keep are far from clear, and the next few months are highly unpredictable. published in the national press telling our students, is to There are also areas of uncertainty for the British Psychological mainly suggesting a small lead examine our assumptions Society and for the discipline of psychology. Our universities and for Remain in the week more carefully and think more research institutes have many staff and students from the EU and leading up to the referendum critically about our beliefs and receive significant EU financial support. Psychologists from the UK and this likely created a strong expectations about the world. work across Europe, and European psychologists work in the UK, expectation about the probable We might also have sought the not least in the NHS. These arrangements may become part of EU outcome. opinions of a wider range of negotiations in the coming months. The BPS will keep a close eye This is the ideal people than our academic on these developments and stand ready to respond. environment in which colleagues to find out what We are very concerned about first-hand reports of racist and cognitive biases such as the mattered to them. xenophobic abuse following the referendum. The campaign was confirmation bias (a tendency Dr Peter Forster associated with divisive and even xenophobic rhetoric, which we have to listen only for information Malvern noted with concern (see tinyurl.com/gktdn4a). Psychology can add that confirms our value in helping society understand the implications of this. We must listen to people with different experiences and attempt to engage those of different perspectives. We must clearly and publicly affirm our commitment to fundamental human rights, reject all forms of Brexit and flashbulb racism and discrimination, and reiterate the universality, humanity and inclusiveness of our profession. memories We must also do all we can to ensure that education and public services do not suffer in the financial uncertainty following the We are currently running referendum result. As Margaret McCartney, writing in the BMJ, said: a ‘flashbulb’ memory study ‘The Leave campaign said that the UK pays the EU £350m a week and for the moment people first that this would be better spent on UK public services such as the learned of the outcome of NHS. Well, let’s see it – every penny’ (see tinyurl.com/gp5xyx4). the Brexit referendum. This Science does not recognise national boundaries, and our universities is a European-wide survey, depend heavily both on free movement and on EU funding. We have currently seven countries already begun to work with the Research Councils, the Academy for are participating, and Social Sciences and the Science Council to address these issues. involves completing a Your Society will do everything in its power to safeguard our questionnaire about your discipline. You can be confident that the Presidential team, senior personal circumstances, e.g. welcome leaving the EU and officers and our expert staff will be monitoring where you were, what you those who do not. Giving us these negotiations closely and we’ll be at the were doing, how you felt, an opportunity to examine the table and fully engaged when the time is right. etc., when first learning of degree to which positive We will protect and promote our science and the news. versus negative emotions the values and skills of our members. Flashbulb memory studies impact on memory. Please visit are invariably about negative tinyurl.com/cityunibrex to Peter Kinderman is President of the British events, the death of Princess complete, anonymously, the Psychological Society. Contact him at Diana, 9/11, and so on. questionnaire. [email protected] or follow on However, Brexit is interesting Martin Conway Twitter: @peterkinderman. in that people are fairly evenly Department of Psychology split between those who City University London

594 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 letters P HIL W OLMUTH / REPORTDIGITAL . CO . UK

The dangers of emotional thinking

As a clinical psychologist, I’ve spent a lot our children’s future. Emotions are worsening the rifts that this process has of time talking to people who are feeling running high. opened up between people. But then I’m emotional. It’s a large part of the job. And In this context, many of us will have feeling emotional. Our awareness of when we’re emotional, it’s hard to think found the oversimplified stories put out psychological processes doesn’t make us things through properly. Indeed, that’s by both sides, but particularly in my view immune. But it should make us careful. one of the main ideas behind cognitive by the ‘out’ campaign, much more Anne Cooke therapy. convincing than we might otherwise have Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Principal If there was ever a time when we done. It’s well documented that in Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church needed to think something through extremis, people look for someone to University. clearly, it was last week – when we had to blame: the processes of ‘scapegoating’ and decide how to vote in the EU referendum ‘othering’ are well documented in social – and now, when we are dealing with the psychology. So the stories are seductive: aftermath. The importance of the issues – our problems are due to an influx of the events of 2016 will likely have a foreigners threatening our livelihoods and BPS PRESIDENTIAL profound effect on UK life for generations our public services, and to paper- to come – is matched only by their shuffling, ineffectual Brussels eurocrats STATEMENT complexity. As a psychologist I worry that siphoning off billions from our national some of our voting decisions – and indeed coffers. A few days after the referendum, on 28 June, the referendum result – may have been Perhaps I’m thinking emotionally the BPS Presidential Team – Peter Kinderman, partly the product of emotional thinking. myself, but I’m very worried about our Jamie Hacker Hughes and Nicola Gale – wrote Recent political and economic events have future. There are huge echoes for me of a letter sent to all Society members stating left many people feeling stressed, earlier periods in our European history their commitment to steer the Society through depressed, anxious, hopeless and adrift. when people blamed their problems on the uncertain times ahead and to safeguard Many have lost their jobs with the closure ‘foreigners’ in their midst. The racist our discipline. of traditional industries, and with them attacks that have been reported in the often their sense of identity and days since the referendum are deeply We echo their call to continue feeding in your belonging. Buying or even renting a home troubling. The 1930s and 1940s are very thoughts to The Psychologist as the situation is often out of reach, people have lost faith present in my mind. And as we know, it develops over the coming months. in politicians and feel disenfranchised, didn’t end well. local shops and pubs have closed leaving On the other hand, as a ‘remain’ voter people isolated. Many are struggling even I’m only too aware of the danger of to afford the basics: wages are low and othering and scapegoating people who MORE… unpredictable or they may be just getting voted to leave. That way lies huge danger by on benefits. Some have to rely on food too. Maybe I’m even guilty of doing that Read more on our website and in a free Brexit banks and have felt humiliated by the here. As psychologists we need to put our special in our iOS/Android app experience. We worry for our own and energies into helping heal, rather than

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 595 NEWS Psychology in the honours Three British Psychological Society members have been field trial of our Nuffield recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to Early Language dyslexia, psychology in education and family therapy. We Intervention programme, spoke to two of them about their achievements and the future delivered by partners from of their work. the charity I CAN and BPS Fellow Professor Margaret Snowling, Professor of evaluated by the Institute Psychology and President of St John’s College, Oxford, was of Fiscal Studies with awarded a CBE for services to science and the understanding funding from the of dyslexia. Snowling, also a Fellow of the British Academy, Education Endowment said she was astonished and Foundation. Even with very pleased in equal measure researchers at arm’s length, by the award. ‘For the past the intervention has been four decades my research has found to be effective as a focused on children’s reading way of improving and language impairments, children’s oral skills in the and I have always been early years.’ Snowling said Professor Susan Gathercole OBE passionate about translating in the future she would like research into practice. Most to see a shift in the educational policy agenda away from recently, the work of the phonics to the oral language skills that underpin reading. group headed by Charles Chartered Psychologist Professor Susan Gathercole, Hulme (UCL) and myself has director of the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Medical been concerned with Research Council, was awarded an OBE for services to developing and evaluating psychology and education. She said she had been astonished theoretically motivated and touched to have been nominated for the honour. interventions for children in Gathercole said one of her proudest achievements to date schools, particularly those at was setting up a new research clinic for children with problems social disadvantage.’ in attention, learning and memory. She added: ‘All credit for She added: ‘We have this goes to the excellent clinic team headed by Joni Holmes Professor Margaret Snowling CBE recently been involved in a and Francesca Woolgar whose dedication has made it possible.’ Innovation in psychology teaching

The University of Lincoln’s undergraduate Psychology. Horder added that its Sam Jones, who is set to graduate the course has won the BPS Award for programme also focused on employability Lincoln course this summer, said the staff– Innovation in Psychology Programmes. and opportunities for placements for student partnership had been apparent It has been praised by the Society for its students, she added: ‘The visiting team throughout his time at the university. He peer support, annual undergraduate were particularly impressed with the added: ‘The staff are incredibly receptive research conference and staff–student Employability Boot-Camp, a week-long to feedback and genuinely want to ensure partnerships for programme design. focus on careers and employability skills that students here not only do well but This award is made annually by the to be delivered once exams are over.’ also enjoy their time here at Lincoln, with Society’s Education and Public Professor Timothy Hodgson, head of students having the opportunity to make Engagement Board and recognises the School of Psychology at Lincoln, said: an impact on their course, whether that is innovative course design, delivery or ‘This is a great honour for the School. the co-development of marking schemes assessment that benefits students and When I started working in Lincoln five or acting as peer support. All these raises standards in teaching and learning. years ago I discovered a different approach elements put together mean that we have Lucy Horder, Partnership and to undergraduate education, exemplified a great community that is comfortable Accreditation Manager for the BPS, said by really positive working relationships working side by side with each other and the Society saw a number of between staff and students. There just isn’t isn’t based on one side being superior, but commendations in Lincoln’s provision. a them-and-us atmosphere between instead being genuine collaborative She explained: ‘We define commendations students and staff here. partners.’ as anything that makes a demonstrable, ‘We pride ourselves on listening to our Other students echoed Sam’s thoughts, positive impact rather than anything that students’ views and on letting them another third-year student, Verity Harris, is particularly distinctive when compared participate in areas such as peer support, said: ‘The psychology course at Lincoln across the rest of the sector.’ improving feedback, modules and has an excellent relationship between staff The programme was commended for teaching. So I am absolutely delighted on and students; they make each student feel its outreach programme, excellent staff behalf of everyone in Lincoln that we have valued and that their contributions count. and student relationships and the been given the award for innovation in There is a real sense of community that ‘community’ feel within the School of psychology programmes.’ really adds value to each course.’ ER

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And what for the future? ‘At the CBSU we will be continuing to do research on cognition and brain processes that is driven by theory and uses the best contemporary FELLOWSHIPS FOR MEDICAL methods with typical individuals as well as those with disorders of neurodevelopment, genetics, neurodegeneration, SCIENCE CONTRIBUTIONS mental health and acquired brain damage,’ she said. Where The Academy of Medical University of Bangor (and now possible, Gathercole and colleagues will be developing theory- Sciences has named three sadly deceased), for giving me based cognitive interventions for such disorders and improving psychologists among its new my initial chance to undertake diagnostic methods. She added: ‘Our programme is fully Fellows. They are among 47 higher education all those years embracing the new world of opportunities provided by big world-leading UK ago. My hope is that data, consortia science, and remote data collection.’ researchers who this recognition will Finally, Professor Ivan Eisler, Emeritus Professor of Family have been elected better enable my Psychology and Family Therapy, from the Child and for their colleagues and me Adolescent Mental Health Clinical Academic Group in the contribution to to work to raise IoPPN, received an OBE for services to family therapy. His medical research awareness of, and research interests include the evaluation of psychological and health care. address, the needs of treatments particularly for eating disorders, substance misuse, Professor Chris children with mental depression and self-harm. His other areas of interest are family Brewin’s (UCL) health problems and therapy, family interaction research and attachment. work has explored developmental A fourth psychologist – Christine Liddell, Professor of intrusive imagery in disabilities.’ Psychology at Ulster University – received an MBE for services mental disorders, Professor of to tackling fuel poverty in Northern Ireland. Also rugby union the design of Clinical Psychology and referee Nigel Owens, who was a popular after-dinner speaker mental health responses for Rehabilitation (King’s College at the recent BPS Annual Conference, received an MBE for survivors of disasters and London) Dame Til Wykes (see services to sport. ER terrorist attacks and has carried ‘One on One’, July issue), has out experimental studies worked extensively with service designed to influence rates of users in her research on intrusive memory after trauma. treatments for mental health He said he was delighted and problems and their outcomes. honoured to be elected to a She also founded the Service ‘Travel to learn, Fellowship of the Academy. User Research Enterprise, He told The Psychologist: ‘In which encourages consumers my clinical and research work of mental health services to return to inspire’ I have always tried to pay close become more involved in attention to what patients have research. to say about the content and She told us she was A psychologist from Glasgow will be given the chance to learn form of their troubling thoughts delighted to be elected to about ground-breaking techniques being used to help vulnerable and memories. I believe their the Academy and added: ‘The young people across the world thanks to the support of the accounts provide an invaluable Academy provides some great Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. Dan Johnson, a Senior and underused source of opportunities to connect with Forensic Psychologist at charity and social enterprise Kibble, understanding and insight, and others in academia as well as will travel to America and Scandinavia to find out more about I am deeply grateful to them for the NHS and wider industry. In the ways they work. sharing what are often difficult my research I work with, rather The Trust, first established in 1965, with the motto ‘travel to and painful experiences with than on, service users, to learn, return to inspire’, awards Fellowships to over 100 British me.’ demonstrate how this can then citizens every year. The ‘Fellows’ are selected due to their vision Edmund Sonuga-Barke have much more impact on and motivation to improve their profession and are given (University of Southampton) was mental health and the NHS. financial support to travel and share best practice from across recognised by the Academy for I hope that being in the Academy the globe. ground-breaking studies of child will help to increase the spread Kibble is one of Scotland’s oldest charities and works with and adolescent mental health of this type of research.’ young people from five to 25, offering services including conditions, particularly ADHD Professor Sir Robert Lechler, emergency and respite, residential and day care as well as and associated conditions. On President of the Academy of employment and training. Johnson told The Psychologist: ‘The being elected he said: ‘I am Medical Sciences, said in a research suggests that childhood experiences of neglect and loss surprised and humbled to be statement: ‘These new Fellows are associated with later long-term difficulties including mental elected to such a prestigious and represent the amazing diversity health difficulties.’ celebrated fellowship. I dedicate of talent and expertise among He said that in Scandinavia government schemes exist that it to all the great teachers, the UK medical research put added resources into young people compared with the UK. mentors and colleagues who community. Through their He hoped to see what knowledge could be applied in Scotland to have had a formative influence election to the Fellowship, we help vulnerable young people, adding: ‘Young people who have on my ideas, and to my family. recognise the outstanding experienced adversity and trauma have some of the greatest ‘I am especially beholden contributions these individuals difficulties, my hope is that by taking this journey we will be to Mrs Olga Maher who did so have made to the progress of able to learn new, effective ways to help them.’ much to help children with medical science and the Johnson said he would welcome suggestions of world-leading dyslexia in Derby, and to Tim development of better health centres in American and Scandinavia to visit. E-mail him at Miles, formerly Professor at the care.’ ER [email protected]. ER

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 597 news Psychology by the pint

Across three evenings pubs in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, the USA, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Austria and South Africa, simultaneously held Pint of Science talks. Four academics from the University of Birmingham took to the stage during this year’s festival to speak about unhelpful chimps, mind-reading, consciousness and movement in autism. Our reporter Ella Rhodes was there. Can chimps really be helpful? Dr Claudio Tennie kicked off the Birmingham ‘Beautiful Minds’ stream of the festival by examining some claims that have captured the imagination of people across the world. We can see why competition, what Tennie called ‘the opposite of helping’, has evolved – in the face of limited resources it makes sense to strive for survival. But helping is another matter entirely: why would animals do anything for another at his or her own cost? ago chimps were cracking nuts using executive and inhibitory control. Apperly Around 10 years ago in a laboratory a stone, and this is still seen today, while said that while perspective taking seems setting Brian Hare captured video of in humans technology changes all the to be a slow process, there are some apparent helping. He had dropped a piece time through a form of helping behaviour elements of it which are quite speedy. In of wood inside a chimp’s cage which he we call teaching. As Tennie succinctly another paradigm he designed, Apperly couldn’t reach, and a chimp grabbed the concluded: ‘That explains why we’re flashed up images of a person facing a wood and handed it back. Tennie said that sitting here today and not them.’ wall side-on. Dots appeared on the wall without a control condition, Hare may Professor Ian Apperly set out to in front and behind him, and participants have over-interpreted this behaviour. He convince the audience they were all simply had to answer how many dots they pointed out that captive chimps are often mind-readers and pointed to proof that could see. However they were much trained to fetch and are rewarded for we engage all the time with what’s in the slower at this if there was a dot behind the doing so. Hare was also banging on the heads of other people. Autism and man – it seems as though people process side of the cage to get the chimp’s schizophrenia may provide us with some the man’s visual perspective, which slows attention – the chimp may have fetched clues – both have a deficiency in down the judgement of their own. the wood to stop the annoying noise. perspective-taking. Apperly said it is Later in the Beautiful Minds section of Tennie himself worked at a chimp interesting to see where people fit on the Pint of Science Festival, neuroscientist sanctuary in Africa to test out his own a continuum of clinical conditions such Dr Davinia Fernández-Espejo discussed helping study. He placed two chimps in as these. In one paradigm participants her work with brain-injured people who, opposite cages with a cable running carried out a computer task where they while appearing to be in a vegetative state, between them, a bolt in one cage and food saw a shelving unit and an avatar standing actually retain their consciousness [see in the other. In the first condition the behind it who asks them to move objects also Adrian Owen’s work, chimp with the bolt could release it and around, for example ‘Move the biggest http://tinyurl.com/grla4w5]. The areas in thus release the food for its neighbour. In hairbrush up’. However, crucially, the the brain responsible for movement are the second, the food would be available avatar cannot see all the shelves so also involved when we imagine movement for the neighbouring chimp as long as the participants have to take her perspective so, in an MRI scanner, this can be used to other chimp did not remove the bolt from into consideration. assess consciousness and ask patients its own cage. In this way Tennie could see Adults can still make errors on this simple yes or no questions. Fernández- whether chimps would be able to tell the task, and Apperly has found the high- Espejo explained that in the scanner she difference between doing a certain autism-traits and high-psychosis-traits asks patients to imagine playing tennis behaviour to help and not doing it to groups make more errors. Interestingly, and the corresponding motor regions will help, rather than a single condition that people who are high in both do not make be active; she also asks them to imagine could have the appearance of helping. He as many errors – although Apperly said it’s walking around a familiar place and saw no difference in the release patterns unclear why this happens. assesses the brain areas that are active in of the bolt between these two conditions, But how do we even do perspective- this task. and therefore concluded that he saw no taking in the first place? People who are With one patient, who was in a helping behaviour in the chimps. This very good at the shelf task have better vegetative state for 12 years unable to hinders cultural development: 4000 years working memory, and it seems to involve communicate with those around him,

598 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 news they used the above task to help him to were overwhelmed by social situations expressions that told us about emotion. answer questions. Using the activation and used language in an unusual way, He had actors wear light bulbs on their patterns associated with each imagined they enjoyed logical rules and consistency clothes and filmed them moving in certain movement they could clearly see in which and patterns. He called it autistic ways, as if happy or sad for example. He direction he was answering, using this psychopathology. asked others to guess what emotions they technique to discover that he was without This symptomology is now well were portraying from the patterns created pain and had been enjoying the hockey known, and doctors, Cook said, look for by the lightbulbs, and people were very games his parents had been playing to similar traits to this day. But how about accurate. Perhaps people without autism, him. the body movements of these children? Cook suggested, find it harder to In another study with patients she Some work in her own lab required adults understand the feelings of people with found a physical disruption in the fibres with autism and a control group to move autism because they move differently to connecting the thalamus and motor cortex their outstretched arm to the left and right the average person. – explaining the inability these patients horizontally with a flat palm. Each person In an experiment Cook asked people have transforming thoughts of movement wore a movement tracker, and Cook saw to move around two triangles on a to actual movement. The damage in these the control group showed a pattern where whiteboard (using magnets underneath patients lies in connections rather than they started slowly, sped up in the middle the whiteboard) to act out a ‘mocking’, the whole brain stem. She said she and and slowed down towards the end before ‘surprising’, ‘seducing’ or ‘coaxing’ her team were able to identify a new they changed direction. This helps to movement from one triangle to another. syndrome, which at first is minimise the jerk of the movement and New participants, without autism, indistinguishable from a true vegetative keep it relatively smooth throughout the watched the resulting videos and asked state, and she hopes to be able to find task. But those with autism quickly them to say on a scale of 1 to 10 how something to restore some movement accelerated their movement then much it portrayed that scenario. When capabilities in these patients. ‘slammed on the brakes’ before changing they saw videos made by non-autistic Dr Jennifer Cook set the scene of her direction. people, they were better at figuring out talk by describing how children with It is unclear why people with autism the scenario or emotion. autism may have been treated in the might move in a jerkier fashion than Cook ended her fascinating talk with 1930s. In those days they would usually others. As well as making fine motor tasks two suggestions: first, if we know a person be given a diagnosis of ‘mental retardation’ trickier, this difference in body with autism, we should be aware they or ‘childhood schizophrenia’ and could be movements may affect how people with may express their emotions differently sent to asylums. However Hans Asperger, ASD are perceived in general. As Cook with their bodies; second, a future working in Vienna at the time, noticed pointed out, movements in a person’s direction of her work may be using an many of the children he saw were not body tell us much about how they are Xbox Kinect to train people to move ‘retarded’ and did not develop feeling or even what they’re thinking. like those with autism, which could schizophrenia in later life. A group of In the 1970s Gunnar Johanssen asked potentially give some insight into their them showed similar characteristics – whether it was body movements or facial feelings. Inadequate support for the abused Earlier this year, the NSPCC’s ‘It’s Time’ campaign called for The NSPCC is writing to all CCGs to ask them to fully significant improvements in therapeutic support for children include the needs of young survivors when they refresh their who have experienced abuse or neglect. The government plans. Professor Peter Kinderman, President of the British committed £1.4bn to improving children’s mental health services, Psychological Society, commented: ‘Whilst the emphasis of the with local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) asked to report is on the provision of therapy, the case it makes is relevant produce Local Transformation Plans (LTPs) setting out how to the provision of all forms of psychological support. The best they will improve children’s mental health. Now the NSPCC has outcome would be for all providers, including practitioner published a review of LTPs for children’s mental health, revealing psychologists, to come together with commissioners to develop that a significant number of LTPs do not recognise abuse as a LTPs for whole-systems solutions.’ major risk factor for mental health issues, do not include abused Tim Atkin, Chair Elect of the Division of Clinical children in needs assessments, and do not mention services for Psychology’s Faculty for Children, Young People and their this group (http://tinyurl.com/j9n5gnk). Families, points out that the British Psychological Society has The review found that just 14 per cent of plans contained an repeatedly made national representations that improving our adequate needs assessment for children who have been abused understanding of need is crucial to providing better, more or neglected. The charity concluded that 3.89 million children appropriate provision. ‘The review itself cites a BPS publication (34 per cent of children in England) live in an area where the What Good Looks Like in Psychological Services for Children, Young local plan doesn’t mention services for children who have People and their Families, which makes this very point. So we experienced abuse or neglect. would encourage members and others to support the NSPCC Peter Wanless, CEO of NSPCC said: ‘Talking about local NHS petition, which calls on the Department of Health and NHS plans may not sound exciting but it’s essential because they are England to require all local areas to properly count abused at the heart of the government's promise to tackle the growing children in need of mental health support.’ JS crisis in child mental health. These plans determine how money I Sign the NSPCC petition at tinyurl.com/nspccitstime. is spent locally. So it’s vital they include services for children The BPS has also recently published guidance on the who’ve suffered abuse and neglect, as this one of the biggest management of disclosures of non-recent (historic) child sex causes behind them developing mental health problems.’ abuse: see over.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 599 news

Protecting future generations

Ella Rhodes reports from an event to launch the British Psychological Society guidance on managing non-recent disclosures of child sexual abuse.

Survivors, academics and those working written a paper in response to the During his period of psychosis Taggart to help unheard generations of abused guidelines, due to be published in October said he took great comfort from music, children, gathered for the launch of new in Clinical Psychology Forum. which may have been seen by others as guidelines on what to do when clients Taggart was sexually abused by the ‘mad’: John Coltrane and Can’s Malcolm disclose historical child sexual abuse. headmaster of his Christian-Brother-run Mooney for example. But he said with Introduced by the Chair of the British school at the age of eight and has had clients we should understand the Psychological Society Special Group for intermittent mental health problems since meanings people make for themselves, Psychology and Social Care, Professor then. He has also worked extensively in potentially helping them to find Zenobia Nadirshaw, the day-long event a clinical capacity with men and women something that psychological models in Oxford saw an atmosphere of strength, who lived through child abuse and are alone don’t provide – a feeling of not bravery and, perhaps most importantly, now trying to cope with the being alone or being understood. He said: hope. consequences. He asked how this could ‘I couldn’t understand ordinary life, it was In a candid, moving talk, clinical happen in societies across the globe, too anaemic. It was only with music like psychologist Dr Danny Taggart describing child sexual abuse (CSA) as this that there was any peace.’ (University of Essex) spoke for the first a ‘public health epidemic’. Taggart touched on the ‘memory time publicly about his own process as He went on to illustrate some of the wars’ debate between false memory and a survivor of sexual abuse as a child, his ‘models of madness’ society holds; the recovered memory advocates. He said he experience of psychosis and some eclectic ways in which we discuss mental health was particularly struck by the tone of this sources of comfort. Taggart has also problems and how this may not always conversation, adding: ‘The idea of waging translate to a person’s a war over the fragmented mind of an experience. Taggart said abused child seemed so indecent and that as social beings, if disturbing I thought academics and RESOURCES the damage is done practitioners involved had become within relationships this disconnected from those they were trying To download the new BPS guidelines visit tinyurl.com/hgcjqer is also where healing to find help for. The idea we can be For more information on Momentum in Exeter call 0777 315 1080. must take place – removed from people with a cold, analytic For more on NAPAC see www.napac.org.uk or call the free including within gaze puts at risk the qualities of helpline 0808 801 0331. therapeutic relationships we can make with victims relationships. of childhood sexual abuse.’

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He concluded that many formulating distress, she added, will what’s going on now. People have psychologists see ethics as simply provide a strong psychological alternative attacked it because of the cost – it’s a a means to an end, but how research to psychiatric diagnosis that will enable small price to pay to ensure our own and therapy is conducted has enormous clinicians to children and grandchildren won’t have implications for clients. He said: ‘I do justice to a person’s lived experience. to suffer in the same way.’ experienced a breach of trust, the man Watson introduced John Slater who After he had children of his own who did this to me was in a position of runs, with others, a mutual male survivor and a chance encounter with his abuser, power, was god-like in the context of the peer support group in the Exeter area Saunders decided to seek help. ‘You go Catholic Church. We have a profound called Momentum. The group gives men from thinking you’re one in a million to responsibility for the people who come of all ages and backgrounds a safe place finding out half the people in the room to us for help, it’s vital that they have to meet talk and feel their emotions. He may have experienced something similar. a different experience.’ said: ‘Some people still say “men don't It’s a humanitarian problem that’s so big Gilli Watson, a Consultant Clinical want groups”, but we have not found we can’t arrest our way out of it, there’s Psychologist for Devon Partnership NHS this to be so if the groups are backed by something more we can do. We should Trust, presented evidence from the individual support and psychoeducation have a zero-tolerance approach to child extensive research base on the long-term for understanding and managing trauma. abuse.’ mental health consequences of childhood We have regular supervision with a Dr Khadj Rouf, Benna Waites and Dr sexual abuse. She said such abuse was a clinical psychologist who is well Stephen Weatherhead wrote the new BPS human rights issue and a betrayal of every experienced in the field and have access guidance on dealing with disclosures of child’s right to safety, nurture and love. to professional psychological support for non-recent abuse. Waites and Rouf’s Watson presented research evidence anyone in the group to consult.’ He presentation highlighted key aspects of that childhood sexual abuse is a major emphasised the need for more groups, the new document, which is part of the factor in the development of adult mental as sexual abuse in childhood was work taking place through the Society’s health distress across all diagnoses, widespread throughout all of society. Safeguarding Children and Young People including depression, suicidality, self- Slater added that survivors, and Group. The guidelines draw out the steps harm, eating difficulties, bipolar disorder, others, wanted to see a truly that psychologists can take after a hallucinations and voice-hearing. The collaborative, trauma-informed approach disclosure of non-recent sexual abuse. strong connection between childhood taken up by services. He added: ‘Services They highlighted that the issues abuse and adult mental health difficulties, should involve survivors in their surrounding these disclosures can often she said, requires adult mental health approach, to help them recognise the be complex and painful for victims. The services to implement routine enquiring needs of victims of childhood sexual document emphasises the importance of about abuse in childhood and adulthood abuse.’ He said it was also essential for sharing concerns outside the consultation as part of all adult mental health survivors to meet other survivors, having room, to ensure more children are not at assessments and a focus in on what has chances to hear that others share their risk. The authors flagged the nuances and happened to a person rather than what’s sense of shame, rage and the self-blame dilemmas that can arise during this work, ‘wrong’ with them. that can come with being a survivor. ‘To and how to take safeguarding concerns The NHS Partnership Trust in Devon hear and feel from others what they feel forward in a range of scenarios. They also has been involved as one of six pilot sites and struggle with can be the beginnings flagged the importance of a wider role for in England with the Department of of a sense of trust and release from psychology in shaping the debate around Health to implement routine enquiries isolation. At Momentum we see the real safeguarding and the prevention of abuse. about abuse in adult mental health difference that this makes.’ The authors sought input for the services. Watson said that once a person’s Peter Saunders, founder of the guidelines from numerous organisations abuse history is known, their National Association for People Abused including the police, Divisions of the BPS psychological distress could be in Childhood (NAPAC), opened with his in other areas of psychology, and survivor formulated in terms of trauma responses view that childhood should be about organisations. Waites emphasised that this rather than misdiagnosed as mental having ‘the confidence to express first edition of the guidelines and will be ‘illness’. She pointed to international ourselves and not to be abused in any reviewed in a year’s time. She said, ‘This guidelines for trauma-informed practice way’. Also a survivor, Saunders set up document serves to start a conversation in mental health services as to the the association 20 years ago after his own and we hope it will be an iterative process effectiveness of psychological trauma- journey attempting to find help – feeling with further input in the future.’ recovery therapies, including group like ‘a piece of dirt’ and as if he didn’t Herself a survivor, Rouf added: ‘We therapy in providing a safe environment belong. As well as a support helpline for have been concerned about the extent of to break the silence of abuse, share others needing help and support, the abuse disclosures we’ve heard from our profound distress and be empowered charity has worked with the government clients. Recent high-profile cases give us through each person’s strength and in recent inquiries into childhood sexual the opportunity to open the debate about resilience. abuse. how we respond to non-recent Watson said a shift in focus is needed The ongoing Independent Inquiry disclosures. It’s a difficult, uncomfortable within adult mental health services into Sexual Abuse, led by Dame Lowell conversation, but it’s one we should be towards validating people for their Goddard, is investigating whether public having.’ survival of abuse and profound resilience bodies and other non-state institutions The day finished with a panel and courage, rather than adding new have done enough to protect children discussion, hosted by BPS President Peter damage through misdiagnosing people from abuse. Saunders praised Home Kinderman, who emphasised the duty of as disordered in terms of personality, Secretary Theresa May for getting the psychologists to speak up against child eating or thought. The psychological inquiry off the ground and for listening abuse. He added: ‘This is not just about model currently being developed by the to survivors’ stories at NAPAC. He added: one-to-one therapy, it’s about what we do Division of Clinical Psychology for ‘The inquiry is not just about history but to protect future generations from abuse.’

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 601 news Chimp on trial

Ginny Smith, a freelance science communicator, reports from a BPS-supported event at the Cheltenham Science Festival

Chimp society is complex and chimp, for example. violent, and it is reasonably They also have a sense common for one chimp to kill of fairness – studies have another. But is this murder? At found that if one chimp Cheltenham Science Festival, steals food from another, a temporary court was set up the second chimp will to debate this topic, before the punish the first, even if audience played the role of jury there is no direct benefit and voted whether the chimp in to him. However, we question was guilty or innocent. need to be careful when The case for the prosecution was implying that because led by Dr Kate Cross (University chimps have some ideas of St Andrews), and Dr Lewis of right and wrong this can Dean (University of St Andrews) map directly onto our own led the defence. They were joined human morality. For one by expert witnesses Dr Katie thing, our ideas of right Slocombe (University of York), and wrong vary hugely by Dr Benedict Douglas (University culture. These findings do of Durham) and Dr Amanda Seed seem to suggest that there (University of St Andrews) to might be something in the guide us through the case. idea of a chimp morality, The event opened with the but it isn’t clear if this is case being presented: chimp Jack enough to say that they was out patrolling his territory can commit murder. with his group one evening when In human courts (in he came across chimp Steve, who England and Wales), children was from a rival troop. After a can’t be found guilty of murder violent struggle, Jack killed Steve. Was troop members aren’t often seen, as most until they reach the age of 10, as it is this murder – or just natural animal ill or injured chimps leave the group believed that until this point they can’t behaviour? before they die. However in a few cases, understand right and wrong. So if we are Murder is defined as ‘the killing with chimps have been seen to beat dead to extend the court system to chimps, this intent of a reasonable being, not in self- bodies, possibly trying to get them to implies we believe their abilities are defence’. In the chimp context, Slocombe respond, while other times they will stay greater than those of a nine-year-old explained that boundary patrols are very with the body, grooming it and trying to human. But is that the case? The answer, tense affairs, which often end in attack if keep flies away. Mothers have even been it seems, isn’t clear cut. The answer a rival group is encountered. Lone males known to carry the bodies of their dead depends on what ability it is you are found in these cases are almost always infants around for several days. But do testing them on. Dr Slocombe told us that attacked, although some may escape these behaviours show understanding of when it comes to chimp comprehension without much damage. Chimps are also death, or just instinctive reactions? of human speech, they are able to reach known to kill within their group – most We know that chimps can show about the same level as a 2.5-year-old commonly a new alpha male will kill the compassion to other chimps, but only (as human, but this is asking them to learn offspring of the previous alpha so their far as we know) to members of their own the language of a different species, which mothers become ready to mate again. It group. If a friend is attacked, others will would be a difficult task for anyone! We has also been known for females to kill spend time hugging, comforting and don’t yet know enough about their other females’ young, particularly if they grooming them after the attack is over. communication within the group to say are new to the group. In the case in There was even a case of a chimp who how sophisticated that is. question, we know that Jack killed Steve, was second in command defending the It is tempting to try and think of and that it wasn’t, in the traditional sense alpha male after he fell out of tree and chimp intelligence in the same way as our at least, self-defence. So the big question broke a leg, so he didn't lose his position. own, but this is misleading, and it makes is whether a chimp is a ‘reasonable being’ So it seems they do have some it a difficult and complicated question to and whether there are any other reasons understanding of the concept of hurting, answer. In other tasks, chimps come out Jack could be exempt from prosecution. or killing others. But do they know that with a much higher human age than in To commit a crime, you need to killing another chimp is wrong? Do language. Dr Seed explained that they understand that what you are doing is chimps have a concept of morality? have the ability to solve puzzles, thinking wrong. So the first question is, can we Dr Slocombe explained that in some flexibly and changing their actions as the claim that chimps understand killing, or cases, they do seem to. They have a strong rules of the puzzle change. In this task, even death? Dr Slocombe explained that concept of possession – a more dominant some chimps excel, comparing to 3- to 6- chimps do seem to have an understanding chimp won’t take something by force if it year-old children. In other tasks they do of death – although their reactions to dead is in the possession of a lower ranking even better, perhaps reaching the standard

602 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 news of an 8- to 10-year-old. But in the eyes of So does this evidence suggest that the law, this would still put them as too chimps can commit murder? I, for one, young to really be responsible for their was not convinced. Dr Douglas discussed CALL FOR IMPROVED actions. And not all chimps reach these the idea of animals having rights, similar PERINATAL SERVICES heights – some are unable to pass the to human rights, and I can see the logic tasks at all. of extending some of these to our nearest Pregnant women and new mothers need It is also interesting to wonder about relatives. There have even been cases more expert psychological support across how we came to the idea that 10 is the come before the courts that argued that maternity services and mental health age for criminal responsibility. One of the chimps in captivity are effectively slaves settings such as community perinatal teams things that younger children struggle with and should be freed. But even if we were and inpatient mother and baby units, is the ability to plan or reason about the to extend rights like personal freedom to according to a new briefing paper for NHS future, and predict the outcomes of their these animals, I think the idea that they commissioners from the British actions. If you can’t do this, then you can’t could commit murder is still a step too Psychological Society’s Faculty of Perinatal be expected to know that your actions far. Killing is a natural part of chimp life, Psychology. could kill someone. But chimps are rather and while in some ways their lives are The briefing, launched at the Faculty’s good at this. They do seem to be able to socially complex and similar to ours, there annual conference in June, notes that one plan for the future – in the wild, they will are huge differences too. We are the only in five women suffer from a mental health carry their favourite tools with them when animal that has devised rules to help us problem during pregnancy or in the year they go fishing for termites, and there is overcome our natural instincts, and it after childbirth and women often have a clear even a chimp in a zoo who hides rocks doesn’t seem reasonable to impose these preference for psychological support for from his keepers at night so he can throw rules on other species. It appeared that mental health problems over, or alongside, them at visitors (his favourite hobby) in the audience agreed, with all but two more medicalised interventions such as the mornings! But is this really planning, voting that Jack was innocent of murder. medication. It recommends that a medium- or just habit? Lab experiments have While this event was entirely fictional, sized maternity hospital with 3000 deliveries shown that chimps can plan for the future it was a fantastic way to raise some a year should have the full-time services of to some extent – choosing a straw over fascinating questions; about what makes a clinical psychologist and the services of a tastier grape, for example, when they us special as humans, how we treat our a consultant psychologist three days a week. know that a couple of hours later they nearest relatives in the animal kingdom, The briefing comes after The Five-Year will be given fruit soup that requires and how much we still have to learn Forward View for Mental Health, published in a straw to drink it. Make the challenge about their intelligence and their society. February by the Independent Mental Health harder, however, by increasing the delay I Find more from the Cheltenham Taskforce to the NHS in England, found that from a couple of hours to overnight, and Science Festival at mental health problems not only affect the most chimps fail. http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/reports health of mothers but can also have long- term effects on children’s emotional, social and cognitive development. The £8.1 billion annual cost of perinatal mental ill health in Welcome to Flatland the UK equates to almost £10,000 per birth. Yet the taskforce found that less than 15 per cent of localities in England provide effective How can leaders and managers let go of control? Can psychologists provide routes to specialist community perinatal services for collaboration, and work towards developing individuals to ‘self-manage’? An event this women with severe or complex conditions, November as part of the British Psychological Society’s professional development and more than 40 per cent provide no service offering will prepare its delegates for ‘the new paradigm of Flatland’. at all. Maps highlighting the gaps in provision Lead organiser Dr Kirsty Wallace is a Chartered Psychologist with over 25 years have been published by the Maternal Mental experience working as a consultant to many organisations from the FTSE 100, as well Health Alliance as part of their as the public and not-for-profit sectors. She has noted that coaching and organisational #everyonesbusiness campaign. psychologists are increasingly having to engage with an emerging preference for flatter The briefing paper sets out the difference organisational structures, less defined roles and responsibilities, fewer policies and that clinical perinatal psychologists can make procedures, greater agency and more autonomy in how employees respond in agile and to pregnant women, new mothers and their innovative ways to market conditions. She tells us that in ‘Flatland’ no one has a boss, infants. It also shows the benefits perinatal there are no job titles and no promotions, employees negotiate their roles and clinical psychology can provide by delivering responsibilities, everyone can spend the company’s money, and be held accountable for clinically effective and cost-effective services. the wisdom of their decisions. Each person is responsible for doing what needs to be Professor Peter Kinderman, President of done, the focus is on delivering benefits and value to customers, and the amount of the British Psychological Society, said: ‘The remuneration is determined by what is internally fair and externally competitive. Independent Mental Health Taskforce But self-management is not for everyone. ‘Adapting to life without bosses, a career identified the need for an extra £1 billion of ladder to climb, or the formal roles, responsibilities, strategies and reporting structures spending by 2020–21. This new briefing paper creates its own anxiety,’ says Dr Wallace. ‘Most employees are unaccustomed to such shows that poor perinatal mental health is a transparency, democracy and continuous stakeholder engagement, and others may be widespread and expensive problem and that concerned that external customer value is being compromised by the time and effort it perinatal psychologists have the specialist takes to manage oneself within these new complicated internal processes.’ skills to help in ways new mothers On the day, participants will be asked to consider the impact of transferring and appreciate, transforming lives at this very applying the practical takeaways on self-management from this workshop within their important time for families.’ own practice. JS I The briefing paper is available for free I Visit the website to book www.bps.org.uk/events/what-can-we-learn-new-paradigm- download from tinyurl.com/zz97xn8 ‘flatland’-regards-leadership-collaboration-and-belonging-emerging-wo

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 603 news Going the extra mile for the mind Some of Britain’s most amazing advocates for mental health have been honoured at BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind Awards at a ceremony at London’s Wellcome Collection. The awards, set up two years ago to mark the programme’s 25th anniversary, recognise a professional, an individual and a project that have gone beyond all expectations to support people with mental health problems. The judging panel, author Matt Haig, Kevan Jones MP, Marion Janner, founder of Star Wards, clinical psychologist Linda Blair and All in the Mind presenter Claudia Hammond, had the difficult task of choosing between scores of wonderful stories. The winner in the Individual category was Jane nominated by her friend and neighbour Charlotte, an A&E Consultant, who turned to Jane after losing her young daughter Abigail who died in the hospital where Charlotte worked. Jane not only provided comfort to Charlotte but helped her with her difficult return to work – Charlotte told the BBC programme that Jane had been there to support her on her first days back at work. Judging panel member Marion Janner with Buddy the support dog Upon receiving her award Jane said: ‘We British people are quite reserved as winner of the Project Award. The group provided the chance for people to talk at around death and grief, but there’s no need welcomes people with mental health length about their mental health issues, in to be. You just have to be open about it issues who are encouraged to pick out an a way that the public don’t often hear. She and be there for someone.’ Marion Janner, old bike and repair and restore it over the added: ‘We’ve heard from many listeners who presented the award, said those living weeks and months they visit. Christopher, for whom these stories resonated with mental illness and those supporting who visited and nominated the project, personally. Reading through the them had all shown extraordinary said learning a new skill and keeping busy nominations, it was reassuring to hear tenacity, resilience and good humour in helped him get through each day. that in times when many services are the face of incredible challenges. Presenting the Professional Award, stretched, there are still some amazing Glasgow’s Common Wheel was named Linda Blair said although mental health projects out there. It’s also humbling to workers all do a vital job some go the see how far people are prepared to go to extra mile. Amy, a support worker from help to their friends, or employees or even Turning Point, won the award after being their neighbours.’ nominated by ‘John’ a former prisoner The evening of awards also featured who also struggled with a personality the finalists in the same categories, which disorder. Although he was initially also included The Tomorrow Project, suspicious of programmes to help ex- a community-based counselling service offenders ‘John’ eventually felt able to set up in a Nottinghamshire village after open up. suicides there amongst teenagers. The Thanks to Amy’s help he now has work of a GP, Dr Dietch, who helped his regular employment and is in control patient receive appropriate treatment for of his own behaviour. On receiving her bipolar disorder, and helped mental health award Amy said she had seen John’s professionals treat her when he was out of confidence grow and grow since first the country. A boss called Blair who meeting him at a very low point in his supported employee Steven through some life. John said of Amy: ‘Everyone felt of the hardest times in his life, including comfortable with Amy, people open up crippling anxiety. Ellie also nominated her and trust her which is hard for people mother Bernadette who has helped her who might be suspicious or paranoid but cope with suicide attempts and depression if you feel someone has your best interests throughout her teenage years. at heart it’s very easy to open up.’ To listen to the awards ceremony and The presenter of All in the Mind, hear the stories of the finalists and Claudia Hammond, Jane and Charlotte Claudia Hammond, said the awards winners go to tinyurl.com/ygqfszk ER

604 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 A CCPD/TASTERPD/TTAASASTERTER COURSE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGGICAL THERAPY 10th Anniversary Celebration INTERVENTIONSINTERVENTIONS Wednesday 7 September 2016, 6.30pm to 8.30pm Tower One, London School of Economics, Clement’s Inn, London WC2A 2AZ Professionals interested in updating followed by refreshments in the Atrium Gallery, their knowledge of psychological Old Building, Houghton Street WC2A 2AE interventions may apply to register as CPD/TTaaster delegates on this In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the short course, which reviews a wide foundation of the branch, we are delighted to range of therapeutic models for the announce that this special event will feature two CAMHS population. It may also be renowned psychologists who will share a platform: of interest to psychology graduates who wish to expand their Ilona Boniwell, a founding member and first knowledge of clinical issues before Chairperson of the BPS London Branch making a DClinPsy application. and Christian Jarrett, editor of the BPS Research This exciting course of ffers an Digest Blog and author. opportunity to access current evidence-based interventions and This is a free event exclusively for BPS members only. take part in debates central the Prior booking required. Places are limited, so book field of clinical psychology. TTaaster early! students complete assessments which can be banked as course For more information, including how to book, go to: credits to apply for the PG Diploma https://www.bps.org.uk/BPSLHC10AnniversarySept16 or MSc programmes.

UCL Institute of Child Health, 30 GuilfordGuilford Street,Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK Tel:TTeel: +44 (0)20 7905 2225 Fax: +44 (0)20 7905 2793 www.ucl.ac.uk/ichwww.ucl.ac.uk/ich

Application details areare on the website: www.ucl.ac.uk/camhwww.ucl.ac.uk/camh

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 605 Parents who think failure harms learning have children Which pedestrian are you? In Journal of Experimental Psychology: DIGEST who think ability is fixed Human Perception and Performance You know that situation where you're walking across a train station concourse or a park and there's another person walking Children respond better to learning setbacks when they believe that ability and on a different trajectory that means if you intelligence are malleable – that is, when they have what psychologists call a ‘growth both hold your course and speed, you're mindset’ rather than a ‘fixed mindset’. This immediately raises the question of how to going to collide? Are you the kind of person cultivate a growth mindset in children. who assumes the other guy will give way, or So far, there's been a lot of attention on how to praise children (it's better to focus are you the polite one who slows down and on their effort and strategies rather than their ability), but not much else. Surprisingly, lets the other person cross your path? parents' mindsets (growth or fixed) do not seem to be related to their children's A new study in the Journal of mindsets. A new study in Psychological Science suggests this is because children can't Experimental Psychology: Human Perception tell what kind of mindset their parents have. Rather, children's beliefs about ability are and Performance recreated this scenario by associated with how their parents' view failure. pairing up 20 participants – a mix of young The Stanford University psychologists Kyla Haimovitz and Carol Dweck began by men and women – and having one person in surveying 73 parent–child pairs. Parents' and children's attitudes to ability were not each pair walk diagonally from one corner related. But parents who saw failure as a chance to learn tended to have children who of the room to the other, while the other had a growth mindset, whereas parents who saw failure as more negative and bad for person walked the other diagonal. On each learning tended to have children with a fixed mindset. of many trials, both participants in each pair Why is parental attitude toward failure seemingly more important than their began walking on a starting signal and they attitude toward ability? It's to do with were asked to make sure they didn't collide, what's visible to children. Further all without communication with each other. surveys of more children and their The participants also filled out personality parents suggested that children don't questionnaires and the researchers know whether their parents have a recorded their heights, weight and age. growth or fixed mindset, but they are The participants tended to show a aware of their parents' attitudes toward consistent pattern of behaviour across failure. Moreover, children who think trials: roughly a quarter were more inclined their parents have a negative attitude to to give way to avoid colliding; a quarter failure tend themselves to believe that usually crossed the potential interception ability and intelligence are fixed. point first, making the other person give This seems to be because parents way; while the others showed a mixture with a negative attitude toward failure of behaviours. But crucially, neither respond to their children's setbacks in personality traits nor gender, age, height characteristic ways, such as comforting and weight were related to what kind of them and telling them that it doesn't collision avoidance strategy the participants matter that they lack ability, that are tended to use. It seems some of us are likely to foster in children the belief that dominant in this situation, some more timid, their ability is fixed. Parents with a more others ambivalent, but the kind of positive attitude to failure, by contrast, pedestrian we are is not related to major tend to encourage their children to use traits such as extraversion or to our In Psychological Science failures as a chance to learn or get extra physical size. help – approaches that encourage a Alexander Knorr and his team growth mindset. performed a second study in a bigger room A final study tested whether parents' attitudes toward failure really do cause with more participants, and this showed changes in the way they respond to their children's failures. Over one hundred parents that the decision about who will give way completed an online questionnaire that was either filled with items designed to tends to be made very early. The more provoke in them a negative attitude to failure or items designed to promote a positive dominant person actually tends to make attitude to failure. Next, the parents imagined their children had come home with a fail a slight adjustment to heading and speed grade and to say how they would think, feel and respond. Parents primed to see failure first, but this isn't sufficient to avoid a as harmful to learning were more likely to say that they would respond to their collision. The second person who ultimately children's failure in ways likely to cultivate in them a belief that ability is fixed – such gives way seems to detect these early as worrying about their child's ability, or comforting their child for their lack of ability. signals, then waits and makes their own ‘Our findings show that parents who believe failure is a debilitating experience adjustments thus avoiding the collision. have children who believe they cannot develop their intelligence,’ the researchers said. What this research doesn't address, ‘By establishing these links, we have taken a step toward understanding how children's sadly, is that other pedestrian problem motivation is socialised. It may not be sufficient to teach parents a growth mindset and of when you're heading straight towards expect that they will naturally transmit it to their children. Instead, an intervention another person, and you both dodge out of targeting parents' failure mindsets could teach parents how failure can be beneficial, each other's way in the same direction, then and how to react to their children's setbacks so as to maintain their children's the other, so you end up virtually colliding motivation and learning.’ CJ and uttering embarrassed apologies – or is that just a British thing? CJ

606 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 digest

The lingering burden of seeing a past trauma as central to your identity In Applied Cognitive Psychology

Horrific experiences often cast become a reference point for particular trajectory: Blix’s team centrality exacerbates trauma or a pall upon our lives, but for the way I understand myself and characterise this as ‘launching’ trauma exacerbates centrality. some people it’s worse than the world.’ the trauma. These new findings add to others. A new study in Applied Participants who considered It’s not just that event previous work, such as an Cognitive Psychology explores the terrorist event very central centrality reflected how much earlier study on post-traumatic a key reason for this difference to their life one year after the the participants were caught stress in Vietnam veterans that known as ‘event centrality’ – attack experienced higher levels up in the carnage – when the found higher rates in those vets when we consider an experience of trauma, both at that time and researchers controlled for who attended the experiment to be core to our identity, the whether the person was injured wearing medals and other trauma that follows is themselves, had witnessed regalia, suggesting that the war typically more serious and killings, or seen dead bodies, was more central to their longer lasting. the association between event identities. Ines Blix and her centrality and trauma severity It’s important to understand colleagues surveyed 259 held true. how victims think about their ministerial employees There was also some traumatic experiences – their caught up in a particularly evidence that trauma and event ‘mental models’ of the event – grim piece of Oslo history: centrality remain intertwined because these models can be the July 2011 far-right longer term. The two measures interrogated and changed. For terrorist attack upon were in general highly example, in a study published government ministries. At correlated and in most last year, a course of acceptance one, two and three years participants both eventually and commitment therapy after the attack, the participants through the subsequent years. declined. This might just be a successfully helped a group of reported the severity of their However, they recovered at a coincidence and the two factors women who had suffered abuse post-traumatic symptoms, such faster rate from the trauma, aren’t linked; but arguing to reduce both event centrality as feeling jumpy, continually meaning the greater severity of against that, it’s notable that and traumatic symptoms. This vigilant, or numb and closed off their symptoms compared with when event centrality increased new Norwegian study suggests from others. They also reported the other participants reduced at the 2013 assessment (two that it may be better to target the degree to which the terrorist as time went by. This likely years after the event), trauma such treatment early, to help attack was central to their lives, reflects the fact that they had recovery also tended to stutter. survivors reject the idea an for example through their more recovery to do. Essentially, However, even if the two event is life-definitive and agreement or not with seeing a traumatic event as measures really are linked, prevent it launching them down statements like: ‘This event has definitive to your life fixes a we still don’t know whether a path of greater trauma. AF

10,000 hours debunked again? In elite sport, amount of practice does not explain who performs best In Perspectives on Psychological Science

In elite sport, what distinguishes the best from the also-rans? A new can be achieved by anyone who puts in enough practice, as meta-analysis in Perspectives on Psychological Science looks at all suggested by some popular psychology writers. But he and his the relevant data to see whether the most important factor is an colleagues have claimed, based on their findings, that ‘individual athlete's amount of accumulated ‘deliberate practice’ – that is, differences in ultimate [top-flight] performance can largely be practice that's designed, through feedback and other methods, to accounted for by differential amounts of past and current levels of improve performance. In fact, the new analysis shows that practice’. In other words, they proposed that at elite standards, it is differences in amount of practice do not explain performance levels the competitors who spend more time honing their skills who will among elite athletes. At sub- usually perform at the highest levels. elite levels, it's a relevant factor, To test this claim in the context of sport, but by no means the most Brooke Macnamara and her colleagues scoured important. the literature available up to 2014, and they found The importance of deliberate relevant findings from 34 published and practice for top-level unpublished studies, involving the practice habits performance in sport and other and performance levels of 2765 athletes across domains, such as music and various sports including football, volleyball, hockey, chess, was famously put forward swimming and running. by Anders Ericsson, the They found that at the elite level, amount psychologist whose research has of practice was not related to performance (in been distorted into the mythical statistical terms it explained less than 1 per cent idea that achieving greatness of variance in performance). This makes intuitive depends on completing at least sense – most professional athletes in the top 10,000 hours of practice. echelons of their sport practice exhaustively Ericsson has actually never through their careers. Instead of amount of practice claimed that elite performance time, what likely separates them are physiological

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 607 digest

differences influenced by their genetic makeup, as well as complex psychological factors, such as their personality and confidence. Also, competition experience and time spent in play activities might also be relevant, the researchers suggested. At sub-elite levels, amount of past and present deliberate practice was relevant to performance, accounting for 19 per cent of the variance in sports performance – an important factor, then, but by no means the only or most important factor. This basic finding applied regardless of whether the researchers focused on team or individual sports, or ball vs. non-ball sports. Another related finding was that more skilful sport performers did not tend to have started their sport at an earlier age. The researchers said their results suggest that ‘deliberate practice is one factor that contributes to performance differences across a wide range of skills [but] it may not contribute to performance differences at the highest levels of skill’. The new findings add to earlier research into chess players and musicians, that also called into question the importance of deliberate practice. However, in a rejoinder to the new meta- analysis, published in the same journal issue, Ericsson argues that Macnamara and her colleagues used too broad a definition of ‘deliberate practice’ to include ‘virtually any type of sport-specific activity, such as group activities, watching games on television, and even play and competitions’. He says that his claims about the importance of deliberate practice to elite performance refer to a much more specific subset of activities: ‘individualized practice with training tasks (selected by a supervising teacher) with a clear performance goal and immediate informative feedback’. As the debate rumbles on, one message that comes through What makes our work meaningful? Do bosses from this new meta-analysis is how so much speculation and really make it meaningless? argument is based on so little actual concrete evidence. To put things in perspective, the combined research into the role of In MIT Sloan Management Review deliberate practice in elite sport amounts to data from just 228 athletes, and that's using the definition of deliberate practice that There have been times in my norm, such as a shop assistant Ericsson claims is too broad. life where work seemed pretty tending to a critically ill Macnamara and her colleagues end with a call for more pointless, on occasion because customer. research, including studies that look beyond the relevance of the position was a prime Often, these episodes had deliberate practice to consider other factors: ‘Scientists must example of what anthropologist a personal flavour, such as the draw not only from research on skill acquisition and expertise David Graeber calls ‘bullshit’ participant who recalled the first but also from research on cognitive ability, personality, learning, jobs’ – those that give no real music recital attended by her behavioural genetics, and research within the performance domain value back to oneself or society. parents. Many involved (e.g. sports science). This effort will shed new light on the origins of But I’ve more frequently recognising the impact their expertise.’ CJ experienced the sense that work had had on people besides a job was at some times themselves, whether their meaningless, and at others students’ graduation or when very worthwhile. That’s a theme their engineering innovation had picked up in Catherine Bailey been translated into products The material in this section is taken from and Adrian Madden’s new used by others. These personal the Society’s Research Digest blog at study published in MIT Sloan and transcendent aspects were www.bps.org.uk/digest, and is written by its Management Review, where easily fused, such as in the editor Dr Christian Jarrett and contributor interviews with 135 people example given by a refuse Dr Alex Fradera. within 10 different occupations collector, where, during a crisis explored times when work was triggered by contamination of Subscribe to the fortnightly e-mail, friend, meaningful or meaningless. the local water supply, he visited follow and more via www.bps.org.uk/digest. Like myself, interviewees one neighbour after another You can also listen to our podcast didn’t consider meaningfulness providing clean water. PsychCrunch, including the latest episode on as a fixed property of their job. It’s tempting to assume how to use sarcasm. They described it arising in valuable work experiences episodes, highly intense and should be positive – euphoric, New: download our free app via your iOS or memorable peaks separated air-punching highs – but the Android store to keep up with the latest by unremarkable lulls. Some interviews teemed with psychology research every day, on the go! cases exemplified what the work examples that were heavy and was all about, such as an challenging. Nurses described academic giving what they knew end-of-life situations; lawyers, to be a superb lecture, whereas toiling through a heavy, hard others were quite outside the case; workers, pushing together

608 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 digest

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Full reports are available at www.bps.org.uk/digest

You laugh differently with your friends than you do with strangers, and listeners can tell the difference, no matter where they come from. Researchers played recordings of pairs of people laughing to listening participants from 24 countries. They found the listeners could judge whether the pairs were strangers or friends. PNAS

Your anxiety during public speaking is probably made worse by the audience members you look at. Students gave a speech to an audience over Skype and those with more social anxiety tended to look more at the tired or unhappy audience members and less at the happy and engaged people. Cognition and Emotion

Researchers have created a new questionnaire for measuring the trait of contemptuousness and they found that high scorers are against a seemingly intractable But this media coverage, psychologically fragile, tending to be more lonely, self-doubting and problem. Bailey and Madden while fun, forgets an important insecure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggest that organisations and point – in all but the most researchers both may be dysfunctional organisations, It can be a good thing for a therapist and client to disagree about the neglecting such poignant managers have a role in client's problems. A Swedish study found the therapy outcomes of experiences, which don’t tally determining the conditions hundreds of clients were largely unrelated to whether or not they with a superficial account of around work, which means – as agreed with their therapist about their depression and anxiety levels – positive psychology, but may be Bailey and Madden themselves in fact some outcomes were better when there was less agreement. very important in making work note – that a deft manager can Psychotherapy Research meaningful. be of benefit. Times that meant How does the work have When non-artists something often involved a bigger meaning; for example, draw a face, why do contact with family and friends, how does recycled waste most of us put the peers and particularly the actually lead to the creation of eyes too high up, people served by the job. In new objects? How can people instead of at the contrast, managers were devoted to their work get midway point? The mentioned in accounts of opportunities to interact with answer is complex meaningless work: times when each other, and with the people and is partly due to the interviewee felt treated their work benefits? How can a lack of knowledge unfairly, disempowered or taken the difficult times at work – like about the schematic for granted, or when managerial the eventual loss of a resident layout of the face, but priorities separated them from at your hospice – be met with also to do with our important relationships with appropriate support, but also natural tendency to peers, or disconnected them recognised as valuable? And disregard the upper from the values that mattered how can grey tasks like filling end of vertical space. most to them, such as when the out forms be reduced, or at the Psychology of bottom line was placed over the least, be joined up with the Aesthetics, Creativity, quality of work. It’s for this important stuff? Should and the Arts reason that Bailey and Madden management ever manage to concluded that managerial solve such problems, they The bystander effect is about more than the diffusion of responsibility. meddling is often to blame would fade into the background, Psychologists used an economic game to show that people’s when our work feels and in all likelihood, stay decisions about whether to help are also influenced by what they meaningless – a claim that has unsung in interviews about know about what other bystanders know. In a sense, then, our attracted boss-bashing meaningful work. But that won’t helping decisions are strategic – we’re less likely to help if other headlines in the mainstream mean that their efforts didn’t people’s knowledge makes it more likely that they will step in. Journal media, such as MoneyWeb’s matter, and hopefully they can of Experimental Psychology: General ‘Bosses destroy meaningful take pride – and meaning – in work’. that. AF

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 609 emotional ground, some deep reservoir of assumptions, with the writer,’ he adds. Nor is the idea that novels help us to simulate the world particularly hard to FEATURE believe, with recent fMRI studies showing that reading has many of the hallmarks of Heroes and villains the ‘surrogate experience’. People reading scary passages from Harry Potter, for Drama hinges on the characters we love, or love to hate. What’s their instance, showed heightened responses secret? asks David Robson in the ‘empathy network’, including the motor regions of mid-cingulate cortex (Hsu et al., 2014). Were they becoming highly involved with Harry’s behaviour and mentally playing out his physical arcy and Wickham. Harry Potter we can face. This idea has received movements? Reading imaginative stories and Lord Voldemort. Sherlock and increasing support during the last few about people’s relationships also appears DMoriarty. Whatever the genre – be it years, from both qualitative literary to exercise the dorsomedial prefrontal romance, fantasy or detective fiction – analyses and experimental studies. cortex – an area that is also known to be many of our favourite stories involve a involved in more regular social decision sublime double act of a hero and villain, making (Tamir et al., 2016). characters that inhabit our minds and A literary animal A well-constructed hero should linger in the imagination long after the Literary Darwinism is not really such therefore allow us to travel the world tale is over. a radical idea, when you consider that in their shoes, and learn important life Where would our stories be without stories are the products of human minds lessons as a result. Given that these shades of light and dark? Why do forged in the crucible of natural selection. reproduction has been one of the biggest we find this recipe so appealing? And It makes sense that they would reflect any challenges facing almost any individual of what makes some heroes and villains psychological tendencies that allowed us virtually all species, it is little wonder that particularly delicious to follow? survive and thrive. As the novelist Ian many heroes are teaching us how to find Literary Darwinism, McEwan wrote in love, in particular. In 2003 Jonathan which attempts to view the book The Literary Gottschall and colleagues analysed fiction through the lens Animal, many of the around 1500 folk-tales from every corner of evolutionary theory, “readers intuitively struggles we read of the globe and concluded that ‘no may offer some answers. understand the characters’ about today existed theme in the sample was as pervasive as Stories, its proponents mating strategies – who long before the birth the marriage theme’; around 64 per cent argue, are a kind of were the better dads, and of our own species. of the characters started out unmarried ‘surrogate experience’, a who were the cads” ‘If one reads accounts only to find their true love by the end of simulation that allows of troops of bonobo the tale, with the explicit purpose of us to test the challenges …one sees rehearsed all finding love the main motivation for that might threaten our the major themes of the about half the characters (Gottschall et survival. Never mind that the action of English 19th century novel: alliances al., 2003). our tales today may take place a million made and broken, individuals rising while Needless to say, this theme dictates miles from the heat of the Savannah; others fall, plots hatched, revenge, the age and appearance of our heroes: whether they are fighting their battles in gratitude, injured pride, successful and they must be in their prime reproductive the 19th-century ballroom or the Black unsuccessful courtship, bereavement years (more than 70 per cent of the Land of Mordor, it seems that our heroes and mourning.’ McEwan thinks that it protagonists surveyed had just reached allow us to see different scenarios from is thanks to this shared framework that sexual maturity), physically attractive (to multiple perspectives, so we can adapt fiction can connect people across such show off good genes) and, for the men at and modify our future behaviour. vast distances. ‘It would not be possible least, they should generally have a high In this light, fictional heroes should to enjoy literature from a time remote status that could confer advantages to the represent the most effective survival from our own, or from a culture that child. Hence why ‘Prince Charming’ is the strategies, while the villains should be was profoundly different from our own, hero in so many fairytales. clever manifestations of the real dangers unless we shared some common A more nuanced view of our romantic

Allison, S. & Goethalls, G. (2012). Making Hsu, C.T., Conrad, M. & Jacobs, A.M. agreeableness. Journal of Research in Kidd, D.C. & Castano, E. (2013). Reading heroes: The construction of courage, (2014). Fiction feelings in Harry Personality, 45(1), 50–58. literary fiction improves theory of competence and virtue. Advances in Potter: Haemodynamic response in Kaufman, G.F. & Libby, L.K. (2012). mind. Science, 342(6156), 377–380. Experimental Social Psychology, 46, the mid-cingulate cortex correlates Changing beliefs and behavior Kinsella, E.L., Ritchie, T.D. & Igou, E.R. references 183–235. with immersive reading experience. through experience-taking. Journal of (2015). Zeroing in on heroes: A Gottschall, J., Berkey, R., Cawson, M. et Neuroreport, 25(17), 1356–1361. Personality and Social Psychology, prototype analysis of hero features. al. (2003). Patterns of Johnson, J.A., Carroll, C., Gottschall, J. & 103(1), 1–19. Personality Processes and Individual characterization in folktales across Kruger, D. (2011). Portrayal of Keen, R., McCoy ,M.L. & Powell, E. (2012). Differences, 108(1), 114–127. geographic regions and levels of personality in Victorian novels reflects Rooting for the bad guy: Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, J. (2015). Evil cultural complexity. Human Nature, modern research findings but Psychological perspectives. Studies in origins: A Darwinian genealogy of the 14(4), 365–382. amplifies the significance of Popular Culture, 34(2), 129–148. popcultural villain. Evolutionary

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heroes may come from considering the WWW

mating strategies of our past. The first . strategy could be considered ‘playing the JACKTEAGLE long game’. Human babies are generally demanding and expensive to maintain, . so according to some evolutionary CO . psychologists, women should tend to UK prefer more reliable men who will help them with the upbringing – even if they lack other desirable qualities. Think of Mr Darcy in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – a character who proves his honesty and altruism throughout the course of the novel, even if he lacks obvious charm. The second strategy may be exemplified by the cad Mr Wickham in the same novel – a womaniser who is somewhat mad, bad and dangerous to know. He may be less likely to stick with you in the long run, but according to the ‘sexy son hypothesis’, there are other benefits to his charms: his cunning, dominance and sexual success mean that he is likely to pass his genes on to another generation, and if his son inherits those traits, they may also spread their wild oats. It is for this reason, they say, that some women prefer the ‘dark hero’ – they are willing to take the short-term gamble in return for these prize genes (Kruger et al., 2003). Lydia, Elizabeth Bennett’s sister in Pride and Prejudice, seems to have been willing to make that sacrifice when she fell for the dark hero Wickham. In a bid to add some empirical data to this literary analysis, the University of Michigan’s Daniel Kruger and colleagues could have told us much the same when to judge the personalities more than invited students to study descriptions describing the appeal of Colin Firth and 2000 characters from 19th-century fiction, lifted from 19th-century romantic novels Jennifer Ehle in the BBC’s adaptation of Kruger, Gottschall and colleagues have and then answer questions on their Pride and Prejudice. ‘The basis for my found that the heroes tended to be fairly perceptions of the characters and their addiction,’ she writes, ‘is the simple mild and unassuming – not the kind of behaviour, to confirm that they evoke the human need for Darcy to get off with strong personalities you might expect us kinds of reactions you would expect of Elizabeth.’ She compares it to a game of to admire. Instead, it was the antagonists the two strategies. Sure enough, they football; the testosterone-fuelled fans see who were more ambitious, greedy and found that readers intuitively understand the match as a kind of proxy for a tribal hungry for dominance. the characters’ mating strategies – who battle. ‘That is precisely my feeling about You might argue that’s just a product were the better dads, and who were the Darcy and Elizabeth. They are my chosen of the writers’ culture, but in light of the cads. representatives in the field of shagging, or, psychology of altruism, it would make Then again, Bridget Jones, Helen rather, courtship.’ sense that many stories portray characters Fielding’s drunk, 30-something diarist, The irony, of course, is that we who are rewarded for quietly striving for ourselves are rooting for Bridget in exactly a better society – rather than setting out the same way, and it’s not difficult to see to enhance their own fortunes (Johnson how the same applies for many modern et al., 2011). Although they are from a romances, even when the protagonists are different era, the enchantingly modest Behavioral Sciences. doi:10.1037/ebs0000057 Kruger, D., Fisher, M. & Jobling, I. (2003). Proper and not human, such as Twilight. Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings, and dark heroes as dads and cads. Human Nature, 14, Not all heroes in literature and film Harry Potter, may personify this type of 305–317. are just looking for love, of course. More hero. Schnall, S., Haidt, J., Clore, G.L. & Jordan, A.H. (2008). generally, Kruger thinks that our favourite A hero who makes the ultimate Disgust as embodied moral judgement. Personality characters may help teach us the value of sacrifice and dies for others sees a double and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(8), 1096–1109. altruism. In the past, tight-knit groups benefit. Not only have they showed Tamir, D.I., Bricker, A.B., Dodell-Feder, D. & Mitchell, would have had greater success when extraordinary altruism; they can also J.P. (2016). Reading fiction and reading minds: The competing for resources, so cooperation benefit from the ‘death positivity bias’, role of simulation in the default network. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11(2), 215–224. could have been crucial for survival. argue Scott Allison and George Goethals. Asking an expert panel of literary scholars They have shown that when given exactly

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the same account of someone, we tend to Given that most threats may have Vito Corleone in The Godfather (Keen et ignore their failings and consider them in come from outsiders, many villains will al., 2012). a better light if we find out they are dead, also carry signs that mark them as a As with any form of criticism, the rather than alive. ‘People associate death member of an outgroup; Kjeldgaard- danger is that viewing literature through with greatness,’ they write Christiansen this lens could lead to myopia, or tunnel – and it could help explain muses that this vision; you begin to see all characters why the ‘heroic sacrifice’ is “we may find ourselves may be why many purely in terms of the evolutionary a particularly popular trope Hollywood psychology, while missing out on the in all kinds of fiction, from simultaneously appalled villains, such as extraordinary kaleidoscope that has Jack Dawson in Titanic, and enthralled, a delicious Hannibal Lecter, emerged from the human imagination. who drowns in freezing combination that causes us speak with an Kruger, for one, readily admits that there water so his love can to root for evil-doers” English accent. are many exceptions to the more general escape, to Obi-Wan Kenobi They may also be trends he has found. Consider Oscar in Star Wars, who dies at physically repugnant – Wilde’s Dorian Gray, or Emily Bronte’s the hands of Darth Vader to save Luke, such as Voldemort’s fetal appearance with Cathy and Heathcliff in Wuthering Han and Leia (Allison & Goethalls., no hair or lips and snake-like slits for Heights. These are deeply flawed, selfish, 2012). pupils. As Simone Schnall and Jonathan dangerous human beings – people that we Haidt, among others, have found, feelings should not wish to emulate. Nor are they of physical disgust can often prime the typical villains. But just because they Supervillains brain to make harsher moral decisions – don’t fit the general pattern, it doesn’t Ironically, the psychology of altruism may so a grotesque, diseased appearance mean that further study might not reveal also shed light into those darker souls at should heighten those instant gut ways that they could be interpreted in the other end of the spectrum – the instincts that might lead us to despise light of our evolutionary psychology. supervillains, such as Lord Voldemort, someone (Schnall et al., 2008). After all, fiction, like other forms Darth Vader or Hannibal Lecter, who are, Needless to say, there is an infinite of culture, such as music, could be quite simply, ‘pure evil’. variety in the villains that populate our considered a ‘transformative technology The idea formed the basis of a recent stories, and authors can decide just how of the mind’, defined by neuroscientist paper by Jens Kjeldgaard-Christiansen at much they want us to identify with their Anriruddh Patel as something that ‘builds Aarhus University in Denmark, who creations. Kjeldgaard-Christiansen points on existing brain systems, but transforms points out that the brain may instantly out that if we can peek too far inside their our experience of the world’. As an calculate a ‘welfare trade-off ratio’ for each minds, we might get sucked in and begin exercise in counter-factual thinking, more person we meet. Someone who gives little to identify with them. This could be complex characters may help us to (or nothing) but takes a lot, has a low considered in light of ‘attribution errors’ – understand people we would have never welfare trade-off ratio, and we have an the less we know about someone, the appreciated before. instant gut reaction not to trust them. more likely we are to assume that they are While many stories may cast an The lower they score, the more we dislike guilty and the more harshly we judge that outsider as a villain, for instance, authors them, and depending on just how guilt. If the author hits a sweet spot, can also deliberately subvert these poisonous they are, we may even decide however, we may find ourselves suspicions to make us more open- to kick them out of our group – or kill simultaneously appalled and enthralled, minded. In a 2012 paper in the Journal of them. The characters that provoke the a delicious combination that causes us to Personality and Social Psychology a team strongest of these reactions should be root for evil-doers like Mafia boss Don of researchers asked participants to read considered evil, he says – and hearing those chilling tales should underline the values of altruism, encouraging us to pull The Kobal Collection/Warner Bros together and be more cooperative as a result (Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, 2015). This framework has allowed Kjeldgaard-Christiansen to create something of a checklist that should characterise the most blood-curdling villains. He points out, for instance, that without a strong justice system, past societies would have been fragile, so a single unpunished act may quickly sow the seeds of wider discontent. For this reason, he thinks we are especially chilled by characters who could spread their evil like a disease. Think of the way Voldemort sows discontent and builds a following of ‘death-eaters’. Or consider this passage from Father Merrin in The Exorcist: ‘I think the demon’s target is not the possessed; it is us… the observers… every person in this house. And I think – I think the point is to make us despair; to ‘I think the demon’s target is not the possessed; it is us… the observers… every person in reject our own humanity.’ this house.’

612 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 heroes and villains N narratives with various kinds of IGEL protagonists. Through the course of the R action, some of the stories revealed that ODDIS

the heroes happened to be members of /PA/P minority groups – one was gay, another was African American. Afterwards, they RESS were quizzed on their values and A prejudices. Those reading the stories SSOCIATION with the minority characters turned out to have more positive views about the I characters’ group, and were less likely to MAGES believe in the usual stereotypes (Kaufman & Libby, 2012). Understanding complex characters certainly seems to help train empathy: we already know that people who reported reading more fiction tend to have better developed social cognition (Tamir et al., 2016), while reading prize-winning short stories for even a short period of time appears to improve participants’ theory of mind, further strengthening the idea that storytelling can train the mind to see the world through different viewpoints (Kidd, & Castano, 2013). Do we have a heroic instinct? It would be interesting to see how these findings could be put into practice If the recent murder of MP Jo Cox has cast a Rand suspected that this instinct may as a more effective way to change dark shadow over British society, the bravery also lie behind the extreme altruism of those behaviours. Does reading about the battle of Bernard Kenny offers us all a ray of everyday heroes. So he turned to the between good and evil really boost our optimism. The 77-year-old pensioner was Carnegie Hero Fund, a charity that rewards cooperative instincts and make us more apparently just waiting for his wife in the civilians who have risked their life to save altruistic? Might educational library when he saw the attack, and leaped another person – and amassed 50 accounts psychologists, for instance, be able to to her defence, at considerable risk to his of extreme altruism, cross-referenced with set up schemes that harness our love of own safety. contemporary news sources. A team of heroes and villains to curb bullying and It was not the first time he had put his independent participants then rated these reduce prejudice? One possibility is that life on the line to save others; according to reports to decide whether they each priming someone to identify more media reports, the former miner had also reflected a deliberative or intuitive act. Sure strongly with certain heroic qualities may rushed to the scene of the Lofthouse Colliery enough, psychologists judged that more than cause them to be braver and more honest disaster in 1973. 90 per cent of the acts were intuitive – a fact (Kinsella et al., 2015). What makes real-life heroes like Kenny? confirmed by later linguistic analyses of their There are, of course, already many And could we all learn from their example? accounts (Rand et al., 2014). real-world examples where stories have Although the study of heroism is still in Notwithstanding the limitations of already helped us to see the world its infancy, David Rand at Yale University has retrospectively analysing these accounts, through the eyes of underdog and now started to explore this question with an this study at least hints that we should start perhaps changed perceptions for the inspiring study on ‘extreme altruism’. looking at intuitive social heuristics (rather better. From classics such as Oliver Twist, Previous research on cooperation and than rational decision making) if we are Cry the Beloved Country and To Kill a altruism had largely relied on small acts of to understand heroism. Pointing to evidence Mockingbird to modern films like generosity in economic games like the Public that altruism can be cultivated Brokeback Mountain, Suffragette and The Goods Game and the Dictator Game. as a habit, Rand speculates that these heroic Danish Girl, well-told stories have caused Such experiments had suggested that events may be the culmination of a lifetime us to question our assumptions and altruism is often an automatic, intuitive act of generous acts. Eventually, the caring prejudices and look for the real heroes – if we are not given time to think, we will outlook has become its default, so that the and villains within our society. automatically act to help others. For heroes like Kenny didn’t even have to think At the very least, it’s worth instance, in one experiment the researchers twice before risking the ultimate sacrifice. remembering the power of storytelling at asked participants to perform a tricky In other words, regular random acts of any stage of our lives. Our evolution may memory task as they decided how to share kindness may one day blossom into guide the kinds of stories we love, but it some money with other participants; they something far more profound. has also given us the ability to use those were more generous than similar trials when bare bones and build fictional worlds that they had more opportunity to think References end up expanding and enriching our consciously about what they were doing Rand, D.G. & Epstein, Z.G. (2014). Risking your life own. It allows us to create heroes from (Schulz et al., 2014). This tendency varies without a second thought: Intuitive decision-making villains and villains from heroes – to turn between individuals, of course, but in and extreme altruism. PLoS One, 9(10), e109687. hatred into love. general, we don’t have to rationalise being Schulz, J.F., Fischbacker, U., Thoni, C. & Utikal V. (2014). good, weighing up the pros and cons; we just Affect and fairness: Dictator games under cognitive load. Journal of Economic Psychology, 41, 77-87. I David Robson is a freelance writer do it. David.Robson@bbc.com

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ARTICLE it out occasionally, don’t we? It’s here that method-centred psychologists ask, ‘But isn’t psychobiography rather too subjective, Behind the masks too interpretive?’ The key word is ‘too’. Subjectivity is spread all over William Todd Schultz offers a psychobiography primer experimental psychology, so the contrast is a bit specious. Results of experiments need to be interpreted. Meaning isn’t self- evident. Even reviews of literature are sychobiography is a lumpy, too fraught with judgement, opinion, bias. rarefied term for what we all do, Psychobiography can itself be done Pevery day, experts and non-experts relatively quantitatively, via assorted alike: interpret and try to understand forms of content analysis. It’s uncommon, other people. There’s nothing particularly but not impossible. The best example is fancy about it. Probably 50 per cent of Tim Kasser’s brilliant book Lucy in the our waking and 80 per cent of our Mind of Lennon (OUP, 2013) on why John insomniac life is spent dissecting soft Lennon wrote ‘Lucy in the Sky with collisions with friends, lovers, co-workers Diamonds’ . and strangers. We can’t not do it. Even Whatever the case, I think it’s safe split-brain subjects, when they see their to say that the most thoughtful and left hand choose an object as directed by reasonable psychologists espouse a walled-off, independent right methodological pluralism or what Robert hemisphere, confabulate. That is, they Sternberg calls ‘converging operations’, make up a story, despite the fact that they a judicious mix of quantitative and have no clue what is going on. You’d qualitative techniques, at least when think they might say, ‘How do I know called for. Even the hardcore trait why my left hand did that? I’m a split psychologists McCrae and Costa offer brain subject!’ But they don’t. They To say Van Gogh cut off his earlobe the following open-minded observation: narrate. They interpret. because he was psychotic is no different ‘Scientific study does not necessarily Psychobiography is a kind of extra from saying ‘I don’t know why Van Gogh cut imply experimentation. Science proceeds explicit form of biography. Any biography off his earlobe’ by many methods and works best when (if successful and meaningful) has to the method is dictated by the nature of provide a suitably complex, convincing the problem rather than academic fashion portrait of an individual’s inner life, what been explained. But in biography, and prestige.’ Maslow called this being makes a person tick, what they are after, psychology stays off-stage. It’s invisible. problem-centred; he contrasted it with why they do what they do, why they The device is never bared. It’s there; you means-centredness. In psychobiography, succeed or fail. You come away from the just don’t see it. Psychobiography bares the ‘problem’, so to speak, is the best biographies feeling like you know the device. It’s a way of doing psychology. individual case. the person better, feeling as if a lot has Scientific findings and personality There are two particular research concepts are gathered up, misconceptions about psychobiograpy highlighted, placed in turbulent context, that call for clarification. The first is the then aimed at a person in order to notion – in my experience, relatively illuminate. The psychology in common – that psychobiographers aim to psychobiography is a sort of flashlight. diagnose subjects with some sort of DSM- Recommended Ideally, it allows you to see what was in derived mental disorder. Even Freud the dark before. The goal, usually, is to opposed this adamantly. He called such reading get at the why – hidden patterns, scripts, a process ‘pathography’, and regarded it as motives, needs, conflicts, desires. virtually worthless. I agree. Diagnoses are Alan C. Elms (1994). Uncovering lives: The uneasy alliance of Strictly speaking, psychobiography is names – at best simplified descriptions, at biography and psychology. Oxford University Press. applied psychology. It tests the usefulness worst distortions of complex emotional William Todd Schultz (2005). Handbook of psychobiography. of personality science by seeing what it and behavioural strategies. Let’s say the Oxford University Press. can accomplish when focused on the lives question is, Why did Van Gogh cut off his Dan P. McAdams (2011). George W. Bush and the redemptive of real persons. A lot of psychologists left earlobe? (By the way, in paintings it’s dream: A psychological portrait. Oxford University Press. don’t deal much with real persons, the right earlobe, but that’s because the William Todd Schultz (2011). Why Truman Capote (almost) funnily enough. They study processes, artist used a mirror for self-portraits). wrote answered prayers. Oxford University Press. William Todd Schultz (2011). An emergency in slow motion: mechanisms, brain functions, attitudes. Then let’s say the answer is, Because he The inner life of Diane Arbus. Bloomsbury. They feel that is enough – knowledge for was psychotic. Psychosis, of course, is Tim Kasser (2013). Lucy in the mind of Lennon. Oxford knowledge’s sake. I don’t disagree, not just a label for a mental state. It’s purely, University Press. entirely. I just feel, as do most and only ever, descriptive. It can’t explain Kyle Arnold (2016). The divine madness of Philip K. Dick. psychobiographers, that the individual why Van Gogh (a) cut off the earlobe, and Oxford University Press. level of analysis is as worthy of attention not something else; (b) performed the as the universal or the group levels. It’s action around Christmas-time; (c) gave

614 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 psychobiography the flesh to a prostitute named Rachel; or data, raw material, it’s the (d) told her to ‘Keep this object carefully.’ thing to be explained (via Really, to say Van Gogh cut off his earlobe overdetermination). The art because he was psychotic is no different is nicely heterogeneous, Meet the author from saying ‘I don’t know why Van Gogh especially in a person like cut off his earlobe’. The clearest sign of Bowie. It defies simplistic ‘I first got interested in psychobiography out of a bad psychobiography is pathography. generalisations, and that’s a dissatisfaction with the traditional experimental It’s fallacious. The label itself needs to be good. At this stage, you want paradigm, in which variables were valued far above explained. to stay open to all possibilities. real living persons. I quickly saw psychobiography as Too many people also mistakenly I don’t usually start with the antidotal, a cure for mindless method-fixation in believe psychobiography is intrinsically life because there’s a tendency psychology. Looked at this way, psychobiography is a reductionist, that its explanations take the then to overprivilege particular sort of “return of the repressed”. It reminds psychology form of an inverted pyramid, with a host happenings or events. You get what it ought to be about every now and then: using of behaviours traced back to one, and seduced by the vivid instance – variables derived from studies in a way that allows us only one, initiating event or circumstance. say, Bowie being punched in to understand actual people. Experimental findings can Pathography, for instance, would be the eye as an adolescent, or the be exciting – and psychology is a science, first and reductionist, in that it gathers up feelings basically boring question of foremost – but the individual needs to be accounted for and thoughts and actions and assumes Bowie’s sexuality. too (or that's what I think, at least). As Henry Murray put each to be caused by a single mental Slowly what you begin to it, we are all like all other people, some other people, illness (say, bipolar disorder). Long ago do – and this can be shown to and no other people. Psychobiography's task, then, is to I came upon an essay advancing the be valid, it’s not imaginary – is zero in on uniqueness. It fills a yawning void. farcically simple-minded argument that see in the art assorted patterns My most recent book is a biography (not a Sylvia Plath’s poetry – across years, across and themes, repetitions. Bowie psychobiography) of musician Elliott Smith, and I have themes, across clusters – was a function writes several songs in which written two full-length psychobiographies, on Truman of patterns of menstruation. This is prima he’s an alien. He makes three Capote and Diane Arbus. In 2005 I edited the Handbook facie nonsense. (It turns out men endorse records that together comprise of Psychobiography (Oxford). I curate and edit the Oxford ‘symptoms’ of premenstrual dysphoric the Berlin Trilogy, just as Sylvia series “Inner Lives”.’ disorder just as frequently as do women.) Plath composed a set of poems It’s also reductionist. The truth is, good called the Bee Sequence. The William Todd Schultz psychobiographers begin by expecting art yields saliencies – elements is Professor of Psychology at that everything we do is overdetermined. that stand out, that draw Pacific University The search is for clusters of motives, not attention to themselves. Artists [email protected] one. Back to Van Gogh. He likely cut off have obsessions. They need Twitter: @WTSchultz his earlobe for several reasons, did so at obsessions. What you try williamtoddschultz.com Christmas-time for several reasons, gave it doing is noticing them; you are to Rachel for several reasons. a kind of obsession collector. Overdetermination is reductionism’s Then, always, the question antidote. There are always multiple causes becomes why? To get at sets of whys you often put myself in circumstances or in play, some conscious, most probably superimpose the life over the art. The art situations in which I’m isolated so I can unconscious. is the life, of course, or part of the life at write about them.’ Even his paintings, So, that’s a bit about what least, so the two domains are reciprocally which at the time he was too uncertain psychobiography is and isn’t or shouldn’t illuminating. If I read Kafka’s The about to show, he describes as ‘all people be. Another question that comes up a lot Judgment – in which a father sentences in isolation’, and all, in some ways, him. is how it is done. How does one write a son to death by drowning, and the son LA comes up, a place he says he detests. a psychobiography? What’s the formula? promptly drowns himself – I begin to He goes there nonetheless, precisely to There isn’t one, really. The formula suspect serious father conflicts. Then feel isolated, to feel, as it were, inspired. depends on the question and, sometimes, I read Kafka’s Letter to His Father, and Years later, in 2002, Bowie repeats similar on the person being analysed, the these suspicions are confirmed tenfold. sentiments: ‘As I get older my questions medium. I write about artists, and they In the letter, Kafka repeatedly compares are fewer, but I ask them, I bark them, come with their own sets of challenges, himself to vermin. This fact compels more… I’ve consistently written about the but if the subject is, say, Clinton or a return to the art – specifically, The same subjects, nearly 35, nearly 40 years. Trump, or Freud or Jung, the challenges Metamorphosis. It’s a constant, iterative There’s really been no change with me. It’s are different, in some ways less back and forth as ideas take shape, some all despondency, despair, fear, isolation.’ surmountable even, since politicians (for promising, some not. The interviewer interjects, ‘What about instance) lie, or they say what they say You always want to pay attention to spaceships?’ Bowie replies, ‘It’s an interior not because they believe it, but in order what the artist says about his art too, not dialogue that you manifest physically. It’s to get people to vote for them. because it’s the final word – it isn’t; artists my inner space writ large.’ Like all my friends, I’ve been thinking can be wrong about their motives – but Here, Bowie tells us about his a lot about David Bowie recently, and because it’s more material, more evidence. obsession – isolation. It’s what triggers what his music meant to me. If I were As I listened to Bowie records over the him. It has something to do with the to write a Bowie psychobiography, what last month or so, I also watched quite a spaceman theme. It’s the feeling of his would I do? How would I start? few interviews. In one from 1979 he says inner life that he translates symbolically. I always begin with the art. You this: ‘Thematically, I’ve always dealt with You look for patterns in the art; you look have to try to know it better than almost isolation in everything I’ve written. It’s for patterns in what the artist says about anyone alive. There has to be a complete something that triggers me off, if it has to the art; and sometimes, the obsessions immersion. The art is self-expression. It’s do with alienation or isolation. So, I have line up perfectly. Lennon was obsessed

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 615 psychobioography

with the image of an enigmatic female in the sky; he imagined her coming down some day to save him. Many of his songs – too many to name – feature mysterious, unreachable women. The best example is ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’. He keeps running into her; she shows up unexpectedly; but they never really connect, he never really reaches her. Since psychobiography is a way of doing psychology, there are always questions having to do with theory. I’m no fan of brainless Freud bashing. In fact, what I’m a fan of is Freud. I’ve loved Freud since college. But personality science has progressed far beyond psychoanalysis, and psychobiographers need to reckon with that fact, and make use of ideas that are not only newer, but more scientifically sound. A psychobiography is only as solid as the theory it rests on, obviously. Bad theory, David Bowie spoke of becoming a new kind of rock star; he wanted to use rock to explore ideas bad psychobiography. he had about identity and fabrication (Image from David Bowie Impressions exhibition, Berlin) Dan McAdams recommends that we assess people from the vantage point of their minds, raising their consciousness. questions; but here are level two-type three independent levels: traits, They also tend to be politically liberal or queries. What were Bowie’s obsessions characteristic adaptations and stories. radical. and how did he engage them, express This makes sense. We are born with basic Bowie was all these things. He’s them? How did he cope with failure, endogenous tendencies, traits like flamingly high ‘O’. He was disarmingly personal or professional? How did he deal extraversion, neuroticism, openness to smart, famously well read. His influences, with turbulent, negative feelings? What experience; all abstract potentials that as he described them, extend endlessly, to was the function of his art, what did he incline us towards action. We also evolve mime, Kabuki theatre and beyond. He get out of it? Did he desire achievement, habitual, strategic patterns of response – adopted personas, then discarded them – intimacy, power? How did he feel around attachment styles, defence mechanisms, Ziggy, the Thin White Duke. Creatively, people, intimates or strangers? Was he forms of coping. Then finally, we narrate he was restless. He acted, he sang, he comfortable, anxious, avoidant? What it all, tell stories about it, construct wrote, he produced, he painted. He spoke about ‘conditional patterns’? That is, theories of self that are organising and of becoming a new kind of rock star; he which sorts of situations led him to act self-fulfilling. Silvan Tomkins called these wanted to use rock to explore ideas he out of character? In what ways did the stories ‘scripts’. They allow us to interpret had about identity and fabrication. He setting he was in impact how he felt or what we do. One might fabricate victim played at Ziggy or the Thin White Duke, behaved? What was he afraid of, and how scripts, redemption scripts, contamination then he gave interviews in character. It did he contend with the fear? What scripts, addiction scripts – the list of was real and it was an act at the same brought him the most joy? Was he mostly possibilities is endless. time. He enjoyed being someone else, he happy, or mostly sad? Take Bowie, for instance. What traits said. His sexuality is a complex subject, Level three is the narrative level, post- are prominent? Certainly openness. Those but most of the time, in most interviews, hoc constructions in story form of what high in openness are insatiably curious; he admits to being bisexual. In the least, we have watched ourselves say or do or they have an intense desire to learn, to he was sexually experimental. His styles feel or think. The question here is what know. They prefer nuance, complexity, were all over the map – pop, rock, Bowie said about his experiences, which ambiguity, mystery, questions over ambient, folk, soul – he tried it all. Drugs he singled out or somehow emphasised answers. (Openness correlates with were a problem too, for a time, until he or told about over and over as he put intelligence.) Their range of feelings is stopped altogether. together a theory of self. Maybe the time wider; they repress less. They believe in Traits are descriptions, individual- he got punched in the eye is one, but magic and ESP and past-lives. They are difference variables. They are best there would be dozens of others. Each original, creative, artistic; they are even thought of as a first-read on a person, single, discrete, affect-laden happening more creatively productive. They get a conversation starter. They don’t get at is a ‘scene’. Most scenes are quickly bored easily; as soon as they master motives; they don’t get at the why. For disposed of; they don’t amount to much. something, what they want to do is that, it’s necessary to turn to McAdams’s Others persist, in memory or as guides to extend it, remake it, reinvent it, or move level two, which is all about goals, future actions. What we do is script sets on to different projects altogether. strategies, coping mechanisms, of similar scenes, we bundle them in Behaviourally, openness correlates with relationship styles. Level two zeroes in clusters. Any life will contain thousands sensation-seeking, according to research. on what you want, and how you go about of individual scenes, but scripts are fewer Open people are experience-seeking, getting it, or how you manage to avoid in number, by definition. thrill- and adventure-seeking, what you don’t want. One script Bowie seemed to employ disinhibited, sexually adventurous. They I am not a Bowie expert, so I can’t was the ‘alien script’. He saw himself as do more drugs as a way of expanding satisfactorily answer any of the following a rebel, an outsider, a freak, isolated in his

616 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 M psychobiography IKE W ATERS

/123RF The above is a kind of outline. It is not, obviously, a psychobiography; it’s more a proposal for a psychobiography. Confirmatory Much would need to be filled in – facts presented, interpretations advanced cogently. But it gives a small taste for bias? the enterprise, the kinds of questions What about the possibility that asked, and an a priori template to psychobiographers simply privilege evidence follow, guided by findings from that fits particular pet theories? That’s unlikely. personality science. In most cases, especially those involving There’s been progress in the field famous artists or historical figures, the of psychobiography over the last 25 evidence is there for all to see. It’s part of the years or so. Bad psychobiographies record. It exists in super-abundance. It’s still get written – I’ve read some, by publicly available in the form of biographies, accident. But the presence of bad letters, journals, and so on. So, if a psychobiography says nothing about psychobiographer – or a biographer, for that the field’s possibilities, just as bad matter – were to simply omit or overlook data dentists don’t prove dentistry to be that didn’t fit with what they had in mind, they bankrupt. What’s needed is not less would assuredly be found out eventually, if not psychobiography, but more, and better. instantly, and shown to be careless or, worse, It’s a scientifically informed art. It’s also, intellectually dishonest. This is where in some ways, psychology’s stiffest psychobiography differs from clinical case challenge: how to make effective study. The Plaths and Van Goghs of the world oddness, his refusal to simplify, to sense of one messy, confusing, are written about endlessly; they exist in a foreclose on one durable, unmistakable contradictory and always fundamentally climate of opinion. It is possible to know their identity. No one seemed ever to know mysterious life. I think psychology ‘story’. Subjects of case studies, however, tend who he was. He was a shape-shifter, not ought to show, every now and then, to be anonymous for various reasons, some of this world. ‘He’d like to come and meet that it can shed light on the most legal. So interpretations cannot be checked us, but he thinks he’d blow our mind.’ moving target there is – a person. against evidence. Doing so is impossible almost He’s unreachable, unknowable. The Psychobiography is one way of doing by definition. Not so for psychobiography. Starman waits in the sky. that.

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618 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 The British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference 3–5 May, Hilton Brighton Metropole

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Although we think of memory as being about the past, it evolved to think about the future, allowing us to construct and reconstruct alternative scenarios about what might happen as opposed to what has happened. This particular feature helps to explain why memory is not an accurate repository of the past, and it is great for creativity, as artists have known for centuries. The earliest psychologist to publish extensively on the reconstructive nature of memory, in the 1930s, was Sir Frederic Bartlett, the first Professor of Experimental Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Cambridge University. How fitting that the first Artist-in-Residence in that department, Clive Wilkins, is also fascinated by the reconstructive nature of memory. For the past five years he has been collaborating with Nicky Clayton, who is Professor of Comparative Cognition at the university. ‘Nicky and I met on a tango dance floor [pictured], a space that is often felt to transcend time,’ Clive explains. ‘What sparked the collaboration, however, was the recognition that we both shared a passion for understanding how memory works, and more generally, the subjective experience of thinking with and without words. This has been an issue central to Nicky’s research on the cognitive capacities of corvids.’ ‘I found that these birds, like us, can use wordless thoughts to think about the past and plan for the future’, Nicky continues. ‘Such concerns also appear prominently in Clive’s series of novels, The Moustachio Quartet, which explore the complexity and illusory nature of memory. Together our work investigates mental time travel, and questions the very nature of perception and consciousness.’ www.thepsychologist.org.uk Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy

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iv vol 29 no 8 august 2016 Expert Witness Advisory Group – Chair and Members The Society’s Professional Practice Board (PPB) is seeking to appoint a Member of the Society act as Chair and several Members to join the above Group from September 2016. The Advisory Group reports directly to the Professional Practice Board.

The remit of the Advisory Group is to advise and guide members and the Society on expert and ordinary witness issues. This will include advice on professional standards and good practice for psychologists working as expert witnesses including the production and updating of guidance documents as relevant; promotion and advice on training opportunities in expert witness work as part of BPS CPD initiatives; and responding to relevant correspondence from members and external parties.

The membership will consist of psychologists with experience as expert witnesses and will include a balance of both practitioners and academics/researchers. The membership of the Group will reflect a breadth of expertise in this area and not representation of the Member Networks.

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 619 of vision.’ Her concept of the ‘off-modern’ is an attempt to reinvigorate modernity as a critical project, beginning from the very

ARTICLE fact of dislocation and articulating the creative and human possibilities that reside in it. In her words, it does not Off the beaten track ‘follow the logic of crisis and progress but rather involves an exploration of the side Ron Roberts argues for a critical take on modernity, a psychology of alleys and lateral potentialities of the heart and mind project of critical modernity’ (Boym, 2008, p.4). An off-modern take on our own intellectual history allows for ‘unforeseen …truth is relational, not relative with the ‘modernist’ project, she fashions pasts and ventures’ to be recovered, (Boym, 2010, p.67) an innovative challenge to how we ‘do’ opening into a ‘“modernity of what if” psychology and what we consider viable rather than simply modernization as it A body is given me – what shall I do research findings. is’ (Boym, 2008). This opens up a space with it, so singular and so much The term ‘modernity’, as introduced within which a different vision, a different mine? – Osip Mandelstam by French critic, poet and essayist Charles way of ‘doing’ psychology may be Baudelaire (1863/2010), was intended as articulated. rtist, cultural critic, writer and a critique of the new, fleeting rhythms of Boym’s expansive elaborations of philosopher, Svetlana Boym, whose time and life in the burgeoning urban the off-modern throughout her work – Auntimely passing was noted in this metropolis of the 19th century. However, dealing with nostalgia, our relationships publication last year, left a rich legacy of the term has come to describe the to the domestic as well as external ideas for psychologists to ponder. One of ‘progress’ brought about by reductionist physical and artistic environments – the neglected aspects of psychology (Itten science, mechanisation and the drive to reposition and reinvent the psychological & Roberts, 2014) concerns the nature of industrial modernisation. Modernity’s within political and everyday history. It’s human experience in the world: how each hijacking by the allure of mechanisation an approach suffused with a fragile of us engage with and are engaged by the and reductionist science – arguably the temporality that encompasses people, overarching political system/society of twin pillars of capitalist modernisation – places, language, memory, imagination, which we are a part. This relationship has given us the form of psychological emotion, art, artefact and home. In her between the personal and the socio- practice that is dominant today. It’s a form interviews with Soviet emigrants and cultural-political realm – in effect, the embedded within their reflections on human condition – can be considered cultural myths of their current and past the core problem of the social sciences. technological and circumstances we can Boym addressed this in a series of digital progress. It see a seamless merging bold and imaginative works reflecting on is also a form that of the search for our personal and collective relationships some consider is meaning, dignity, love to the past, our culturally enshrined ideas divorced from and freedom in of freedom and the ensuing longings and people’s everyday individual life with a belongings that define our time here. Her concerns (Itten & broader political canvas work dealt with areas of life that are of Roberts, 2014). in which the ghosts of immense psychological relevance. Her Boym argues that past actions – and treatise on nostalgia (Boym, 2001) is these cultural myths inactions – inhabit the widely considered as a defining text on of late capitalism urban and domestic the modern condition (Bonnett, 2008; may no longer work spaces of the real and Burton, 2014; Magagnoli, 2015; for us. ‘We are’, she the might-have-been. Mihăilescu, 2011; Olick et al., 2011). says, ‘right at the By exploring what could I hope to show that Boym has much cusp of a paradigm have been, but was not, to offer psychologists interested in our shift, and to we get a deeper sense of subjective and objective affiliations to the anticipate it we have the meanings that world around us. In critically engaging to expand our field Svetlana Boym circumscribe contemporary

Arendt, H. (1978). The life of the mind. Psychosis and human nature. London: Boym, S. (2001). The future of nostalgia. Boym, S. (2012, Spring/Summer). London. Harcourt. Penguin. New York. Basic Books. Nostalgic technologies: Multitasking Arendt, H. (1998). The human condition. Bonnett, A. (2008, 7 August). Rear-view Boym. S. (2005). Poetics and politics of with clouds. Photoworks, pp.6–13. Chicago & London: University of mirrors: Reclaiming the past's estrangement: Victor Shklovsky and Burton, S. (2014). Travel narrative and the

references Chicago Press. foreign countries. Times Higher Hannah Arendt. Poetics Today, 26(4) ends of modernity. Cambridge: Baudelaire, C. (2010). The painter of Education. Available at 581–612. Cambridge University Press. modern life. London: Penguin. tinyurl.com/jfxt4td. Boym, S. (2008). Architecture of the off- Foucault, M. (2002). The archaeology of (Original work published 1863) Boym, S. (1994). Common places: modern. New York: Princeton knowledge. London: Routledge. Benjamin, W. (1999). Illuminations. Mythologies of everyday life in Russia. Architectural Press. Fromm, E. (1957). The art of loving. London: Pimlico. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Boym, S. (2010). Another freedom. London: HarperCollins. Bentall, R.P. (2003). Madness explained: Press. London: University of Chicago Press. Galeano, E. (1992). The book of embraces.

620 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 off the beaten track

human life, one with considerable The same may well be said of relevance in the post-communist a good deal of psychology as globalised landscape of accelerating currently practised. Meet the author change. The ‘off-modern’, then, Gergen (1973, p.319) noted that questions established narratives ‘I took the unusual step of writing to Svetlana Boym after ‘a concentration on psychology alone, of ‘progress’ and assumptions enjoying one of her books. We became friends, and from provides a distorted understanding of our of linear social time. Boym’s one of our chats – in Greenwich Park over tea and cake – present condition’. The beauty of Boym’s (2010) articulation of freedom emerged the idea that I could pursue my take on the exposition is that, while the full richness poses serious challenges to a human mystery by exploring her concept of the “off- of a psychological framework is psychology predicated on an modern” in relation to the possibilities it offers for maintained, it is not privileged. Her work assumed unproblematic answer another way to do psychology. is elaborated within a critical tradition of to the age-old question – ‘What ‘In Eduardo Galeano’s Book of Embraces we are told comparative literature as well as must the world be in order that the world “is a heap of people, a sea of tiny flames”. architecture, philosophy and aesthetics, we may know it?’ (Arendt, Svetlana’s flame blazed fiercely, with an elegance and embracing many disciplinary interests 1978, Book 2, p.199). The assuredness firmly rooted to the earth. Anything I say and inviting us to rethink the purpose of historical world is cannot do justice to what a pleasure it was to have psychological inquiry. This accords with demonstrably neither orderly known her.’ others’ concerns about the insecurities nor rule-governed, and, as underlying our present disciplinary noted by Gergen (1973), it Ron Roberts pursuits: resists the claims of those who is Honorary Lecturer at Kingston We haven’t really discovered how to would ignore its relevance for University go on talking and practicing what’s psychology. Yet much of [email protected] called psychology, even defining it… psychology still ignores this Our epistemological insecurity is wildness and insists on a fundamental. That is we don’t really reductionist programme that know what we’re doing. If that’s the would see the social and case then we have to articulate historical world reduced to another. (Hillman & Shamdasani, biology. dislocation from one’s usual point of view, 2013, p.14). Boym’s work – seeking to grapple one that affords an entirely different set of with the problems, puzzles and paradoxes possibilities – for perception, Boym’s pronounced interest in the human of her own existence as a Jewish political understanding and action – that enhance relations that permeate the world makes refugee, an emigrant from the former one’s (and others’) life. This is what Boym it possible to imagine psychology (or Soviet Union to the United States – moves has in mind when she speaks of psychologies) as less concerned with through scholarly writing, novels, short estrangement for the world, breathing explaining the material workings of the stories and plays to experimentation with new life into the possibilities of being. It’s human organism and our statistical photographic and digital art. Hers is an there in ‘profane illumination’, moments commonalities, and more with addressing acceptance that our knowledge and of ‘time out of time’ providing ‘re- how we actually deal with the understanding of the world, and what it enchantment in a minor existential key’ complexities of ‘being’ and ‘having been’. means to be human, cannot be reduced (Boym, 2008). Boym connects with other This fragility, this appearance and to a single codified set of rules and authors who stressed the importance of disappearance from the world, how to procedures that give rise to a single form renewal and new beginnings in life’s actually live one’s life, is arguably the of knowledge. affairs – of the ‘ordinary marvellous’ issue that generations of psychology (Boym, 2005). For Arendt (cited in Boym, students thought they would be 2010) it was the everyday ‘miraculous’ addressing. Instead, they have been Estrangement deed of freedom; for Baudelaire instructed to forget it by the barrage of Explorers in the landscape of the off- (1863/2010), ‘the fantastic reality of life’; scientism and experimental psychology modern may be assisted by acquaintance and for Benjamin (1999), ‘the renewal of they receive. In the context of politics and with the art of ‘estrangement’ pioneered existence in a hundred unfailing ways’. history, Hannah Arendt (1998, p.42) took by Soviet artist Viktor Shklovsky Marx’s conception of alienation took the view that ‘application of the law of (1923/2005). The Slavic roots of the in only the negative possibilities of large numbers’ signified the ‘wilful word suggest both distancing and making dislocation. That Marx missed what obliteration of their very subject matter’. strange. Shklovsky sought a radical Shklovsky divined is strange, given that

London: W.W. Norton & Co. When prisoners take over the prison: Kelly, G.A. (1955). The psychology of The politics of experimental Gergen, K.J. (1973). Social psychology as A social psychology of resistance. personal constructs. New York: documentary. New York: Columbia history. Journal of Personality and Personality and Social Psychology Norton. University Press. Social Psychology, 26(2), 309–320. Review, 16(2), 154–179. Kirsner, D. (2015). Laing’s The Divided Self Mihăilescu, D. (2011). Being off-track. In Giroux, H.A. (2014). Neoliberalism’s war Hillman, J. & Shamdasani, S. (2013). and The Politics of Experience. In M.G. M-S.D. Alexandru, M. Nicolaescu & on higher education. Chicago, IL: Lament of the dead: Psychology after Thompson (Ed.) The legacy of R.D. H. Smith (Eds.) Between history and Haymarket. Jung's Red Book. London: W.W. Laing. London: Routledge. personal narrative (pp.211–228). Harper, D. (2011). Social inequality and Norton &Co. Laing, R.D. & Esterson, A. (1964). Sanity, Berlin. LIT Verlag. the diagnosis of paranoia. Health Itten, T. & Roberts, R. (2014). The new madness and the family. London: Moscovici, S. & Duveen, G. (Eds.) (2000). Sociology Review, 20(4), 423–436. politics of experience & The bitter Tavistock. Social representations: Explorations in Haslam, S.A. & Reicher, S.D. (2012). herbs. Monmouth: PCCS Books. Magagnoli, P. (2015) Documents of utopia. social psychology. Cambridge: Polity.

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it was Marx’s own estrangement from automation of life. Arendt (1998, p.7) bourgeois society that made it possible for reminds us that ‘all aspects of the him to pursue his lifelong work devoted human condition are somehow related to building a better society. Within the to politics’. This, of necessity, must psychological community, few beyond include the psychological. It points Wilhelm Reich have given due to the possibility of a psychology of importance to a sense of wonder in living cheerful resistance imbued with an as a matter inextricably bound up with ‘intellectual imagination… freed from individual and political freedoms. its current imprisonment’ (Haslam & There are many more examples than Reicher, 2012, p.174). Marx of how estrangement may work in In the early years of the 21st a positive direction. Estrangement lies at century, corporate hegemony has the heart of comedy, in which a portion given birth to a new variant of of the world is first made strange authoritarianism – policed neither (defamiliarised) and later returned from the political left nor right, but (familiarised) with a punchline. It’s also premised on the daily rewriting of at the heart of all creative opposition and memory through public relations, resistance, working to undermine a taken- advertising, news control and for-granted ‘truth’. Irony and satire have surveillance. In a recent discussion, long been recognised as means of speaking Roberts and Hewer (2015) outlined to power. Yet in official psychological the continuing utility of a Laingian discourse, these are entirely absent… framework for comprehending the a form of emotionless parlance has been social production of adverse states taken as a byword for truth and objectivity. of mind at differing levels of the Boym’s and Shklovsky’s readings of social hierarchy (family, institution, estrangement are reminders that there are international relations). This political options other than surrender or interdisciplinary framework is built defeat. Unlike the favoured motif of on estrangement – an explicit dystopian science fiction, resistance is not rejection of the notion of value-free ‘futile’ (a position echoed in recent work reductionist knowledge that Boym’s Taitlin with Butterfly 2007 from the series by Haslam and Reicher, 2012). Boym permeates the scientific core of Hybrid Utopia, see www.svetlanaboym.com/main.htm (2012, p.8) reflects that ‘we have to do the discipline. Shklovsky saw in what it takes to exercise the modicum of estrangement the miraculous possibility comprehension as a singular totality. Yet freedom – defined by Hannah Arendt as of maintaining wonder and joy in living. there are ways to deal with it, interrogate a “miracle of infinite improbability” that Art is central to this playful, dissenting it, bring it into being and know it – they occurs regularly in the reworking of the world. just don’t necessarily involve spoken or public world’. If one of the If a radical reworking written language or the legitimising cloak principal functions of art is “…psychology cannot of psychology rooted in of science. to disrupt the existing run away from its everyday life and the Psychology, in short, could be made order (see Smoliarova, political nature ” wonder of our earthly a work of art – celebrating what Eduardo 2006), then art is central existence is to be possible, Galeano (1992, p.121) refers to as the to politics, dissent, then we must radically ‘marriage of heart and mind’, approaching participation and change. estrange it, uproot it from its discovery, knowing and learning with In an off-modern slant it could become corporate nest bed. This will require us to sentipensante (feeling-thinking). In an central to a form of psychology where step ‘off’ the beaten tracks of psychology, off-modern psychology, knowledge is the emphasis has moved away from the to explore the wild undergrowth of ideas generated and discoverable in the measurement of what is or what purports in the neglected gardens of knowledge. idiopathic and idiosyncratic strategies to be, towards a study and practice in Instead of absorbing the regular force-fed and programmes of the individual. which people, their humanity, expression, diet of imminent scientific breakthroughs An education in psychology becomes needs and desires are paramount – and the prescribed certainties of future a tailored project in making sense of one’s a psychology that estranges the status success, we have to entertain the idea that life. For Epictetus, the Greek slave, the quo and challenges the dehumanising the reality we experience is beyond lived proper subject matter of philosophy was each person’s life, leading to refinements in ‘the art of living’ (Arendt, 1978, p.154).

Olick, J.K., Vinitzky-Seroussi, V. & Levy, Laingian perspective. Memory D. (2011). Memory, justice and the Studies, 8(2), 169–182. An avowedly political psychology contemporary epoch. In J.K. Olick, Shklovsky, V. (1923/2005). Knight’s move. This challenge is not a new one. Writing V. Vinitzky-Seroussi & D. Levy (Eds.) London. Dalkey Archive Press. in the 1920s, Shklovsky remarked that The collective memory reader Smoliarova, T. (2006). Distortion and the Soviet artist of the day had but two (pp.99–401). Oxford: Oxford theatricality: Estrangement in choices: ‘to write for the desk drawer or University Press. Diderot and Shklovsky. Poetics to write on state demand’ (Boym, 2008, Roberts, R. (2015). Psychology and Today, 27(1), 3–34. p.20). Despite the absence of a third capitalism. Winchester: Zero Books Winokur, G. & Clayton, P. (1994). The alternative, Shklovsky argued that that Roberts, R. & Hewer, C.J. (2015). medical basis of psychiatry (2nd edn). was ‘precisely the one that must be Memory, ‘madness’ and conflict: A Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. chosen’ (pp.20–21). Similarly, we must

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AK TO HANKS off the beaten track M USA abandon two notions – that sense and reality it aims to grasp has renewing our lot, individually and & Y

URY psychology can sit apart from political more than a little to do with the values collectively. Boym (1994, pp.158–159)

G statements about its own relation to that pervade official academic disciplines, opened up for consideration an aesthetic LBR AND OLDBERG the production of knowledge (Roberts, and the relations between those commemoration of the everyday art of 2015), and from people’s experience of disciplines and broader systems of power survival in our lived personal and the world we move through and and privilege (See Giroux, 2014). Social communal spaces. Her focus was on the S

ERGE create. An avowedly political representations theory has failed, not inhabitants of Soviet living space – but psychology can then develop. One of because it does not represent common the very ‘human’ value and functional R AP O PERMISSION FOR YAPPO the lost messages from the Milgram sense but because the professional worth of her vision (Boym, 2012, p.13) experiments is that psychology cannot psychological discourse it embodies does reminds us that at the heart of the real run away from its political nature – it not represent the voice of common sense world we inhabit lies the virtual world of is embedded within a network of against the tyranny that assails it. This, past and future possibilities. ‘The fantasies institutional power relations where the along with the relative isolation of social of the past determined by the needs of very knowledge it generates affects not psychology within the broader discipline, the present have a direct impact on the only the actions of those institutions has meant that too few have seen in it a realities of the future.’ but also people’s understanding of pathway to action. We must still wrestle with the their predicament within them. problem of how to write about the Shklovsky characterised this ‘third human condition in a manner that way’ as a ‘knight’s move’ when faced A profoundly human task accords dignity, agency and worth to with a repressive binary choice. One Honouring the paths taken by fellow our experience of being in the world. must contend with the pathologising deviant travellers in the past is an The mercurial city streets and parks, of this: in psychiatric parlance important part of recovering an alternative memory lanes or rural by-ways, in which ‘knight’s move thinking’ is evidence psychology. Fromm, Laing, Milgram and the lives of the ‘great’, the ‘terrible’ and of a supposed ‘schizophrenic thought Kelly, for example, provide us with the ‘humble’ unfold and in which ideas of disorder’, said to be a dangerous examples of a form of ‘political’ psychology human nature have been fashioned, have loosening of thought away from that might have taken centre stage but been altogether neglected. The landscape established and accepted patterns that did not. They are in a sense of social relationships and identities that of Aristotelian logic (Winokur & phantasmagorias – existing in the towns and cities in their amalgam of Clayton, 1994). The most common shadowlands between the not quite private and public spaces foster, disrupt, diagnosis dispensed by Soviet remembered yet not wholly forgotten. nurture and contain lies unconsidered. psychiatrists upon the unfortunate Laing, for his sins, estranged both A psychology that is at once geographical, ‘deviants’ and dissidents sent to the Gulag the family and madness from bourgeois political and social stands in the shadows. was ‘sluggish schizophrenia’. However, sensibility (Laing & Esterson, 1964) Scientific psychology remains utopian there is perhaps something to learn here. while Fromm (1957) did the same for – enacting a ‘charismatic concealment’ Shklovsky’s stratagem was invented in the love. Milgram estranged the procedures (Boym, 2001, p.99) of the wider horizons face of a pervasive, repressive, censoring, and institutions behind the very of psychological reality and the birth of intrusive state apparatus that functioned production of psychological knowledge. psychological ideas and social change. in such a manner that what was officially Kelly (1955), whose personal construct For a political psychology to go any way true and what was not became difficult theory for a time threatened to shake up toward this it must address, amongst if not impossible to differentiate – psychology, never got to grips with the other things, the precise (relational) a description increasingly suited to material questions of power and influence content of human life as it is experienced. contemporary life in the authoritarian that shape not only the world but the Whether such a re-centring (or de- global city. Perhaps the distress shown by psychological discourse and knowledge centring) of psychological knowledge is individuals now diagnosed with ‘thought produced in it and to which Foucault possible, unshackled from formal disorder’ is a manifestation of life within (e.g. 2002) devoted some attention. professional methodology and theory, is a social system where open honest Though Kelly stressed action in the world a question to ponder. It is most definitely communication is in retreat, and the kind and our emotional grasp of it as forms of a political question. Understanding of individual cognitive strategies noted construing, the performative and poetic politics is not merely to create narratives by Bentall (2003) and Harper (2011) elaboration/exploration of construct of victory and defeat, or of the unjust amongst others come to the fore. theory’s possibilities never took off. excesses of power. It is always a A psychology of the everyday has What is needed instead, if we are to profoundly human task. In this we are been sought in Moscovici’s theory of avoid the contribution of psychological required to evaluate the world through social representations: a ‘social knowledge to alienation, is a form that our own moral compass. This is at its psychology of knowledge’ (Moscovici & is more than a little sympathetic to those most dignified where it involves ‘giving Duveen, 2000, p.280), of common sense. it addresses – that is explicitly biased imaginary space to the defeated, to their Yet despite its founder’s intentions, it has towards those with whom it makes impossible human choices, leaving space not laid bare the cultural myths common cause. It cannot settle for being and acknowledging the dreams of exit in underpinning the shared social consensus what Moscovici described social a no-exit situation’ (Boym, 2010, p.275). that props up late capitalist societies. One representations theory might be ‘at its Given this most human requirement, an reason for this, perhaps, is that it has best’ (2000, p.280); namely, a ‘metatheory’ off-modern perspective warrants further remained tied to professional discursive that purports to stand above and beyond consideration as the basis for a very regimes that dictate how psychology is the world. Psychological knowledge different kind of psychology, one where ‘performed’, via officially sanctioned should instead commemorate the human dreams and reality exist side by side. methods and publication outlets. The striving to live well – or even to live at all Svetlana Boym left the stage prematurely dislocation of social representations – and to aid this and participate in an – but she has left much behind to occupy theory from the lives of the people whose aesthetic devoted to improving and our lives.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 623 the use of animals. Cancer survival rates are also continuing to improve due to research using animal models. For

OPINION instance, Herceptin was developed in Why research using animals mouse models and has greatly improved the survival rate in breast cancer. The development of anti-retroviral drugs is important in psychology using animal models has had a great impact on the lives of those diagnosed Stacey A. Bedwell argues the case with AIDS – it is no longer the death sentence it once was. It is clear that some medical discoveries have been possible without the use of animals: for instance, Fleming he use of animal models in and insulin. Nearly half a million people discovered penicillin without animal psychology research that is not of in the UK with Type I diabetes rely on experiments. However, it was his work Ta neurobiological nature is quite rare insulin, developed by Macleod and with Florey and Chain with mouse in UK laboratories. This may lead many Banting in 1921 through research on models that enabled the application of psychologists to consider the use of rabbits and dogs (see Bliss, 1983), to penicillin to fight bacterial infection. animals in scientific research as irrelevant maintain a quality of life that would to them. With the continued advancement otherwise not be possible. Smallpox has of technologies and non-invasive been eradicated from the earth thanks to Animals in neuroscience methodologies, many ask whether knowledge gained from studies on and neuropsychology experiments involving animals still have animals. Advances in surgeries and In neuroscience, our current knowledge a place in psychology and neuroscience treatments such as kidney dialysis and of homeostasis, intrinsic and extrinsic research. It is easy to overlook the basic heart transplant were also perfected with reward, primary and secondary biological investigations that many areas of psychology are built on, and will rely on in the future to continue to develop. I hope to address this issue, offering an explanation as to why animal models are important to contemporary psychology research.

Animals in scientific research Historically, animals have played a vital role in scientific research. Much of what is known about the anatomy and physiology of humans, as well as other animals, has come from animal research in various forms. Many of the major researchers in sensation and perception – Hubel, Wiesel, Lettvin, Jacobs, Newsome, Sperry, Bekesy, DeValois, Melzack, and more – used animal subjects in their groundbreaking research. Animal studies have provided valuable contributions to the development of great medical advances, including general anaesthetics, asthma inhalers, vaccinations against TB, HPV and malaria,

Bandura, A. (1971). Social learning theory. al. (2015). The topology of 316(3), 314–347. Bacon. New York: General Learning Press. connections between rat prefrontal Bliss, M. (1983). The discovery of insulin. Freud, A. (1951). Observations on child Baron, R.A. (1992). Psychology (2nd edn). and temporal cortices. Frontiers in Edinburgh: Paul Harris. development. Psychoanalytic Study of Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Systems Neuroscience. 9, 80. Brodmann, K. (1909). Vergleichende the Child, 6, 18–30.

references Bacon. Berendse, H.W., Galis-de Graaf, Y. & Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde Goldman-Rakic, P.S. (1988). Topography Bedwell, S.A., Billett, E.E., Crofts, J.J. & Groenewegen, H.J. (1992). [Comparative localisation studies in of cognition: Parallel distributed Tinsley, C.J. (2014). The topology of Topographical organization and the cerebral cortex]. Leipzig: Verlag networks in primate association connections between rat prefrontal, relationship with ventral striatal von Johann Ambrosias Barth. cortex. Annual Review of Neuroscience, motor and sensory cortices. Frontiers compartments of prefrontal Coon, D. (1992). Introduction to psychology: 11, 137–156. in Systems Neuroscience, 8, 177. corticostriatal projections in the rat. The science of behaviour (4th edn). Groenewegen, H.J. & Uylings, H.B.M. Bedwell, S.A., Billett, E.E., Crofts, J.J. et Journal of Comparative Neurology, Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & (2000). The prefrontal cortex and the

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reinforcement and the effects of place in neuroscience reinforcement on persistence all derive research. I also believe that significantly from animal research. A large the anatomical knowledge Meet the author body of our present understanding of the gained from these studies will physiological and neurophysiological bases form the basis for improved ‘I came into research with rodents through my PhD of hunger, thirst and sexual motivation has understanding of the prefrontal in neuroscience. Prior to this I had always had an been developed through experiments cortex from a psychological awareness and interest in the ethical treatment of involving the use of animals. Without perspective, making animal animals. I had spent time during my gap year working these experiments and their findings, our models important for with rescued and orphaned primates. I think my care understanding of large areas of neuroscience advancements in psychology for animals made me a good candidate to work with may be much less. However, what is often as well. animals in the lab. I was confident that the project unclear is whether the same level of I was undertaking would be beneficial to the field and knowledge could have been reached from that the use of animals was a necessary component different, non-invasive methodologies, Animals in behavioural of the project to meet the desired aims. perhaps without the use of animals at all. and social experiments My experience of working in an animal lab Our current understanding of the Research into psychological was positive. Everyone I know working on animal neurological and psychological effects of development has relied greatly experiments is well trained and the animals are stimulants, glucose and the enzyme calpain upon the use of animals, very well cared for. I never experienced an animal on memory (Coon, 1992; Kalat, 1993; particularly primates. A well- suffering either as part of an experiment or while Wortman & Loftus, 1992), the occurrence known example is Harlow’s being kept in the facility. of retrograde amnesia (Baron, 1992) and the work on emotional When starting out in the project I was faced with role of calcium channels in neurological development and maternal many accounts of scientists in animal testing who function (Wortman & Loftus, 1992) stems deprivation in rhesus monkeys faced problems with antivivisection activists. Although from research carried out on animals. This (Harlow et al., 1965; Harlow & I have encountered people who disagree with the use is in addition to a large body of animal Suomi, 1971). To carry out of animals in scientific research, I have taken the research carried out to increase our these experiments using human opportunity to explain the reasons behind my knowledge and understanding of various babies would have been highly research and why I think using animals in my studies brain regions and networks. For instance, unethical and impractical. was beneficial. I have also used the opportunity to the complex anatomical organisation of the Without these experiments, dispel common myths about animal labs. prefrontal cortex (Bedwell et al., 2014, work that followed in the field I was always confident in the value of the work 2015) and the topographic ordering of of development may have I was carrying out and the high standards of animal cortical and subcortical connections differed; however, it is not clear care in my studies. I am proud of what I achieved (Berendse et al., 1992; Hoover & Vertes, whether such observational from these animal experiments and am keen to 2011; Kondo & Witter, 2014) could not research truly benefited from explain its importance in the grand scheme of have been observed in such detail without being carried out on primates. understanding the human brain.’ the use of neuroanatomical tract tracing in Beyond social psychology, animals. It is currently the best available animal studies have been of Dr Stacey A. Bedwell is at Division method for gaining meaningful and detailed great importance in the of Psychology, Nottingham Trent data about anatomical organisation of increased understanding and University cortical networks. Due to its invasive nature, development of treatments for [email protected] this kind of work must be carried out on neurological and psychological animals. Animal studies have therefore disorders. Behavioural therapies greatly increased our understanding of are derived from animal the basic principles of brain structure and research. For instance, aversion function. Without this knowledge our therapy, desensitisation and extinction not have been developed without the use ability to further develop neurological therapies, token economies and systematic of animal models and experiments using models and psychological theories of brain reinforcement were all developed from animals. These interventions now improve function would be impaired. studying animal behaviours and the the quality of life of thousands of patients My recent area of research relies heavily pioneering work of animal researchers like who would otherwise have faced on the use of animals (see box). Therefore, Pavlov, Skinner and Thorndike. Biological institutionalisation. It is important to note from a personal perspective, I can appreciate interventions such as psychosurgery, that the safe use of drugs, across medical that animal models still hold an important antipsychotics and antidepressants would science, not just in psychology, relies heavily

integration of sensory, limbic and Science of the United States of America prefrontal cortex? In L. Krubitzer (Ed.) Thomas, A. et al. (2006). Humanized autonomic information. Progress in 68(7), 1534–1538. Evolution of nervous systems: Vol. 3. mice mount specific adaptive and brain research, 126(2000), 3–28. Hoover, W.B. & Vertes, R.P. (2011). Mammals (pp.443–450). New York. innate immune responses to EBV and Harlow, H.F., Dodsworth, R.O. & Harlow, Projections of the medial orbital and Academic Press. TSST-1. Nature Medicine 12(11), M.K. (1965). Total social isolation in ventral orbital cortex in the rat. Kondo, H. & Witter, M.P. (2014). 1316–1322. monkeys. Proceedings of the National Journal of Comparative Neurology, Topographic organization of Petrides, M. & Pandya, D.N. (1994). Academies of Science of the United 519(18), 3766–3801. orbitofrontal projections to the Comparative architectonic analysis of States of America, 54(1), 90–97. Kalat, J.W. (1993). Introduction to parahippocampal region in rats. the human and the macaque frontal Harlow, H.F. & Suomi, S.J. (1971). Social psychology (3rd edn). Pacific Grove, Journal of Comparative Neurology, cortex. In F. Boller & J. Grafman recovery by isolation-reared monkeys. CA. Brooks/Cole. 522(4), 772–793. (Eds.) Handbook of neuropsychology: Proceedings of the National Academy of Kolb, B. (2007). Do all mammals have Melkus, M.W., Estes, J.D., Padgett- Vol. 9. (pp.17–58). Amsterdam:

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upon research carried out on animal models and actually excellent thought to be a product of evolution. models. representations of most human Despite this, neuroscientists have claimed, characteristics and attributes. For based on similarities in the effects of instance, with transplanted human tissue, lesions and on anatomical and How transferrable to humans mouse models can be regarded as physiological similarities, that the is data from animal studies? possessing a human immune system medial aspect of frontal cortex in rats is As with every experimental methodology, (Melkus et al., 2006; Shultz, et al., 2012). homologous to the granular lateral PFC there are disadvantages to using animals My research using animal models has in primates (Kolb, 2007; Seamans et al., in experiments. A common argument been on the anatomical connectivity of 2008). against the use of animals in experiments the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal Based on the above evidence, it is is that animals are not good models for cortex is a specific region thought to reasonable to conclude that although the humans, based on the observation that we be much more developed in humans human brain, even in the highly complex are not simply larger versions of lab rats – compared with other animals, so it is prefrontal cortex, is more complex than our bodies (and minds) work differently. understandable that the usefulness of those of any laboratory animal model in Interestingly, biology shows that rodents animal models in experiments involving many ways, there are a substantial are actually rather good models of the the prefrontal cortex is sometimes number of homologies between species. human body. questioned. The presence of prefrontal These homologies not only make All mammals, including humans, are cortex (PFC) has been recognised in a mammalian models relevant to humans, descended from common ancestors, and range of species; however, there remains they also make the development of all have the same set of organs (heart, some controversy in the literature with increasingly complex models possible, kidneys, lungs, etc.) that function in regard to the presence of PFC in non- creating the possibility of understanding essentially the same way with the help primates (e.g. rodents). Brodmann’s complex cognitive processes. of a bloodstream and central nervous (1909) representation of prefrontal cortex system. Some controversy, however, in monkeys greatly resembles that of the comes with the study of the mammalian human (although some homologies are Advantages and alternatives brain in psychology and neuroscience. unclear). There is a consistent opinion A living organism is a far more accurate This is one organ that does differ in some that the architecture of human prefrontal way of, for example, testing the effect of aspects, particularly in terms of cortical cortex is largely similar to that of other a drug or therapy than any other currently volume, quite substantially between primates (Petrides & Pandya, 1994; available method. There are alternatives species. Despite this, there are many Semendeferi et al., 1998). Rose and in some cases, for example human common characteristics between all Woolsey (1948) described orbital neuronal cells can be cultured. However, mammalian brains (e.g. basic prefrontal cortical regions in rats, cats the complexity of a living animal and all cytoarchitecture and structure and and rabbits based on the connections of its interconnected systems cannot be neuronal physiology). identified and their similarity to the fully emulated in culture. The application of findings from orbital medial prefrontal cortex described An obvious example is behaviour. animal studies to humans is often a in primates. More recent studies Behavioural observation of animals is concern in psychology, especially in confirmed similarities in both OMPFC crucial in determining the effects of studies involving complex regions or and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex lesions, other neuronal damage or the behaviours thought to be far more between primates and rats (Goldman- behavioural effects of drugs. Observing advanced in humans, making us unique. Rakic, 1988; Uylings & Van Eden, 1990). behaviour is especially important when If humans are so much more advanced There are also thought to be functional investigating the effects of possible than other animals, especially in abilities similarities between specific prefrontal pharmacological treatments for disorders such as executive function, then it is regions across species, for example including depression, schizophrenia and understandable why many would dmPFC in rats is thought to represent psychosis. For a start, the behavioural question the point of psychology similar functions to prefrontal cortex symptoms cannot be simulated in cell experiments on much less advanced regions in primates (Groenewegen & cultures, only in living organisms. The animals like rodents. An animal model Uylings, 2000; Uylings et al., 2003). case is the same with behavioural effects: is never going to be 100 per cent It is clear that rats possess much of the it would be impossible to observe the representative of human anatomy, prefrontal cortex properties found in effects of a treatment (pharmacological, physiology, cognition or behaviour. primates and humans. However, there cognitive or behavioural) without an However, mice and rats (which share is no dispute that rats lack the granular animal or human to observe them in. 95 per cent of our genes) are very close prefrontal cortex found in primates, There are many areas of psychology

Elsevier. Seamans, J.K., Lapish, C.C. & Anthropology, 106, 129–155. Uylings, H.B. & van Eden, C.G. (1990). Rose, J.E. & Woolsey, C.N. (1948). The Durstewitz, D. (2008). Comparing the Shultz, L.D., Brehm, M.A., Garcia- Qualitative and quantitative orbitofrontal cortex and its prefrontal cortex of rats and Martinez, J.V. & Greiner, D.L. (2012). comparison of the prefrontal cortex connections with the mediodorsal primates: Insights from Humanized mice for immune system in rat and in primates, including nucleus in rabbit, sheep and cat. electrophysiology. Neurotoxicity investigation: Progress, promise and humans. Progress in Brain Research, Research Publications - Association for Research, 14, 249–262. challenges Nature Reviews 85, 31–62. Research in Nervous and Mental Semendeferi, K., Armstrong, E., Immunology, 12(11), 786–798. Wortman, C.B. & Loftus, E.F. (1992) Disease, 27 (1 vol.), 210–232. Schleicher, A. et al. (1998). Limbic Uylings, H.B., Groenewegen, H.J. & Kolb, Psychology (4th edn). New York: Russell, W.M.S. & Burch, R.L. (1959). The frontal cortex in hominoids: A B. (2003). Do rats have a prefrontal McGraw-Hill. principles of humane experimental comparative study of area 13. cortex? Behavioural Brain Research, technique. London: Methuen. American Journal of Physical 146(1-2), 3–17.

626 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 opinion and neuroscience in which human participants are readily used and where human studies provide a vast amount of useful and informative findings. Human participants are used for the majority of the time in social psychology and observations of childhood development (Freud, 1951) and social learning (Bandura, 1971). Research in clinical psychology also uses human participants from clinical populations for the most part. However, animal models are implanted when investigating biological underpinnings of clinical disorders and developing pharmacological treatments, where human participation is not possible. In neuropsychology non-invasive fMRI, EEG and TMS methodologies enable researchers to investigate functional organisation, localisation of function and cortical activity in great detail. However, it is worth noting that human imaging does not provide enough fine-scale detail in some instances, such as identifying the anatomical structure of specific pathways, which requires neuroanatomical tracing and microscopic analysis of histological samples (Bedwell et al., 2014, 2015). Many studies of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and Guidelines on the use of animals neurotransmitter function require the use of invasive techniques that are unethical to carry out with humans, making animal in research models a necessity in this field. It is worth noting that in number of animals and by the Animals (Scientific Reductions in neuroscience funding the UK the Home Office refining methodology to Procedures) Act 1986. In the in recent years from research councils as licensing procedure is very minimise suffering. The UK the Home Office is well as the closure of pharma-funded strict, and experimenters experimenters must show responsible for legislation in neuroscience institutes in the UK may are required to consistently that there is no suitable the field of animal welfare. give the impression that research into follow the 3 Rs (reduction, alternative way to gain the Members of the British neurological deficits, psychological refinement, replacement: same quality of findings, and Psychological Society have disorders, pharmacological treatment and see Russell & Burch, 1959). justify the benefits of a general obligation to the underlying basic neuroscience is no Researchers are required proposed research compared minimise discomfort to living longer a priority. This inevitability leads to demonstrate that with the costs to the animals. animals. The BPS Guidelines to an opinion that the use of animal consideration has been given The majority of animal for Psychologists Working models in brain research, be it to replacing animals where use in psychology is in with Animals can be found at behavioural, physiological or anatomical, possible, reducing the research, and this is covered tinyurl.com/bpsanimals. should also not be a priority or a necessity. Despite the reduction in available funding, the fact remains that The brain is a complex organ comprising in our knowledge of the brain and we still have a long way to go in a combination of multiple systems and continue to provide us with important understanding the human brain, from processes. Without the knowledge gained information in developing a greater biological, behavioural, clinical and social from work with animals in neuroscience understanding of such a complex organ. perspectives alike. Further research across labs on the underlying structure of Therefore, even though it may be indirect, all aspects of brain science is necessary. complex functions, we can never hope to I consider animal studies to hold a In my opinion, animal models continue fully understand the social, behavioural significant place in contemporary to provide an important contribution to and cognitive aspects of the human brain. psychology. many areas of brain science. It is evident The importance and reliance on that the use of animals does not play an animal models may change in the future important, or arguably even relevant, role Conclusion along with the development of more in most aspects of contemporary human It is evident that there are and will always advanced technologies, but for the time social, behavioural or cognitive be drawbacks to neuroscience and being experiments involving animals are psychology. However, animal models are psychology research carried out and vital for progression in our understanding an important aspect of biological research, developed from studies using animal of the brain and the continued including anatomy, physiology, models. Despite these, animal studies development of neurological and behavioural and cognitive neuroscience. have historically provided great advances psychological treatments.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 627 2009). ‘In our first experiment,’ Sebastian Moeller and co-authors begin, ‘we scanned two monkeys (monkeys L, H) ‘You must be joking’ – while they viewed clips of the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, interleaved with three blank periods.’ Via this 007 in the lab and academia method, the authors found 20 cortical network regions involved in the With a proper psychologist making an appearance in the latest James Bond film, processing of arousing visual stimuli

EYE ON FICTION G. Neil Martin looks at how and why scientists have studied the secret agent (which probably excluded Elliott Carver’s portable keyboard taping etiquette), including the visual, auditory, somatosensory, motor, prefrontal and parietal cortices. Bond crops up in veryone knows Bond’s resident forget – since we are in the era of another study, on imitation and smoking scientist. Major Boothroyd, played SPECTRE – Bond’s first Eon film villain, (Harakeh et al., 2010). Eighty-four Eby Desmond Llewelyn – the original Dr Julius No. Treasurer of the greatest smokers watched a Bond film that Q – was a regular foil to Bond’s criminal organisation in China, SPECTRE featured smoking (Dr. No) or no smoking insouciance and cavalier disregard for member, and dextrocardic (in Fleming’s (The Living Daylights) and which office equipment. Desmond morphed novel, he was born with his heart on the contained breaks for pro-smoking or anti- into John Cleese, who then transmogrified right side), Doctor No went to medical smoking ads. Watching the smoking in into the dry, youthful, voluminously school in Wisconsin but, after an Bond had no effect on ‘smoking intensity’, coiffed Ben Whishaw who operated unfortunate radiation accident, ended up according to the study published in intriguing security breaches from the having his hands replaced with pincers. Tobacco Control. Tomorrow Never Dies was matutinal comfort of his pyjamas. His And, in the latest film SPECTRE, we have also the subject of a paper in Magnetic was the youthful demeanour that elicited the appearance of Bond’s first proper Resonance Imaging – TND is the go-to Bond’s exasperated ‘You must be joking’ psychologist in a significant role requiring Bond film of choice for scientists response. But Q, of course, has not been more than just word association and (Whittingstall et al., 2010). This paper Bond’s only cinema scientist. debriefing, Dr Madeleine Swann (Léa examined alterations in EEG activity Ignore the dispensable villains and Seydoux) (www.thepsychologist.org.uk/ during the continuous viewing of a two- their bacteriological or viral plans for formula-stirred-not-shaken). minute film clip (the first two minutes of world destruction, and there are some So science and psychology have TND) in seven participants. The notable meetings of minds between spook intruded on Bond’s world, but what about researchers found that the perception of and boffin in Bond. There was arguably vice versa? differences between visual contrasts in the Bond’s first strong female lead, Dr Holly A curious cottage industry exists film were correlated with increased EEG Goodhead (Lois Chiles), the US astronaut examining films via the prism of activation in the primary visual cortex. in Moonraker. And there was, at the other psychological theory and research. Review Another, psychophysiological study end of the hotpants spectrum, Dr papers have examined the veracity of the examined participants’ responses while Christmas Jones (Denise Richards), representation of amnesia (Baxendale, they played the part of James Bond in the The World Is Not Enough’s unorthodox 2004), epilepsy (Baxendale, 2003) and game, JB007: Nightfire (Ravaja et al., physicist. The first Bond Girl of the Pierce neurology (Ford & Larner, 2009) in the 2008). In the experiment, galvanic skin Brosnan era was Caroline (no surname) movies. Books have been written on the response (GSR) and electromyography who was sent to undertake a mad scientist archetype (Grayling, 2005), were recorded while people either killed psychological evaluation of Bond in and the representation of mental illness or wounded villains, or were themselves Goldeneye, but ended up unwillingly in cinema (Wedding & Niemiec, 2014). wounded and killed. The aim was to racing Xenia Onatopp and being seduced The cottage industry extends to Bond. discover the psychophysiological by Bond in his DB5. Dr Molly Warmflash For example, tucked away underneath the responses generated by different did a similar job – this time rehabilitating seemingly innocuous title, ‘functional emotional and moral perspectives. When Bond after his collision with the connectivity of the macaque brain across an opponent was wounded or killed, Millennium Dome – in The World Is Not stimulus and arousal states’ lies an fMRI participants’ skin conductance increased Enough. Doctor Hall was the comically study of monkeys’ brain response to but some of the muscles in the face Freudian shrink in Skyfall. And, let’s not Tomorrow Never Dies (Moeller et al., (zygomatic, orbicularis occuli and

Baxendale, S. (2003). Epilepsy at the 557–567. Magliano, J.P., Dijkstra, K. & Zwaan, R.A. of 46 years of violence in films. JAMA movies: Possession to presidential Ford, S.F. & Larner, A.J. (2009). Neurology (1996). Generating predictive Pediatrics, 167(2), 195–196. assassination. Lancet Neurology, 2, at the movies. ACNR, 9, 48–49. inferences while viewing a movie. Moeller, S., Nallasamy, N., Tsao, D.Y., & 764–770. Grayling, C. (2005). Mad, bad and Discourse Processes, 22(3), 199–224. Freiwald, W.A. (2009). Functional

references Baxendale, S. (2004). Memories aren't dangerous? The scientist and the Magliano, J.P., Miller, J., & Zwaan, R.A. connectivity of the macaque brain made of this: Amnesia at the movies. cinema. London: Reaktion. (2001). Indexing space and time in across stimulus and arousal states. BMJ, 329(7480), 1480–1483. Harakeh, Z., Engels, R.C., Vohs, K. et al. film understanding. Applied Cognitive Journal of Neuroscience, 29(18), Cooper, H., Schembri, S. & Miller, D. (2010). Exposure to movie smoking, Psychology, 15(5), 533–545. 5897–5909. (2010). Brand-self identity narratives antismoking ads and smoking McAnally, H.M., Robertson, L.A., Neuendorf, K.A., Gore, T. D., Dalessandro, in the James Bond movies. intensity. Tobacco Control, 19(3), Strasburger, V.C., & Hancox, R.J. A. et al. (2010). Shaken and stirred: A Psychology & Marketing, 27(6), 185–190. (2013). Bond, James Bond: A review content analysis of women’s

628 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 eye on fiction corrugator muscles, all found around the framing and dialogue. Using these, eyes and mouth) decreased. When the participants made very specific protagonist was wounded or killed, there predictions about what would occur. was a similar GSR increase but also an And, let us not, despite our better increase in two sets of facial muscles and instincts, forget semiotics. Holly Cooper a decrease in another set. These results and colleagues from Griffith University suggest that the emotional consequences in Australia, for example, presented ‘a of attacking another or of being attacked textual analysis of the brand narratives… can be characterised by subtle, facial specifically in the context of James Bond muscle changes. films’ (Cooper et al., 2010). ‘In engaging On the subject of violence, a couple with the text of popular culture,’ the of studies have examined the degree of authors write, ‘consumers engage in the violence in the Bond movies. Violence in story and the embedded brand narratives cinema and TV is a perennial favourite of in that text. Consumers readily draw on social psychologists exploring the these texts for directions in constructing.’ relationship between exposure to violent Not only that, ‘consuming, viewing, and material and the subsequent expression engaging with films and the embedded of aggression or violence. A 2013 study brand narratives in film fuels consumer published in JAMA Pediatrics found that dreams and consumption ideals.’ the portrayal of serious violence in the Cooper and colleagues examined Bond films increased significantly over the use of brands in all Bond films up to time, even when accounting for film express the extreme ends of the Dark Casino Royale. The first analysis begins length (McAnally et al., 2013). The most Triad. This was based on an analysis of with ‘Vignette 1: The Bollinger Lover severely violent was Tomorrow Never Dies, ‘upper division and weekend-course Brand Narrative’ and goes quickly which may explain why scientists have psychology students’ and was probably downhill from there. It describes Bond’s been so keen to use it in their studies. a desperate way of attracting attention to seduction of Caroline, the hapless MI6 The 2008 re-boot, Casino Royale, featured a paper that would have been otherwise bureaucrat tasked with psychologically 250 acts of violence involving a unremarkable. In a vein more in keeping evaluating Bond in Goldeneye. ‘The perpetrator, action or target, compared with ill-judged comic-japery than wit, a Bollinger brand’, write the authors, with 109 in Dr. No. And it isn’t just study from the Medical Journal of Australia ‘embodies the masculine desire of James violence that’s increased: sexual activity attempted to provide a psychological Bond and presents as a social tool of and more violence against women has evaluation of Bond by assessing – and romance.’ Oblivious to even Bond levels increased too. A 2010 study of 195 female I apologise in advance, I really do – the of innuendo, the authors thus set the tone characters across 20 Bond films, which Bond Adequacy Disorder (BAD) using the of the analysis. was published in Sex Roles, also found Bond Additive Descriptors of Anti-Social The next vignette pits the Aston that end-of-film mortality was ‘predicted personality Scale (BADASS). They must Martin against the Jaguar. I’ve always by sexual activity, ethical status (good vs. have been up all weekend. had a soft spot the Aston Martin – and bad), and attempting to kill Bond’ One of the more methodical papers not just for the nickname possibilities if (Neuendorf et al., 2010). investigated how people viewed changing I were to be employed at Birmingham’s To M (or at least Judi Dench’s situations or circumstances in films second university. The sleek, understated rendering of M), Bond, of course, was (Magliano et al., 2001). One of the films sybariticity, the purring power and a ‘sexist, misogynist dinosaur’ and a ‘relic studied was Moonraker (the others were modesty, the cunning stealth… these are of the cold-war’. Some may agree with Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan, and Jeremiah all devilish attractions, as is the fact that this harsh personality assessment. Some Johnson). Participants made 85 change-of- the company was named after Lionel may argue it has as much validity as the situation judgements in Moonraker, (Martin) and his favourite hill (Aston). Myers-Briggs. But some dark areas of midway between the other two. Shifts Here, Cooper and colleagues stray into science publishing have wondered aloud in time and movement were particularly the world of the esoteric, in a way that what sort of personality Bond enjoys. noted. Staying with Moonraker, the same even Derek Akorah would admire. For example, one paper, which includes research team had previously examined Commenting on the ice-chase between ‘James Bond’ in its title and then proceeds people’s ability to make predictions while Zao and Bond in Die Another Day, they to mention the name once in the entirety watching the film – i.e. indicate what was write: ‘The depiction of supernatural of the paper, suggests that Bond may going to happen next (Magliano et al., abilities can only nurture the aspirations 1996). People were actually quite good of consumers, who are seeking a at doing this, using visual and discourse sophisticated and superhuman status’ clues in the film. Which suggests either (the supernatural abilities are those of that the participants were quite adept at the motors). They conclude, ‘the scene portrayals in James Bond films. Sex Roles, 62(11–12), 747–761. this or that Moonraker is a predictable embodies the Jaguar brand narrative of Ravaja, N., Turpeinen, M., Saari, T. et al. (2008). watch. The climax of the scene where an antihero or an outlaw rebelling against The psychophysiology of James Bond. Bond encounters Jaws on a plane, fights, the sanctions of society.’ Well, there we Emotion, 8(1), 114. bails out and the latter’s parachute fails to are. Think on that when you’re next Wedding, D. & Niemiec, R.M. (2014). Movies and open and he falls onto a circus tent – a set driving the Jag to the Dangerous Sports mental illness (4th edn). Boston, MA: Hogrefe. of scenes grimly illustrated in the paper – Society’s Annual Ball. Whittingstall, K., Bartels, A., Singh, V. et al. (2010). was predicted by participants. None of Integration of EEG source imaging and fMRI the participants had seen the film before. I The name’s Martin. Professor G. Neil during continuous viewing of natural movies. The best predictors of what was going to Martin, Regent’s University, London Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 28(8), 1135–1142. happen were the mise-en-scène, montage, [email protected]; @thatneilmartin

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 629 POETRY ‘I do not know you but we are intimate, you and I’ We present the top three entries in our second annual competition

ur second annual poetry competition has been won Biker Oby Katina Offord. Katina is Fastening your helmet for a ride in the sunshine a Society member, psychology MSc graduate and special needs teacher You did not know that it would not be you who would unfasten it, living in Farnham, Surrey. But a stranger, fumbling with the unfamiliar buckles in the middle of the road. Katina tells us she has only written a few poems, and never considered publishing them. The leather gloves shaped by your hands ‘I wrote this poem after a motorbike rider died of multiple Make a perfect bowl to cradle your broken head injuries as I tried to give first aid. And fill cup-like with your blood. I had been sceptical about PTSD (except as a result of war) until this experience, after which I saw You will not recover in this position the scene vividly several times a day as well as during dreams. And your speed has left too little time to heal these wounds. These flashbacks were triggered by apparently random stimuli and were so shocking that they literally Strangely like a drowsy child, with eyes open took my breath away until I wrote You fight this sleep. this poem.’ Our editor Jon Sutton and his But the drips have slowed, the red pool father David, a published poet, Large enough now to be seen from the sky judged the competition. David commented: ‘“Biker” is really quite Like a warning to STOP! striking in its use of detail that Too late comes across as factually true but also resonates at a symbolic level: And yet too early for life to be leaving you. the leather gloves filled “cup-like with your blood”, the vision of the red pool like a STOP sign. Then I do not know you we have the rueful wit of “You will But we are intimate, you and I not recover in this position”, and the sad unadorned compassion of For you gave me a front row seat the last verse. And while the poem To see your gruesome acrobatics is not in a strict form, it shows great formal control in its use of And I held your hand as you died. rhythm and varying line lengths.’ We received more than 50 entries: thanks to all who entered, and to Wiley-Blackwell for sponsoring the £50 prize. Katina Offord

630 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 poetry competition

This Morning 25 April It's just a dog some say only a dog Not a child – no it's not that – nor a substitute for one as some murmur. Nor a partner/lover/husband/friend Something more, different, constant Consistently enthused at seeing me for reasons only known to her Feeling like I mattered when I am here or gone the howling from the upstairs window despair chilling my departure For these last 15 years she's been there consistently and now she fades still trying to show enthusiasm Looking intensely at me as I come and go my living declining oracle This morning was not a good one walking though food and water bowls Her duties not making it out the door (twice) lots of clean up missing getting the grant out Wondering if it’s time No not a child or partner/husband/lover/friend Something constant, different, consistently for just a while more

Paul M. Camic, Professor of Psychology & Public Health, Research Director, Salomons Centre for Applied Psychology, Canterbury Christ Church University

If If you can keep your head when your client Is losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when your client doubts you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait for change and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream – and not make analysis your master; If you can think – and not make theory your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by the media to make a trap for fools, Or watch the modality you gave your life to broken, And not stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools; If you can make one heap of all your interventions And risk it on one real-world trial, And lose, and start again with your intentions And never breathe a word of blame, nor lose your smile. If you can force your heart and mind and sinew To serve your client long after they seem gone, And so hold on when there seems nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on’; If you can talk with partners and keep your virtue, Or talk with chief execs – nor lose the common touch; If neither patients nor close colleagues can hurt you; If all may count on you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving hour With fifty minutes worth of distance run - Yours is the clinic and all that’s in it, And – which is more – you’ll be a psychologist my son! (With apologies to Rudyard Kipling)

Christina Richards Senior Specialist Psychology Associate and Clinical Research Fellow

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 631 their arms around what we mean by ‘mindfulness’ in a much more scientifically sound sense. Not the term, not the popular concept, but ‘Pain is inevitable, but understanding exactly what goes into it. We’re still very overly general about it INTERVIEW in our conversations, and because of that suffering is optional’ we’re losing leverage in therapy that we would otherwise gain by being more Kirk Strosahl talks to Kal Kseib about acceptance and commitment therapy discriminating. That’s one area I think is going to see a lot of further growth. And I think we’re going to be looking at how we get our treatments briefer without irk Strosahl is co-founder of They are in touch with their personal losing effectiveness, because resource acceptance and commitment values so that they are geared toward systems out there simply can’t afford the K therapy (ACT), a cognitive living life to its fullest. longer-term version of CBT or ACT for behavioural approach that has gained the masses – that’s another big area. How widespread adoption in the mental health What are your most inspired actions? are we going to populate these concepts and substance abuse communities. He is I think the time I truly felt the most into public health models and work with the author of numerous books including inspired simply in terms of output was lay people, primary care providers and Brief Interventions for Radical Change and writing my most recent book, Inside This teachers, for example? We’re still very Inside this Moment. He has gained Moment. I was in a zone for the entire therapist-centric in our profession, and international recognition for his time that I was writing it, it was coming because of that our population health innovative approach to the integration from the heart. It was actually quite an effectiveness has been extremely limited. of behavioural health and primary care amazing experience. The book zeroes in I think the other area that is going to services. Strosahl lives near Seattle and on how to use the present moment in become bigger and more important is works as a practising psychologist values-based behaviour change. at Central Washington Family It’s not like people haven’t been Medicine, a community health exploring it, but I think the amount centre. He also teaches health of development will increase. There professionals on how to use the are measurement issues that are principles of mindfulness and going to have to be dealt with, as acceptance in general practice. well as creating more efficient ways of talking to people about Who were the psychologists motivating factors in their lives. that originally inspired you? Probably two people, depending What is the greatest opportunity on the era of my life. One was Neil ACT has in today’s world? Jacobson, who was a mentor and I actually think that, if we don’t fall a friend, who unfortunately passed on our own sword, it’s going to be away in 1999. He was a brilliant about bringing mindfulness concepts theorist in cognitive behavioural into the general public and Western therapy, doing some of the first civilisation. That’s not going to mean studies breaking down the getting everybody in the West to put different components of cognitive in hours of practice a day, sitting on therapy. He developed behaviour a pillow ‘umm-ing’. Rather it’s this activation just before he passed idea that these are actually pretty away. The second would be Steven portable interventions based on Hayes, who I met in 1986. We’ve neuroscience. They have a very been friends for pretty much our rapid effect on brain neural pathway entire careers. So even though development and brain efficiency, we’ve written together, we’ve also and they don’t have to be these had a personal relationship and onerous, lifelong practices. There’s shared family evolutions. Both of those therapy to inspire people to live their lives going to be a huge opportunity there if we guys were pretty instrumental in the to the fullest, and not to run from their can get the right message to people – that mindfulness movement early on, so those own demons, but rather cradle them. So these are things you can teach yourself were the two people that I think of fondly. that was enjoyable. Then I’ve also always and your brain in small bits, and that it’s been inspired to work with Patti [Dr more about persistence than the amount How would you describe ACT in a Patricia Robinson]. We have a lot of fun of time you take. It’s about doing things nutshell? and there’s intellectual growth when we intentionally and practising intention, as I think ACT tries to promote people write and get our arms around stuff well as practising paying attention. These who are open to their own experience and together. So I’ve been very lucky that way. two things go hand in hand in can separate themselves from the literal mindfulness – this ability to pay attention meaning of their experience – so that Where are ACT and the other so-called in a particular way and then to act with they’re not governed by thoughts or ‘third-wave therapies’ heading now? intention inside of your own space. To me feelings or emotional reactions to things. I think people are going to have to get those things are so intricately linked to

632 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 interview psychological health that if we could get What would you consider to be your same journey in this, and they’ve just those out into the public domain in ways greatest career accomplishment? happened to run into each other. There which didn’t seem overwhelming to Definitely a turning point in my career is no difference really between us. people, that would be a huge was the first ACT book. We were, at that accomplishment for ACT, or for any of point, pretty much unknown and there These briefer interventions are likely the mindfulness-based therapies that was a 50/50 chance we were going to be to become increasingly necessary in could get this figured out. So it isn’t just pilloried by the cognitive community. the NHS. Do they have downsides? in the hands of a few people. And we did get a little along the way, but There is no convincing evidence that how it could have been much worse. Also back much time you spend with someone in I once came across the ACT then we wrote books the old-fashioned therapy directly determines the degree metaphor ‘find your cliff and way – we didn’t of clinical benefit. It is more what you jump’. What’s your favourite have these file- educate the client in, when you do it, and ACT metaphor and why? sharing services, how you do it. In the US we already have That saying sounds a little “I try to stay moving in so we actually had several large effectiveness studies showing fatalistic to me! If you ask me the direction I believe to get together that one-, two- and three-session which I use most often, it would in, which is to help physically and have interventions in general practice settings be the idea that the mind is the people.” writing festivals, produce clinically significant, long-lasting schoolyard bully who demands and that was a huge changes in both symptoms and functional to take your lunch in order to let plus for me personally. status. The effect sizes of these you go to school. So gradually your entire Four or five days at a time with Steve [Dr interventions by and large are comparable ritual of going to school is built around Steven Hayes], locked in a room arguing to ‘gold standard’ effect sizes seen from making contact with this bully and you about every single thing as we wrote the longer-term therapy RCTs with the same forget why you’re actually at school. first book. We had five or six sessions like condition. I think the other feature of that metaphor that which were pretty legendary… in my The principles of ACT and FACT is that it’s about making choices – and mind anyway. are really principles of how to live an I can build off that. ‘Who do you want intentional, value-based life. I’m confident making decisions for you in your life – You’re a specialist in delivering brief, that if the UK NHS were to adopt a your anxiety, depression, anger, or you?’ or ‘focused’ ACT interventions to principle-based treatment – rather than So it gives people the ability to pick patients – sometimes as brief as 15 technique-based ones – that can be between mind and the human being. minutes. Could you give a picture of applied across the board with all types of I like those kinds of ‘choice points’. what you might focus on in a session, medical and mental health issues, or their Another one I use a lot is ‘forks in the say for diabetes or depression? combination, that more people in need road’, and ‘right turns versus left turns’. The goal of focused ACT is to get patients could be served without sacrificing Journey metaphors are something I use to make direct contact with the clinical benefits. a lot. unworkable results of their current life strategies. Usually, these strategies involve What are your own highest values? Are ACT and CBT actually little more avoiding dealing with important life Personally I think of myself as being than saying to people ‘live with it, or issues – such as maintaining social health, a really honest person, I’m ‘good to my change it’? managing diet or other health risk word’ as they say in America. I try to do There are hidden properties of treatments, behaviours in the case of diabetes. The things with integrity. I’m very persistent and then there are the observable counter-weight in focused ACT is to get in my life journey. I try to stay moving in properties of treatments. In ACT the the patient to make direct contact with the direction I believe in, which is to help observable properties are quite different, what matters to them in their life, and people. And related to that is compassion with an emphasis on values. It’s saying to whether their avoidance behaviours are for people suffering, and also self- people ‘don’t just tolerate your life, build helping them move in that direction. This compassion for my own flaws and your life from within’. ACT uses values as discrepancy creates a ‘healthy anxiety’, imperfections, which are too numerous a foundation for addressing that. which we encourage patients to accept as to mention. Then there’s the ability to create space a ‘signal’ that some type of change in between you and what starts to show up personal strategy is needed. You don’t get How would you define success? in your life when you start doing things people to change behaviours by giving Anything that helps clients to get their that matter. It’s an optimistic treatment them a label, or scaring them with lives back. We’re far from being there yet that assumes people can do amazing adverse consequences if they don’t as a profession, I think. We don’t help things if they get lined up behind the change, or lecturing them about the everybody. I think success is that we right psychological processes. And it necessity of change. Change comes from never give up searching for ways to might well be that in CBT, even though within, not from without. Most patients improve how we do business and how we ostensibly focusing on helping people know implicitly that they are avoiding help people. I guess if I could ‘float over change thoughts and behaviours, the act things, but they don’t want to be my own funeral’, I’d probably want to of talking about thoughts and behaviours condescended to, criticised or cajoled hear people say, among other things, is in a way itself a kind of a ‘defusion’ about it. So focused ACT is a very that ‘he never gave up’ and that ‘he never intervention. That’s what I mean by humanising approach in which we readily stopped trying to improve himself’. ‘hidden’ properties. You think that the agree that making important changes in I see life as a great teacher, and if we are mechanism is about the client becoming life might likely trigger painful emotional willing to be students it will teach us more logical and less irrational, but it consequences or distressing memories of everything we need to know to prepare may in fact be that by talking about past failures, et cetera. Pain is inevitable, us for our death. So everything along thoughts you’re actually doing ‘defusion’ but suffering is optional. the way is part of learning. It’s not out without even realising it. The therapist and patient are on the of the flow, everything is in the flow.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 633 2016 CPD Workshops Professional development opportunities from your learned Society

Coaching through transactional analysis – Applicability and use in practice 6 September Expert witness 1: Responsibilities and business 7 September Expert witness 2: Report writing 8 September Working successfully in private practice 8 September Supervision skills 3 – Models of supervision 9 September Developing mindfulness in schools 12 September The impact of child abuse on children, professionals and adult survivors 12 September When you think of ethno-cultural counselling, think across the border 16 September

Trauma and dissociation (MANCHESTER) 16 September Self-empowerment in action: Developing the personal and professional self 19 September Narrative identity and agency: An exploration of theory and research and application to forensic practice 19 September Supporting children and young people who hear voices 20 September Work life balance in 2016 – An evidence-based approach for practitioners 21 September Assessing adults for neurodiversity: Introduction 27 September Advance Decisions to refuse treatment ‘living wills’: Choices at the end of life (Part 2) 28 September Assessing adults for neurodiversity: Sharing best practice 28 September An introduction to sleep: Psychobehavioural assessment and treatment strategies for people with insomnia 3 October An introduction to Liberation psychology 3 October Advanced assessment and treatment opportunities for people with insomnia 4 October Participatory action research and its relevance for psychology 4 October

Consultation and supervision in groups and teams (NEWCASTLEE) 5 October Working with refugees and asylum seekers 6 October

Aviation psychology: Clinical skills for working with air crew (LEICESTER) 6-7 October Appreciative coaching 12 October Solution-focused approaches to helping people with long-term health conditions 13 October Visual thinking stretegies (VTS): Developing observation, critical thinking and communication skills 14 October

Making progress on quality and outcomes in psycho-oncology (BRISTOL) 18 October The use of rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) with athletes 19 October Parental alienation: Understanding, assessment and intervention for children and families 20 October Measuring the unmeasured: A new approach to school-based educational research 20 October Traumatic grief 27 October

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634 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 Organised by BPS Conferences BPS conferences are committed to ensuring value for money, careful budgeting and sustainability

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

2016 Cognitive Section 31 Aug–2 Sept Hilton Barcelona www.bps.org.uk/cogsec2016 Developmental Section 14–16 September Hilton Belfast www.bps.org.uk/dev2016 Children, Young People & their Families 4–5 October Hilton Sheffield www.bps.org.uk/cypf2016 17 November Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel & Spa Psychology4Students www.bps.org.uk/p4s2016 29 November Friends Meeting House, Euston, London Psychology4Graduates 30 November Friends Meeting House, Euston, London www.bps.org.uk/p4g2016 Division of Sport & Exercise 12-13 December Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel www.bps.org.uk/dsep2016

Division of Occupational Psychology 4–6 January Hilton Liverpool www.bps.org.uk/dop2017

2017 Division of Clinical Psychology 18–20 January Hilton Liverpool www.bps.org.uk/dcp2017 Annual Conference 3–5 May Hilton Brighton Metropole www.bps.org.uk/ac2017 Division of Forensic Psychology 13–15 June Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel www.bps.org.uk/dfp2017

EMDR Training Schedule Fully accredited EMDR trainings for Psychologists EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) and EMDR-Europe Association (EMDR-E) accredited trainings conducted by Alexandra (Sandi) Richman, Chartered Psychologist. Learn how to integrate this evidence-based therapy into your existing clinical skills. RICHMAN EMDR TRAINING offers the complete 7-day training in 3 parts: Part 1 (3 days), Part 2 (one day) and Part 3 (3 days). Attendee numbers are limited for each training. EMDR Part 1 Trainings 2016/17: London 2016: 21-23 September, 16-18 November, 7-9 December. 2017: 8-10 February, 15-17 March, 10-12 May Glasgow 2016: 9-11 November 2017: 24-26 May Leicester 2017: 5-7 April Other training levels throughout the year For more information contact: Linda Moore, Training Co-ordinator (t) 020 7372 3572 email: [email protected] www.emdr-training.com

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 635 MASTER PRACTITIONER EATING DISORDERS & OBESITY A comprehensive, experiential 3 course programme whose modules may be taken individually. We offer a substantial discount when all 3 courses are booked together. The modules of this programme are:

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Essential Obesity: Psychological Approaches 3 days drawing from counselling, clinical and health psychology approaches to change the lives of overweight adults.

• Summer 2017: 8-10 June 2017, London Nutritional Interventions for Eating Disorders 2 days teaching practical and effective treatment of nutrition-related aspects of eating disorders. • 24-25 November 2016, London

View a prospectus for each course online at: www.eating-disorders.org.uk (select ‘Training’) Or call 0845 838 2040 for further info.

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636 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 Postgraduate Psychology courses at Teesside University

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 637 performing roles – musicians and dancers, for instance. What has psychology got to do with acting? Naomi is clear about this. ‘Three people dropped

CAREERS out of my year at drama school with mental health problems, and certain personality types can be drawn to the An actor’s life for me? profession. It’s a tough life, so in training they knock you down to build you up, Ian Florance meets Naomi Hynd but this can be brutal. My tutor at drama school advised me to have a nose job (which I resisted). There’s definitely a pressure to get thin and look good. aomi Hynd had written to The Psychologist. I’m part of a ‘Once you’re earning a living it doesn’t Psychologist, querying whether her neuropsychology service and specialise in get any better. Obviously auditions Nwork with performers and drama stroke, working on two inpatient wards involve repeated rejection. Say you get schools might interest our readers. Five but mostly in the community. I am just a good job, even a leading part – after the minutes into the interview I was stunned finishing the PgDip in Clinical shoot or run is finished you might find by the sheer amount of work and training Neuropsychology from Glasgow yourself back waiting tables. People Naomi packs into an average day. I University and applying for the recognise you only to assume that you’ve needed some initial bearings. I asked her Qualification in Clinical become a failure. Sometimes you can be to describe her life at the moment. Neuropsychology.’ perfect for a part but still not get it… ‘I have a two-and-a-half-year-old son Naomi’s private practice addresses a I was once turned down for a role and a busy husband who needs looking variety of conditions, but one of her core because I was taller than the male lead! after! I work three days a week in the passions is mental health promotion. ‘We In itself, acting entails risks. Working as NHS as a Highly Specialist Clinical should be helping to pre-empt problems a drama therapist demonstrated the rather than letting them develop. In the importance of “de-roling” patients after NHS I provide psychoeducation to large an exercise. Professional actors often numbers of stroke patients in lecture commit completely to parts that they lose format and work closely with staff teams themselves. Then there are long hours and outside organisations. I’m also trying and the lifestyle. They can come off stage to get drama schools to provide actors with a buzz and search for a stimulant – with the skills that will last them through smoking, alcohol, drugs or other high- their training and careers.’ risk activities. Only 1 in 20 actors earns This latter focus – the reason Naomi an annual salary of over £20,000, and contacted us – links to her own career as many spend long periods of time out of an actor. ‘This was on hold for a while work or touring and away from home. but it’s picking up again. I’ve just signed These sorts of issues also affect directors with a new agent who is putting me and other backstage staff. The result is forward for commercials and small parts a huge range of mental health problems, that I can fit around my NHS not to mention drama-specific problems commitments.’ like stage fright. Then come the reviews of your work and the sense of failure if they are not positive. The media can be ‘They knock you down to build unnecessarily brutal particularly to you up… this can be brutal’ famous actors, but what does that do to Naomi’s acting interests link in with your self-esteem and sense of control?’ psychology’s growing role in shaping a Naomi says it’s interesting that there variety of communications (from health isn’t much research in this area. ‘I would promotion to commercial advertising). like to do some work with Equity, but It also links in with previous interviewees creative professions can be suspicious of who have applied psychology in other those wanting to tinker round in their

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

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

careers online careers personal pieces, including our ‘Careers’ sign up for suitable e-mail and RSS alerts. pages. Alternatively, just search ‘careers’ Recruiters can post online from just £750, with our new and improved site search. The and at no extra cost when placing an ad in archive is complete – back to 1988. print. For more information, see p.642.

638 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 careers processes – by explaining creativity they extensive research and leadership skills instance, film directors contact me via feel experts might destroy it.’ and valued the fact that they could draw LinkedIn to ask for help in understanding Are drama schools interested in this on many different models. The experience characters’ psychology. There’s a role for idea of mental health education? ‘I’ve motivated me to do a two-year, one-day- psychologists as consultants in the area – worked with some London drama schools a-week Graduate Diploma in Psychology. maybe to actors and writers as well as that were very open to the topic, where It was everything I hoped for. I directors.’ Why did you raise this issue I’ve run workshops for actors. Currently particularly found the social psychology now? ‘A number of papers in 2015 by if a student develops a mental health and cognitive work fascinating. I was also the government and the Mental Health problem, they may be referred to a doing acting and dramatherapy at the Foundation have raised the importance counsellor (depending on the drama same time.’ I pointed out that Naomi has of mindfulness and mental health school), which is fine but they are not seemed to keep – to put it mildly – pretty promotion. Plus, I’ve returned to being provided with the skills to manage busy. ‘I sometimes think I ought to performing and it’s prompted me to act… their mental health long-term. By practise what I preach and get a better so to speak.’ contrast, I want mental health promotion work–life balance, but I enjoy being busy.’ on the curriculum of drama schools.’ Naomi then worked as a volunteer psychology assistant one day a week for ‘Being a human being, not an six months in older adults and expert’ ‘They put people to sleep; I wake immediately applied for the doctorate. I asked Naomi if there was anything else them up’ ‘I chose an elective in older adults because she wanted to discuss. ‘Well, I read an So, how did such a varied and unusual I’d really enjoyed my placement and was article in The Psychologist by Naoimh Fox career develop? What is Naomi’s interested in the cognitive aspects of about working as a psychologist with background? ’My dad was a GP, my ageing. Three months after giving birth hearing loss. It greatly interested me since mum a nurse. The rest of my family are I started the clinical neuropsychology I wear two hearing aids. Being open from anaesthetists, including my husband. course via the CPD route.’ Naomi is also the outset about my disability is a good They put people to sleep; I wake them up trained in acceptance and commitment way to encourage stroke patients to, in and talk to them!’ Naomi completed her therapy, which she uses routinely in her turn, talk about their issues. It suggests thesis on sleep difficulties working with work with stroke patients. you’re a human being not just a the Northumbria Centre for Sleep To say the least, Naomi has come to psychologist, and I believe that Research. She is passionate about the clinical psychology by an unusual route, strengthens the therapeutic relationship. benefits of CBT-I and is setting up a following a fascinating range of interests. Disability and diversity are important primary insomnia service with consultant What does she think of the route to issues in our profession – as they are in neurologists who specialise in sleep chartership now? ‘My anxiety is that it’s acting…’ disorders where she works. becoming about money. I notice that they It’s a tribute to Naomi’s ability to ‘My grandmother was a trained singer are now offering self-funded places which communicate that this rich information and my father a concert-level pianist so could reduce diversity. There’s a worrying on a variety of topics came across in an perhaps that influenced my creativity. parallel to junior doctors who are going interview conducted via Skype on her As a teenager I trained with the National abroad to get better-paid jobs.’ phone while she was in her car, parked Youth Theatre of Great Britain and was Do psychology and drama really go outside the venue for her next always working on plays.’ Naomi’s family together? ‘Yes, more so than just in the appointment. To find out more about her insisted she got a degree before going to way I’ve started to link them. For work see www.naomihynd.com. drama school, ‘so I studied anthropology and archaeology at Durham University – developing my interest in people, the Jobs of the month on www.psychapp.co.uk cultures and societies they come from’. At weekends she did an HNC in Drama since, as she says ‘I like to keep busy’. After this she went to drama school in London on a one-year accredited course, ‘which was very expensive so I worked Clinical Psychologist Educational Psychologist alongside studying. Afterwards, I went for Jersey General Hospital ESF Therapy Centre auditions but the rejection was difficult. Location - Channel Islands Location - Overseas I was temping – which is fine, but if you Salary - £55,435 - £60,927 Salary - Competitive want to be acting it isn’t good for your self-esteem or motivation. I was also Closing date - 21/07/2016 Closing date - 31/07/2016 getting into debt, so I made a decision. I applied for an MA in Dramatherapy Clinical and Counselling psychology which allowed me to use my skills and opportunities further understand how people think. Ministry of Defence After the course I worked in the NHS Location - Various with clients with learning disabilities and acute mental health problems. I worked Salary - £37,071 / £49,835 alongside art and music therapists, Closing date - 25/07/2016 clinical psychologists and psychology assistants who helped to co-facilitate and evaluate the dramatherapy groups. To view these jobs and more please visit www.psychapp.co.uk I realised that clinical psychologists had

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 639 careers Quest for identity – recovering from eating disorders

Lucia Giombini outlines her work and thinking around anorexia

he soul needs a place.’ That quote, unique. One of the first steps with a Alongside this, there is by Greek philosopher Plotinus patient is consequently to help them now a substantial body ‘T(204/5–270 BCE) hangs at the to recognise that unhelpful thoughts, of research into the entrance to the inpatient eating disorder revolving around the body and food, neurobiological and service in Todi, Italy, which I visited for belong to an illness. Psychoeducation psychological the first time in 2006. The service admits about these symptoms helps them to see vulnerabilities and both adults and young people for a few the disadvantages of suffering from the sensitivities that heighten months at a time, and I recall my surprise disorder; there is a direct correlation the risk of developing a at how little it resembled a hospital; its between an increasing awareness of the disorder. warm and nurturing – almost homely – condition’s negative effects and the will to I continued to work atmosphere was designed to provide an recover. in other outpatient eating appropriate environment to foster In Italian clinical practice I learnt that disorder services, and I recuperation and recovery, to allow offering patients a multidisciplinary and assisted in the development inpatients the space to be restored to personalised treatment programme is of new inpatient units in physical and psychological health and crucial to their recovery. This approach Italy and Malta. During this to reconnect with themselves. allocates a team of professionals to the time I had the opportunity My experience came at the beginning patient, who can address every aspect of to meet many young of my clinical doctorate, when I went out their condition – organic, nutritional, people, and noted the sheer into the field for the first time. From the psychological and educational. Ultimately quantity and range of lectures I understood that eating disorders the patient needs to find his or her own rituals enacted on their lead the sufferer to reject, or abuse, one of personal reasons to embark on the path to bodies. They paint, pierce, the most elemental ingredients of our recovery. After this formative experience dress up and manipulate lives – food. It is difficult to conceive of I decided that I wanted to devote my their body in many a biological function more essential to career to understanding more about it. different ways and are sustaining life than eating. For nearly all Eating disorders most commonly immersed in a mass-media of us, breathing is an automatic process. affect adolescent girls and young adult culture that exalts the use The same applies to sleep. Eating, instead, woman, with those between the ages of of the body as a means to requires a degree of deliberate 15 and 35 representing the majority who communicate identity, engagement in the acts of gathering, receive treatment. They can also occur in values, status, and also shopping or going to a restaurant. boys and men, in older women and in encourages the Furthermore, the act of eating mediates pre-pubertal children of both sexes. Over viewer/reader to consider between nature and culture, and 725,000 men and women in the UK are the body as the basis of throughout history human beings have affected by eating disorders. Anorexia happiness and health. always attributed meaning to food to nervosa alone affects about one in 150 of The message and the emotions that express social, psychological, political, the adolescent population. they want to express and communicate cultural and religious beliefs. Although there may be some variation through their bodies are another essential I was also struck by how eating in the detail of the clinical presentation focus of the psychological work. They disorders affect the mind as well as the related to age and gender, the core display extreme behaviour such excessive body, highlighting the importance of the features are consistent across the age dieting, intense physical activity, and self- circular connection between these two spectrum. What is being expressed harm. The attention that they pay to their parts of our selves. It was soon clear to through weight and shape concerns and own bodies can consequently easily me that people suffering from eating unhelpful eating behaviour/patterns is metamorphose into an obsession. disorders may die as a result of the essentially a quest for identity, starting After a few years of working in the organic complications of the illness. with this question: ‘Am I good enough?’ clinical field I became the Project A general lack of awareness of the illness, The immediate answer from loved ones Manager for a national research project in conjunction with the degree of severity is naturally ‘Yes, of course’. The way in exploring the predictive factors and that this disorder can reach, was which we can reinforce this message, psychopathological aspects of childhood simultaneously both extremely upsetting and for those we love to actually believe and adolescent eating disorders for the and fascinating from a psychological it, is through a complex personal growth Italian Ministry of Health. The experience perspective. process in which every one of us – provided me with a deeper understanding It is one of the few mental illnesses parents, relatives, teachers, coaches, of the organisation of the services from which, initially, a patient has little professionals – is involved. involved, and the importance of offering motivation to recover. The link that a The etiology of eating disorders is a continuity of care between different patient often establishes between the multifactorial. Evidence continues to stages of treatment. This still represents condition and their sense of identity is emerge of the importance of social and a difficult element, which needs characteristic, as is the related feeling that cultural factors, which relate to body improvement. A smooth transition will it somehow makes them special, or image and peer-media influence. decrease the possibility of a relapse, so it

640 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 careers

Clinical Psychologist, opened the first themselves to openly acknowledge my unit in Europe for eating disorders in words, but that they were nevertheless children and adolescents. I owe to listening. Moments like this serve to them and their conspicuous work reinforce my conviction that I am on the what I know about this disorder. right path. Professor Lask sadly passed away Today we can confidently assert that in October 2015, and his death is a great steps forward have been made in significant loss to the academic world. our understanding and treatment of His description of anorexia nervosa as eating disorders, but should also a disorder of paradoxes has always recognise that our knowledge is far from particularly intrigued me; complete and that we have yet to identify For example, pre-morbidly our treatments that are consistently effective. patients have been conscientious and There are emerging treatments such as compliant but during the illness they emotions-focused therapies, cognitive are rebellious and resistant; they see remediation therapies, and yoga and themselves as fat when they are thin; mindfulness-based therapies; early feel well when they are ill; feel full intervention, a motivational approach when they are empty. They starve and multidisciplinary treatment, with themselves but sometimes binge, the involvement of caregivers, remain the they are obsessed with food but avoid key elements of any effective treatment it. They tend to be popular and programme. successful but have low self-esteem; The government has recently they appear to be in control and announced a policy objective of controlling but feel they have no expediting care and expanding services control or are out of control. They look for teenagers with eating disorders. An fragile but behave with extraordinary additional £30m of funding has been strength and determination; they specifically allocated to eating disorder perceive their tormenting and services as the result of compelling destructive illness as friend and a evidence supporting the importance of comfort. At times they appear to have a rapid and focused response in effectively insight but can switch instantly to a dealing with the condition. Support will state of illness denial (anosognosia). be offered much more quickly, with an increasing number of patients being seen In a psychological session with a within a month of referral, or within young girl suffering from anorexia it is a week for urgent cases. This position is crucial to ‘read between the lines’, as very encouraging, and holds real promise. what is said is frequently contradicted To quote Georges Bernanos, ‘When by reality. An insistence that they are the youth cool off, the whole world will ‘perfectly well’ is common, as is an chatter their teeth’. We all need to try to apparent unconcern with their respond to the ‘call’ of young people. deteriorating physical condition. Parents need to be informed of the The main question I ask a patient to defining characteristics of their children’s is important to make sure this is understand the severity of their condition difficulties, and to remember that they facilitated. is: How much time do you spend are an essential ally in the prevention and The neuropsychological aspects, the thinking about what you eat and how you treatment process. process of their thoughts, is as important look? Often the answer is: All the time, I hope that progress in research and as their content. People with eating apart from when I sleep. Subsequently, treatment will help us to raise young disorders seem to have a lack of flexibility the focus of the work helps them to people who appreciate themselves and in their thinking styles and a strong externalise the illness. Is it you or the their own bodies, and treat them with tendency to focus on details at the cost of anorexia’s voice speaking? This question respect. the bigger picture. New approaches like is often met with hostility, even anger, as cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) they are unable to distinguish between I Dr Lucia Giombini is a Chartered seem to help patients to developing more themselves and the disorder. Eventually, Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the helpful thinking strategies. I am however, they will begin to adopt similar British Psychological Society. She currently dedicating a part of my job in language to the practitioner when works as Highly Specialist Clinical contributing to the research evaluating discussing their condition. The approach Psychologist at Rhodes Wood Hospital, the effectiveness of CRT as it appears very is always motivational: they need to feel Partnerships In Care, London. See promising. that they are not being forced into www.luciagiombini.com. When I moved to London over two changing, as this will usually trigger a years ago I had the honour of working powerful urge to resist. References with Professor Bryan Lask at Rhodes Despite working in this field for many Lask, B. & Bryant-Waugh, R. (2013). Eating disorders in Farm, an inpatient unit for children and years, it remains a challenge. The results childhood and adolescence (4th edn). London: adolescents with eating disorders, when of my work are often only seen years Routledge. he was medical director. He was the one later, when I receive letters from patients Lask, B. & Frampton, I. (2009). Anorexia nervosa – who more than 20 years ago with Dr thanking me and stating that – at the time irony, misnomer and paradox. European Eating Rachel Bryant-Waugh, Consultant of treatment – they did not allow Disorders Review, 17(3), 165–168.

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 641 Advertising Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist Job type: 2 posts available, Permanent 37.5 hours Pay scale/salary: Band 8a opportunities in 2016 Locations: Stockport/Heywood, North West and Rugeley, West Mids. Closing Date: 4th August 2016 Upcoming Display Appointment Publication issues advert section date Care in Mind is a specialist service providing NHS funded intensive deadline deadline mental health packages and residential placements for complex September 27 July 3 August 18 August young people and young adults. We offer intensive therapeutic October 31 August 7 September 22 September provision to young people, often transitioning from inpatient or secure settings, to support them to be able to maintain community placements. We specialise in working with young people with a CPL has been appointed by the British history of complex trauma and personality disorders. Psychological Society and we are very An exciting opportunity has arisen for two Clinical Psychologists excited to be your point of contact for all to join our existing team. We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated individuals who thrive in a multi-disciplinary environment and are advertising. CPL is an award-winning full particularly interested in working with young people and young service agency that was established adults with complex difficulties. Applicants would be joining an in 1996. existing team of clinical psychologists, family therapists, psychiatrists, and nurses.

To discuss the opportunities for advertising Post holders would have considerable autonomy to shape and and promotion in The Psychologist, develop their role providing direct clinical input, supervision, consultation, teaching and clinical leadership within a multi- www.psychapp.co.uk and Research Digest, disciplinary setting. We are committed to the development of our please contact Matt Styrka on 01223 378 005 staff through CPD and training and are active in the field of research. or email [email protected]. If you would like to discuss either post further or want to arrange an informal visit please contact: Dr Rachel Scullion, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 0161 638 3285 or [email protected]. For an application pack; job description and person specification, please email [email protected]

PSYCHOLOGIST You were born to care. It’s ingrained in who you are and what you do. And Jersey is the place to let that shine. With a focus on having the time to really care, you’ll find more on offer than just a career. Joining us as a Psychologist it will be your responsibility to collaborate with local networks and develop specialist treatment plans, shaping needs for individuals within in the community that require care. This is your chance to rediscover why you love what you do, and who you are. To get back to why you started doing this in the first place and reconnect with your aspirations. To find out more and apply please visit www.carerediscovered.je

642 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 YOUR SUPPORT WILL TACKLE CHALLENGES.

CLINICAL AND COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES Principal Clinical Psychologist - £37,071 Consultant Clinical Psychologist - £49,835 Are you interested in working clinically with serving members of the UK Armed Forces? 1.0 wte C1 Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist We have a number of opportunities for HCPC registered Clinical and Counselling Portsmouth, South East, PO1 3LT Psychologists with doctoral level qualifi cations. Plymouth, South West, PL2 2BG Our jobs are interesting and varied: a mixture of clinical work, supervision, audit, research, Aldershot, South East, GU11 1AY service development, teaching & training activities locally and across the Ministry of Brize Norton/MOD St Athan, OX18 3LX Defence. In return you will have access to the following benefi ts: Civil Service pension scheme (contributory); fl exible working arrangements including job share; regular For further information contact Head of Service DCPS; contact & support from colleagues; funding for CPD; access to Civil Service leadership [email protected] or call 01543 434743 during offi ce hours. and management training; reimbursement of professional subscriptions and work-related Applications must be made online at www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk travel expenses; access to on-site facilities (gymnasium, messing, clubs, societies etc.) Please enter ‘MOD’ and ‘Psychologist’ into the search facility to be taken to a list Current vacancies: of current vacancies. 1.0 wte B2 Consultant Clinical/Counselling Psychologist For opportunities to serve as a Military Clinical Psychologist with the Royal Army Portsmouth, South East, PO1 3LT Medical Corps please contact Rinu Sangha, British Army Recruiting Group; 0.6 wte B2 Consultant Clinical/Counselling Psychologist [email protected] or call 07753 440902. Faslane Port, Scotland, G84 8HL The MOD is an Equal Opportunities employer and seeks to refl ect the diverse community Kinloss, Scotland, IV36 3UH it serves. Applications are welcome from anyone who meets the stated requirements. A Force for Good. www.civilianjobs.mod.uk

Current Opportunities Available

Options employ 1200 staff at locations throughout the UK and provide a Therapist Part Time
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“Options is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone in our care and expects all staff to share this commitment” www.optionsgroup.co.uk

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 643 CLINICAL OR EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST FULLTIME, PERMANENT VACANCY BAND 8A

An exciting opportunity has arisen for You will be joining one of two geographically- an experienced Clinical or Educational based multi-disciplinary teams, which Psychologist to join our award-winning are responsible for providing assessment autism service covering South Staffordshire. and post-diagnostic services to children We became operational in April, 2009 and referred to the service. Duties include have developed to become a key player in assessment, psychological interventions, the field of mental health and well-being. liaison, consultation, training and advisory We are a not-for-profit Social Enterprise activities, supervision and consultation to team and a proud member of the NHS family of colleagues. provider services, we mirror NHS pay scales It is essential that you have a full driving licence, and pension contribution rates. access to a car and HCPC registration.

South & Mid Highland PLEASE SEND COVERING LETTER & CV TO [email protected] (Inner Moray Firth) Operating Unit CLOSING DATE 8TH AUGUST 2016 AT 5PM ● INTERVIEW DATE 16TH AUGUST 2016

New Craigs, Inverness Clinical Psychology (2 Posts) Professional Lead for Psychology – Band 8d IGEL LAGG SSOCIATES £67,920 - £84,091 pro rata Ref: IM15/16/60 N B A Part Time Post - 30 hours per week, Permanent CHILD & ADULT PSYCHOLOGISTS An exciting and challenging opportunity has become available to work in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland which offers quality of life equal to anywhere in the UK. Based in Inverness, , Established in 1990 and based in the South appointment to this senior post offers the chance to enjoy the best of city life yet be within easy reach of beautiful scenery along the coast, wonderful inland countryside and forestry yielding to West, NBA require additional experienced spectacular hills and mountains to the west. With excellent schools and a safe environment this is Clinical & Educational Psychologists for child, an ideal location for families with a choice of residing in the city, in any of a number of attractive adult & family expert witness assessments urban communities within easy reach of Inverness, or alternatively enjoying a more rural lifestyle yet readily commutable to work. Understanding of child abuse/neglect, parenting The Department is based in modern accommodation at New Craigs Hospital, Inverness and the successful candidate will have overall professional responsibility for Clinical and Counselling & attachment issues are essential. Training in Psychologists who deliver services for patients referred from Highland and Argyll and Bute.  
  
  

   The post carries responsibility for providing professional leadership for those staff and also for our Cognitive Behavioural Therapists and who provide general psychology services to that population. Support & supervision provided In addition to the professional leadership role, the post holder will be expected to carry their own clinical caseload. CVs to [email protected] All general psychologists work in specialist multi-disciplinary teams each of which serves a defi ned number of GP practices from which referrals are accepted of patients with moderate to severe mental health problems or psychological disorders. The person appointed will join the service at a particularly interesting and challenging time as NHS Highland prepares for the implementation of the forthcoming National Mental health Strategy and the desire to improve access to Psychological Therapies for all ages. The successful candidate will be expected to take a lead role in offering CLINICAL AND COUNSELLING advice to service planners and managers on the implications of proposed changes for applied PSYCHOLOGISTS psychologists working in services and for supporting those colleagues through the inevitable processes of change which lie ahead. Psychiatric and Psychological Consultant Services Ltd (PPCS) is an Independent It is anticipated therefore that candidates applying for this post will have considerable experience Clinic and Registered Provider with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for of working in secondary care adult mental health services delivering psychology services for a assessment and treatment in psychiatry, psychology and allied disciplines. broad range of moderate to severe mental health problems. Evidence of professional leadership We are pleased to advertise that we have opportunities for experienced experience will be expected together with a demonstrated involvement in offering advice at a senior and highly motivated Chartered Psychologists to join our team of 50 clinicians. level on professional issues to managers and service planners. Previous leadership training will Our collegiate culture offers a supportive and regulated environment within also be an advantage as will evidence of ability to deliver and supervise in a range of psychological therapy modalities. In addition, a proven record of involvement in signifi cant quality improvement which to begin or develop private practice experience. work and in research of publishable quality is highly desirable. The applied psychologists within our service have a range of clinical interests refl ecting a variety ABOUT US of theoretical and therapeutic orientations, and an emphasis is placed on good peer supervision Based at 14 Devonshire Place, situated in the medical area of Central London, we operate and support. Clinical services are also delivered in primary care settings across Highland. We also a medically led specialist service to assess and treat adults, older adults, and young people offer supervision to Trainee Clinical Psychologists on the NHS Scotland Clinical Psychology (D. requiring mental health services through individualised treatment and care. Clin. Psychol) Training Programme as well as to Trainee Clinical Associates in Applied Psychology. Our expertise also includes a substantial medico-legal practice in brain injury, personal injury, and forensic work. Our clinicians include consultant psychiatrists, both general and specialist, clinical & counselling psychologists, neuropsychologists, and other specialist Clinical Psychologist – Band 8a therapists, together with the availability of psychiatric nurses and occupational therapists. £40428 - £48514 Ref: IM15/16/74 All of the services at PPCS are provided on an outpatient basis unless otherwise specified Full Time Post – 37.5 hours per week, Permanent by our clinicians. The Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) at PPCS has been constituted with representation You will be working with Adult Mental Health referrals from CMHT’s, one of which you will be from all the professional disciplines involved at the Clinic. It has been empowered aligned to and following completion of the reorganisation, be line managed through. There will still specifically to ensure that clinical standards are measured, reviewed and maintained. be an AMH lead clinician and an overall professional lead. As stated in the advert above, close links exist with Glasgow D.Clin Psych training. ABOUT THE POSITION We are looking for an HCPC registered Clinical psychologist who is keen and enthusiastic to be All applicants must have a minimum of four years’ post qualification experience and hold a part of a large and evolving service. appropriate professional accreditation. and provide all relevant certificates and qualification Informal enquiries to documents, plus agree to undertaking a DBS and providing two satisfactory references. Post 1 - Mr Michael Perera, Service Manager on [email protected] or 01463 706948 Specialisms in neuropsychology, eating disorders, treatment for work related symptoms for high performance/high pressure environments, and ability to speak other Post 2 – Sue Waring, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on [email protected] or 01463 253697 languages are highly desirable but not essential. The hours for the post are flexible working Application Forms and Job Descriptions can be downloaded via our website sessions between Mon-Fri from 9am-9pm. www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk or available from, and to be returned to the Employment Services Section, John Dewar Building, Inverness Business & Retail Park, Highlander Way, Inverness IV2 7GE or by emailing your name and address to [email protected] To apply for a position please email your CV and cover letter to Deborah Young, Practice Manager Closing date for receipt of completed application forms: 12 noon on 5 August, 2016. For further information at [email protected] or by mail to: about PPCS then please Deborah Young, Practice Manager visit our website at Quality care to every person, www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk PPCS Ltd, 14 Devonshire Place www.ppcsltd.co.uk every day. London W1G 6HX

644 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 TITLE: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST EMPLOYER: VISION MENTAL HEALTHCARE CORNERSTONE HOUSE

Vision Mental Healthcare (VMH) is an independent the MDT and will work alongside other mental health healthcare provider to the NHS founded in 2008. professionals overseeing the programs that are The service is operated from Cornerstone House, an currently in place. You will be based at Cornerstone inpatient service with 25 beds. VMH provides on-going House in Elstree, Hertfordshire. treatment to patients that have been discharged from the service; either in their own home or in supported We are looking for someone with a high level of living services. emotional intelligence who either already has the relevant current experience or can be successfully The service specialises in MBT and provides a complete developed into the role. You will have supervisory inpatient program to patients with personality disorder. responsibility for two assistant psychologists. The program has been running for four years. In addition to the MBT service, structured rehabilitation is provided To apply for the position please send a copy of your CV to people with other forms of mental disorder. to the following email address with a covering letter: [email protected] We are looking for an additional clinical psychologist to Short-listed applicants will be contacted by email. support our expanding programme having experience Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/ in facilitating group work. The successful candidate spam folder. would also require an interest in MBT although clinical experience of the model is not essential as training will be Please note that Vision Mental Healthcare is an equal provided both in-house and via the Anna Freud Centre. opportunities employer. All successful candidates with be required to provide two references and have DBS As part of your role you will be a pivotal member of clearance.

CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIPT OF COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS  FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 2016.

WORKING HOURS: 40 PER WEEK SALARY: DEPENDENT ON EXPERIENCE LOCATION: HERTFORDSHIRE CLOSING DATE: 12 AUGUST 2016

seek and advertise at www.psychapp.co.uk 645 Witty words Compelling despite of wisdom Talking Sense REVIEWS About Medicine compromise Richard Asher

Talking Sense About Medicine ‘Sixty per cent of people put on weight after they enter a comfortable relationship’ – reveals clinical presents a collection of writings psychologist Professor Tanya Byron in her TV series Lose Weight for Love about behaviour change in from the renowned physician eating and exercise. It seems so obvious, so overlooked, and perhaps explains a lot about public Richard Asher (1912–1969). health. As an academic health psychologist, I wondered: What is it about couplehood that promotes Asher is delightfully frank in his unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyle? And if each partner is part of the other’s weight writing style and provides advice problems, would temporary separation help? about good writing and logical Each episode features an overweight couple, sedentary and with poor diet. After health checks, reasoning that are as relevant Professor Byron separates them for 10 weeks. Apart, but with social support from friends or today as they were over 50 years family, Professor Byron and her team work to ago when that very advice was change their eating and exercise behaviours. written by typewriter. Byron's team includes Rick Shakes- This book will appeal to Braithwaite as physiologist and personal psychologists who are trainer, Professor Paul Dolan as ‘behavioural interested in organic causes scientist’ [see ‘One on one’ on p.656] and an underlying psychological off-camera dietician. Participants follow a symptoms, as Asher himself personalised exercise and diet plan (with the was. But that’s not all it has to personal trainer as kingpin), and Professor offer. Delving much deeper into Byron works with psychological issues that lie meta-cognition, Asher provides behind the unhealthy behaviours. These often a thought-provoking discussion lead to eating or drinking to escape painful of how the language we use to feelings, or involve the meaning of food in the describe disease will alter the relationship. way we think of it, and the Byron and Dolan bring experience in treatment provided. broadcasting and skill at describing Well ahead of his time, psychological ideas for a general audience. Asher also discusses the need The programme does not sensationalise for evidence-based medicine, obesity and shows that, sometimes, and the therapeutic benefits of Lose Weight for Love unhealthy behaviours can be a result of placebo, including a sense of BBC One psychological problems or relationship issues ‘salesmanship’ from the – which health psychology sometimes physician. Some of the topics ignores. I appreciated Tanya’s warmth and covered are dense, but Asher wisdom, especially in Episodes 3 and 4. The leads the reader through, charismatic personal trainer nearly steals the show, and also uses simple behaviour change speaking directly to us with a techniques. Behaviour change is rightly shown as a team effort, with skills of cooking and exercise level of clarity to be admired. counting as much as determinants of behaviour, and experts in nutrition, exercise and psychology Asher is kind enough to playing their part. share with us his own advice for But long-standing psychological issues seemed improved by a short conversation with writing, and as a PhD student in Professor Byron, or a behavioural experiment or challenge; there must have been a great deal the final writing stage, I found of work off-camera. There were also times when the added value was not clear of the academics' comfort in his wonderfully interventions beyond those of the skilful personal trainer. Paul Dolan, known for research on satirical piece ‘Aren’t I lucky? happiness and bestselling book Happiness by Design, played a minor role and without the airtime I can write’, which describes to explain the science behind them, his behaviour-change interventions seemed gimmicky. An the painstaking processes of outstanding researcher, he appeared less comfortable working with clients; it seemed they rarely revising and editing a piece of welcomed his interventions, and these sometimes struck me as regrettable. writing to share an idea. I was hoping for more airtime on how the couple’s togetherness contributed to their problems, His personality really shines or how separation led to more change than the other interventions alone. Even without underlying through in his writing, leaving issues, health behaviour change rarely comes easily, and opportunities were missed to help the you the reader with a sense of process (and educate viewers) by working with a health psychologist. having known a truly TV programmes such as Lose Weight for Love mix entertainment, education and inspiration, and remarkable man, full of the team achieves a compelling programme despite the necessary compromises. The core concept common sense, wisdom and of separation for behaviour change is fascinating (though perhaps unrealistic except in severe wit. cases), and the series casts light on causes of behaviour and change that the media and psychologists often ignore. I wished for more attention to its intriguing core concept, but this was I Psychology News Press; 2015; a show I looked forward to each week and learned from. It is worth watching for anyone interested Hb £14.99 in living more healthily, or anyone who helps others to do so. Reviewed by Audrey Henderson who is a PhD I Reviewed by Dr Francis Quinn who is a Lecturer in Psychology, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen student at the University of St Andrews

646 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 reviews

Intriguing revelations The Hidden Freud: His Hassidic Roots Joseph H. Berke

This scholarly text explores in meticulous and origins. The holism in the field of human detail, the Jewish roots of psychoanalysis. tensions between relations. His ideas were early Berke reveals a wealth of material about mysticism, religion forerunners for interdisciplinary Freud’s Jewishness, from being steeped in and science inquiry that is now increasingly Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition, to remained an issue all commonplace. secretive meetings with the Lubavitcher of Freud’s life, In discovering more about ‘Rebbe’ (from the Yiddish for rabbi, but providing psychoanalysis and its deep referring to prominent, dynastic leaders) enlightenment for us roots, I am struck by its contrast Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Berke’s today, for example in to the predominance of ‘fixing’ assertion that psychoanalysis emerged from understanding in modern mental health, in the secularisation of Kabbalah is made hierarchies of particular the emphasis on CBT convincingly, based upon rigorous evidence in health in Improving Access to documentary research, citing the teachings care. Psychological Therapies (IAPT). of the Rebbes and Freud’s colleagues, For a Freud fan like me the book holds For those seeking different types of intensive associates and disciplines. many highlights. I found the chapter or longer-term therapy there are many Freudians and those of a non- ‘Lowness of spirit’ particularly interesting barriers, particularly in the nebulous realm psychoanalytic bent will be intrigued by and offering insights on the nature of of wellbeing. Psychoanalysis refers to soul- revelations about Freud’s relationships with depression in all its manifestations. Freud’s analysis, a seeking for self-completion. This his close family and religious leaders that conception of depression is explicated in requires a long and deep commitment that explain his reputation as a ‘godless Jew’. connection to his own ill health, losses and has concomitant resource implications, a What is clear is that Freud’s seeming about- trauma, including the deaths of his brother tough ask in our cash-strapped NHS. Yet for turn from Jewishness was a pragmatic Julius, his daughter Sophie and grandson each soul analysed and repaired, the move, designed to smooth his transition Heinele. Also illuminating are the benefits radiate from the therapeutic space to the prestigious psychoanalytic figure he connections between psychoanalysis and to the wider world, making a difference and became. His privileged prophetic position other sciences including quantum physics, helping others. Surely all of us, whatever would have been hard to attain had he chemistry and mathematics in the chapter our background and means should be revealed his religiosity. ‘Atonement’. enabled, in Freud’s words, ‘to love and to Freud became (and remains) a godlike Interesting anecdotes abound, including work’ (Lieben und Arbeiten). figure, with many disciples, to the present that of the Hungarian neurologist Sándor This text is highly recommended to day. With multiple rich examples, Berke Ferenczi, a close associate of Freud who those who seek more information on Freud demonstrates Freud’s deep ties to his accompanied him to the US in 1909. There the person and the origins of orthodox, pious Jewishness (or Hassidism), psychoanalysis was introduced to an psychoanalysis. as if forgetting and remembering it, for American audience and Freud lectured example the inclusion of ‘Yiddishisms’ in his alongside the Nobel prize winners Ernest I Karnac Books; 2015; Pb £25.99 writing. This evokes the developmental Rutherford, a chemist, and A.A. Michelson, Reviewed by Dr Victoria Tischler who is journey we all take in becoming independent a physicist. Ferenczi later wrote about a a Chartered Psychologist and freelance from, yet interdependent with, our childhood move away from reductionism towards research consultant

A homage to Freud Genius of the Modern World BBC Four

This was something of a saying one thing when you mean impact of brain damage, its ‘replaced’ might have been homage, and historian Bettany your mother. Predictably, there disempowering effects and a better word – he would have Hughes did not seek to lock was criticism, particularly, on patients’ attempts to defend been fascinated by horns with Freud, as so many Freud’s thinking about sex. The against the loss of abilities, have developments in neuroimaging commentators have. Instead philosopher A.C. Grayling was all been fruitfully framed by and our growing understanding there was appreciation that brought in to briefly and gently Freud’s thinking and model of of genetics, and cells, and how Freud had transformed thinking take on a few Freudian ideas. mind. Although Hughes did the activities of biological about psychological illnesses Pleasant though this all recognise that Freud was a molecules underpin all human and the treatment of those who was, and there was some neuroscientist (one of the first), behaviour from conception to are suffering from psychological excellent archive footage, I felt his legacy in this now so modern thought and emotion. disorders. Moreover, there was an opportunity had been missed of research areas went For something with a bit acknowledgement that much of to explore how Freudian thought unappreciated. Freud always more meat on it I’d recommend Freud’s thinking had permeated has powerfully influenced held that one day psychology Frank Sulloway’s brilliant book the modern world. Hughes neuroscience, especially in the would be replaced by biology, Freud, Biologist of Mind. herself seemed rather taken relatively new area of and although I do not think he with the notion of a Freudian neuropsychoanalysis. was correct in this – I Reviewed by Professor Martin slip – as the famous joke has it: Understanding the psychological ‘augmented’ rather than Conway, City University London

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 647 reviews

A ‘new direction’ Rethinking Excessive Habits and Addictive Behaviors Tony Bevacqua

Twelve-step approaches to Bevacqua is addiction treatment re-enforce uncompromising in his criticism helplessness and prolong of treatment within the USA, addictive behaviours. This is the particularly 12-Step, so readers claim in Rethinking Excessive new to the field would be wise Habits and Addictive Behaviors. to take a wider view of the Bevacqua’s book argues we have literature regarding addiction been culturally indoctrinated to and substance misuse believe that 12-step programmes treatment. Bevacqua is a life are the only way to treat coach and therapist, and the addictive behaviours. Excessive book does have the style of habits and addictive behaviours a self-help book rather than are normal human experiences a serious academic text. The and better understood as book’s duel focus is on the learning disorders on a criticism of the ‘Establishment’ continuum. Thus, he writes, and what Bevacqua refers to as 12-step programmes don’t a ‘new direction’. Having worked consider an individual’s unique in the UK substance misuse circumstances. The book’s treatment sector for nearly argument is that people with eight years, I definitely found ongoing addictive behaviours myself engaging more with the fail to address underlying latter. problems such as poor coping skills, low self-esteem, early I Roman & Littlefield; 2015; You will find exclusive book extracts on our website, developmental difficulties, fear Hb £24.95 including one from Charles Fernyhough’s book The Voices or identity crisis. Themes of Reviewed by Malcolm Clayton Within: The History and Science of How We Talk to Ourselves. celebrity culture, parenting and who is a third-year BSc In it, Fernyhough discusses the ‘hidden partner’ in art. Read our learned dependence on Psychology student at the at http://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/hidden-partner-art others’ love and approval are University of Derby (Distance) To contribute to ‘Reviews’, contact the editor on explored in relation to their and Team Leader in an [email protected] or follow @psychmag on Twitter for influence on addictive addictions service in the West opportunities. behaviours and treatment. Midlands

Short, sharp and informative The Sheldon Short Guide to Worry and Anxiety Frank Tallis The Sheldon Short Guide to Phobias and Panic Kevin Gournay

Sheldon Press describe themselves as ‘A they become a problem. And both authors Worry and Anxiety focuses more on worry leading publisher of self-help books on a adopt a fairly warm and friendly tone, and how this can lead to anxiety. variety of medical and psychological topics’. making the books easy to read. The Guide to Phobias and Panic aims to Their Short Guide series is a new range of Due to their brevity and step-by-step cover a lot of ground in its condensed page pocket-sized books, and with the Guide to approach I got the impression that these count, making it seem a little too concise in Phobias and Panic being merely 52 pages guides are aimed at the sort of person who places as there is no further information and the Guide to Worry and Anxiety being 58 wouldn’t normally read a self-help book. section or details of where to purchase pages, they really do live up to their With short chapters covering each step of some of the items suggested, such as descriptions. Each book is written by an the self-help programme they allow relaxation CDs. I was also slightly bemused expert and designed to provide an overview progression at the reader’s own pace and to find a reference to videocassettes, of the condition, an outline of treatments aim to provide practical, easily implemented suggesting that this was an update to a available and a self-help treatment plan. tools to learn to deal with these issues previous edition. The self-help methodology is not dissimilar effectively and rapidly. Overall these are useful little guides to the IAPT course approach. Each guide covers two related topics and providing succinct, easily comprehensible Both guides – but the Guide to Worry and focuses on dealing with the issues in a and immediately applicable information in Anxiety in particular – take the refreshing general way, but tends to focus more on one a user friendly format. and reassuring approach that the subjects area over the other. The Guide to Phobias and they are addressing are not problems in Panic concerns itself more with the panic I Sheldon Press; 2015; Pb £3.99 each themselves but that it is when these normal side and panic attacks rather than directly Reviewed by Louise Beaton who is an processes escalate or get out of control that focusing on specific phobias. The Guide to Open University psychology graduate

648 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 reviews

A bumpy but engaging ride The Musical Mental Health Cabaret Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester

Priya Mistry enters the compact auditorium, clear, sharing her talk, loudly states: ‘Are you shiny, glittery and colourful. It seems at first thoughts on suicide having a wobble, a cry? Why did we might have fun as the she and the set methods: e.g. gun – you wear that? It doesn’t look are dressed up as if to party, complete with ‘I’ve never handled good. Neither does the other mirror balls, music, and confetti. Then, one but it would be outfit. Why don’t you just leave approaching the audience, in a quavering quick’; jumping from now? This is terrible.’ Mistry voice she introduces herself and enquires a cliff – impractical regains her composure and how we are feeling. Several individuals are as she’s afraid of sings mournfully ‘It’s all in your asked to rate how they are ‘on a scale of heights; drowning, head, it’s all in my head’. A large 1 to 10’ as if a doctor or researcher is followed by a shark attack – no one would black circle, representing depression, is an seeking information about symptoms of find her remains. The suicidal ideation is omnipotent presence, Mistry noting it mental illness. She tells us the show is persistent, her thoughts are coolly getting bigger, even though it doesn’t seem about her, and about depression and anxiety, considered and rational, her only concern to eat, and begging it to leave as it ruins and asks us to ‘take care of each other’. The is for those who might find her dead body. everything. Of course, it ignores her and party is soon over as we find that the show When no day is enjoyable and there is no appears to swallow her up wherever she focuses on the suicidal end of the depressive enjoyment on the horizon, suicide seems goes. A simple device, effectively portrayed. spectrum. a logical decision. The darkness is lightened Priya Mistry is a likeable and talented Mistry’s work comes from a deeply by Mistry, a talented dancer, choreographer performer. Her work leaves a mark and is personal space. Her voice, disembodied, is and singer. The Cabaret’s highlights include sure to evolve as she refines what is the first broadcast from a speaker as she dances, ‘The Wheel of Misfortune’ where prizes outing of this material. parades, and simulates copulation; her include ‘two weeks of sleepless nights’ and efforts to overcome anhedonia ultimately ‘a lifetime of crippling self-doubt’. ‘C’mon,’ I For more information follow futile. Her headpiece changes from a she encourages the contestants, ‘You’ve got @whatsthebigmist on Twitter Brazilian carnival-style headpiece to a large everything to lose.’ We laughed, bleakly. Reviewed by Dr Victoria Tischler who is silver cloud that fits over her head like a I empathised with her, particularly in a a Chartered Psychologist and freelance helmet. Her voice is amplified loud and scene at her mirror when her negative self- research consultant

Overcoming psychological hurt Mr v Mrs: Call the Mediator BBC Two

This series follows ex-couples we see the mediator, Irene, going these episodes how difficult this breaks down in these cases. going through family mediation to and fro along a corridor while can be in practice. We also see However, as one mediator says: after a relationship breakdown. they are in separate rooms. what we have termed a lack of ‘Success in mediation doesn’t We hear each person’s side of As one of the mediators ‘emotional readiness’ – people look the same for everyone. For the story, and their mediators’ explains it: ‘My job as a mediator may be hurting too much to some it’s an agreement they can attempts to help them resolve isn’t to impose a solution but to negotiate successfully yet. take to their lawyer and have their disagreements. A mediator try and help them come up with The end of the episode made legally binding. For others, describes the challenge: ‘to reach one themselves.’ The summarises the success, or it’s starting to be able to speak a compromise that both sides programme demonstrates how not, of the process. In the first to each other.’ The series can bear’ – but they are also this is both a strength and episode only Sue and Peter, in provides a realistic picture of the supposed to aim for an outcome weakness of mediation. The a dispute about money, came family mediation experience – in the children’s best interests. psychological aspect of to an agreement. Victoria and psychologically fraught, not First we meet Sue and Peter, separation and negotiation Jason reached an agreement in always successful, but one way arguing about how to split their comes out strongly here, and we court about child contact, and of attempting to communicate finances after a 28-year can see why the decisions about Martin and Nicola were still and resolve disputes without marriage. Peter objects to ‘the property, money, parenting and disagreeing. Episode 2 shows going to court. morality of it’ as Sue is now living child contact are highly a similar pattern. Of the three with another man – his old boss. emotionally charged. We can couples, only the couple dealing I Reviewed by Janet Smithson We also meet Martin and Nicola, also observe how tricky it is for with property and financial who is a Senior Lecturer in the arguing about whether and how the mediator to demonstrate agreements agreed an outcome. School of Psychology, University Martin can see their young neutrality (a core mediation The programme demonstrates of Exeter children. He feels ‘It’s a vendetta value) while parties argue how difficult it is to overcome Reference against me’. The third couple in bitterly. Many of the participants psychological hurt and make Barlow, A., Hunter, R., Smithson, J. & episode 1, Jason and Victoria, in our study of family mediation ‘rational’ decisions, and in Ewing, J. (2014). Mapping paths to are ‘high conflict’, trying to co- (Barlow et al., 2014) complained particular for the ‘high conflict’ family justice: Briefing paper and parent their daughter. They are that the mediator was biased to couples – our study similarly report on key findings. University of attempting ‘shuttle mediation’ – their ex-partner, and we see in found that mediation typically Exeter.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 649 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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650 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 A big thank you… Without the voluntary input of our Members who serve on visiting teams and Committees, the accreditation through partnership process doesn’t work. Thank you from the Partnership and Accreditation team for all your hard work.

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read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 651 simultaneously raising productivity. Balchin experienced great success for several years working for the NIIP as an ‘industrial investigator’. A door to minds and Balchin’s job partly consisted of visiting factories, offices and other workplaces, examining the working emotions practices in operation and then ascertaining where and how LOOKING BACK LOOKING Derek Collett looks at the life and psychological novels of Nigel Balchin improvements could be made. The Cambridge graduate would probably have received only a rudimentary training and would have been obliged to lean heavily on his skill and judgement in order to ‘There is practically nothing in which opened to the understanding of the minds solve problems. One of his fellow I am not or can not be intensely and emotions of men’. Consequently, investigators, Clifford Frisby, who later interested.’ — Nigel Balchin Balchin was convinced that ‘there was a became the Institute’s Director, outlined new heaven and a new earth just round the modus operandi of the NIIP’s n 1950, when he was close to the peak the corner’. investigations staff: of his fame as a novelist, Nigel Balchin From Cambridge, Balchin went not The Institute’s investigators had no Iissued this statement as part of a to a new heaven but to London and a job ready-prepared remedies to apply; character sketch he wrote for an American with the National Institute of Industrial they had in effect to make a diagnosis newspaper. One thing that of the situation they found and to seek he was intensely interested for improvements from the human in was psychology. point of view wherever they thought it Balchin’s daughter, the possible to make them. childcare expert Penelope Leach, once admitted to During his first few years with the NIIP, me that her father had Balchin attended to ‘human factor’ aspects effectively been a such as eliminating unnecessary psychologist all his life. As movements made by factory workers, I will show in this article, making the working day less tedious, psychology made a big removing obstructions in the workplace, impact on Balchin when he revising factory layouts and improving was still a young man and transport procedures. it runs right through his Although Balchin could sometimes fiction like the lettering be cynical about the value of the work inside a stick of seaside he carried out for the NIIP (he once told rock. a friend that it had mainly consisted of Balchin studied ‘seeing a good idea in Factory A and psychology in his final selling it to the manager of Factory B’), term at Cambridge. His the fact that his salary increased by over tutor was Frederic Bartlett, 50 per cent in under four years suggests Director of the Cambridge that he had excelled as an industrial Psychological Laboratory psychologist and that he was highly and Reader in thought of by his superiors. Experimental Psychology. After a couple of years of reorganising Bartlett was an extremely factories, Balchin obtained his big break charismatic man: his in 1932 when he was put in charge of lectures were apparently ‘a a market research project run in festive performance which collaboration with the J. Walter nobody would have Thompson advertising agency, the dreamed of missing’, and eventual goal of which was to launch Balchin quickly fell under his spell. Psychology. (It is quite plausible that a new chocolate assortment on behalf According to one of his student friends, Bartlett helped to facilitate this placement of the confectioners Rowntree’s. Balchin’s interest in psychology was not as he was a member of the NIIP’s Balchin and colleagues performed simply theoretical. The undergraduate was Scientific Committee in 1930, the year in a very large consumer survey: 7000 also in the habit of asking ‘all his friends which Balchin was added to the Institute’s members of the public and 2500 and acquaintances about their dreams strength.) Inaugurated just nine years shopkeepers filled in questionnaires and, if they would discuss it, about their before Balchin joined it, the NIIP was an to elicit their opinions regarding what sexual thoughts and experiences’. Many innovative non-governmental agency would constitute the perfect chocolate years after he left Cambridge, Balchin formed with the aim of using assortment. Balchin used the Hollerith described the impact that psychology had psychological principles to tackle some punched-card system to analyse the data made on him while he was a student. He of the thornier problems encountered in generated and then organised extensive felt that, as a result of the discoveries of industry. Specifically, it strove to improve tasting tests to determine the composition Freud, Jung and Adler, ‘a door had been the lot of the worker whilst of the assortment. Given the name Black

652 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 looking back

Magic, the new boxes of chocolates began Rowntree’s in the wake of this decision and a psychiatrist, all with the aim of to rumble off the conveyor belt at the but continued to be involved in the field helping to identify servicemen with beginning of 1933 and proved to be a of consumer research right up until the officer potential. significant (and lasting) success for outbreak of the war. In the second half In 1961 Balchin spoke about trying Rowntree’s. Incidentally, it was Balchin of the 1930s he performed a vast number to obtain another post as an industrial who had the idea of packing the of chocolate tasting tests, many of which psychologist. That ambition came to chocolates inside a plain black box. [See involved a new Rowntree’s line: the nothing, but by then he had long since also https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/ bubble-filled milk chocolate bar Aero. established a firm hold on his position volume-20/edition-9/online-only-article- Balchin was given a fresh opportunity as one of Britain’s foremost purveyors of consumer-research-1958 and to demonstrate his psychological acumen fiction with a psychological theme. https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume in 1941 when he joined the army’s -14/edition-11/charlie-and-chocolate- Directorate of Selection of Personnel factory]. (Bartlett may have been instrumental Balchin’s psychological novels Despite Black Magic having in Balchin landing this position as well). Speaking as a layman, I suppose that all triumphantly proved that chocolate As part of a team of psychologists, novels that concern human beings must manufacturers could decisively benefit Balchin devised and implemented be psychological to at least some extent. from the expertise of industrial aptitude tests to assess the calibre of But Balchin went further than most of his psychologists, Balchin’s consumer aspirant soldiers. His experience with contemporaries in trying to get inside the research proved to be a dead end. George Black Magic was not wasted because he heads of his characters and work out Miles, Director of the NIIP when Black persuaded the army to adopt the Hollerith what made them tick. Magic was launched, crystallised one line system to sift the enormous volume of of thought regarding the Institute’s foray data produced during the testing Early works into the world of market research: procedure. This new personnel selection Balchin’s most important written Some people had a rather snobbish scheme improved both the quantity – contribution to the field of industrial attitude towards these investigations about 700,000 men were processed psychology is almost certainly How to Run and looked on them as lowering to during the war – and quality of army a Bassoon Factory, an entertaining spoof the dignity of the Institute. They were recruits, and one of Balchin’s of his career as an industrial investigator also ‘commercial’ and ‘opportunist’. departmental colleagues claimed that but one underpinned by a kernel of solid ‘psychologists transformed morale in the common sense. The author claimed in It must also be pointed out that British army from zero level in 1942’. 1969 that the book was still ‘required Cadbury’s, Rowntree’s principal Army psychologists, including Major reading in certain business training’ and competitor, were contributing £700 a year Nigel Balchin, also played a crucial role it gives a flavour of the working life of (about £45,000 today) throughout the in the introduction of the War Office a 1930s industrial psychologist. 1930s. Unlike Rowntree’s, they were Selection Boards in the summer of 1942. Balchin’s first novel also emerged as receiving no return on their investment This new system for selecting army an obvious by-product of his time with and so complained to the NIIP about this officers later served as the basis for the the NIIP. Published just a few months state of affairs. Partly as a result of this peacetime Civil Service Selection Boards. before he left the Institute to join pressure, the Institute decided that Balchin and his fellow members of DSP Rowntree’s, No Sky (1934) was a slice market research lay outside its remit and devised a mixture of leaderless group of social realism about a Cambridge so quietly dropped it. tests, outdoor practical tests, indoor graduate working as a time-and-motion Balchin left the NIIP to join discussions and interviews by two officers man in an engineering factory. The follow-up to No Sky, 1935’s Simple Life, was influenced by Balchin’s Rowntree’s experiences. It recounts the tale of a young advertising copywriter who quits the stresses and strains of London life and moves to Wiltshire in search of a simpler, pastoral existence. The first part of the book is set in an advertising agency (almost certainly based on J. Walter Thompson) and constitutes a richly amusing satire of Balchin’s work on the Black Magic account.

The Small Back Room (1943) Balchin’s first best-seller, The Small Back Room was also the first of a series of novels he wrote that featured men who were ‘damaged’ in some way (either physically or psychologically). Sammy Rice is a Second World War scientist specialising in the development of new weapons. He has an aluminium foot (possibly because his real one was blown off in the course of his work), a Balchin during Second World War drink problem and a girlfriend whom he

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 653 looking back

loves but refuses to marry as he considers A Way Through the Wood (1951) himself not good enough for her. Balchin’s second ‘moral maze’ novel also The Luftwaffe are dropping bombs formed the basis – in the guise of 2005’s that explode when interfered with on the Separate Lies – for the impressive ground, and several civilians are killed as directorial debut of Downton Abbey creator a result. When an army officer is also Julian Fellowes. blown to pieces whilst attempting to A cyclist is killed in a hit-and-run defuse one of the devices, Sammy is accident. Jim Manning, a local JP, has an summoned to tackle another of the inkling that the car responsible might bombs. Despite its conventional thriller- have been driven by the Honourable style climax, The Small Back Room is really William Bule, a near-neighbour of his about an inadequate man battling against with some conveniently flexible ideas almost impossible odds and, in the about the difference between right and process, trying to prove something to wrong. Manning confronts Bule but the himself, and this was to become a popular aristocrat pleads his innocence. Manning’s theme for Balchin. wife then confesses that it was Bule’s car that hit the unlucky cyclist but that she Mine Own Executioner (1945) was driving it at the time. Moreover, she By some distance, Mine Own Executioner admits that she has been having an affair is Balchin’s most obvious ‘psychological’ with Bule for months. Manning must novel. therefore decide between reporting his When Adam Lucian first enters the wife’s misdemeanour to the police (with consulting room of psychoanalyst Felix the attendant risk of her being put behind Milne it is clear that he represents a tough bars) or perverting the course of justice Testament. This fictionalised therapeutic challenge. Lucian is a former by saying nothing and hoping that the autobiography of Cesare Borgia, 15th- Spitfire pilot who was shot down over culprit is never found. century Italian warlord, effectively took Burma, captured by the Japanese and the form of a penetrating psychological viciously tortured. He escaped and made Sundry Creditors (1953) examination of the motives and methods his way back to England, only to make Like Balchin’s debut No Sky, this novel is of a deranged personality. With The Fall several attempts to kill his wife. The set in a factory but is concerned less with of the Sparrow, Balchin revisited the same novel thus resolves itself into a the nuts and bolts of industrial territory as the later novel also straightforward race against time: can psychology and more with unpicking the constituted a psychological case study of Felix analyse and ‘cure’ Lucian before character of Walter Lang, megalomaniacal a disturbed individual. the schizophrenic airman succeeds in Managing Director of the engineering Jason Pellew is a dreamer who drifts murdering his wife? works at the heart of the novel. Lang was through life in a sort of daze. Except for Unusually for Balchin, Mine Own loosely based on George Harris, a short spell during the Second World Executioner did not emerge from his own Chairman of Rowntree’s between 1941 War when he displays both courage and work experiences. Penelope Leach has and 1952. resourcefulness as an army officer; he is informed me that her father had a never able to stick at anything, and his ‘passionate desire’ to be a psychoanalyst The Fall of the Sparrow (1955) personal relationships are tantamount to but he never actually worked as one. In 1948 Balchin had published The Borgia a disaster. In one of his most satisfying Alarmingly though, given his lack of and well-rounded novels (a blurb writer medical qualifications, Balchin once observed ‘Here is Mr. Balchin in his remarked that he had practised in an most brilliant mood’), the author takes amateur fashion as an abnormal us right back to Jason’s early childhood, psychologist throughout the 1930s. examines the causes of his subsequent mental instability and shows how he A Sort of Traitors (1949) ended up in the dock accused of Very under-rated, but one of Balchin’s stealing from his nearest and dearest. best novels, A Sort of Traitors is one of two ‘moral dilemma’ stories that he penned in quick succession. Read on A team of biologists develop a new The Small Back Room and A Way Through cure for epidemics. A government the Wood have recently been reissued by minister then steps in and says, ‘You Weidenfeld & Nicolson. All of the other cannot publish this work. A nefarious Balchin books mentioned are currently foreign power might turn it on its head out of print but secondhand copies can and use it as the basis for a biological usually be found on the web. I heartily weapon.’ Two of the biologists therefore recommend you make the effort. face a stark choice: should they publish and be damned (and quite possibly go to prison for treason as a result) or should I Derek Collett’s own biography of they meekly comply with the gagging Balchin – His Own Executioner: order and effectively condemn millions The Life of Nigel Balchin – is published of people in the Third World to a slow by SilverWood Books and painful death? [email protected]

654 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk 655 One problem with in your job when you think psychological measures about how great it is, but … with Paul Dolan There are two main issues. miserable the rest of the time, First, the lack of real incentive then you should look for compatibility in experiments. alternative employment. ‘Happiness is seen I wonder how many of the

ONE ON biases shown in psychological One thing that makes you experiments would remain if happy as a trivial concern’ real money was at stake. And Weight training. I argue I don’t mean real money as in that happy lives are ones the few quid used by that contain a good balance experimental economists, but of pleasure and purpose and real money as in amounts that this is one activity that, for would have a significant effect me, is very high in both. One moment that changed conscious attention and on people’s happiness. I’m sure When I am chucking heavy the course of your career deliberate thought, decades some effects would be quite weights around a gym, it is Sitting next to Daniel of research in behavioural robust but that many others about the only time that I am Kahneman on a short bus ride science has shown that most would disappear. I would truly focused on what I am at a conference in Milan in actions are driven by suggest carrying out fewer doing. Weight training is 2004. This stroke of luck automatic and unconscious experiments with more money mindfulness. resulted in me (an economist processes. This basic insight at stake. Second, the at the time) working with is important for anyone who scepticism that still exists One alternative career Danny (a Nobel Laureate in wishes to influence human around happiness measures Investigative journalist. Economics but a psychologist behaviour and improve in surveys. Sometimes by training) for a year at wellbeing. happiness is seen as Princeton University. That a trivial concern, even year opened my eyes to One thing you would change by psychologists, happiness research and to the For psychologists to think many of whom are importance of conscious and more clearly about the policy only interested in unconscious attention on implications of their research. behaviour. For policy determining what we do and Psychology is a discipline that purposes, we might how we feel. A decade later, in describes human behaviour, want to focus instead 2014, Happiness by Design was but policy makers require on measures of misery, published. It shows how prescriptions and predictions and we might want to people can better allocate their about how behaviour would do that in research to time and attention in ways change in response to different get them taken more that make them happier day stimuli. Economists have seriously. You might to day. models that predict changes not be interested in in demand when prices maximising happiness One insight that has stuck change, for example, and they but you would most likely Because I am bloody good at with you have been very successful in be pathological not to want writing. I love miscarriages of Most of what we do simply influencing public policy. to reduce misery. justice (not literally, but the comes about rather than being One way for psychologists stories surrounding them) and thought about. Whilst most of to influence policy is through One important so I would probably have us would like to believe that influencing economics, and misconception investigated cases of wrongful our actions are governed by this was the route so That the stories we live conviction. successfully taken by our lives according to are Kahneman and Tversky. But conducive to our happiness. One resource Paul Dolan psychologists could influence Much of our lives are lived in I have developed a tool that is Professor of policy more directly narratives and evaluations of helps people reduce their Behavioural Science at themselves if they paid more the things we think ought to tendency to be drawn towards the London School of attention to the normative make us happy. These alcohol – a nice example of Economics and Political (ought to) statements that narratives are often a product how we can alter our Science come out of their positive of social construction and unconscious processing of [email protected] (how the world is) analysis. external indicators (e.g. information to guide our income or relationship status). behaviour in ways that can Relying on ‘storytelling’ to make us happier. Look for assess our lives can distract ‘Attention Training’ at Surveillance, cybersecurity, peace, and much more... our attention from the http://pauldolan.co.uk. I Contribute: reach 50,000 colleagues, with something to suit all. See feelings brought about by www.thepsychologist.org.uk/contribute or talk to the editor, Dr Jon the moment-to-moment One final thought Sutton, on [email protected], +44 116 252 9573 experiences of our lives. As Try not to think too much. a result, many of us make Organise your life in ways that 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 mistakes when identifying the make you happier without rates: see details on inside front cover. things that really make us having to think about being happy. If you are only happy happy.

656 vol 29 no 8 august 2016 President Find out more online Professor Peter Kinderman President Elect at… www.bps.org.uk Nicola Gale Vice President Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes

Honorary General Secretary Dr Carole Allan

Honorary Treasurer Professor Ray Miller

Chair, Membership and Standards Board Dr Mark Forshaw

Chair, Education and Public Engagement Board Dr Carl Senior

Chair, Research Board Professor Daryl O’Connor

Chair, Professional Practice Board Dr Ian Gargan

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