THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL PSYCHOLOGY MAGAZINE

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

STRESSED & DEPRESSED A review of mental health in Chinese high schools fMRI: FRIEND OR FOE? ALSO: Weighing up evidence for A chat with Professor using neuroimages in court Robin Dunbar VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 1 contents

The threat of neuroscience in the courtroom Robert Udale 4 Metaphor in the mind Emily Darley 6 Alessandra Berti tells us... speak your mind! 8 Be a cognitive activist Jeff Orchard 9 What can we do about mental health in Chinese high school students? 11 Hanyu Dong

Summer in Sri Lanka Lana Crick & Lora Thomson 14

Facebook won’t get you more friends: Review and Q&A with Robin Dunbar 17 Robyn Dean editor’s Editorial Team “correspondence Editor-in-Chief & Layout Design AM delighted to pres- Acknowledgements Julie Lee I ent the very first issue I would like to thank the of Psyche (two sylla- contributors, who range Manuscript Editors bles!), the University from undergraduates Ellie Boyland of Bristol’s new to university lecturers. Libby Ford psychology magazine. As well, I am deeply Kirsty Pinner grateful to the edito- Lora Thomson Psyche aims to rial team for their help Jenny Turnbull encourage science with this publication. writing by students Contributing Editor and elucidation of The cover image Olivia Winton academic research is taken from a for the layperson. poster on electro- Creative Team convulsive therapy. Lana Crick This issue is fas- Robyn Dean cinating, pithy. and Finally, a heartful Molly Stephenson should engage psy- thank you goes to the chology enthusiasts of faculty and staff at the Cover all kinds. The range School of Experimental History of Medicine of exciting articles fall Psychology. Psyche Division (HMD) of the broadly into two topics: is kindly supported by U.S National Library of cognitive biases departmental funds. Medicine (NLM) and mental health. Future Directions Readers will also Articles for the next find a summary of a issue will be accepted recent departmental on a rolling basis; Contact Us seminar by Professor the next deadline will psyche.editor Robin Dunbar, followed be announced soon. @gmail.com by a short interview. Lastly, we accept Find Us A point of interest: letters to the editor. If ON FACEBOOK: Prof. Dunbar informed you have anything to facebook.com us that there was a say about the following /psyche.magazine publication called articles, let us know. Stimulus while he was a ON TWITTER: PhD student at Bristol! Enjoy! — JL @psyche_magazine The threat of NEUROSCIENCE in the COURTROOM OW much respon- the result of his mental There is also a large Hsibility can we illness: psychopathy. gap in laypeople’s give ourselves for Since then, there have understanding of what our actions? When a been concerns and fMRI actually shows. defence can show a criticisms over the Contrary to popu- criminal wasn’t under use of such ‘neu- lar opinion, it shows complete control of ro-evidence’ in court. changes in blood oxy- their actions at the time, gen levels, rather than such as due to a mental The first concern direct ‘neural activity’. illness, their punishment arises from the fact is often less severe. The that neuroimages, These concerns are question of free will is including those pro- grounded in scientific long-standing within duced by fMRI, may research. For instance, moral philosophy and have undue influence people gave more neuroscience. In recent over the jury’s decision. credence to scientific years it has even crept summaries which were into the word of law. For example, pre- accompanied by neuro- senting a brain scan images than ones which 2009 was the first year which supposedly were accompanied functional magnetic shows that a person by graphs (McCabe & resonance imaging has psychopathic per- Castel, 2008). Likewise, (fMRI) was used as sonality disorder may mock jurors who were evidence in court. This have more influence presented with anatom- occurred when Brian on the jury than a psy- ical brain images were Dugan pleaded for a chological report which more likely to reach a verdict of not guilty tells them the same verdict of NGRI (Gurley by reason of insan- thing. This likely stems & Markus, 2008), and ity (NGRI) for murder. from the belief that neu- execution rates of psy- His defence supplied roscience is a ‘harder’ chopaths were lower a scan of his brain, to science, and therefore when the jury was given argue that Dugan was should be treated as neuroimaging evidence not in complete con- having more credi- (Greene & Cahill, 2011). trol of his actions as ble than it deserves. This is probably due to

4 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 a false understanding of how imaging works, References with the participants putting neuroimaging Greene, E. & Cahill, B. (2011). Effects of on a pedestal above neuroimaging evidence on mock juror other forms of evidence. decision making. Behav. Sci. Law, 30, 280–296.

Another controversy Gurley, J. R. & Marcus, D. K. (2008). The rests in the use of fMRI effects of neuroimaging and brain injury on as lie detectors. In insanity defences. Behav. Sci. Law, 26, 85–97. another mock trial, lie detection using fMRI McCabe, D. P. & Castel, A. C (2008). Seeing is was much more per- believing: The effect of brain images on judgements suasive to the jury than of scientific reasoning. Cognition, 107, 343–352. the use of other, much better established, McCabe, D. P., et al. (2011). The influence technologies such as of fMRI lie detection evidence on juror polygraphs (McCabe decision making. Behav. Sci. Law, 577, 566–577. et al., 2011). This may be down to the partic- Roskies, A. L., Schweitzer, N. J., & Saks, M. J. (2013). ipants’ misbeliefs that Neuroimaging in court: Less biasing than neuroscience is able feared. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 17 ( 3), 99–101. to ‘see directly inside the brain’ and measure the neural activity going Despite the ongoing on. Some people are debate, it is clear that even pushing for fMRI the neuro-evidence is Want to know lie detection to be used becoming ever more more? as evidence in courts. pervasive within court- rooms. As a result, the http://news.science- There are now two future will require a mag.org/sciencein- companies (No Lie better understanding sider/2009/11/fm- MRI Inc and Cephos of neuroscience on the ri-evidence-u.html Corporation) offering part of jurors and judges. the service of lie detec- Is neuroscience safe to www.cephoscorp. tion using fMRI. The use in the courtroom? com problem, however, is The jury is still out. that even within the sci- www.noliemri.com entific community, the Robert Udale reliability of fMRI to PhD Student determine truthfulness is still hotly debated. Brain image taken with permission from Amy Davis Roth.

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 5 etaphor M in the mind HE word “metaphor” are linguistically con- ic-seeming ways of Tprobably takes you structed around sets expressing oneself. back to your secondary of metaphors following school English classes. a particular theme. For In English, when If you studied from example, in English, something is consid- the same short story love is a journey (con- ered to be more than anthology that I did, it sider the expression (or sometimes, better was a pretty safe bet “this relationship isn’t than) something else, that any puzzling aspect going anywhere”, it’s expressed as being of any text, from a rip- or “we’ll have to go “higher”. For instance, pling pond to the flight our separate ways”), “the temperature went of a pigeon, was a met- while time is money (“I up last week”. At first aphor for “growing up”. wasted half the morn- glance it’s hard to ing”, “she spent twenty notice that this is a met- Metaphor is not just minutes waiting”). aphor at all; of course a literary device. In increasing something some form or another, Concepts can also makes it go up. But it appears in practi- be expressed using that’s only true for con- cally any utterance more than one met- crete, physical units. you produce, however aphorical theme; for mundane and devoid instance, love is a There’s no real sense of flowery language. war and a patient in which your mark on The way human lan- as well as a journey: the social psychology guage is structured is “He fought to win her over.” exam took up more deeply rooted in met- “They have a strong, physical space than aphor, which perhaps healthy relationship.” your mark on the sta- underlies some aspects The metaphorical tistics exam, yet it was of our capacity for underpinnings of con- obviously “higher”; abstract thought itself. ceptualisation are not that’s just how the lan- limited to grand con- guage (and the concept) In the 1980s, George cepts of great human works. This doesn’t just Lakoff and Mark importance, like love apply to English. The Johnson pointed out and money. Rather, choice of metaphor that many concepts they can apply to will be different in other central to our lives even the most prosa- languages, but the

6 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 all-pervading sets of we can identify three cognitive architecture. metaphorical domains levels of usage. The are present wherever literal meaning is to In turn, the work- you look. They seem point at some object ings of language itself to be part of the way in order to draw a con- affect this architecture, humans express them- versational partner’s binding these two cru- selves, not just a quirk attention to it; that is, cially defining human of certain tongues. to get them to look at it. abilities inextricably together. Thus, the Why is this the case? But you can also ability to talk to each And why is this phe- point out a particular other about physical nomenon so obvious, argument in a newspa- objects and activities yet so well hidden per article, for example, such as hunting and from our intuitions to draw your interlocu- gathering could be about what constitutes tor’s attention to it in a repurposed to commu- a metaphor? You’ll slightly more abstract nicate about abstract probably spot these sense: there is no need notions such as under- metaphors all over now for them to physically standing a new idea. that you’ve been made look at this section aware of them, and it’s of the text in order to For instance, con- fun to winkle them out. consider the idea itself. sider the multiple, but Finally, you can point related, meanings An even more inter- out a new idea that of the English word esting exercise is your friend had never “grasp”. In doing so, picking up on the under- thought about before, the mapping between lying patterns. The most causing them not just to the two domains cre- important of these is notice it but to suddenly ated by this process the unidirectionality of understand a new per- could make it easier these fundamental level spective: yet another for a brain that is good metaphors from the layer of abstraction. at reasoning about abstract to the concrete. the concrete, physi- One theory to explain cal world to improve That is, you won’t find this pattern is that our at reasoning about the that these conceptual- capacity for abstract abstract world as well. isations can help you thought and our capac- talk about something ity to communicate The preexisting ability physical or tangible in our ideas in language to perform the former terms of a philosophical developed alongside kind of reasoning and idea or a mental entity. one another, creating thinking is what makes It is always the other a positive feedback one direction of met- way. A good example loop in which the way aphorical mapping in English is the expres- human language works ubiquitous and the sion “point out”, where is dictated by our other all but nonex-

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 7 istent. This is just one a concept means that the broader sense in aspect of a number of it difficult to entertain which our language ways in which human the idea of that concept. faculty and our faculty cognition is argued to for abstract thought are be “grounded” in the Different cultures linked has some intrigu- physical world. The happen to carve up the ing implications for the influence of linguistic world in slightly differ- way we think about structure on thought ent linguistic ways; this and investigate the is easy to overstate. It is neither surprising nor structure of the mind. does not seem to be particularly interest- true, for example, that ing, from a cognitive Emily Darley the lack of a word for perspective. However, First year PhD student lessandra Berti tells us... speak your mind! A ubu.org.uk/speakyourmind HEN I ran for ter, the statistics say Your Mind survey, Wwelfare officer, I that one in four of us will which seeks to capture vowed to help improve have a mental health students experience students’ experience of problem at some time of mental well-being. mental health. Several in our lives. However, at One of the killer ques- of my friends were Bristol, we haven’t been tions is how we can struggling with mental collecting any data on best support positive health problems such students’ well-being well-being. The answer as eating disorders, in a systematic way. doesn’t always lie with anxiety and depression. (just) counselling or Others reported similar We know that 117 medication but can things of their friends. students define as ‘dis- be through a culture Last year’s Look After abled’ due to mental change. Imagine your Your Mate campaign health difficulties. We lecturers talking to you tried to highlight student know that around 1400 about the importance experiences, opening a students access the of self-care, talking conversation about how university’s counsel- about their own experi- to best support friends ling service each year ences of low mood. Or who are struggling. and that every fourth encouraging students GP consultation at the to offer more peer-to In terms of students student health service peer-support, drawing and mental health is related to mental on the resources we statistics show that stu- health… but there are no already have in the stu- dents are more likely comprehensive figures. dent body. If you want to have mental health to help, fill in the - sur problems than the rest This term UBU has vey soon — it is open population. For the lat- launched the Speak until the end of January.

8 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 Be a cognitive ACTIVIST WAS secretly envious. I started to investigate what my teacher does IMy wife and I were the brain and learned to me at nap time at visiting another couple, about researchers school.” This potentially reminiscing about when like Elizabeth Loftus. innocent statement led we met our partners. to suspicions of sexual The husband earnestly Loftus has made a abuse, and an investi- said, “The instant I saw career disassembling gation which many of speak your mind! her, I told my friend that antiquated notions the children in the day- I was going to marry about memory – like, if care were questioned. her.” And he did. I was you remember it clearly, However, the interro- dumbfounded, and then it happened. That gation techniques used left wondering why turns out to be patently were coercive and I didn’t have such a false. Confidence in a biased. Investigators revelation when I first memory is not related asked leading questions set eyes on my wife. to its accuracy, but that were suggestive rather to your emotional of the alleged crimes. That’s pretty amaz- arousal at the time. Moreover, question- ing. What’s more ing occurred over an amazing is the number Even more insidious extended period of of such stories. Can is that memories can time, with many chil- they all really be true? be altered, or fabricated dren interviewed Obviously, it’s hard to unintentionally. A horri- repeatedly. We now deny one’s own mem- fying misuse of memory know that this is fertile ory of personal events. occurred in the 80’s, ground for the produc- Or is it? If psychology when a rash of accu- tion of false memories. has taught us anything, sations of sexual abuse Consequently, Kelly it’s that the obvious is and satanic rituals Michaels was convicted often completely wrong. emerged. Consider the and spent seven years case of Kelly Michaels, in jail. She was acquit- Most of my uni- a daycare worker in New ted by an appeal that versity training is in Jersey. A boy in her care revealed the psycho- mathematics and com- made a comment to a logical pitfalls of those puter science, relying on nurse during a physical interrogation methods. my brain as an engine exam. The nurse was for logical deduction. rubbing his back while To this day, many Then my research taking his temperature people consider eye- turned to neuroscience; rectally. He said, “that’s witness testimony to

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 9 be strong evidence. sions that confirm our works. But each person Unfortunately, even beliefs, and forget the has very little knowl- honest witnesses could evidence that contra- edge about how they be speaking falsely. dicts them. As you drive, arrived at their beliefs. each red light boils your Judging the validity It’s not just memories. blood – while you soar of one’s beliefs is like There are myriad ways through green lights, asking a fish what it the human mind can be unaware of your good feels like to be wet. You deluded, and believe fortune. The result is that simply don’t have the something that is false. you remember more facility to see your own Consider homeopathy, red lights than green mind from outside. This a form of alternative lights. Homeopathy isn’t obvious to most medicine in which an proponents keep a people, who continue infinitesimal dose of list of testimonials with the delusion that a toxin is believed to from “cured” clients. their mind is trustworthy, relieve the symptoms However, the successes and that their beliefs are that a larger dose alone tell us nothing. rational and accurate. would have caused. For example, if you’re hav- To find out if homeop- It is our duty to point ing trouble sleeping, a athy really works, we this out to friends, fam- tiny dose of caffeine need to step outside of ily, and the broader will help you sleep. In the human brain and public – to help them fact, the active ingredi- conduct double-blind understand the com- ents are so dilute that controlled studies, sys- plex and fascinating the patient might not tematically quantifying relationship between receive even a single successes and failures. reality and their mind. molecule. Yet home- Indeed, the whole pur- It is in our best interest opathy is a thriving pose of such studies, to educate the public business. Why is that? and scientific protocols on these issues. In this more generally, is to age of climate change One of many likely remove human bias as and religion-motivated culprits is confirma- much as possible. Once wars, tolerating delu- tion bias. Suppose a therapy is found to be sion could mean the you believe you have effective in this objec- end for us. It is time we exceptionally bad luck tive, scientific realm, became cognition activ- with traffic lights, hit- it’s no longer “alter- ists. It’s time we shone ting more than your fair native medicine” we a light on the brain and share of red lights. It is simply call it “medicine”. all of its imperfections. highly unlikely that the Dr. Jeff Orchard traffic system is conspir- The funny thing IAS Benjamin Meaker ing against you. Rather, about the brain is that Visiting Professor; we have a tendency to everyone thinks they Associate Professor, remember the occa- understand how theirs University of Waterloo

10 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 What can we do about anxiety and depression. —MENTAL HEALTH— Four main behav- ioural problems are in Chinese high school students? observed. First, inhibi- tion of learning abilities. OWADAYS, China by teachers and parents Many students find it dif- Nis challenged by during this critical peri- ficult to concentrate on the urgent demand of od may allow students studying. Secondly, the mental healthcare for to adjust themselves. decline of social activ- children and teenagers. Unfortunately, they of- ities. There will be less As of 2008, there were ten judge a student only communication with 240 million children by their academic per- classmates, less speak- under age 14, which formance, which can ing during lessons and accounts for 8% of the worsen the problem. less extra curricular total population. The participation. Such Chinese Association for Maladjustment students isolate them- Mental Health reported Difficulty in adjusting to selves from their peers. that at least 30 million school life is common children and teenag- among students. Those Thirdly, antisocial ers have mental health affected may fall behind behaviour. Teenagers problems. This num- their peers academi- seek addictive activi- ber continues to grow. cally, which can result in ties, such as computer However, if they have a suspension or dropping gaming or smoking. positive mentality, stu- out. It can cause emo- Finally, regression: dents can increase their tional, behavioural and sometimes they may efficiency and have bet- physiological problems. act like children. They ter academic results. are also socially iso- Emotional symptoms lated because they Common problems include depression, do not share interests Five psychological anxiety, obsession, with other students. problems are common and boredom. Specific among Chinese high actions take the form Some students may school students: malad- of being afraid of learn- feel dizzy and have dif- justment to school life, ing, being distracted ficulty sleeping. Back obsession disorder, de- during lessons and pain, heart palpitations pression, anxiety, and having homework prob- and faintness are also phobias, such as social lems. At the same time, reported. However, phobia. Nearly 80% of however, students are physical examinations students have been still expected to have usually fail to find any plagued by one or more good grades. Such a problems, suggesting of these. Interventions situation may cause this is psychological. è

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 11 Hubei province is famous for its examination-oriented education system. Keen competition between high schools brings a lot of pressure to students. Also, the amount of daily home- work is extremely high. Deng's high school has been case one in the top three in the province's college-entrance Deng, a 17-year-old examination for five years. Such achievement male from a key resulted from every student’s hard work. For high school in the example, Deng revised from 7.20 A.M. to 9 P.M. Hubei province His ‘working week’ was from Monday to Satur- day. Under such a burden, Deng faced obsession, depression and slight phobia of social activities. The main causes were stress from revising and the lack of communication with parents. So far, Deng is getting better with relatives’ help.

Extra classes are strictly forbidden in the province. Teaching times are from Monday to Friday and there case two are no compulsory night classes. Tao suffered from Tao, a 17-year- severe depression. She felt depressed since she old female from a did not do well in exams, but the main cause was a key high school lack of communication with her parents. After using in the Jiangsu medication for a year, she finally recovered. Her aca- province demic achievement was greatly affected.

Yang was the top student in his first two years of high school. However, as a very serious person, he didn’t get along very well with classmates. In his third case three year, he suffered from phobia of classmates and Yang, a 17-year-old teachers. Finally he turned to home-schooling. His male from a key problems arose from inappropriate relationships high school in the with other students. He should be responsible for Jiangsu province himself; however, parents and teachers, who did not realise the hidden problem under good academic achievements, should also take responsibility.

Zhou is an undisciplined student who didn’t care about school rules. As a result, he always had conflict with teachers. He shows average studying ability but a case four strong ego, which caused an abnormal relationship Zhou, a 17-year-old with classmates. Finally, he had phobia. His prob- male from a key lems mostly resulted from himself. However, also high school in the part of the cause was his teachers and classmates Jiangsu province not giving enough help but just indulging him.

12 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 Discussion teacher can be more From the parents’ per- According to a uni- aware of a student’s spective, they should versity report, 16.2% development. Besides, try not to control their of students show an all students have the children but rather lis- abnormal psycholog- same class together. ten to their opinions. ical state, which are They can read some often remnants of high In conclusion, high psychology books and school psychological school is not only a vi- learn some tips for problems. Mental de- tal phase for student’s overcoming generation velopment during high mental development, gaps. They can also school period is vital. but also the best phase help children with their It is a period of time to help students build studying by making when students start to a healthy mentality. If plans together or set- be independent, get students can form a ting up prizes. The im- rid of parental con- positive attitude in high portant thing is to make trol and form personal school, they will adapt the marks the aim of the thoughts and plans. It is to university better. children, not the judg- also when parents and ing standard for parents. teachers are still close Further Directions enough to students so Training of teachers is Meanwhile, cooper- that they can give guid- necessary. They should ation between parents ance and show care. care about students’ and teachers is very academic results as important. As students For students, they well as their mental con- are experiencing high- begin to form their val- dition. They should also speed development ues, personalities and be aware of common both physically and style of communication psychological prob- psychologically, they during high school. This lems and treat students often show rebellious- sets up the base for a equally. This can be ness. However, this free and independent achieved by commu- does not mean they are university life. At the nicating with students irrational. Teachers and same time, parents are regularly (based on the parents should treat still close to their chil- condition of the stu- students seriously and dren geographically and dent), or choosing stu- not dismiss their ideas. in contact frequently. dents with a good men- tality (not necessarily From the students’ Teachers and class- good academic results) perspective, a good mates are much clos- to help others. The academic result can er to students in high school should set up build confidence. Such school than in univer- basic mental health les- results come from sity. There are a lim- sons to make students two aspects: students’ ited number of peo- aware of the impor- personal thinking and ple in one class so a tance of mental health. communication with

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 13 others including par- ent-child and class- Hanyu Dong ents, teachers and stu- mate relationships Third year dents. In doing so, the will all be developed BSc (Hons) Psychology teacher-student, par- in a positive manner.

SUMMER IN SRI LANKA Third-year undergraduates Lana and Lora reflect on their clinical work experience abroad LV international is a the National Institute of ence upon completion Svolunteering organ- Mental Health (NIMH) of the programme. isation specialising in and a halfway house Finally, past volunteers degree-specific pro- for women with mental are invited to psychol- grammes in Sri Lanka. health difficulties, as ogy seminars in the UK. They offer a wide range well other community of opportunities such projects, such as teach- as working with people ing English, and working with special needs and in children’s homes. The Lana’s Experience those within the mental placement runs in con- Both the diagnosis and health sector. In addi- junction with the King's treatment of psycho- tion, the 4- to 12-week College London depart- pathology is greatly programmes they ment of ‘Samutthana’, dependent upon where offer are very afforda- the resource centre in world it is experi- ble, as volunteers live for trauma, displace- enced. As we know, with Sri Lankan fam- ment and mental mental health is diag- ilies during their stay. health in Sri Lanka. nosed on the basis of self-report, or on what Their psychology In addition to work- others say about the placement is ideal for ing at the hospital, individual. Thus, socio- those reading for a psy- volunteers attend ther- economic, cultural and chology degree and apy workshops, field even religious factors interested in a clinical trips with leading psy- can affect the diagno- psychology career. It chiatrists and receive a sis and ultimately the involves working within written personal refer- treatment. This is a

14 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 realisation I had dur- patients were given rou- proved effective, espe- ing my time with SLV. tine injections to treat cially in the treatment their ‘schizophrenia’; of depression. The We learned that, in Asian diagnostic tools Buddhist practice of the last half-century, are particularly biased consciously identify- the suicide rate in Sri towards this judgement. ing impure thoughts Lanka had risen from a and modifying them is modest level to one of A female patient in fact very similar to the highest in the world who arrived with her aspects of western CBT. - nearly five times that newborn baby was of India. The country especially memorable. Finally, we were given is also seriously lack- She expressed what the opportunity to take ing in trained mental seemed to be post-na- part in a drama therapy health professionals – tal depression. Since workshop, which com- Dr. Jeurgen, a leading medication would affect plimented our work on Sri Lankan psychia- her breast feeding, she the occupational ther- trist, sees thousands of was instead admitted to apy ward of the NIMH. patients monthly. This the mothers and babies Prior to this, I had not may be attributable ward of the NIMH for realized the value of to cultural stigmatisa- ECT. The incident really drama and art in a ther- tion of mental health; highlighted the need apeutic context, but the many people refer to for trained therapists otherwise inactive and him as the ‘mad doc- and alternative treat- unentertained patients tor’. Another factor is ments. Dr. Jeurgen really responded to the lack of appropri- expressed that CBT or such activities. At that ately taught psychology psychotherapy would point, the language degrees in Sri Lanka: be a better option for barrier had to be the only postgraduate most of his patients; overcome; I think all course of study resides however, it isn’t availa- volunteers agreed that is heavily influenced ble in the public sector. developing the ability to by spiritual and reli- appropriately commu- gious teachings, rather SLV exposed us nicate without language than being grounded to many treatment is valuable and rel- in the scientific method. techniques not often evant in any culture. considered in western On a field trip with Dr. cultures, including med- Jeurgen, we witnessed itation. Until recently, first-hand the high such meditation has Lora’s Experience demand for psychiatric existed primarily in When I arrived in Sri treatment; due to time temple settings, but Lanka for my place- constraints we saw its implementation ment, I didn’t know each patient for roughly in mainstream men- what to expect. I knew five minutes. Most tal healthcare has the experience was

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 15 going to be challenging, Samutthana on a vari- as well as my own per- but I had no idea just ety of topics, including sonal growth. I learnt how rewarding it would morbid jealousy, a more about teamwork be. During my five topic which I had never and leadership by put- weeks, I spent two days come across before. ting myself in situations a week split between which you would never the NIMH and at the The mental health find in the UK, and I truly halfway house. The rest system in Sri Lanka feel like I have come of my time was spent could not be further back a better person. at teaching projects from what we experi- for children and young ence here in the UK, and I would urge anyone adults, and at a home this experience gave interested in a further for adults with physical me the opportunity to career in psychology and mental disabilities. learn all about how to look into SLV sum- mental health is treated mer programmes, as I Each week, volun- and viewed in another doubt you’ll find a more teers are allocated area of the world. hands on and inspira- to different wards at tional work experience. the hospital, I came back including acute, from Sri Lanka occupational with tons of therapy and amazing mem- learning disability. ories, a wealth The variety really gives As if this wasn’t of new experiences you a broad experience enough, volunteers and new friends F and understanding of finish work at midday that I’ll keep for life. different mental health on Friday and have conditions and their the whole weekend to To find out more about treatment procedures. travel! Sri Lanka is one the SLV Psychology of the most beautiful Placement in Sri Lanka, I learnt about the countries I have ever come along to the infor- complete mental visited, with something mation talk on the health process, from for everyone. During 26th February, Arts admission to diagnosis, my time, we visited Complex Room G77A, treatment and, for some white sandy beaches, Woodland Road at 1-2pm patients, discharge. elephant orphanages, The hospital staff were ancient cities, temples You can also visit always happy to give and so much more. www.slvolunteers.com advice on patients to help with therapy ses- The SLV experience Lana Crick & sions. In addition, we was truly rewarding, in Lora Thomson were invited to attend terms of learning about Third years workshops run by the mental health sector Bsc (Hons) Psychology

16 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 Review and Q&A with facebookwon’t R obin get you more friends Dunbar

ACEBOOK was with average group numbers of those we F‘sold’ to us on the sizes of different ani- know less well. Within promise of enlarg- mals. It seemed that the same circle, our ing our social worlds, as the neocortex relationships with dif- but has it? Professor increases in size, the ferent people can vary Robin Dunbar, of the number of sustained in frequency and type. University of Oxford relationships also argues ‘No’. Although increase. Using this you may boast a relationship, humans Facebook friends list of were predicted to hundreds, the number have a ‘group size’ of maintained friend- of 150, the so-called ships remains near Dunbar’s number. Fconstant. The typi- cal number of friends There is compel- still averages 120-130. ling evidence that human group sizes So, why haven’t our fall around this num- On average, half of social worlds grown? ber. Neolithic villages our social networks You might think that numbered 150-200 are family members. the more people you’re individuals, modern It follows, then, that connected with through army companies are people with larger Facebook, the more composed of 180 families tend to have friends you are able to and even the average fewer friends; this was make. However, the Christmas card net- supported by Dunbar. Social Brain Hypothesis work is close at 154. claims that humans, like Families are important other animals, can only Dunbar suggests in our social circles. For have a limited number there is a hierarchical instance, sixth formers, of relationships. A ratio system ranging from leaving for university, of body and neocor- a small ‘inner circle’ rated their closeness tex size was compared of 5 people, to large with friends and fami-

VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 | PSYCHE | 17 lies over time. Families maintained closeness as friendships tend to decrease in strength.

Along with friends and family, romantic partners can form a fundamental part of our social worlds. However, the inclusion of a part- ner means we are adding a sixth person to our circles. Studies this behaviour, opiates must accomplish. Upon suggest that a roman- are released into their further study it seemed tic relationship has an bodies. The opiates this was an over-es- even greater effect than are thought to act as a timate, as social time a new friendship. We reward, providing satis- only accounted for 20% typically sacrifice two faction from the social of our time. Is there connections. This tax interaction. Further, another explanation? on our circle limit seems this blocks their social to stem from limited drive, possibly because A key difference resources, such as time. it cues them that their between humans and needs have been chimpanzees is our Limits on circle size met. Conversely, the grasp of language. It seem to be well-sup- use of opiate blockers allows the transmission ported in examples increases the time spent of complex ideas as of early and modern grooming as the chim- well as relatively easy human life. If this is panzees still strive to maintenance of social the case, it seems log- satisfy their social needs. bonds. A further con- ical that there would trast between grooming be a biological basis How does this trans- and speaking is that we for our social behav- late to the maintenance may hold a conversa- iour. Dunbar suggested of social relationships in tion with several people the involvement of humans? Dunbar used at once. This could the endorphin system. this data among others account for the differ- to predict the ‘grooming ence in ‘grooming time’ Endorphins are time’ of humans. It was between that predicted important in the expected to consume by animal research. grooming behaviour of approximately 43% of Conversations may chimpanzees, the main our waking hours, an give humans the same way of maintaining infeasible period of time, opiate- and endor- social groups. Following given the other tasks we phin-based satisfaction.

18 | PSYCHE | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1 Dunbar suggested are high on measures that the key to this bio- of extraversion usually logical need satisfaction Q&A have larger friend lists, lies in the laughter that for example. The other results from social sit- What purpose does point is that those with uations. His research Facebook have, if larger networks have a has shown greater rela- not for widening trade-off between the tionship satisfaction our social worlds? number of relationships when using the virtual and the closeness of face-to-face contact Facebook is certainly the social connections. of Skype rather than not without its use. It instant messaging. allows the mainte- What advice would Even in Facebook chat- nance of long distance you give to stu- boxes, using emoticons relationships and has dents looking to was linked to greater been shown to slow the work in this area? social closeness. decline in closeness over time. However, it There is no clear path While social close- is possible that by main- into the type of research ness might be motivated taining these previous that is conducted on by our biological reward friendships, new ones these topics as it draws systems, there are other could be prevented from across several ways of achieving an from developing. This disciplines. If someone endorphin rush. Dunbar might mean that long was looking to work on suggested that it was distance relationships this research, it wouldn’t not just the release of are less useful, espe- matter too much which endorphins, but rather cially in situations like field they were com- the synchronisation of a break-up, someone ing from. Overall, it is social contact. A study miles away will likely most important to work of rowers showed that be less help than a from your own knowl- group, rather than solo, friend down the road. edge – from other areas work-out led to an of research and just increase in endorphins. If the potential from your own thinking. network size for Dunbar’s research is humans is the Prof. Robin Dunbar undoubtedly grounded same, or similar, is head of the Social & in several strands of why does the num- Evolutionary Neuroscience research. The the- ber of Facebook Research Group at the ory seems plausible friends vary? University of Oxford. from a biological per- spective and intuitive The differences in Illustrations & Article: in terms of our own friend list sizes might Robyn Dean social experiences. be due to personality Second year differences. Those who Bsc (Hons) Psychology

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