The Psychologist May 2014

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psychologist vol 27 no 5

may 2014

Psychologists who rock Jon Sutton enlists some help in his quest to become a guitar hero

Incorporating Psychologist Appointments ÂŁ5 or free to members of The British Psychological Society

letters 298 news 310 careers 360 looking back 378

is video game violence bad? 324 are we all paranoid? 328 science in the wild 332 living with severe food allergy 334

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Is video game violence bad?

What a ridiculous question, says Christopher J. Ferguson. Surely there is a way out of this endless cycle of research and moralising?

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Are we all paranoid?

328 Lyn Ellett and Tim Wildschut consider evidence of paranoia in non-clinical populations Methods: Science in the wild Tom Dickins looks to an island off the north Devon coast to liberate the imaginations of his students

Printed by Warners Midlands plc on 100 per cent recycled paper. Please re-use or recycle.

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‘You may say I’m a dreamer…’

340 Michèle Birtel looks at using psychotherapeutic techniques to fight prejudice and stigma New voices: Reflections on writing my first textbook Betty Rudd with the latest in our series

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Living with severe food allergy 334 Kathryn Evans and Khadj Rouf look at the psychological challenges for children and adults

ISSN 0952-8229 Cover Our Editor Jon Sutton’s Gretsch 5120 Electromatic Sunburst; photo by Reg Sutton, aged 7

For those psychologists about to rock… … we salute you. With a little help from his friends, our Editor Jon Sutton looks for shortcuts to musical expertise.

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The Psychologist is the monthly publication of The British Psychological Society. It provides a forum for communication, discussion and controversy among all members of the Society, and aims to fulfil the main object of the Royal Charter, ‘to promote the advancement and diffusion of a knowledge of psychology pure and applied’.

Managing Editor Jon Sutton Assistant Editor Peter Dillon-Hooper Production Mike Thompson

Staff journalist Vacancy Editorial Assistant Debbie Gordon Research Digest Vacancy, Alex Fradera

Associate Editors Articles Michael Burnett, Paul Curran, Harriet Gross, Marc Jones, Rebecca Knibb, Charlie Lewis, Wendy Morgan, Paul Redford, Mark Wetherell, Jill Wilkinson Conferences Alana James History of Psychology Nathalie Chernoff Interviews Gail Kinman, Mark Sergeant Reviews Emma Norris Viewpoints Catherine Loveday International panel Vaughan Bell, Uta Frith, Alex Haslam, Elizabeth Loftus

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psychologist vol 27 no 5

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the issue ...reports news new MindEd site launched; Wellcome prizes; Who’s driving brain research?; new academicians; funding news; toying with psychology; and more

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society 350 the final President’s column from Richard Mallows; technical support in psychological research; and an update from the Branch network

...debates letters the dyslexia debate; the fall and rise of the NHS; alternatives to psychology; active procrastination; self-publishing; journalism and trauma; and more

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...digests inflated praise, views of women in the workplace, and stress and public speaking in the latest from our free Research Digest (see www.researchdigest.org.uk/blog) 316

...meets interview 346 ‘Dance psychologist’ Peter Lovatt (University of Hertfordshire) talks to Gail Kinman careers 360 we talk to Antonia Bifulco, Head of the Psychology Department at Middlesex University as well as co-Director of the Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies; and Belinda Hemingway examines her path in health psychology one on one with Lois Holzman, Director, East Side Institute for Group and Short Term Psychotherapy, New York

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...reviews

Dancing Mice. Aimless Mules. Traps.

No, it’s not a zoo which has got out of hand: these are just three of the many bands featuring psychologists I discovered during the writing of this month’s cover feature. And that’s just the half of it: who knew that founding members of both Simple Minds and The The are now academic psychologists?

Could this musical menagerie help me in my quest to become a guitar hero (or at least string four chords together)? Can psychological research provide shortcuts, or do I simply have to find 10,000 practice hours from somewhere? And if stardom is out of the question, might playing an instrument at least help me become a better psychologist?

See p.320 to find out, and if you are a ‘psychologist who rocks’ we have missed then do pipe up.

Elsewhere, may I draw your attention to the article on living with severe food allergy. My eldest son experienced anaphylactic shock when he was three; it was terrifying, and his and our lives have never been the same since. Find out how psychologists can help on p.334.

Dr Jon Sutton Managing Editor @psychmag

including the Beyond Seizures exhibition, burnout in sport, What the Thunder Said, the Noba Project, Horizon – ‘Living with autism’; and much more in our bumper reviews section 368

...looks back Every believer is also a disbeliever Peter Lamont on what witches and dead people can tell us about extraordinary beliefs

The Psychologist and Digest Editorial Advisory Committee Chair (vacant), Phil Banyard, Nik Chmiel, Olivia Craig, Helen Galliard, Rowena Hill, Catherine Loveday, Peter Martin, Victoria Mason, Stephen McGlynn, Tony Wainwright, Peter Wright, and Associate Editors

Six years ago Go to www.thepsychologist.org.uk for our archive, including Miles Thomas ‘On vines and minds’

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Big picture centre-page pull-out Max Roberts is going underground using schematic maps

FEATURE

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For those psychologists about to rock… …we salute you. With a little help from his friends, Editor Jon Sutton looks for shortcuts to musical expertise.

think I only have two regrets in my life: selling my vinyl collection, and not learning the guitar when I was a kid.

For my 30th birthday, I was bought an acoustic guitar. I’m ashamed to say that this lovely gift sat in the corner gathering dust for another seven years, at which point I decided to buy a beautiful Gretsch electric to keep it company. Both are now proudly displayed on the wall, and I get them down as often as family life allows, but they may as well be screaming ‘10,000 hours!’ at me – the amount of graft many psychologists think is necessary to achieve mastery of a skill.

I don’t have 10,000 hours. I’m looking for shortcuts.

The early signs are not good. My brain just doesn’t seem to be suited to the task, and the less said about the fingers the better. Luckily, one thing I have in my job is access to an awful lot of psychological expertise. And, I noticed, a lot of psychologists and neuroscientists out there (see also box, ‘A marriage made in heaven?’) are actually doing this: they play guitar, drums, or sing, on stages, in front of people! This is way beyond what I want to achieve, so surely they can help me in my quest to knock out a passable version of some 90s shoegazing classic.

When Dr Christian Jarrett, then editor of the Society’s Research Digest, put together a list of psychologists and neuroscientists who rock (tinyurl.com/psychswhorock), I decided to get in touch with them. Could this

references

I

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Broughton, M. & Stevens, C. (2009).

Music, movement and marimba: an investigation of the role of movement and gesture in communicating musical expression to an audience.

Psychology of Music, 37, 147-153.

Elbert, T., Pantev, C., Wienbruch, C. et al.

(1995). Increased cortical representation of the fingers of the left hand in string players. Science, 270, 305-307.

supergroup of psychology performers help me unleash my inner rock god, while also exploring the relationship between psychology and music more generally?

Can psychology help?

My first question was whether my background in psychology could influence how I learn or perform music.

Of course, psychology can provide subject material. People write about what they know: psychologists are no different, and happily their academic subject matter

…sat in the corner gathering dust

Hambrick, D.Z., Oswald, F.L., Altmann, E.M. et al. (2013). Deliberate Practice: Is That All It Takes To Become An Expert? Intelligence.

McPherson, G.E. & McCormick, J. (2006).

Self efficacy and music performance.

Psychology of Music, 34(3), 322-336.

Meister, I.G., Krings, T., Foltys, H. et al.

(2004). Playing piano in the mind: An fMRI study on music imagery and performance in pianists. Cognitive

also happens to be ‘all of life’. Look at Ian Deary, a Professor of Differential Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, and front man with Dancing Mice. No, really, look at him on YouTube, singing ‘The G Factor’, intoning the words ‘standard deviation from the mean’ while busting some fairly impressive Ian Curtis-esque moves. Then consider Joseph LeDoux, a Professor at New York University and performer with The Amygdaloids, whose essay ‘The flip side: Scientists who rock’ certainly struck a chord with me. ‘Most of the songs I write are about mind and brain and mental disorders (sort of like most rock songs, actually)’, he tells me. ‘Our records are titled Heavy Mental, Theory of My Mind, and All in Our Minds.’ Professor Andy Field (University of Sussex, drums in Fracture Pattern) says: ‘As an undergraduate I used to play guitar in a heavy metal band, and some of my lyrics included the lines “emotions, skewed against the norm”, and “regression, where will you draw the line”, which suggests that my subconscious mind knew that I would be more successful as a statistics textbook author than a musician.’ Dr Ellen Poliakoff (University of Manchester and bass, violin and vocals in Stray Light: see pic, right) has a song called ‘Hearing Shapes’, inspired by synaesthesia, and she has converted her own EEG recording into a sound file to add some noise to the middle of a song (‘Briar Patch’). And Dr Rebecca Lawson (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) drums with The PRK, who have a song called ‘Dr Freeman’ about the American physician/psychiatrist with a penchant for trans-orbital lobotomies. ‘Despite the jangly sound the song is lyrically quite dark,’ she tells me.

But I’m looking for deeper connections: I’m looking for those shortcuts. Daniel Levitin, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal and author of This Is Your Brain on Music, confirms my worst fears. ‘The role of practice in attaining expertise – the so-called 10,000 hour

Brain Research, 19, 219-228.

Rasch, B. & Born, J. (2013). About Sleep’s Role in Memory. Physiological Reviews, 93(2), 681–766. doi: Doi 10.1152/Physrev.00032.2012 Vogt, S., Buccino, G., Wohlschlägeret, A.M. al. (2007). Prefrontal involvement in imitation learning of hand actions: effects of practice and expertise. NeuroImage, 37, 1371-83.

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JAMIE KRAFT

A marriage made in heaven?

Many more psychologist-musicians were unearthed in the researching of this article.

Adrian Owen (Chair of Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging at the University of Western Ontario) is in a band called You Jump First; Dr Charles Fernyhough (University of Durham) plays guitar with the Aimless Mules; Dr Paul Redford (University of the West of England) plays bass in Traps; and perhaps best of all, Dr Allan McNeill (Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University) and Professor Keith Laws (University of Hertfordshire) were founder members of Scots stadium rockers Simple Minds and new wave band The The respectively. Are psychologists in some way destined for the spotlight?

‘Not really’, is the rather disappointing consensus. Daniel Levitin says: ‘I don’t think there’s anything special about psychology in this regard, other than psychology is quite broad in its mandate, and sits at the intersection of social sciences and hard sciences, and so it’s likely to attract rather broad-minded individuals.’ Tim Byron thinks that musicians and psychologists are both fundamentally concerned with what’s between the ears: ‘musicians are generally trying to use chords and notes and rhythms to influence how you feel, whereas clinical psychologists use homework and identifying thoughts, etc. to do the same thing. So it’s not surprising that some people gravitate to both.’

Andy Field feels there is a link between music and the scientific enterprise more generally. ‘Science is an incredibly creative pursuit – from generating research ideas, operationalising them, and coming up with creative explanations of data, to teaching, which involves disseminating complex ideas to varied audiences, engaging students, and thinking about interesting ways to assess learning. Every aspect of our job requires a creative and laterally thinking brain. It’s no surprise to me that many scientists also express this creativity in other ways such as music, art, writing, blogging, and so on.

Perhaps psychologists are a bit more in touch with their emotions than some other sciences, and perhaps that lends itself to music.’

theory – has profoundly affected how I approach practice and what I expect from it,’ he tells me. ‘Understanding the sheer amount of practice necessary, and the amount of time the experts still spend practising, has been eye-opening. I don’t give up as easily when something isn’t working; I now know it’s not because I have small hands or because I lack some special genetic component – it’s most likely that I didn’t practise enough.’

Surely all we know about learning and memory can at least knock a couple of thousand hours off? ‘When learning the drums I definitely used a lot of techniques that I advise students to use when revising for exams – and these are based on what we know about memory,’ says Andy Field. ‘For example, I use spaced retrieval to try to memorise rhythms, I stop practising new rhythms at the point where I feel my hippocampus is getting overloaded and come back to it the next day, and if I’m finding a new rhythm challenging and frustrating I take a short break to clear the mind and then go back to it.’ Dr Matt Wall, an imaging scientist at Imperial College London, agrees: ‘I’m very aware of plateau effects in practising; periods where I get stuck and don’t seem to be progressing.’

That use of psychology to put the

brakes on, to relax, is a recurring theme.

Deary warns of the dangers of overarousal: ‘In the band we all notice that, when we start recording, even things that we have played flawlessly several times will suddenly go awry: the red light pushes us to the wrong part of the YerkesDodson curve.’

The elusive goal is effortless, autonomous performance, but under conscious control. Dr Catherine Loveday (University of Westminster) is intrigued by how this comes about. ‘Most of what I perform now comes from the deep recesses of my mind – a combination of memory and improvisation. Some of the most popular songs in my set list have come from random requests at gigs – songs we had never played but had heard enough times to have a go at. It continues to amaze me how effortlessly and unconsciously the chords for a song that I’ve never played can seem to flow.

In fact, as soon as I start thinking about it, it usually falls apart. According to Fisk, this suggests that I have stalled at the autonomous stage, which means that I am sometimes on shaky ground. The really good musicians I know also experience this sense of flow but unlike me they also have a conscious intellectual hold on what they are doing. This

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk

provides them with a reliable cognitive safety net and the ability to adapt to any lapse in flow or change in circumstances.

I secretly yearn to progress beyond the implicit stage to a point where I can understand, explain and describe what I am playing. There is relatively little written about how this occurs.’

Dr Tim Byron (University of Queensland, keyboards with Lazy Susan) has a cautionary tale concerning overplaying this idea of flow: ‘I was once playing in a band, the Aerial Maps, at a nice venue in Sydney, and in the backstage room before the gig, I found myself talking to the drummer about the idea that you play best when you’re “in the zone”, when you’re not worrying what you’re doing but just letting it flow.

After the show, the drummer found me and said, “Why did you have to fill my head with all that bullshit? It totally ruined the gig for me, I was thinking too much, and I made too many mistakes!”

I also had a terrible gig, so I could only commiserate. I blame Mike Csikszentmihalyi!’

Evidence-based tips However, I’m nothing if not persistent (although not actually persistent enough

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to pick up the guitar and persist with it).

Surely you can point to the odd paper I can put to good use, I beseeched my talented troupe of musicians? Here’s what they came up with.

Picture this Matt Wall harnesses the power of mental rehearsal, or imagery, particularly when trying to learn new material. ‘Research has shown (e.g. Meister et al., 2004) that mental rehearsal of musical performance engages essentially the same brain systems as actual performance. I certainly find it very helpful. I try to imagine my hand and finger positions, the feel of the guitar neck, and the corresponding sounds, for as multi-modal an experience as possible.

This kind of “practice” can be done anywhere, at any time, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s struggling to progress with technique, or learn new material.’

This is essentially daydreaming about playing the guitar. That, I can do.

Standing on the shoulders of giants Ellen Poliakoff says that learning from another person (i.e. action observation) can be extremely helpful. ‘See the work of Stefan Vogt on action observation – he uses guitar chords as stimuli (e.g. Vogt et al., 2007). And playing with a more experienced musician will help your rhythm – there is a burgeoning literature on social synchronisation of actions.’

Feedback to the future Alan Redman (occupational psychologist and former lead singer with ‘a 90s indie guitar-pop four piece in the Britpop/Newwave mode… My favourite psychologypop crossover was the lyric “she’s in your face and supra-liminal” in our timeless classic “Ultrahoney”’) thinks that learning from others doesn’t have to be about observation. ‘Feedback is not just a great scene-stealing technique for lead guitarists, it is also a powerful driver of effective skills development. Ask people for constructive advice about what you should stop, start, and continue to improve your playing and performance.

Other musicians and your audience are helpful sources of feedback. Groupies are variable in quality; music critics should be avoided when seeking feedback.’

Good vibrations That feedback should fuel a particular fire.

‘Self-efficacy seems to be an important determinant of academic performance,’ points out Dr Katherine Woolf (University College London, and ‘rock karaoke’ band Someone Else’s Wedding), ‘and McPherson and McCormick (2006) suggest high self-efficacy leads to good

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performance in music exams too. So before a big performance, boost your self-efficacy by reminding yourself that you’re good and that practice will make you even better, and then practise with people who can give you positive constructive feedback.’

Alan Redman concurs. Rather than try to manoeuvre the super-tanker of your global self-confidence, you should focus on your specific feelings of self-efficacy in relation to playing the instrument. Get really good at one song. Play it at the beginning of practice sessions or when you’re asked to perform. Your feelings of self-efficacy will insulate you from any anxieties driven by low levels of global self-confidence. Remember that entire careers in rock have been carved out of three chords. Focus your energies on C, G, Am and F [see tinyurl.com/axisofawe].

Leave the tricky B variations to the jazz musicians.’

Enter the sandman If you find those creative energies sapped, perhaps there’s an easier route to rock.

‘Without fail,’ says Andy Field, ‘when learning a complicated and annoying polyrhythm, I find that if you stop at the point where you’re beginning to get worse (i.e. brain overload) and come back the following day after a sleep you will play it better from the off the next day. Rasch and Born’s recent review on sleep and memory probably explains why.’

Get down tonight ‘A 2013 review paper by Zach Hambrick and colleagues suggests that sheer hours of practice accounts for about 30 per cent of the variance in musical expertise,’ Tim Byron tells me. Yes, yes. ‘But I should point out that “musical expertise” is usually defined as the skills of a classical musician rather than the skills of a Jimi Hendrix in these studies; there are more rules about

How is musical expertise defined?

how to be a classical musician than how to be a pop musician and so it’s easier to quantify; part of “practice” for a pop musician is probably having an encyclopaedic knowledge of pop music rather than just learning fingering techniques, etc.’ Hurrah! ‘And crowds generally enjoy showboating,’ Byron continues. ‘Broughton and Stevens (2012) found that participants were more interested in musical excerpts when accompanied by video of a marimba player who moved their body expressively compared to video of the same marimba player keeping body movements minimal.

So feel free to practise your rock god moves in front of the mirror.’

Will I become a better psychologist?

Daydreaming, going to gigs, sticking to four chords, sleeping, and showboating.

All sounds good, but perhaps psychology is not going to be my sole saviour. The meteoric rise to stardom, the difficult second album, the inevitable slide towards a tragically bloated death on the toilet… all will have to be put on hold. But could music be my path to becoming a better psychologist?

Most of my rocking researchers suggest that it might, in a fairly general way. Dr Roy Baumeister of Florida State University (incidentally, one of the most creative psychologists I know) told me: ‘When I was a student, one professor told me there was evidence that being creative in one domain would increase one’s creativity in other domains too. I like to think my efforts to compose and improvise on guitar and, more recently, on piano have bolstered my creativity in psychology.’

Ellen Poliakoff agrees. ‘I think there can be a “spill-over” in creativity between musical creativity and creative thinking in research. In my band we attempt to write songs collaboratively, which can be a very liberating experience.

I certainly found that having another creative outlet (with more relaxed rules) whilst writing up my PhD was extremely helpful.’

More specifically, Poliakoff says that the experience of being a musician links into her research, especially on visuomotor processes. ‘One of my interests is in how people with Parkinson’s disease respond to stimuli in their environment, and I was fascinated to speak to a patient who listens to marching music on his headphones to help with his walking.

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Guitars & MRI My interest in music has ‘A couple of years ago when I was also shaped some of the simultaneously recording an album and materials that I teach helping run an fMRI study, I was struck students about, such as the by the similarity between being in classic paper showing that a recording studio and fMRI scanner,’ stringed instrument players Ellen Poliakoff tells me. ‘Both have have an enlarged a windowed control room, there are representation of their left quite high stress levels getting things hand, which they use on right coupled with lots of waiting the strings (Elbert et al., around, there are many leads 1995), showing useconnecting equipment and both are dependent plasticity of the trying to capture and record something brain.’ fragile evolving in real time.’

For others, music is Others see more technical always present in the connections. Matt Wall says: ‘I’ve background of their always wanted to try plugging my research. Dr Katherine guitar into a MRI scanner and using Woolf says: ‘Although my the magnetic field as a loud-speaker. job now might seem to Donald McRobbie did this and recorded have nothing to do with several guitar tracks using the different music, I regularly reflect on X, Y and Z gradient coils as outputs, my musical experiences with a custom pulse-sequence for when researching why percussion too (you can hear one of people who score them here: https://soundcloud.com/ extremely high on donald-mcrobbie/3-d-layla-mp3). conventional measures of Absolutely amazing. Unfortunately the intelligence – doctors and MRI physicists where I work won’t let medical students – me hack a guitar input into our sometimes perform very scanner’s systems.’ poorly. Performance anxiety, support from caring teachers (or lack thereof), and the influence of social conducted an experiment with actual contacts on learning, are just three factors musicians along the same lines and found that affect people in medicine and music. results consistent with my experience: Doctors and musicians must both under load, musicians could keep the demonstrate “note perfect” skills in highrhythm and stay in key, even across an stakes performance situations. I’ve never unexpected key change, but the solos inserted a catheter into a model penis were rated much less creative than in with an examiner watching, but I’ve felt control conditions. Thus, when playing the terror as I played a Mozart sonata in or improvising, rhythm and key are front of a critical audience. And I’ve felt maintained by the unconscious, but the the benefit of a piano teacher who tried creation of new melodic lines requires really hard to help me enjoy learning. My consciousness.’ research has shown that medical students, There are other, more obvious areas particularly from minority ethnic where musical performance and being backgrounds, feel their learning is a psychologist overlap. As Deary points hindered by teachers who don’t care out, ‘being the front man in a band and about them, bully or humiliate them.’ giving a lecture to a large class involve Sometimes music can lead more overlapping crowd-control skills’. Tim directly to academic output. ‘My musical Byron concurs: ‘Simply being up on stage playing did lead to at least one in front of hundreds of people makes it publication,’ says Roy Baumeister. ‘The easier to lecture to large classes – it’s less dominant view in creativity theory is alien.’ Andy Field uses ‘short stupid songs that consciousness is useless or possibly about statistics’ in his lectures and begins an impediment. I thought it must do with musical clips ‘to get my students more than that. I recorded some into the right mood – although whether accompaniments and improvised lead Slayer creates the right mood for statistics solos as part of my daily practice. One is open to debate!’ day I tried doing it with cognitive load – Other links are more indirect. Matt counting backwards by 7 from a high Wall tells me he’s ‘always been a tinkerer’ number. I was able to keep the beat with his guitars: ‘I’m constantly taking and stay in key, but the creativity was them apart and changing the pickups. seriously degraded, even to the point I learned to solder and about electronics that my wife (who is not very musical) by doing this when I was a teenager, and remarked upon the difference. We that’s come in very handy when I’ve had

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to build response boxes, custom cables and other bits and bobs for research purposes’ (see also box, ‘Guitars & MRI’).

Long stairway to guitar heaven I’ve come across some fantastic music (see also box, ‘A marriage made in heaven?’, and if we’ve missed you off tinyurl.com/psychswhorock do add your details). And I’ve picked up some handy tips. But sadly, there doesn’t seem to be anything fundamental about being a psychologist that is going to ease my path to guitar hero from ‘guitar zero’. As Gary Marcus, professor of psychology and author of the book of that name has suggested, there’s no substitute for the dreaded practice. ‘Practice, practice, practice,’ confirms Joseph LeDoux. ‘But not just random playing. Set goals and achieve them in each session (easier said than done).’ ‘Practise; a lot’, concludes Ian Deary. ‘Play things that seem too difficult to start with; you will master them and move on. The point at which you can rely on you hands to play a piece, without having to concentrate hard on it, is the first safe time to play in public.’

See you in 10,000 hours.

I Dr Jon Sutton is Managing Editor of The Psychologist jon.sutton@bps.org.uk

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BIG PICTURE

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Going underground

Edgware Watford High Street Stanmore

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Image and text by Max Roberts (Department of Psychology, University of Essex). Send your ideas for ‘Big picture’ to jon.sutton@bps.org.uk.

Croxley Green

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Research into journey planning using schematic maps is a particularly rich domain, a microcosm of higher cognition. Creating an effective map is not a trivial problem: designers are often conservative, with standard rules dominating (with the London Underground map, horizontal and vertical straight lines only, with diagonals at 45 degrees). Our own research (see www.tubemapcentral.com) shows that breaking these rules in a principled way can result in designs up to 50 per cent faster for journey planning than official maps. Recently, I have been experimenting with novel designs that are based upon concentric circles and spokes.

These score poorly for simplicity, but with a massive payback for coherence: cities are forced into unprecedented levels of organisation. Despite their alien appearance, they have generated very positive responses from individuals, but ever mindful of the dissociation between objective performance and subjective preference, usability studies will commence this year.

TO BEDFORDSHIRE

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Southfields

Clapham North

Wimbledon Park

Clapham Common

Wimbledon

Clapham South Morden Balham South Wimbledon Colliers Wood

Tooting Bec

Tooting Broadway

A map of the London Underground based upon concentric circles, spokes, and tangents. Smooth corners version. Maxwell J. Roberts, 28/01/2013

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TO BEDFORDSHIRE

Elstree & Borehamwood

TO HERTFORDSHIRE AND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

High Barnet Totteridge & Whetstone

Burnt Oak

Cockfosters

Southgate

West Finchley

Colindale

Epping

Arnos Grove Mill Hill Broadway

endon

TO HERTFORDSHIRE AND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Oakwood

Woodside Park Mill Hill East

Finchley Central East Finchley

Archway

Harringay Green Lanes

Seven Sisters

Manor House

Tufnell Park Gospel Oak Hampstead Heath

Cricklewood Finchley Road & Frognal

Kentish Town West

South Tottenham

Kentish Town

Chalk Farm

Belsize Park

Finchley Road

Leytonstone

Highbury & Islington

Hackney Wick

th stead

St. John's Wood Great Portland Street

Angel Euston Square

rylebone

Baker Street

Regent’s Park

Russell Square Goodge Street

on Edgware Road

Bethnal Green

Shoreditch

Mile End

Bromley Bow -by-Bow Road

Bow Church Barbican Moorgate

Stepney Green

Liverpool Street

Farringdon

Elm Park

Dagenham Heathway

West Ham

Upminster Bridge Upminster Hornchurch

Upney

East Ham

Plaistow

Haggerston

Old Street

Woodgrange Park

Abbey Road

Pudding Mill Lane

Hoxton

King’s Cross St. Pancras

Warren Street

Dalston Kingsland

Dalston Junction

Euston

dgware Road

Hackney Central

Mornington Crescent

Manor Park

Forest Gate Maryland Stratford Stratford High Street

Homerton Canonbury

Seven Kings Ilford

Stratford International

Swiss Cottage

Romford Chadwell Heath Goodmayes

Wanstead Park

Leyton

Camden Town

Brentwood Harold Wood Gidea Park

Leytonstone High Road

Caledonian Road

West Hampstead

Shenfield Wanstead

Walthamstow Queen’s Road

Caledonian Road & Barnsbury

Redbridge

Snaresbrook

Leyton Midland Road

Walthamstow Central

Holloway Road

Newbury Park Gants Hill

South Woodford

Blackhorse Road

Arsenal

Camden Road

Barkingside

Woodford

Tottenham Hale

Finsbury Park

Hampstead burn

Fairlop

Roding Valley

Buckhurst Hill

Crouch Hill

den en

Chigwell

Loughton

Turnpike Lane

Upper Holloway

Golders Green

Hainault Debden

Wood Green

Highgate Brent Cross

Grange Hill

Theydon Bois

Bounds Green

Hendon Central

www.thepsychologist.org.uk

Edgware

Dagenham East Becontree

Barking Upton Park

Devons Road Star Lane Langdon Park

Bond Street

Whitechapel

City Thameslink

Tottenham Court Road

All Saints er

Oxford Circus

Marble Arch

Holborn Chancery Lane

Piccadilly Circus

Knightsbridge Green Park

St. Paul’s

Covent Garden

Mansion House

Leicester Square

Hyde Park Corner

Bank

Aldgate

Tower Hill

Cannon Street

Blackfriars Sloane Square

Charing Cross Victoria

Embankment Waterloo

a

Surrey Quays

Southwark

Vauxhall Kennington

Queens Road Peckham

Elephant & Castle

Brixton

West India Quay Canary Wharf

Beckton Royal Victoria Custom Gallions House Prince Reach Regent Royal Albert Beckton Park Cyprus West Silvertown

Heron Quays North Greenwich South Quay Crossharbour Pontoon Mudchute Dock Island Gardens

New Cross

Cutty Sark Greenwich Deptford Bridge Elverson Road Lewisham

London City Airport

King George V

Woolwich Arsenal

Abbey Wood

Honor Oak Park

Denmark Hill

lapham North

New Cross Gate Brockley

Peckham Rye Stockwell

Canada Water

Canning Town

East India

Wapping

Surrey Canal Road

Lambeth North

Oval sworth oad Clapham High Street

Bermondsey Borough

Blackwall

Poplar

Rotherhithe

London Bridge

Westminster St. James’s Park Pimlico

Nine Elms

Temple

Limehouse Westferry Shadwell

Tower Gateway

Monument

on

Aldgate East

Forest Hill

Loughborough Junction

Sydenham Crystal Palace

m Common Herne Hill

Penge West

m South

Bakerloo Line

Anerley

Circle Line

District Line Hammersmith & City Line Jubilee Line

Piccadilly Line

Crossrail

Docklands Light Railway

London Overground

Central Line lham

Norwood Junction Tulse Hill

ec

Metropolitan Line Northern Line

East Croydon West Croydon TO GATWICK AIRPORT AND THE SUSSEX COAST

TO SOUTH LONDON AND SURREY

Streatham

Victoria Line Waterloo & City Line

Station

Interchange Stations

Thameslink

Interchange between nearby stations via local streets

INTERVIEW

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The accidental academic ‘Dance psychologist’ Peter Lovatt (University of Hertfordshire) talks to Gail Kinman

a former life, you were a Ithenprofessional dancer and actor. Why move into psychology? What got you interested?

Essentially, I learned to read. I was rubbish at school as I could not engage with the written word. I wasn’t formally diagnosed with a learning disability; I was just seen as stupid. Unsurprisingly, I hated school and left unable to read and write properly. I then went off to study theatre and creative arts and subsequently got a place at the Guildhall School of Drama.

me that it was an incredible cognitive task to hold on to that much information without any prompts.

How did you overcome your academic difficulties?

I taught myself to read when I was 20.

I realised that if I could learn complicated dance routines, I could learn other types of facts and maybe I could get a qualification in something.

There were disadvantages to a theatrical career. I was seeing lots of my colleagues in their early thirties who were brilliant dancers spending more time waiting tables than they were dancing. So I thought I would become a drama or dance therapist as an escape route.

I managed to scrape a pass at A-level Psychology and was eventually was given a place at Roehampton.

I got really hooked on the science. My third-year project was on acquired dysgraphia (writing-based Peter Lovatt on stage engaging the audience with dance moves… problems following brain injury). I was then offered a Although I didn’t have the required paper scholarship at Stirling University to study qualifications, I passed on audition. After for an MSc in Neural Computation and completing the course, I worked in worked in a multidisciplinary centre trying to build models of the professional theatre, but still lacked hippocampus. After my MSc, I was offered confidence in my academic skills. When a PhD studentship at Essex in cognitive I was working in panto, it occurred to me that people learn to dance without writing neuropsychology. Following my PhD, I got a job at the University of Cambridge anything down. Actors have a script and a prompt, musicians have the dots in front What brought you back to dance? of them and the conductor to follow, but When I got to the end of my journey, dancers have to watch the choreographer, I had a bit of a midlife crisis and wondered learn the dance and remember. It struck

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what to do next. People spend their entire life at Cambridge – the attitude is, you got here, why would you want to leave? I felt like an accidental academic. My passion is dance and I wanted to go back to it in some way. By then I had left Cambridge and was working at the University of Hertfordshire doing experimental cognitive psychology. I went to see my head of department, Ben Fletcher, to let him know that I was going to leave academia and go back to the theatre. Ben was fantastic, he gave me two years and all of the resources I needed to set up the Dance Psychology Lab at Hertfordshire.

What do you do in the dance lab?

There are four main strands – dance and thinking; dance and health; dance and hormones; and dance and emotions. We conduct theoretical, laboratory-based research on problem solving and have found that structured dancing can enhance convergent problem-solving abilities, whereas improvised dance can develop divergent-thinking skills and creativity. This work has also informed our research on the effects of dancing for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Previous research had found evidence that dancing could improve PD symptoms, but only certain types of dance. Reflecting the findings of our problem-solving research, we learned that attending an improvisation dance class enhanced divergent-thinking skills, which is a particular problem for people with PD. We also found benefits for PD symptoms and mood.

You have done some very exciting research on the role played by dance in the mate-selection process. Tell us more about this.

This research was inspired by research findings emerging from evolutionary psychology suggesting that the way we move our body is part of a mate-selection process. We found that people literally ‘dance their hormones’, in that they communicate their hormonal and genetic makeup through dance and the watcher is sensitive to these signals. For example, our research shows that a woman prefers to watch a high-testosterone man than a low-testosterone man dancing. Women also typically rate more symmetrical men (who have higher levels of prenatal testosterone) as better dancers. Moreover, a man would rather watch a highly fertile woman dance without awareness of the stage of her menstrual cycle.

Isn’t it something to do with hip movement?

Indeed it is. At the most fertile stage of

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their cycle, women move their hips more for example, here is a movement profile in relation to their other body parts when that represents happiness or anger. Three they are dancing. Our research using eyetypes of information communicate these tracking techniques shows that men emotions – kinematic, dynamic spend more time looking at women’s information and form information. pelvic area during their most fertile stage.

I generated a list of 96 emotion-related Women dancers still move their hips words (half with a positive valence and outside their fertile period, but they also half with a negative valence) and put out move their other body parts in relation to a call to choreographers to represent one this. During infertile times, men’s eyes are of these emotions through a three-minute drawn to the entire female piece of dance. body, not just the pelvic I received over region. Research 100 submissions “I had a bit of a midlife conducted by Geoffrey from different Miller has found that choreographers and crisis and wondered what women lap dancers earn selected 23 dances to do next” more tips during their representing different fertile period. He initially emotions. The put this down to choreographers seemed pheromones and soft tissue change, to have a better understanding of which may make women more attractive emotions than scientists. They found during their most fertile stage. This it very difficult to represent discrete undoubtedly plays a part, but our emotion states and recognised that findings suggest that women are dancing emotions bleed into each other. They differently – they are communicating were saying, for example, ‘how can you their fertility through the way they are convey happiness without guilt that other moving their body. people are not happy’. Based on this work, I put on a show for 23 nights What about dance and emotion? where I talked about the science of Research in the field of psychophysics emotion recognition and then invited a has explored the ways in which we different choreographer to come on stage communicate emotion through body to demonstrate their dance. Afterwards movement. This is a very reductionist we asked the audience to describe the approach in that they distil movements emotions they thought were being right down to their fundamental essence: conveyed in the dance. The findings were

.…the audience engaged

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk

astounding. The audience always got it right, even for the most complex emotional states.

You put on a show every year that blends psychology with dance.

Every year I work with psychologists and choreographers to put on a show. We have brought psychological studies in areas such as memory, obedience and bystander apathy to life through dance.

I initially gave the choreographers a lecture on the different studies and the science behind them, and they then created a dance. In the show, I described the studies to the audience, and then the dancers danced them.

Many people are self-conscious when they dance. Given that it is so good for us, how can we help people become overcome this?

Small children dance completely freely, but as we get older we become more and more self-conscious. We have conducted two surveys at the dance lab with 14,000 participants with varied demographic characteristics. We found systematic patterns across the lifespan in levels of dance confidence and how people feel about dancing. Generally, people get less confident as they get older. Interestingly, dance confidence for males is generally lower than for females, but men tend to become more confident at 65, whereas women start losing their confidence dramatically at 55.

We are not sure why this is the case. It may be that men who are currently 65 years or older come from an era where they used to dance regularly. Alternatively, it may be that when men reach 65 they can start enjoying dancing without the associated pressures of the mating ritual.

What do you think is the reason for the huge increase in popularity of dance?

Some of the increase in interest is perhaps due to the exposure of people from different walks of life dancing on popular TV shows, showing that they are highly proficient at it and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I’m thinking of the sportsmen who have taken part in Strictly Come Dancing and the all-male dance groups, such as Diversity, Flawless and the Ballet Boys. These dancers represent dance as masculine, competitive, physically demanding and enjoyable, and this, I think, has helped to change the stereotype of

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dance participation that might have been a barrier for some people. There are some interesting academic papers on stereotypes of dancers and male participation in dance. I think there are interesting psychological questions about why men don’t (or won’t) dance and their attitudes towards people who do. A couple of years ago I was working with a rugby league team in Rochdale and I asked the coach what he thought of male ballet dancers.

He described them as ‘lesser men’, but once he had seen male ballet dancers train he changed his mind. What I find interesting is how and why such attitudes develop, persist and (potentially) change.

I can only speculate that programmes like Strictly, Got to Dance and Britain’s Got Talent are helping to change people’s attitudes about dance and dance participation, but some research on this would be helpful.

You are currently researching diverse applications of dance within the field of psychology. Are there any other ways that dance could be used? What are your priorities for future research?

There are many questions to be answered.

Does dancing really change people’s

maths and creative writing?

If there is something about training as a professional dancer that has a negative impact on self-esteem can we develop an educational toolkit that dance students and teachers can use to help and perhaps reduce some of the negative consequences associated with low selfesteem in adolescents.

Wondering what to do next

behaviour, thinking, mood and selfesteem? If so, what type and how much dancing is necessary? Who does it change and who is resistant to change through dance? How big are the effects and what other factors interact with dance participation to lead to such changes?

If the effects are reliable I want to understand how dancing can be applied in the real world. For example, if dancing helps us solve problems and enhances creativity, can we use it as a pedagogical tool to help schoolchildren learn physics,

Finally, you have a book and a TV series coming out shortly about the benefits of dance. Tell us more about this?

The book is called Born to Dance and is linked to a TV show called Dr Dance, made by Channel 4. This covers the science of dance psychology and focuses specifically on how people can use dance to overcome problems. I spent the summer of 2012 working with a rugby team to help them improve their coordination on the pitch. I also worked with a couple who had intimacy issues and a young woman who had problems dancing in public and felt socially excluded.

Apply now to progress your career in Psychology this September UEL ‘s School of Psychology is currently taking applications for programmes including MSc Criminal and Investigative Psychology – a dynamic programme, where students will learn how to apply scientific questioning to problems faced by the police and investigators. 1 year full time and part time available New 3 year full time Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DPsychCouns) ( subject to validation) – focusing on relational perspectives in Counselling Psychology, integrative approaches including generic, problem specific and third wave Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. We offer support with local placements and provide research supervisory teams You will be taught by experts in their field with extensive academic, investigative and practical experience.

Our programmes are developed to not only develop and challenge you academically, but to enhance your practical and professional skills to help you progress with your career

Find out more Visit: uel.ac.uk/psychology Visit: uel.ac Email: study@u study@uel.ac.uk Call: 020 8223 3333

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REVIEWS

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A radio history of psychology In a new 25-part series on the history of psychology and psychiatry, and author and broadcaster Martin Sixsmith, who retrained as a psychologist, has turned his search for a better understanding of his own experiences of mental illness into an examination of the historical antecedents of psychology and psychiatry. My preview of the first five episodes suggests that this series will be an accessibly formulated survey of the ‘big-hitters’ of psychology and psychiatry peppered with fascinating historical clips from interviews with Freud, and others, musical soundbites, and commentary by eminent scholars. With reference to David Cameron’s ‘Happiness Index’ and the national implementation of the IAPT, Sixsmith asks how our culture has come to place such huge faith in psychology and psychotherapeutic techniques and whether the research tools of psychology can successfully be applied to such large-scale interventions in public and private life.

The series begins with the reformulated search for a modern ‘self’ as a product of Enlightenment ideas, which gave rise to a new application of scientific principles to mental disorder following the ‘death of God’ and the adoption of scientific inquiry into subjects previously reserved for religion. We hear about the pioneering techniques of German physician Franz Mesmer and French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, who opened up new ways of thinking about mental disturbance and the relationship between the physical and mental (see picture for example of his chronophotographic technique). We are shown how Freud’s exposure to Charcot’s successful use of hypnosis to cure physical ailments at Salpêtrière Hospital inspired him to develop new theories about unconscious thought which would join Marxism and feminism as key shapers of our modern society. Sixsmith’s narrative explains how through the development of a ‘talking cure’, with new emphases on early sexual experiences, Freud generated huge controversy in public and academic circles, which spurred a variety of competing schools of psychoanalysis.

From Freud and psychoanalysis Sixsmith moves on to the rise of behaviourism and the ultimate primacy of the scientific. Here the work of Pavlov, Thorndike, Watson and Skinner takes centrestage as psychology became entrenched in the academic sphere and experimental research was favoured over the therapeutic relationship between analyst and patient. The series describes how these two opposing methods of explaining mental functioning and dysfunction were brought together by new work in the 1960s which, though still rejecting the psychoanalytic focus on the unconscious, returned to the milieu of the patient–therapist relationship and sought to integrate new behavioural research findings with patient descriptions of their conscious thoughts. Ellis’s rational emotive behavioural therapy, Fritz-Perl’s Gestalt therapy and Roger’s Person centred therapy are given as examples. The series continues on its historical tour with William James, Wundt, and coverage of psychiatric treatments before turning to the present-day branches of research. These episodes take in every facet of psychology from developmental to neuroscientific to problem-solving as well as Sixsmith’s stated aim of engaging with the influence of popular research trends and the ways that psychology is applied to societal issues such as Cameron’s Happiness Index.

Those familiar with the history of psychology will recognise the usual cast of well-known characters, and the predictable sampling of theories from around the globe.

In Search of Ourselves: Though considerably enlivened with the addition of appropriate musical soundbites, and occasional references A History of Psychology to concurrent cultural and philosophical developments, and the Mind Sixsmith does not venture far from the standard names and Falling Tree Productions places. However, the combination of historical content with BBC Radio 4 modern research is novel, and Sixsmith’s promise to tackle the possibilities of applying psychology to modern life represents a relevant and important question in the face of government claims that ‘psychology will get us back to work’ and the underlying assumption that psychology can provide simple solutions to the exceedingly complex task of managing the vulnerable and unwieldily populations of the unemployed and unwell.

In Search of Ourselves promises to be a series of relevance to both experts and the wider public and perhaps even an opportunity for new talking points between psychologists.

I The series runs over five weeks Monday to Friday at 1.45pm from 21 April on Radio 4 or on iPlayer.

Reviewed by Nathalie L. Chernoff who is Associate Editor: History of Psychology

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Clear and authoritative 8 Keys to Building Your Best Relationships Daniel A. Hughes I’m always interested in anything new that Dan Hughes produces. In this case I think he has produced another fine book aimed at anybody who would wish to think or work on the quality of his or her relationships. This book, another in the series of emotional health self-help books all beginning ‘8 Keys to…’, is grounded in Hughes’s expert understanding of attachment theory and therapy.

He was the creator of dyadic developmental psychotherapy to help fostered and adopted children bond with their carers.

He begins with a very clear description of the attachment processes helpfully illustrated with vignettes and explores areas such as early experience, brain function, emotional functioning and effective communication. This is a very readable book that will help readers understand themselves and their relationships better.

Even as someone familiar with this area I found the clarity of his writing helpful. Many people are familiar with attachment theory but understanding exactly how it translates to social and emotional functioning can be difficult to grasp.

This book is a very helpful way in for many.

I would have no hesitation in recommending it as a self-help book useful for not just for those who are having problems in their primary relationships but who would like a better understanding of themselves or an up-to-date account of the usefulness of attachment theory written in a clear and authoritative manner.

I Norton; 2013; Pb £14.99 Reviewed by Dr Steve Killick who is with Cardiff & Vale University NHS Health Board

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Burnout in professional sport Jonathan Trott: Burnout Sky Sports 1 On 24 November Jonathan Trott left the England cricket team’s Ashes tour of Australia, one test into the five test series. England Team Director Andy Flower stated that he had left due to a ‘stress-related condition’. Many quarters of the media came to the conclusion that Trott was suffering from depression, as this was similar to the fate that had befallen former England internationals Marcus Trescothick and Michael Yardy during international tours. There was much sympathy and support for Trott at this time.

In an hour-long interview with former professional cricketer Ian Ward on Sky Sports, Trott revealed that he had in fact not been experiencing depression, but ‘burn-out’. He had become ‘physically and emotionally spent’, with perceived technical weaknesses in his game causing long-term stress for many weeks leading up to the tour.

Trott reported being unable to concentrate on the ball as he batted, and experiencing severe headaches. He had been offered time off to rest, but instead insisted on playing in the home

one-day series against Australia before the tour. His form merely dropped further, and he spent the remaining time before the tour practising intensely in the nets, giving himself just four days off.

All this begged the question: What is burn-out? There is no universally accepted definition, but it has been described by sports psychologist Dan Gould and colleagues as ‘a physical, emotional and social withdrawal from a formerly enjoyable sport activity’. More importantly, this withdrawal often occurs as a result of chronic stress, so it is fair to categorise burn-out as a ‘stress-related condition’.

Perfectionism has been found to be a factor, and this certainly rings true from Trott’s account: he responded to his poor form by toiling away for days practising in the nets trying to make improvements to his game, when he should have been resting.

However, an expert explanation of burn-out was unusually absent from this interview (despite the programme’s title). The hourlong programme focused on

Trott’s account of his experiences and his efforts to return to the England team, which on the one hand is commendable. However, the interview led to Trott being criticised by some less-informed quarters of the media in the following days. Some journalists and ex-professionals claimed that the interview revealed that he had simply ‘cried off’ and ‘given up’, and that he hadn’t been suffering from a ‘stressrelated condition’ because he said that he wasn’t experiencing depression. It appears that burn-out is a condition that isn’t recognised by the popular media. Furthermore, the interview failed to provide any

sort of expert view on burn-out; perhaps a short interview with a sports psychologist would have given Trott’s account the added legitimacy it required.

Having consulted with psychologists since the tour, Trott now believes ‘balance’ and ‘perspective’ has been the key to his recovery from burn-out and his drive to return to the England team. However, this interview was arguably a missed opportunity in raising awareness of both burn-out and broader mental health issues in sport beyond depressive illness.

I Reviewed by Darren Britton who is a trainee sport and exercise psychologist

A positively skewed view Prostitution: What’s the Harm?

BBC Three This one-off documentary describes the ‘thriving’ world of UK prostitution: with garish results at times. It comes during an apparent glut of related programmes, including Strippers on Channel 4 and The Truth about Webcam Girls on BBC Three.

Prostitution: What’s the Harm? apparently aims to be different in teasing out the benefits of prostitution to the women, clients and businesses involved.

Presenter Billie JD Porter meets customers, an escort and a brothel owner: all keen to stress the joys of prostitution.

Prostitution is described by two male friends as a cheaper and more reliable way of securing sex than the pub and club scene.

Escort Charlotte boasts of earning thousands of pounds a month from prostitution and webcam jobs: the presenter

is left agog. All this prompts a young, carefree, fast-paced lifestyle – in typical BBC Three fashion.

The darker side of prostitution is also thankfully considered, although for a briefer period. 140 sex worker murders have been reported in Britain since 1990. The site of one such killing is visited with words heard from an anonymous sex worker about the violence and emotional damage she experienced. Brothel owner Becky Adams declares a need for brothel legalisation to protect the safety of working women, an opinion that has been echoed elsewhere.

However, this is largely overshadowed by her role in organising a mock-up brothel so modern and pristine that I fear only adds to the picture painted here of today’s prostitution scene.

read discuss contribute at www.thepsychologist.org.uk

Instead of making a thought-provoking piece about the actual harm experienced by today’s prostitutes, this documentary serves as more of an advert for potential male customers and future sex-workers. Little consideration is given to the physical, sexual or psychological harm dealt with by prostitutes in more typical sex-work environments. Equally little airtime is given to the realities of research and outreach work involved in helping such women. Such a positively skewed view towards the modern face of prostitution will likely only serve to further sustain this evercontroversial industry.

I Reviewed by Emma Norris who is a postgraduate student at University College London and Associate Editor for ‘Reviews

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Seeing it all from differing perspectives…

What the Thunder Said Ed Harris Commissioned by professional theatre company Theatre Centre, What the Thunder Said by Ed Harris is the product of a yearlong project with developmental psychologists from Birkbeck (University of London) and King’s College London.

The psychologists aim to identify ways productions such as this might help children deal with feelings associated with witnessing violence in their community, on television or in computer games. In March and April it toured primary schools in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, London and Manchester. Here we present three different perspectives.

The psychologist: Dr Natasha Kirkham, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London Until now, my research has been solidly experimental, investigating theories on attention and learning. This project opened my eyes to just how important it is for developmental scientists to get out of the lab and into the field, to listen to individual children and to shake up their methods. And to remind ourselves that development does not happen in a vacuum. These children were extraordinary – tough, interesting, heart-breaking and funny – and all of them had thoughtful, strong opinions about the

very real bullying in their environments.

I learned about ‘circle of friends’ (peergroups assigned to befriend and look out for each other), I learned about the role of humour in the lives of these children (both appropriate and inappropriate), and I learned how easily these children shift between reality and fantasy (seamlessly moving from laughing about parents in prison to discussing Xbox characters).

Importantly, I learned that with bullying, ‘walking away’ does not always work.

This experience was personally and professionally cathartic for me, offering new insights into modern-day parenting, coping strategies (for children and teachers) and developmental resilience.

Ultimately, it proved to me that a lot of our ideas about how to deal with bullying need to be reworked.

We hope that the pre- and post-play surveys will show a significant shift in ‘I liked the part where the characters had to make decisions and think people’s perspective about what they wanted, and if they made bad choices then they could still on community pick themselves up and go on the right track. I liked that we could join in violence and the and I think all of it was amazing.’ (Year 6 student, Ashbury Meadow effects of bullying, Primary, Manchester) and provide some

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evidence for theatre-based intervention in areas rife with violence and trouble.

The playwright: Ed Harris, award-winning playwright, radio dramatist and poet.

Violence is a confusing subject for kids. X’s dad says walk away, but Y’s mum says hit them back.

Violence is bad, yet it appears in a wide range of entertainment. Violence is bad, yet slapstick is funny. Violence is bad, yet the hero kills. Violence is bad, yet you can’t look away.

Have we been so busy promoting the superficial message that violence is bad that we’ve stopped listening to the kids’ questions and concerns?

When we began interviewing the kids, we didn’t have any preconceived ideas about what the play’s message should be. We wanted to hear what children thought if we stopped telling them what we’d like them to think.

We learned about how frustrated kids were because they couldn’t talk to their teachers or parents without being met with the conversational equivalent of an e-mail auto-respond: ‘Thanks for your question. I'm afraid your teacher/parent isn’t available to talk about the grey-areas of bullying or violence’. And of course we heard horrible stories: children who have witnessed intimidation, assault and even murder. Kids whose worlds are rough and violent, and who are fully conscious that, when they get a bit older, they’re going to have to join a gang in order to survive. And one of the truly upsetting things was that the kids asked simple questions we couldn’t answer, like ‘What should I do?’ or ‘What would you do if you were me?’.

The play is based on their questions and experiences, and, where it can, offers answers, ideas and choices. But there isn’t one way to deal with bullies or ‘bad guys’, and we know ‘walking away’ never worked.

The more we promote a one-size-fits-all solution, the less we’re preparing our children for the world.

The teacher: Sarah Geddis, Assistant Headteacher, St Peters RC Primary School, Rochdale The current Year 6 cohort has always been challenging and had problems with getting

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A reminder of relevance Woman’s Hour BBC Radio 4

‘The play made me feel that, if someone is doing something to me, I don’t always have to get so angry that I should destroy something or something like that. It made me think about the fact that you have to make good choices and really think about what it is you want to do.’ (Year 6 student, Ashbury Meadow Primary, Manchester)

along. The run-up to Christmas was particularly gruelling. Behaviour and attitude to learning was a significant problem for a large group of boys. They appeared disengaged and lacked motivation in terms of their attainment and achievement across the curriculum.

We introduced a wide range of measures, but as a drama specialist I understand the power of drama as a tool for learning and engaging pupils. I found out about Theatre Centre from the internet and contacted a member of the team to enquire about their new project. From reading a synopsis of the content I knew that this play would reflect the issues that we were dealing with and give all members of the class an opportunity to explore their own personal feelings.

The performance and the quality of the acting were out of this world. The Year 5 and Year 6 classes were engrossed from the first scene and got so much from the workshops. My class, for the first time, were able to reflect on the problems that we had experienced before Christmas and understood the power of their personal choices.

As a result of the consistent hard work of the school team and the involvement in the theatre in education project, behaviour and attitudes have greatly improved and the pupils are now on track to meet national standards by the end of Year 6.

I For more information see www.theatrecentre.co.uk/shows/2013/what-the-thundersaid

Psychology is often featured on Woman’s Hour, and the two programmes I caught recently were no exception.

On 21 March a new Sutton Trust report was under scrutiny, considering implications of the findings that 40 per cent of children do not form secure attachments to their parents. The discussion focused on how parenting is not an innate ability, with parents needing to learn techniques to aid the development of more securely attached infants in order to avoid possible future social and economic issues.

The programme visited a Parents Early Education Partnership class, where parents can learn techniques to bond with their child. One mother admitted to being in ‘shellshock’ in her infant’s first days. This seems especially concerning when considering parents’ influence upon attachment in the first few hours of life, more so when Jenni Murray

paraphrases Phillip Larkin’s poetic assertion that some children are ‘mucked up’ by their parents.

Unfortunately, some elements of the discussion lacked scientific clarity.

Children with non-secure, but functional attachment styles are categorised under the umbrella term ‘nonsecure attachment’ alongside children with the more serious disorganised attachment styles. Also, as Judy Williams (child and adolescent psychotherapist) establishes, the majority of research on the attachment of infants ignores those children with healthy attachments to other caregivers besides the mother.

Ultimately and disappointingly, the extract skirted vaguely around the subject of providing parents with the support to scaffold secure attachments with their child, failing to convincingly expand on what improvements can be made to tackle the attachment issue.

The following day’s programme, however, provided an interesting insight into the minds of men who pay for sex.

Although more politically focused, Woman’s Hour heard from men who had paid for sex, and touched on psychological implications, regarding the risk assessment these men make, and how the ‘hunt’ for such women can be a thrill and a de-stressor for some.

It was an insightful contribution, also acknowledging the possible damage done in pursuing such activities, such as guilt and the difficulties of forming new and future relationships.

Overall, BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour does provide an interesting listen, and as a psychology undergraduate it truly reminds me how relevant psychology is in everyday life.

I Reviewed by Bethany Dimmock who is a psychology undergraduate at the University of York

Flagging up the warning signs Red Flags in Psychotherapy Patricia Keith-Spiegel Given the nature of ethical guidelines, it could be assumed that reading a book on the subject would be a laborious but necessary task. Red Flags in Psychotherapy outlines a long list of warning signs – ‘red flags’ – for therapists to be aware of when working with clients, presenting 11 engaging case studies.

Each case stands alone, covering a range of violations, some of which would be obvious to those in psychology, such as violating client confidentiality. The case exploring a

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psychologist’s right to a private life is particularly pertinent in light of the current trends in social media and can offer guidance to those new to providing therapy.

The cases are presented from the perspective of those who have violated the ethics code and those sitting on the panel, providing narratives and information on how the decisions were made, bringing seemly abstract concepts into real life situations, taking in details that decide the penalties issued, if any.

Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking questions to aid reflection for anyone with interests in psychology, regardless of their background and experience.

I Routledge; 2014; Pb £27.99 Reviewed by Kathy Williams who is an assistant psychologist in learning difficulties and adult mental health

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An eye-opening documentary Undercover Doctor: Cure Me, I’m Gay Channel 4 I have to admit that I was more than a bit hesitant when I heard the controversial title of Dr Christian Jessen’s latest one-off documentary. This features the popular Harley Street television doctor visiting US and UK vendors of ‘de-gaying’ remedies, mostly for a princely fee. Some of these techniques are utterly outrageous and are quite an uncomfortable watch.

In an attempt to firstly ascertain his suitability for the task as a gay man, Christian undertakes Cornell University’s sexual orientation eye-tracking test. In the only scientific element to the show, eye and genital-tracking measurements are taken whilst viewing heterosexual, homosexual and neutral images. All this confirms that Christian is ‘100 per cent gay’. Happy with this confirming diagnosis, Christian then undergoes ‘aversion therapy’: available on the NHS as a homosexual remedy until the 1980s. This is undoubtedly the most shocking element of the show and definitely not for the weak-stomached! After being given a drug to make him vomit, Christian is sat in front of homo-erotic images and instructed not to move from his seat. The experience is evidently and understandably humiliating.

The rationale behind this treatment was to condition patients to associate homosexuality with violent illness. However, a doctor having previously administered the treatment in the 1970s could recall no anecdotal evidence of its effectiveness.

Next, Dr Jessen samples a range of US remedies. With a large anti-gay Christian movement prominent in the southern states, there is unfortunately a large market of homosexuals suffering mental anguish and willing to pay over the odds to be ‘cured’. He visits a retired ‘gay rehab’ facilitator, who is himself gay. This $3000 treatment involves being isolated of all ‘gay’ clothing,

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images and entertainment.

Christian is evidently uncomfortable in the lack of control he has over his appearance and activities.

He also meets a ‘reparative therapist’: providing talking therapy to uncover the ‘causal’ natures of previous experiences.

Lost years of love and bonding from the father or sexual abuse from a male are deemed by this therapist to be typical causes; with him adamant that there is no biological basis.

Perhaps the most bizarre approach shown is ‘right brain therapy’, as touted by Zimbabwe-born Dr Jerry Mungadze. Christian goes undercover to see his approach in action. This basically involves paying $150 an hour to colour in brain diagrams with crayons in what is called a ‘natural MRI’.

The colours and areas you select are said to correspond with homo- and heterosexual hormones in the brain.

Comically, Dr Mungadze is himself colourblind, has no medical training and describes the adrenal and thyroid glands as in the brain. Christian emerges from the session understandably visibly angry at this false representation of the medical profession.

Case studies and discussions with Christian groups are dispersed throughout. These include the ‘Ex-gays’ movement campaigning in Washington, DC for the provision of homosexuality aversion therapy. Christian invites these ‘converted homosexuals’ to prove their newfound heterosexuality via the Cornell eye-tracking test. They appear eager at the rally, although none take him up on his offer.

Finally and back in the UK, Christian meets an east London pastor who delivers exorcisms for a range of anxiety conditions, as well as homosexuality. What is shocking here is the pastor’s constant proclamation of medical diagnoses surrounding

homosexuality. These unfounded words are dangerous to promote to desperate people who may be easily convinced.

Worryingly, this approach is apparently increasing popular in the UK. It seems for some experiencing trauma from their sexual orientation: desperate times are calling for desperate measures.

One unfailing bias with this documentary is that Dr Jessen has no wish to be ‘cured’.

However, you can forgive this for the efforts he takes to test each therapy, regardless of its efficacy. His transformation from typical calm doctor to a vomiting, weeping and abused patient is shocking and bravely displayed on national television.

His clear dedication in bringing these heinous techniques out

into the public consciousness is surely commendable. Perhaps what is missing from this programme is more of a professional, scientific opinion such as from a psychologist.

This would have been particularly timely, given that leading UK psychological professions, including the British Psychological Society, recently published a consensus statement denouncing conversion therapy (tinyurl.com/qekhonw).

However, I would definitely recommend this as an eyeopening documentary.

I Reviewed by Emma Norris who is a postgraduate student at University College London and Associate Editor for ‘Reviews’

Open-access answer to a traditional problem Noba Project www.nobaproject.com At Aberdeen, as I am sure is the case at most institutions, every few years the issue of changing the introductory textbook raises its head. This year was the lucky year, predominantly driven by new lecturers and new lecture topics that were not covered adequately by the existing textbook. It is a common complaint by students that they can spend huge amounts of money on textbooks in the first year only to find that their use amongst different lecturers is inconsistent at best. It can be easy to ignore these complaints. Textbooks are recommended, not mandatory. We provide multiple copies in the library. They should read the course guide to determine which lecturers plan to assign reading from the textbook and make informed purchasing decisions. To take this approach is to forget what it was like to be 18 and excited about university. It can also be easy for students to blame their lecturers and expect that all sections of a course will draw equally from the same text. To take this approach is to entirely misunderstand the nature of higher education.

Whilst we were discussing possible textbook options, I saw a post on Twitter about the Noba project, an open-access resource that allows you to build a custom textbook from chapters written by experts in their respective fields. Noba passed the first test – content. To date there are 88 chapters to choose from and a number of lecturers indicated that the Noba chapters were as good as, if not better, than comparable chapters of the traditional textbook. The second test, accessibility, also passed

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Taking a scientific approach to life…

The Rosie Project Graeme Simsion It can be argued that working in academia is a lifestyle choice. The Rosie Project is a story told by postdoctoral student and geneticist Don Tillman, who embarks upon a project he believes will solve his ‘wife problem’.

After a series of unsuccessful attempts at dating, Don decides to take a scientific approach to selecting a wife and thus begins the hilarious journey of ruling out all women who dabble in astrology, homeopathy or have tattoos. However, Don’s mission to find a wife is halted after meeting Rosie, who exposes Don to a life without scientific rules in a mission to find her biological father.

There are a number of sub-stories within this book, which makes it an interesting read. First of all Simsion portrays Don as an individual with Asperger’s who does not realise he has Asperger’s. A key moment of the book is the irony when Don is asked to cover a lecture about autism and discovers he has much in common with the Asperger’s profile.

Unfortunately the book does not explore

further whether Don seeks a diagnosis or whether he simply identifies with these individuals.

Instead the focus is on Don’s own growth as a person who finally learns to feel emotion and becomes capable of loving someone.

Indeed Simsion, a former PhD student in IT, does not claim to have any expertise in autism spectrum disorders and remarkably created Don’s character based on observations of people he met during his time at university. Nonetheless a good attempt has been made to portray key characteristics of Asperger’s and its genetic predispositions.

with flying colours.

Once you have built your textbook you are provided with a URL to access an html version or you can download a pdf. We plan to e-mail all students with the pdf textbook in the first week of term as well as hosting a copy on the VLE. More broadly, the ability to custom-build a textbook allows us to provide students with a resource that is tightly focused on the content that they will actually encounter. The Noba chapters do not cover the course comprehensively, some lecturers will use chapters as recommended reading, some only as further background reading for those interested. Noba won’t eradicate the issue of consistency of use, but it does mean the removal of a financial penalty to students.

Generally, our attitude towards Noba is very positive and has been helped by the willingness of the editors to answer our questions via e-mail. However, there are a number of reservations that mean rather than offering Noba as the sole course textbook we have decided to give students the choice and present Noba and the traditional textbook in parallel.

First, there is an issue of prestige and quality control. We know what it means that Elizabeth Loftus co-authored the chapter on eyewitness testimony, but this is unlikely to have the same impact with the average fresher. How will the students react to the lack of a highly polished expensive tome? More importantly, Noba has the ability to update chapter content, be it minor corrections or more substantial revisions, and these updates are automatically reflected in the html

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Rather amusingly the book also highlights life in academia, perhaps based on Simsion’s own experiences: the chase for funding, the ethics of marking, and general university politics which all make for an enjoyable and identifiable read for psychologists.

Whilst a lot of the book is highly stereotypical and somewhat predictable, you cannot help but warm to Don Tillman and laugh out loud at the many moments when life suddenly seems unyielding to a regimented scientific approach.

I Penguin; 2014; Pb £7.99 Reviewed by Zayba Ghazali who is a PhD student at the Institute of Education, University of London

versions of the textbooks. It has not yet been decided how users will be informed of what changes have been made, which is a cause for concern.

Second, although the written content of chapters is excellent, there is a noticeable lack of images, particularly of the high-quality type that litters most introductory texts. For courses like perception or biological psychology that benefit hugely from images of visual illusions or diagrams, this is problematic. One of the reasons for retaining the use of the traditional textbook was the use of the image bank that accompanies it.

Third, the ability to provide a textbook that is closely focused on the content of the course is a double-edged sword.

By being so focused students may lose out on having a more general overview and not read as widely as they would with a traditional textbook. We could publish one of the Ready-Made textbooks that Noba provides but there is something in this that lacks the tangible experience of having a textbook to flick through.

Finally, there is the issue of establishment. The Noba project is still in relative infancy and it is difficult to predict the future. We plan to collect feedback from the students and are hopeful that issues such as a lack of images can be improved over time, but our reservations are substantial enough to postpone the wholesale adoption of Noba at the present time. That said, regardless of these reservations, the Noba project should be applauded for providing a viable, technologically current, open-access answer to a very traditional problem and we would encourage experimentation.

I Reviewed by Emily Nordmann who is a Teaching Fellow in Psychology at the University of Aberdeen

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A more personable side of autism Horizon – Living with Autism BBC Two Televised the night before World Autism Day (2 April), ‘Living with autism’ is the latest instalment of the long-running Horizon documentary series. Horizon prides itself in featuring figureheads of research, and this episode was no exception, presented and collated by the inspiring Professor Uta Frith (University College London). The programme is described as reflecting a lifetime (70 years) of research into autism: both Uta’s own dedication to the field and the lifelong condition of autism itself.

We first meet Joe, now a 57-year-old autistic adult, as he observes himself taking part in experiments with Uta as a child.

This provides a welcome early reminder that autism does not only affect children, it is a developmental disorder. Autistic savants are then discussed and put into context. Only around a third of autistics have such unexpected abilities, far from the ‘Rain Man’ persona still seemingly ingrained in modern culture.

We then meet 15-year-old ‘calendric calculator’ Kenny, who can say what day of the week any date is in the past or future. He describes his creation of complex calendar patterns at seven years old as key

to developing this skill. This creative development of skills coupled with Kenny’s sociable nature helps to reduce the robotic, fixed stereotype commonly perceived in autistic individuals.

This leads nicely to discussion of the attention to detail common in autism. We meet Jules, a drama student with Asperger’s syndrome. He shares his recognition of patterns in the features of individuals and their actions, describing everyone as having a ‘totem animal’. Jules is another charming personality, clearly enjoying applying his lack of inhibition into that out?’ Instead I was his improvisation acting class. He poignantly addressing people who knew asks Uta where autism comes from, little about autism, and the accurately suggesting himself that people’s little they knew might well brains are different. This leads on to a be misinformation. discussion of the lack of ‘social navigation I was very impressed system’ in autism. Professor Francesca by the careful work of the Happé presents a mentalising task featuring director and her camera and two animated triangles designed to display sound team. There was a stories of deception and persuasion, modest amount of travelling, detected by ordinary but not autistic and I was astonished about individuals. Case studies also reveal the the many logistics problems anxiety experienced by autistic individuals presented by the equipment due to this lack of social awareness. alone. Appointments with The selective imitation of actions typical people that had been made in autistic individuals is also presented by for filming were easily Dr Antonia Hamilton. Whereas ordinary broken, and waiting for the individuals will imitate others due to right moment was often a perceived pressures of social desirability, long game. As is often the autistic individuals are shown to not perceive case with adversities they such pressures. The history and prevalence made us all bond together. of autism are then described using historical I learned continually as I was examples, including arguably the first able to benefit from good recorded case of an individual with advice and moral support identifiable autistic characteristics. from everybody in the team.

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen briefly By the end of the filming explores issues surrounding diagnoses and it was quite clear that I was the spectrum of autism, including whether still as fascinated with it is possible to be slightly autistic. Finally, autism as ever. I relished work at Birkbeck’s BabyLab into early meeting the extraordinary autism diagnosis using EEGs with autistic people we were privileged to siblings is shown. film, and I hoped that some Some interesting, unanswered questions of my enthusiasm might – are posed at the programme’s conclusion: just might – infect others.

Why does autism exist in so many forms?

How does it originate? No doubt these are

WHAT WAS IT LIKE FILMING HORIZON ‘LIVING WITH AUTISM’?

It was one of the most interesting experiences I have had in recent years, and it gave me some insight into the intricacies of making documentaries. I was very excited that I could be involved in writing the script.

This seemed to offer a unique opportunity to put across the psychologist’s point of view. By this I mean the message that we study the mind and not just behaviour, nor just the brain.

I was determined that there was not going to be yet another scene showing automated DNA analysis, nor a scene showing somebody in a brain scanner. Instead there should be scenes showing psychological experiments.

To underline this, the programme was originally to be called ‘Inside the mind of the autistic person’, but for various reasons, this title could not be used.

I learned an awful lot doing this programme. The script was written and rewritten, like a patchwork

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quilt. I had the feeling that about 90 per cent of film taken ended up ‘on the cutting-room floor’. Scenes usually had to be filmed many times over, and out of chronological order. It is

Professor Uta Frith truly difficult to make a documentary. There has to be ‘human interest’. There has to be a story to get viewers involved. I took me a while to realise that I was not going to be addressing my own colleagues and that I shouldn’t worry about them asking ‘Why does she put this in – why does she leave

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A core handbook

I Reviewed by Emma Norris who is a postgraduate student at University College London and Associate Editor for ‘Reviews’

An enlightening read Everyday Talk: Building and Reflecting Identities (2nd edn) Karen Tracy & Jessica S. Robles Authors, Tracy and Robles, both currently teaching at universities in the USA, specialise in the study of communication and discourse analysis. Their book provides an overview of research in the area of interactional studies over the last decade. With examples of transactions taken from journals, the clearly explained terminology perfectly describes communication practices and their role in creating identities, while also providing narratives and links to audio files for clarification.

The result is a very approachable and comprehensive autopsy of modern interactions; covering arguments between partners, phone conversations between son and mother, and excuses between lecturers and students. If you have ever wondered why dialects that suggest social class inferiority flourish while ancient languages struggle, or whether emoticons and texts will ever truly replace a face-to-face conversation, then you will find plenty in this book to answer your questions.

This is a book that will change your understanding of communication, and how relationships are built as well as how we project our identities. A useful resource for students, but also an enlightening read for anyone interested in communication.

I Guilford Press; 2013; Pb £26.99 Reviewed by Lucy J. Sharpe who is a psychology undergraduate at Worcester University

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An original text, which will not disappoint any clinician, student or trainee interested in or working with children, young people and their families. Edited by experts in the field of diagnostic and behavioural assessment and accompanied by a myriad of influential international contributors, this text should be respected as a core handbook, and guiding light, for evidence-based assessment.

Split into two sections the text clearly and methodically ‘sets the scene’ for the reader with ‘fundamental issues’ (Part I), an exclusive and inclusive exploration of behavioural and diagnostic assessment approaches, describing the history, underpinning theories, current and evolving evidence as well as potential future research directions. Fully informed, the reader is then introduced to the ‘assessment tools’ (Part II), core diagnostic and behavioural assessment measures used throughout treatment (from referral to discharge). The final chapter illustrates the assessment tools in practice through two varied and detailed case studies. All sections and chapters draw upon an impressive array of references, a fantastic resource to direct the

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questions that will continue to be researched by future generations of psychologists [and look out for a special issue of The Psychologist on autism later in the year].

Having a younger brother with autism and having worked in a school for autistic children, I was very eager to watch this programme. I was not disappointed! A clear message is promoted from the outset: understanding more about how autistic individuals experience their own world will help us learn more about our own. The differentiation throughout the programme of the ‘ordinary’ versus ‘extraordinary’ highlights the amazing skills and personalities of autism that we can all learn from. The programme featured autistic individuals of a range of ages, helping to diminish any public views of autism as a developmental disorder in children only. Content was targeted at a broad audience, providing an entry-level insight into the features and diagnoses of autism. By focusing on the experiences of individuals with autism instead of brain scanning techniques and affected brain areas, Professor Frith ensured that a much more personable side of autism was presented. This was a brilliant programme that captured the range and vibrancy of autistic personalities – very highly recommended!

Diagnostic and Behavioral Assessment in Children and Adolescents: A Clinical Guide Bryce D. McLeod, Amanda Jensen-Doss & Thomas H. Ollendick (Eds.)

reader for future exploration.

Promoting a multidimensional diagnostic and behavioural approach to evidence-based assessment, McLeod, Jensen-Doss and Ollendick provide space for informed reflection whilst provoking curiosity into how these assessment methods could, and should, be incorporated into daily practice more fully.

I Guilford Press; 2013; Hb £43.99 Reviewed by Hannah Butler who is a Clinical Psychologist with The Junction, Tier 4 CAMHS Inpatient Services, Lancaster

Sample titles just in: The Anger Fallacy Steven Laurent & Ross. G. Menzies Investigative Interviewing Ray Bull (Ed.) Preventing Stress in Organizations Emma Donaldson-Feilder, Joanna Yarker & Rachel Lewis Making Light Work: Rethinking the Service Organisation Peter A. Johnson Pulsation: From Wilhem Reich to Neurodynamic Psychotherapy Seán Haldane For a full list of books available for review and information on reviewing for The Psychologist, see www.bps.org.uk/books.

Send books for potential review to The Psychologist, 48 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7DR But remember, ‘Reviews’ now covers much more than books: get in touch to contribute or follow @psychmag on Twitter.

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