“A controversial bill to reform mental health law is so draconian, unethical and impractical that ministers should scrap it and start afresh, doctors’ leaders said today.”
> From The Guardian
Category: Psychology
The new Volkswagen ad
My Dad is occasionally heard to mutter that TV programmes nowadays can’t compete with the adverts. In this case, he’s right.
> From The Guardian, you can download the ad here.
Heightism applies to women as well as men
“Both men and women judge a tall female on first sight as more intelligent, assertive, independent and ambitious. For good measure, they are also judged richer and more successful, whatever the reality.”
> From The Independent
Graphology has zero validity (it’s rubbish)
According to this report on BBC News there are 3,000 businesses in the UK that use graphology (handwriting analysis) as part of the recruitment process. I am astounded.
Back when I was at school, I had an English teacher who was learning graphology. She took a look at my scrawling and told me that I was becoming more outgoing. I was astounded, how could she tell that just from handwriting? Then she stopped, looked at it again and corrected herself. Or, she said, perhaps it’s the opposite.
Obviously this is only anecdotal evidence, but what else is there? Well, after reviewing the research, the British Psychological Society has ranked all the procedures used in personnel selection in order of validity. Graphology shares its ranking position with astrology: zero validity.
So if your organisation uses this as a method of selecting new recruits, and you don’t work for the British Institute of Graphologists, then it’s time to think again.
» Read on about the connections between handwriting and personality.
Removing barriers to safe motoring
It’s a kind of back to basics approach for motorists. In these experimental stretches of road, gone are road markings, curbs, traffic islands, barriers and even traffic lights. Instead we encourage drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to interact and be more aware of each other.
The idea is so attractive, I hope it works – evidence is encouraging from the UK village where it has been trialled.
Computer use good for literacy skills
This study tested what effect computer use by students had on reading and writing skills. Surprisingly student’s use of a computer during the school year improved their scores in the final test. That was despite it not involving a computer.
A more entertaining finding was buried in the middle. The researchers found that the use of Powerpoint to create presentations actually lowered the student’s marks in the final test. So Powerpoint is as bad for presenter as it is for the audience – something I had always suspected.
> From Science Daily
Crazy in love
A US company is selling this bear in a straight-jacket ahead of Valentine’s Day. Naturally some priggish Americans have claimed it stigmatises mental illness. Fortunately executives at The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. have taken, and I quote, “the difficult decision,” to continue selling the bear despite the outraged complaints. A triumph of capitalism over political correctness, I’m sure you’ll agree.
> From BBC News
Follow-up Friday
How many times do you read an article in the newspaper on a fascinating subject and then never hear about it again? I don’t want my blog to be a home for such fickle reporting, and so I bring you follow-up Friday!
There’s an ongoing debate about the factors affecting sexuality. Gene research brings more evidence for the strength of biological factors in homosexuality.
> From The University of Illinois
OK, the papers do occasionally follow-up their own interesting stories. A new columnist in the Guardian invited readers to meet him in a restaurant. Incredibly 20 of them showed up.
> The original column, the follow-up
Health messages in dodgy new proverbs
The plan was good, it was the execution that let him down. A Toronto researcher came up with the idea of spreading positive health messages by creating new proverbs. Unfortunately the ones he came up with are mostly a bit dodgy.
One was: “A tri-colour meal is a good deal.” Call me a cynic but I just can’t see it catching on. I’m sticking with Seneca’s dictum: “To wish to be well is a part of becoming well.” But I’m not claiming the kids will be chanting it by next week.
> From Science Daily
Pioneering therapist explains his philosophy
Albert Ellis trained as a psychotherapist in the 50s but soon decided Freudian therapy was just too slow and passive. He developed his own methods, now called Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, designed to get results more quickly. This laid the foundations for what has become known as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – a very successful modern form of treatment.
Here he explains his forthright philosophy of life and why he doesn’t care what other people think – unless they’re patients of course!
> From Psychology Today
