source: GreshamCollege 2014年5月1日
A series of public lectures by Glenn D. Wilson, Visiting Gresham Professor of Psychology. All information can be found on the Gresham College website: www.gresham.ac.uk
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lectures are available from the Gresham College website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
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1 48:01 Soothing The Savage Breast
Can music heal? For centuries its therapeutic virtues have been extolled. The various uses to which it is put are described and the scientific studies that evaluate its benefits. The possibility of music having socially damaging effects is also considered.
2 48:49 The Pursuit of Happiness
What makes us happy? Is it a genetic trait that we are stuck with, or a product of events unfolding in our living? Does it help to be rich? What can be done to overcome set-backs and and improve our sense of well being?
3 43:20 The Psychology of Politics
Political affiliations reflect social class and upbringing but personality factors also contribute, including genetically determined traits like fear of uncertainty and novelty-seeking. Extreme positions may stem from dogmatism, hostility and intolerance of ambiguity.
4 50:07 Mad, bad or sad? The Psychology of Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are a contentious issue in psychiatry. How many are there and how reliable is their diagnosis? Are we just medicalising bad behaviour and social inadequacy. How should medical and criminal justice sectors divide responsibility?
5 49:57 Whatever Turns You On
6 49:58 Profiling a KillerHow do the real Crackers operate and how successful are they? Intuitive approaches to criminal profiling capture the imagination but actuarial methods are often more effective. The new science of geographical profiling is described and how it has helped to "crack" certain famous cases.
7 54:17 Personality and the Brain
Personality is partly inborn and mediated by brain structures, hormones and neurotransmitters. It influences social behaviours such as gambling, sexual behaviour, extreme sports, impulse control disorders and criminality. Is there an additive personality? Do men and women differ in personality? Modern research on the connections between neural presences and personality is presented and evolutionary reasons offered for some of the variations.
8 42:20 Genius or Madness? The Psychology of Creativity"Great wits are sure to madness near allied, and thin partitions do their bounds divide" (Dryden)
There often seems to be a link between creativity and mental illness. Many great poets, playwrights, artists and composers suffered from depression, alcoholism, obsessionality, bipolar or psychotic disorders at some time in their lives. How strong is the link and what might account for it? Are these disorders beneficial to the creative process or a drawback that must be overcome?
9 52:36 Mind over Matter
Charlatan "cures" and "alternative" treatments are widespread and popular. Despite lacking any credible rationale, people often seem to benefit from them. The power of suggestion and "placebos" is impressive. What accounts for miracle cures and phenomena like stigmata? Are certain personality types prone to particular illness? How does stress affect our immune system? Psychosomatics is a fascinating branch of psychology with many issues yet to be settled.
10 54:43 Sleep and Dreams
Why do humans sleep? How much do we need to function effectively? How are our sleep patterns affected by artificial light? What, if anything, is accomplished by dreams? Do they have important personal meaning and provide portents, or are they just random activity of a brain left to its own devices. Why are they so hard to remember? Can we control the course of our dreams? Where do nightmares come from? New insights are emerging into the meaning of sleep and dreams.
11 54:25 How to be a lie detector
There are many circumstances in which it is important to detect deception. Whether people are evaluating a partner's account of their activities involved in police investigations, jury duty, high-level diplomacy or simply deciding who to vote for at an election, sincerity is a major issue. How to tell whether someone is lying by verbal and body language clues is discussed, as well as the use of polygraphs, infrared cameras and computerised systems.
12 53:44 The Psychology of Money
It has been claimed that economics is just a branch of psychology. Certainly movements on the stock market reflect human greed and fears. The desire to acquire wealth is a major driving force in human behaviour and our relationship with money says much about who we are. If money doesn't necessarily make us happy it does powerfully affect our emotions and is a factor in many psychological disorders ranging from anxiety and depression to hoarding and kleptomania.
13 53:47 The Black Dog: Causes and Cures for Depression
Is depression a response to unfortunate life events, or an unfolding of constitutional predisposition? The "learned helplessness" conceptualisation. Chemical and brain changes observed in depression - are they the cause or a manifestation of the negative mood?
The relationship between negative thoughts and depressed mood - which takes priority? What can be done to reverse the downward spiral? How can we tell when someone is at risk of suicide?
14 50:30 Having a Laugh? Comedy and Comedians
Humour depends upon a delicate balance of emotional arousal (a threat, hostility, taboo, sexual arousal) and technique (mechanisms rendering a joke safe and socially acceptable -- "just in fun").
The origins of humour in non-humans and children will be considered, and the purposes it serves for the individual and for society. Effects of mirth in the brain, therapeutic applications of laughter and the role of comedians in society will also be examined.
15 52:40 Feast or Famine: The Psychology of Eating
Is body weight due to a constitutional "set point" or to eating style? Do diets work or are they inevitably doomed to fail? Is self-monitoring (e.g., calorie counting, food diaries and regular weighing) useful or counterproductive. What accounts for eating disorders such as anorexia, binging and bulimia? How can they be managed?
Body dysmorphic disorder as a modern problem. To what extent does idealisation of thinness in the media contribute to dissatisfaction with body weight?
16 1:03:36 Criminal Minds
How do personality, social deprivation and upbringing affect criminality? Is crime due to economic need, a failure of conscience or a need for excitement?
If genetic contributions or brain damage can be established should they be taken to reduce culpability? What is prison for and are there alternative punishments that are more effective? Can criminals be reformed, or simply contained?
17 53:30 The Oedipus Effect
Many writers, from Sophocles to Freud, have seen profound significance in the story of Oedipus who killed his father and married his mother. What does this tell us about human nature? Is there any support for the theories of these complexes? Is there a natural inclination toward incest, or is incest avoidance the norm?
To what extent is our choice of partners influenced by early experience of our parents and our relationship with them?
18 52:35 Cosmic Influences on Behaviour?
Why do some people believe that celestial bodies affect their behaviours? Is there any truth to their claims?: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
Are human personality, health and vocational choice influenced by the position of the planets? If not, why do so many people read horoscopes and believe this to be the case? Terms such as jovial, martial, mercurial, venereal and saturnine are implanted in our psyche.
Are Psychological differences between believers ("sheep") and sceptics ("goats") affected by the season of birth? Do sunspots or the full moon affect human behaviour (lunacy or even 'werewolves')?
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