Keynote Speakers
Exploring the relationship between excessive internet use and depression
Dr Catriona Morrison, University of Leeds
This study explored the concept of Internet addiction and examined the relationship between addictive symptoms and depression. An online questionnaire was used to measure participants’ Internet use, the functions for which they used the Internet, and their depressive tendencies.
Three scales were included: the Internet Addiction Test, the Internet Function Test, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). 1319 respondents completed the questionnaires, with 18 (1.2%) identified as falling in the Internet Addicted (IA) category. Across the whole data sample, there was a close relationship between IA tendencies and depression, such that IA respondents were more depressed; there were also significant differences between the sexes, with men showing more addictive tendencies than women. In addition, young people were significantly more likely to show addictive symptoms than were older people. There was a significant difference between IA and NA group in their levels of depressive symptoms, with the NA group firmly in the non-depressed range, and the IA group in the moderate-to-severely depressed range. In terms of the function for which they used the Internet, the IA group engaged significantly more than the NA group in sexually gratifying websites, gaming websites, and online community/chat. Future research is needed to corroborate the existing evidence and address the nature of the relationship between IA and depression: there is comorbidity between these conditions that needs greater investigation.
Psychological intervention and behaviour change: A peek inside the psychologist’s toolbox
Dr Chris Armitage, University of Sheffield
Changing people’s behaviour is central to improving society through better public health, tackling climate change, and dealing with economic collapse. However, many large scale attempts to change people’s behaviour have been characterised by intuitive ideas about how to change people’s behaviour, suboptimal research designs and poor evaluations. This talk will focus on my research, which is focused on identifying the active ingredients of psychological interventions across a range of behavioural domains.
How Many Friends Do You Really Think You Have?
Professor Robin Dunbar, Magdalen College, University of Oxford
We humans are, of course, just another species of great ape. But it is surely obvious that we also have capacities that are not shared by the other apes, never mind other animals – we produce literature, science and, for better or worse, religion, and they don’t. I will argue that these differences all come down to one key thing: the capacity to live in the virtual world of the imagination. I shall argue that this is dependent on psycho-pharmacological mechanisms and cognitive abilities related to intentionality (or theory of mind) that are crucial for bonding social groups in all monkeys and apes, but which seem to be especially highly developed in humans. I shall argue that these features of culture that mark us out as unique have been necessary to allow us to live in super-large groups (by primate standards). Our social life still reflects these evolutionary origins. Yet despite our capacity to live in enormous urban sprawls, our social world is still very small scale – confined to just 150 people. I’ll explore aspects of the dynamics of these relationships to show how family relationships are surprisingly robust, yet friendships very fragile.
PsyPAG Award Winners
Title: Are txt msg shortcuts processed like words? Evidence from masked priming.
Kirsten Bartlett, Sheffield Hallam University
Keywords: Lexical processing, SMS
SMS shortcuts such as txt (text) and l8r (later) have become common items in text messages and some recent research suggests that the young people who are competent users of shortcuts have stronger literacy skills than those who do not use them (Plester, Wood & Joshi, 2009).
Models of visual word recognition suggest that the written word is processed via mental representations of how a word is spelt (orthographic) or how it sounds (phonological), (Coltheart, Rastle, Perry, Langdon & Ziegler, 2001). Two experiments using single word examples of both types of shortcut in a lexical decision task set out to investigate processing of SMS shortcuts compared to their real word counterparts. In Experiment 1 target words (e.g., LATER) were preceded by three different prime types; identity primes (e.g., later), shortcut primes (e.g., l8r) and baseline primes (e.g., %%%). In addition, real familiar shortcuts were matched to a set of unfamiliar ‘fake’ shortcuts that are unlikely to be used in text messages (e.g., rsk – risk, est8 – estate). The results suggest that real shortcuts access the lexicon but are not as effective as real words, suggesting that there is a cost to processing shortcuts. The same priming conditions were employed in experiment 2 with the direction of the priming reversed such that shortcuts were used as target stimuli and real words as prime stimuli. A set of matched ‘fake’ shortcuts were
also included resulting in the following prime- target pairs; identity primes (L8R – l8r); real word primes (LATER – l8r); and baseline primes (%%% – l8r). The results replicated the finding from experiment 1 that real shortcuts are responded to significantly faster than ‘fake’ shortcuts, however, in contrast to experiment 1 an equivalent processing time for words and shortcuts was found. In conclusion real shortcuts access the lexicon more effectively than a set of ‘fake’ shortcuts suggesting that lexical access for these stimuli is not solely mediated by orthographic or phonological information. Additionally, although a processing cost for shortcuts compared to
words was observed in Experiment 1, this was not found in Experiment 2, suggesting that real SMS shortcuts can access the lexicon as effectively as real words.
Title: Is it Wednesday? Cognitive confusion surrounding the current day
David Ellis, University of Glasgow
Keywords: Weekday, confusion, cognitive
Rhythmic behaviour occurs at every level of human functioning, but while these timing systems can be very accurate, they are prone to instabilities. In addition to hard-wired physiological clocks, humans are regularly exposed to other social models of time, specifically, the calendar week.
Unsurprisingly, people sometimes have the feeling that they are on the wrong day of the week. For example, it might feel like a Friday when it is in fact a Wednesday. In an initial survey, over 90% of respondents reported that they experience this phenomenon. A follow-up internet based study (N>1300) revealed a bell-shaped distribution to the day-of-the-week confusion errors, whereby the mental calendar was most likely to be either one day behind or one day ahead of the actual calendar day. Moreover, some days attract more confusion errors (e.g. Mondays and Wednesdays), while other days attract relatively few (e.g. Fridays). These patterns were confirmed in participants’ reaction times when asked to confirm the actual day. Missed appointment data from a local GP surgery also showed a reduced level of non-attendance on a Friday and more appointments missed on a Monday. These findings have clear implications within a range of applied settings. Given the prevalence of the phenomenon, and the economic costs of missed appointments, tackling it is likely to lead to significant savings and improved efficiency.
Title: “What is the Point of Psychology?” A Mixed Methods Exploration of the Public Image of Psychology
Chantelle Bailey, University of West of England
Keywords: Public image, Attitudes, Psychology.
Background Since the birth of the discipline, psychologists have surveyed the general public about attitudes and knowledge regarding psychology (Ashton, 2001) and have speculated about the impact a negative public image could have upon the discipline (Benjamin, 1986). Although research has been conducted on psychology students’ attitudes regarding the discipline (e.g. McGuiness, 2003; Wallwork, Mahoney & Mason, 2006) little research since the 1980′s has since attempted to explore the current public image of psychology in the general population. This paper aims to explore the attitudes and knowledge that the general population hold about psychology and psychologists to gain a better understanding of psychology’s current public image.
Method In a mixed-methods design two studies were conducted; study one involved six focus groups with AS Psychology students (N=50) from four schools which informed study two whereby items were generated for an online survey that was distributed to the general population (N=215).
Results Results indicated that although there is a positive perception of the discipline held by the general population, there is also a lack sufficient knowledge about it. However, attitudes were dependent upon whether the participants’ experience of psychology, such as gaining a psychology qualification or having contact with the discipline through friends and family. Those with more contact and a qualification perceive psychology more favourably.
Conclusions Despite favourable perceptions of the discipline, better public engagement about psychology needs to be implemented to improve the public’s knowledge about the discipline. Ways of doing this will be discussed.
Title: Ovulation prediction: Pinpointing ovulation in natural menstrual cycles
Noelle McAra, Abertay University
Keywords: Menstruation, ovulation
There is a wealth of evidence suggesting that cognitive performance differs across the menstrual cycle. For example, tasks such as verbal fluency, manual coordination, perceptual speed and articulation are improved during the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle, while skills such as spatial ability and deductive reasoning are diminished during the same phase. If such studies are to be given any credence the phases of the menstrual cycle must be accurately identified. In the average 28 day cycle ovulation is said to take place at the midpoint of the menstrual cycle on day 14 and it is this ovulation phase along with the menstrual phase that are most frequently examined. However, the average 28 day cycle is rare in women who do not use hormonal contraceptives so pinpointing precisely where ovulation takes place is vital if hormonal effects are to be measured accurately. To examine the efficacy of the count back method participants were asked to complete a menstrual chart for 3 complete cycles and use ovulation predictor kits on days 13, 14 and 15 of each cycle. If participants ovulated they were asked to mark this on a menstrual chart (on the corresponding day). Results show that very low numbers of the women tested ovulated at the expected time and that very few had an average 28 day cycle. This study is intended to pinpoint where in a natural cycle ovulation occurs and requires participants to complete menstrual charts over 3 consecutive cycles using ovulation kits on days 12 to 20.
Preliminary results will be discussed.
Title: Resilience or susceptibility to anxiety: what underlies attentional bias?
Rachael Martin, University of Essex
Keywords: N2pc
The N2pc component is a continuous measure of attentional selection typically measured using EEG. Fox, Derakshan and Shoker (2008) have demonstrated that individuals higher in trait anxiety have an enhancement of this component for angry faces. In a partial replication, measures of participants’ trait anxiety, neuroticism and extraversion were taken prior to undertaking an attentional dot-probe task during which their brain reactivity was recorded. The prediction was that participants higher in extraversion would demonstrate an enhanced N2pc for happy faces. However, no effect of either extraversion or neuroticism was found. Although highly anxious participants did demonstrate an enhancement of the N2pc for angry faces in accord with the study by Fox et al (2008). Interestingly, participants low in trait anxiety demonstrated an enhanced N2pc for happy faces. To examine the lack of effect of personality, a study was conducted examining the possible effect of neuroticism and extraversion on participant reaction time to negative and positive pictures. Further research will examine the novel finding from the first study i.e. that low trait-anxious participants have an enhanced N2pc for happy faces and will also examine whether attentional bias modification can influence the amplitude of the N2pc component.
Title: Do the two sides of the face signal different information about our personalities and health?
Robin Kramer, Bangor University
Keywords: Evolution, face, signalling
Last year, I presented results demonstrating that health and certain personality traits could be accurately perceived from static composite faces with neutral expressions. We have extended this research by investigating the different information signalled by the left and right sides of the face in order to identify where in the face this information resides. Previous studies have only explored our differing perceptions of these two sides, while our findings demonstrate that the actual information contained differs, suggesting a directional asymmetry in the properties of our faces. By presenting face halves in pairs in a forced choice task, we found differences in the signalling properties for extraversion and other traits. As such, we provide evidence of lateralisation in the source of information signalled, and also in the reception of these signals, in humans.
Title: Walking the promiscuous path: can human mating strategies be manipulated?
Andrew Thomas, Swansea University
Keywords: Evolution, Human Mating, Mating Strategies
What causes some individuals to have an affinity for long-term relationships over one-night stands or short term liaisons? Last year we explored the view that, much like other animals, humans adapt their mating strategies to changes in their current environment. Some pilot data was presented, indicating that some individuals do indeed naturally shift their sexual attitudes and beliefs over periods as short as one week. After the positive reception of last year’s presentation, this paper has been elaborated on and will be published in the PSYPAG Quarterly Issue 75.
This year the focus of our research has been on developing novel experimental paradigms designed to manipulate mating strategies over short-term periods. The talk will discuss two of these: a false-feedback laboratory paradigm and an online study using advertisements as implicit cues of promiscuity. Finally, preliminary results will be presented as well as our goals for the coming year.
Title: Informing users with Privacy Value Networks – identifying sensitivity on SNS
David Houghton, University of Bath
Keywords: Privacy online in SNS
Recent work in the field of online privacy has looked at credit card fraud, information storage, access and retrieval, aggregation of data to de-anonymise individuals and the use of social network sites (SNS). Additionally, the ubiquitous nature of modern technology is promoting easy-to-use systems but often to the detriment of control over private information. Of particular interest is the way in which users self-disclose potentially private information willingly. This can include posting photos to social network sites, using location aware services (i.e. Google Latitude), applying for loans online or the use of a search engine to find medical advice. Disclosing information can be beneficial as well as detrimental, i.e. a user’s increased psychological well-being when becoming part of an online community, such as Facebook.
Current online privacy models and theories do not encapsulate the various ways in which information can be beneficial or detrimental. Many focus on one way in which privacy can be violated and how people go about protecting themselves. However, the increasing use of platforms such as Facebook in the web 2.0 era call for a method to understand the various applications of privacy and privacy violation. Therefore, in a bid to increase the understanding and interpretation of resultant “value” and “devalue” of sharing private information, a Privacy Value Network (PVN) is proposed. A PVN looks at the flows and values of information between users in a network and their implications, with the potential to optimise them to protect the privacy of those involved.
Title: Questionnaire effects in Social Norms Approach research
Jack Melson, University of Strathclyde
Keywords: Alcohol; Social Norms.
The Social Norms Approach to alcohol-misuse prevention holds that young people often hold inaccurate perceptions with respect to the alcohol-related behaviour and attitudes of their peers. A large body of research documents that young people tend to overestimate the extent of peers’ alcohol-related behaviour and the permissiveness of their attitudes towards alcohol. However, evidence that young people hold distorted perceptions is taken from responses given to questionnaires which ask young people about their own alcohol-related behaviours and attitudes (self-referent) and their perceptions of peers’ alcohol-related behaviours and attitudes (peer-referent). Inclusion of both self and peer-referent items within a single instrument may encourage social comparison effects that play an active role in producing the apparent mismatch between young people’s behaviour and perception. As part of a larger trial of the Social Norms Approach in two Scottish secondary schools, pupils (N=1074) completed one of three questionnaire instruments designed to measure a range of alcohol-related behaviours, attitudes and perceptions: pupils completed either a conventional instrument which included self-referent and peer-referent items or they completed an instrument which included either self or peer-referent items only. A comparison of responses given to each of the three instruments revealed a small but consistent tendency of pupils to perceive more extreme alcohol-related behaviours and attitudes when questioned about their own alcohol-related behaviours and attitudes as well as those of their peers. The implications of these findings for the Social Norms Approach model are discussed.
Title: Health and safety risks in the workplace resulting from chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients: A longitudinal study
Catherine Lawrence, Loughborough University
Keywords: Chemotherapy; cognitive impairment; work ability
In the U.K., breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is often treated with chemotherapy. Research suggests that a subgroup of breast cancer patients experience chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, including deficits in memory and attention. As cancer survivorship is increasing, more patients are able to resume typical activities such as employment while living with treatment side effects. Currently, research has not addressed the health and safety risks (e.g. slips, lapses, mistakes and unintentional injuries) resulting from chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment and how this may impact work ability. This study explored the differences in human error in the workplace experienced by breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and two control groups across time.
This was a longitudinal mixed-method study with three participant groups: breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy; breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, and non-cancer volunteers. Participants received a questionnaire battery at four time-points to assess depression (HADS); fatigue (FACIT-F); quality of life (FACT-B & FACT-GP); workability (WAI); presenteeism (WLQ-8); everyday slips and errors (CFQ), and memory (EMQ). A sub-sample of participants kept a paper and/or an audio diary to document incidences of human error for a 4-month period.
Data collection is in progress. Data collected from several time-points will be presented and the potential implications for health and safety risks resulting from chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in the workplace will be discussed. It is anticipated that this study will identify any necessary adjustments to improve the transition of breast cancer patients back into the workplace and to maintain successful work ability.
Title: Feature-specific facilitation following a spatial cue
Katherine Burnett, Bangor University
Keywords: Attention, Spatial Cues, Motion
A dual-task experiment was designed to determine whether spatially cueing one stimulus alters the performance on a second stimulus. A random-dot kinematogram (RDK) was presented in each quadrant of the screen. Participants were asked to report the direction of translating dots that appeared in one RDK, and the location or absence of a colour probe. The probe was a brief colour change of one RDK dot, occurring in 50% of the trials. A single endogenous pre-cue predicted the location of the coherent motion with 70% validity, but was uninformative for the probe location. We expected that once attention was directed to one location by the cue, accuracy at the cued location would be higher than at uncued locations in both tasks. However, a validity effect was found in motion discrimination, but not probe detection accuracy. In a second experiment, the endogenous cue was 70% valid for the probe location and uninformative for coherent motion. There was no validity effect for motion discrimination, but a validity effect was evident for probe accuracy. It is concluded that attention may be selectively oriented to features based on spatial cue validity.
Title: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-esteem (SE) of university students
Katie Dhingra, University of Sheffield
Keywords: Self-injury in university students
Despite the clinical importance of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), research on this behaviour has been limited in the U.K. This study examined the relationship between NSSI and SE in university students (N =761). Results indicate that lower SE scores are significantly related to NSSI status, a higher lifetime frequency of NSSI, and a greater number of NSSI methods used. Furthermore, individuals reporting current NSSI status (past 12 months) have lower SE than those with past NSSI. Finally, SE is differentially related to the reported behavioural functions, with intrapersonal reasons (e.g., to release emotional pressure) for NSSI being uniquely associated with lower SE scores, but lower SE has not been found to be significantly related to NSSI for social contingencies (e.g., to attract help).
Title: The effects of oestrogen on working memory during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Sophie Pettit, University of Plymouth
Keywords: Pregnancy, Working Memory, Oestrogen
During pregnancy, problems in working memory and attention are often reported by the pregnant mother. These areas of cognition become increasing difficult for the pregnant mother as the pregnancy period continues. During the progression of this period, oestrogen levels naturally increase to their highest levels ever experienced by the female. Studies have focused on the effect of oestrogen increase on spatial and verbal memory with mixed results. The female brain is oestrogen rich in areas associated with Working Memory and attention, yet these types of cognition have little attention. The current study investigated the role of oestrogen during the third trimester of pregnancy on working memory and attention, looking into possible explanations of its challenging effect.
Title: Do Innovative Assessment types enhance the student learning experience?
Charlotte Taylor, University of Worcester
Keywords: Innovative assessment methods
Assessment has been acknowledged as being of central importance to the student learning experience. However, assessment practices have been consistently highlighted as one of the weakest features by the Quality Assurance Agency. A plethora of literature has emerged over the past decade surrounding the issue of assessment practices in Higher Education, in particular how assessment can enhance the student learning experience. However, research has suggested that students are outcome orientated in that they do not focus on the process of learning, or even the product, rather the consequence of the product. As a result, this raises the question of how we get students to focus on the processes of learning and how we encourage deep learning. In recent years there has been a dramatic growth of “innovative” assessment types, e.g. e portfolios such as Pebble Pad. In light of this, it is necessary to examine students’ perceptions of assessment and to evaluate the effectiveness of different modes of assessment, specifically in light of the notion that students concentrate their efforts on the outcomes of assessment.
Three focus groups were conducted with second and third year psychology students to examine students’ perceptions of assessment, how they are assessed and the impact that innovative assessment types have on their learning, specifically whether or not these methods encourage students to engage with their subject. Data will be analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. This study is likely to have salient implications for the design and implementation of innovative assessment types.
Title: Using email and SMS message reminders for medication taking and appointments in Rheumatology clinics: A feasibility study with older patients
Lyndsay Hughes, University of Nottingham
Keywords: Technology use survey
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness requiring regular medication, primarily affecting older adults. Forgetting to take medications and missing appointments can lead to adverse clinical outcomes and increased costs for the NHS.
This feasibility study tested the possibility of using email and SMS text messaging for appointment and medication reminders for these patients in response to literature indicating that older people are less likely to use these technologies, although this has not been formally addressed with Rheumatology patients.
Method: A survey of 112 patients was carried out in two Rheumatology clinics. The median age range was 55-64 and 66% were female.
Results: 79% of all patients had email addresses and 94% accessed them at least weekly. The proportion with an email address decreased with age to 50% of over 65s, however those older patients that did have one still accessed it weekly.
93% of all patients owned a mobile phone, with >87% ownership in the 2 oldest age groups. Although the reported use of SMS messaging decreased with age, over 70% of patients aged <75 years were “confident” at reading them.
44% of patients indicated that they would like either an email or SMS appointment reminder and 25% would like an email or SMS medication reminder.
Conclusion: The level of technology use by these patients was high, even in the oldest age groups. Reminders could reduce forgotten medication and appointments, for very little cost and would be well tolerated in this patient group. Future work will implement this.