Contents
Welcome to Bangor Psychology,
possibly the best choice you’ve ever made
(apart from children, significant
relationships and ice cream of course)! A
close second to those choices however, is
picking up this very newsletter. Within
you will find an excellent introduction to
uni life, the lowdown on all you need to
know and generally quite interesting
things.
Psych News (in various forms) has
been running for quite a few years in the
department; normally running an issue per
semester (more or less depending on our
motivation). So you probably want to
know (and even if you don’t we’ll tell you
anyway!) what we cover; anything we like
really! Normally news on stuff going on
around psychology (think Psych Soc etc.)
and random interesting psychology
articles.
This edition we even have some
articles from some of the new team. If
you’d like to get involved skip to the back,
and we have the info on the second to last
page.
Dan Scrase
1 Psych News, September 2011
Survival Kit for Uni
Psych Word
I Predict a Riot!
Cold Feet
An Apple a Day…
Bangor Employability Award
13 Interesting and Rare
Mental Health Disorders
New Beginnings
Skate Park Future for Bangor
My Student Experience…
Starting Fresh
Head Peer Guide Interviews
Waddon Lecture Theatre
University Challenge
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Page 4
Page 5
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Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page
15-16
Page 17
Page 18
Survival Kit for Uni
Dan Scrase (3rd year psychology)
Writing this as a soon to be third
year, I feel I have the responsibility as a
senior peer guide, to inform you of what
lies ahead of you over the coming year.
But, in the famous words of the
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy ‘Don’t
panic!’
Whilst I do not know you, I have
the utmost confidence that you will
perform to the best of your ability. Of
course, if Psychology is not for you, no
one will think any less of you. Here below
are my top tips for braving the coming
storm, that is first year psychology.
1. Look after yourself; get that
lump seen to it probably isn’t
anything but better to be safe
rather than sorry. From a
common cold to an STI, you’ll
make the most of your studies
if you aren’t sick.
2. You are what you eat – if you
expect to be able to concentrate
on a diet of fast food pizza and
energy drinks you are sorely
mistaken. As boring as it
sounds, your parents were
right. Spinach, lentils and beans
are a great way to sustain brain
power and will make you look
sexy…
2 Psych News, September 2011
3. Balance sleep – as the old
adage goes, early to bed and
early to rise makes you healthy,
wealthy and wise. The number
of times I’ve sprinted into
lectures late isn’t even funny.
Your rest is even more
important than it has ever been,
so take it seriously. Buy a
relaxation cd or try some deep
breathing. You will feel better
for it.
4. Join a gym – you’ll not only get
fitter, you’ll look fitter and it
releases key endorphins which
promote chillax.
5. Build mastery – you might not
have heard of mastery, but
basically it’s a sense of
accomplishment and control
over certain tasks or areas of
your life. Great for a
confidence boost when the
essay is knocking you for six.
This can be done with things as
simple as exercise, cooking or
making that dreaded
appointment.
If you do feel low though, please do talk to someone; ring the Samaritans (08457 90 90 90) or
Bangor nightline (01248 36 21 21). You can also go and see your personal tutor, they will be
more than happy to help you through any problems you may be experiencing. Remember
whatever happens, no problem is ever too big to overcome.
3 Psych News, September 2011
Psych Word
Dan Scrase (3rd year psychology)
Across
2. Area of the brain responsible for sight
6. Conversion of light signal to chemical
3. Discoverer of the attentional blink
7. Type of attachment
4. Loss of contact with reality
8. After you've applied behavioural
shampoo...
5. Maslow's third level of need
Down
1. A cultured approach to development
4 Psych News, September 2011
6. The type of test you would run for a two
level, independent group experimental
design
I predict a riot!
Dan Scrase (3rd year psychology)
This summer brought new terror to
the streets of England. Beginning with a
violent outburst in response to the alleged
murder of Mark Duggan in Tottenham, the
mood soon became contagious. Up and
down the country rioting and looting was
commonplace and referred to as
“Shopping with violence”. Over the course
of those first weeks of August the human
cost was 5 deaths, the financial cost many
millions of pounds of damage.
But why? Many of the rioters were
ordinary people (by that I mean not
normally engaged in acts of crime)
including teaching assistants, students and
people without a criminal record. So why
turn so dramatically to violence?
Some suggest that government cuts
have led to poverty and disillusionment
with the status quo. Others suggest the
rioters were part of a criminal underclass
willing to rip off anyone and everyone to
live easily off the state. Whichever
political wing you sit on there is one factor
that cannot be ignored.
The study of social psychology has
been around for around 100 years,
although social psychology itself has
undoubtedly affected us all for far longer.
Essentially it’s the study of human
interaction in all its various forms. I
propose that the riots were initially started
and maintained by a criminal minority,
whilst onlookers became involved as the
atmosphere intensified (minority influence
as shown by Kelman, 1958).
5 Psych News, September 2011
Let’s take a look at a few different
social psychology principles at play. First
how do riots begin? Usually they follow
certain stages; deprivation, unrest, protest
and action. Since the economic slump of
2008, we can see deprivation. The cost of
living has increased as benefits and state
funded social programmes have been cut.
Importantly this deprivation is
relative. Or as Runciman (1966) would
call it fraternalistic relative deprivation (try
saying that after a few pints!). In other
words, the group that you identify yourself
with (your member group which may form
a part of your social identity) may be poor.
There is a media fed image of bankers as
greedy, earning millions a year. The
majority of people do not have such high
salaries and may feel the pay is unjustified.
In this situation bankers (and other highly
paid people) are an out-group and those
people around you with average salaries
are your in-group.
To some extent that explains the
beginnings of the riots. But why would the
middleclass riot? We must turn again to
group psychology. Conformity is a
“convergence of individuals’ thoughts,
feelings, or behaviour towards a group
norm” (Short, 2008). In a riot situation it’s
probably easier for people to get caught up
in the whirlwind rather than actively
oppose what everyone else is doing. Not
that that justifies what they did…what
would you do in their place?
Cold Feet?
Catherine Roberts (2nd year
psychology)
So you’ve arrived here at Bangor,
all ready for your first year of psychology.
How are you feeling? Excited? Nervous?
Petrified? Confused? Fear not, these are all
natural reactions to a major life change,
especially if you have just come straight
from doing your A-levels. University can
be scary! But what if what you’re feeling
becomes a serious issue? What if you start
having a major panic attack and start
thinking ‘What the hell am I doing here?!’.
course for you, what different options are
available to you if you‘re really not happy
here and much, much more. Seriously,
they will help you with anything!
I’m sure that before accepting the
course you researched it fully? You did,
didn’t you? You’ll be glad you did as this
way ensures you will be as prepared as
possible for what lies ahead over the
coming three years and beyond. However,
it is possible to research the course until
you’re blue in the face and STILL be
disappointed and confused when you get
cracking on with coursework and find that
it’s not what you expected at all. If this is
the case for you, you are not alone. It is
important that you give yourself time to
adjust to your new surroundings, new
people, settle into uni life and don’t be too
hard on yourself.
If you feel like you’ve given
yourself enough time and it still just
doesn’t feel right whether it’s the course,
the university itself, the social life or
whatever….do not hesitate to contact
someone to have a chat. It may just be the
best thing you ever did. Good luck!!
Contact Information:
Student Support Services
Don’t worry! Help is at hand in the
form of the good friendly people at student
services. They will help you decide on
whether or not this course is the right
6 Psych News, September 2011
Neuadd Rathbone, College Road, Bangor
tel: 01248 382024
email: studentservices@bangor.ac.uk
An apple a day…
Catherine Roberts (2nd year
psychology)
We all know that making healthy
choices when it comes to food, exercise
and wellbeing improves concentration,
heart, lungs, fitness…you name it.; so why
oh why do we find it so difficult to stick to
the right path when it comes to our health?
For all you young guns out there
(or indeed the not so young guns), just
starting out in university, trying to
experience as much of the uni life as
possible…you may be in for a difficult
ride when it comes to avoiding
temptations…namely drink, drugs and sex.
Please be aware that all the choices you
make when it comes to your health can
affect your studies whether it’s negative or
positive. Here are some tips you may find
useful and may help you get those extra
few marks in those dreaded weekly stats
tests!
Drink plenty of water - around 6-8
glasses per day. Water is free so there’s no
excuse to not be drinking enough fluids!
(and by fluids I don’t mean alcohol)
Eat as many fruits and vegetables
as possible…boring but true.
Eat brain food…i.e foods rich in
omega 3’s such as fish. This has been
suggested to aid in concentration. Look it
up if you don’t believe me!
Go out dancing with your new
found uni buddies! That’ll burn a load of
calories!
Join the countless clubs and
societies available to you ranging from
7 Psych News, September 2011
horseriding to frisbee clubs. They will get
you out of your room and up and about
meeting new people in no time.
Make sure your sleeping patterns
don’t suffer too much due to late night pub
crawls…
Please practice safe sex! Being
healthy doesn’t have to be boring! You
just need common sense and a balanced
outlook on life. Find the positives in life as
much as possible and have fun!
Check out this helpful link:
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/studentser
vices/wellbeing/index.php.en
If you would like any more
information on health and wellbeing, feel
free to contact student services.
Bangor Employability
Aw a r d - A n I n t e r v i e w
w i t h Tr a c e y L l o y d
In no more than 50 words
what is the Bangor
Employability Award?
The BEA is an award that runs
alongside the degree programme. It will
help employers to see the skills that
students have gained in a simple and clear
way by providing a certificate of
achievement along with a transcript of
skills.
What gave you the idea?
This is an initiative from the
University to encourage students to work
on their employability skills as a response
to the current economic climate.
Who can do it?
In 2011 the scheme was run as a
pilot in the School of Psychology and in
Computer Sciences. The scheme has
changed extensively over the summer and
is being re-launched with year 2 before
year 1 come on board in semester 2.
Why should they do it?
Why not? Most students already do
some form of extra-curricular activity
and/or work. All psychology students are
taught a range of skills during their degree.
The BEA allows students to use these
experiences to their advantage and
provides certification of these skills.
Really, why would you not do that?
How can they get involved?
8 Psych News, September 2011
Students who are not already enrolled need
to speak to John Jackson, the BEA coordinator (email j.jackson@bangor.ac.uk,
phone 01248 388424. However, year 1
students need to wait until semester 2.
Is it difficult to complete?
I guess that would depend on the
types of activities that you are involved in
already. If you do any form of work (paid
or voluntary) and are a member of clubs
and societies, then the award is relatively
easy.
Are there any disadvantages or side
effects to taking part?
Not really, but as a tutor, I would
have to advise students to make sure that
they put the same effort into their
academic work as they would into the
BEA and to plan accordingly. Employers
are looking for students with good grades
AND good skills, so both parts need to be
worked on. There are forms to fill in
online and workshops to attend for the
BEA so students need to factor these extra
commitments into their academic schedule
so as not to over-stretch themselves.
13 Interesting and Rare Mental
Health Disorders
Coreen Moore (2nd year
psychology)
1- Boanthropy- is a mental illness in
which sufferers are in a delusional
state and believe that they are
cattle, such as a cow or ox.
2- Paris Syndrome- is when some
people (mostly Japanese tourists)
discover that the chic romantic
image of Paris is not what it seems
and happens when the city does not
meet expectations. About 100
people a year consult a psychiatrist
with this condition and a quarter of
that number are hospitalised.
3- Munchausen syndrome - is a
disorder in which a person
deliberately causes injury or illness
to another person, (such as their
child) usually to gain attention or
some other benefit.
4- Apotemnophilia- a mental
disorder in which a sufferer has an
overwhelming urge to amputate
one of their own healthy limbs. In
many cases the person is
successful.
5- Hybristophilia- is when an
individual is attracted to people
who have committed crimes. Those
with Hybristophilia have been
known to help a murderer kill, or
help a criminal escape.
9 Psych News, September 2011
6- Androphobia- is an abnormal and
persistent fear of men. Suffers of
this disorder experience anxiety
even though they realize they may
face no real threat.
7- Bibliomania- is an obsessivecompulsive disorder involving the
collecting of books to the point
where social relations or health are
damaged.
8- Capgras Delusion- when a person
has a delusional belief that a friend
or relative have been replaced by
an identical-looking imposter.
9- Stendhal Syndrome- symptoms
such as dizziness, panic or madness
caused by viewing particularly
beautiful art or by seeing too many
pieces in a short period of time.
10- Genital Retraction Syndromeindividuals are overcome with the
fear that their external genitals (or
breasts) are retracting into the body
to the complete disappearance.
11- Anarchic Hand Syndrome- is a
neurological disorder when
sufferers’ hands seem to take on a
mind of their own. It is best
documented when a person has had
the two hemispheres of their brain
surgically separated and also after
strokes or infections.
12- Celebriphilia- is an abnormally
intense desire to have a romantic
and/or sexual relationship with a
celebrity.
13- Triskaidekaphobia- is the fear of
the number 13.
New Beginnings
Conna Scrase (12 year old boy)
It’s a new year and it’s your first
few weeks. These few weeks are here to
ensure that you get used to the university,
to unpack, to get know your way around
the place, to meet people and your new
lecturers. But really it’s to go out and get
as wasted as you can!
The first few weeks are also very
much like going to secondary school for
the first time. It’s very, very scary because
it’s a whole new place, you don’t know
anyone, where to go and for a lot of you
it’s a whole new country as well. Even for
some people who, on the outside, seem
like very confident people, deep down they
are petrified. I suppose that’s the reason
you go out and get drunk, so you can
forget that you’re scared.
10 Psych News, September 2011
Furthermore, it’s very frightening
because it’s your first step of independence
for most of you. You can’t just leave the
dishes and hope that someone is going to
break in and clean them for you.
Unfortunately I don’t quite know
what it’s like to be in university because
I’m only twelve. But from what I
understand is that it’s a very important part
of your life and this is what is going to get
you places. All the stuff you did in school
was just to try and get you to this stage.
Say you want to go on to be a professional
psychologist, you can’t just sit around all
day doing nothing. Odd as it seems you do
have to work in uni and I’m sure that most
of you already know that, but if you
didn’t… well you got told by a 12 year
old. On the brighter side of things you are
also allowed to have fun!
WELCOME TO BANGOR, ENJOY!!!
Skate Park Future for Bangor
Bella Mayhew (1st year
psychology)
On Saturday 15th of October, the
‘Darren Rhys Memorial Bowl’ was
officially opened. The skate bowl was built
in memory of Darren Rhys Frost who
tragically died in December 2010. Darren
was a local lad and a keen skateboarder.
Hazel Frost, Darren’s mum, has led the
11 Psych News, September 2011
fundraising team that provided the money
for the skate bowl. She commented ‘the
event went really well, fantastic weather,
good turn out and everyone seemed to
have an amazing time. We raised around
£300 from t-shirt and cake sales. It was an
emotional day for me, but I had my family
and friends around, and everyone worked
so hard. There have been skateboard
campaigns in Bangor over the last 30
years, but they’ve all failed for one reason
or another, but as we have all came
together and worked together we’ve
succeeded when others have failed. Also, I
have just been informed that the council
have found a new site on Caernarfon Road
for another skating facility which is
brilliant.’ Hazel Frost will also be doing a
sponsored climb up Kilimanjaro at the end
of July 2012 to raise further money for
charity.
My student experience, and what
I’ve learnt from it
Beth Lynch and Jenny Waymont,
(1st year psychology)
I found the transition from living at home
to living in halls extremely daunting – I
dread to think how nervous people coming
from further away must have felt. Like
many Freshers, this was my first time
living away from home. I couldn’t cook, I
was terrible with money, and I could
barely use a washing machine. Despite all
this, the past month of settling into student
life has been one of the most exciting
experiences of my life, and people
couldn’t have been friendlier. For those of
you who still might not have settled in yet,
here are a few tips:
3. Buy a doorstop! I cannot stress
how useful they are. By wedging your
door open, you make your room look a lot
less intimidating for your flatmates to
come in and say hi. It also means that if
you wander out of your room for a glass of
water and forget that your keys are in your
room, your door will still be open and you
won’t have to go on the walk of shame to
the security office. On the other hand,
have the discipline to shut your bedroom
door when you need to get on with your
work!
I hope this article helps you adapt
to your new situation of living at
university, and that you have a good year.
1. Have the courage to get out of
your room on the first day and interact
with your new flatmates, instead of hiding
in your room and wondering what you are
missing out on. They won’t bite! It might
be a bit strange living with a bunch of new
people until you take the time to get to
know them, however, it wasn’t long until
we were watching movies in each other’s
rooms and cooking meals together
(although it did take 2 hours for us to make
shepherd’s pie, in our defence, it tasted
miles better than the tins of soup that I had
become accustomed to eating for the past
few weeks).
2. When you go out to a club or
pub remember to bring money and ID.
If you forget your ID you might regret
having to walk back to your halls to get it.
Photos courtesy of Anastasia Elizarova.
12 Psych News, September 2011
Starting Fresh
Philip Nelson (3rd year
psychology)
You’ve been in Bangor for a few weeks
now, you’ve settled in and you’ve started
to get to grips with everything that’s going
on. Of course if you’re like the majority of
students you will have also explored the
night life in Bangor and drinking is a key
part of that.
Undoubtedly there is an expectation on
new students to go out every night and get
“wasted”. Officially the University does
not support this behaviour, but that doesn’t
stop people doing it. It’s unfortunate that
this expectation (and subsequent
behaviour) bleeds out into a general
perception of “students”.
Many will agree that, individually,
students are not that bad. We are nice
people, friendly, well educated and civil
people; until you put us together in a room
with alcohol. As a group we are perceived
quite negatively, students are considered to
be without morals or restraint and
generally a menace. Why?
Yes, we do drink but don’t we also do
huge services to the community?
Volunteer like no one else? Be prepared to
get behind any cause and do anything to
make Bangor a better place? Yes. We do.
13 Psych News, September 2011
But we are rarely perceived as such.
Overarching all of it is the anti-social,
excessive drinking perpetrated by a
minority, and the general drinking done by
the majority that somehow tarnishes our
reputation.
I don’t know the solution to this problem
but it’s something to think about: How can
you contribute to a better perception of
students?
Peer guide interview with John
Galvin and Rhiannon Edwards
Bryony-Fleur Hopwood (3rd year
psychology)
contacts.
How do you feel Freshers’ week went?
Do not give in, and don’t worry
yourself, it does work out with
organisation and planning and a good
support team.
Overall, it went well, all went
according to plan. Even with the stress two
weeks beforehand all the external
companies showed up. This is always a
difficulty relying on others. People are
always looking to you for the answers and
you have to be prepared to give them the
ones they need.
Advice to future peer guides?
Keep in contact with your peer guides
constantly.
Wheldon staff are incredibly helpful.
It’s all about who you know so use your
contacts and listen to the advice others
give you.
If you don’t know, ask. You need to
find the right person for everything, do it
in advance, plenty of plan time, have back
up plans as there may be mistakes, this
improves your people skills both within
the university, the SU and external
14 Psych News, September 2011
You learn the importance of direct
correspondence through emails, learn how
to approach issues and not lose your cool.
This was the first year with the joint
honours programme coordinated by Liz
Burns.
This betters the previous service by
setting out to improve contact for new
students through having a peer guide. The
Masters peer guide scheme run by Ruth
Marsden, covering tours, collaboration
with the psychology department,
encourage events, co-oordinate with post
grad ambassador, and merged with
fresher’s events.
The overseas and home school
coordinator was Declan McCelland, who
is a Welsh bilingual, a good skill to have
with this post. The mature students were
coordinated by Phil Nelson. An events
team was set up for assignment of
individual roles, everyone had a role. It’s
all about team work and coordination!
Events of the week:
The arrival weekend, welcome
lunch and pub quiz kicked off Freshers’
week. Games night was spectacular fun
with a bucking bronco and laser quest,
lecturers even came along with their
families to join in. The treasure hunt,
Psychd, and Freshers’ ball concluded the
week. In future the fresher’s ball may be
better to promote through the SU to make
it open to everyone not just psychology,
make ticket sales clearer with more open
communication for students to understand
where their money is going. The
performance by Duke was an absolute hit!
SU, UNDEB and Wheldon staff were
brilliant. The ball was structured alongside
what most other universities in the UK do.
15 Psych News, September 2011
It is a way to meet new people and a way
to promote the SU, this should be
something that we do every year! PJ
looked magical!
Rhiannon and John wanted to say
thank you to all who made Freshers’ week
possible, for all the help and support
throughout especially the SU, Wheldon
staff since February, peer guides, freshers,
CoHaBS (College of Health and
Behavioural Sciences) and the entire
psychology department.
Thank you to Photosoc for the
pictures. On behalf of the entire
psychology department thank you for all
the hard work you put into Freshers’ week,
it definitely paid off!
Naming The Naming of the Alun
Waddon Lecture Theatre
Dr Tracey Lloyd (Lecturer)
Alun Waddon was a lecturer at the
School of Psychology from 1970-2005.
Following his recent death, the School
decided to recognise the important role he
played within Psychology by dedicating
Lecture Theatre One to his memory. Alun
was a real gentleman and a scholar in
every sense of the word. I have very fond
memories of him, both as a lecturer and as
Senior Tutor and Admissions Tutor. It was
Alun that interviewed me for my place as
an undergraduate here, it was in Alun’s
module on forensic psychology that I
achieved my highest ever essay grade and
it was Alun that taught me about truly
caring about student welfare. He was an
inspirational man, who always went that
little bit further to help a student out, who
always had that extra minute for a
question, and who opened doors for
students, both literally and figuratively.
Lecture Theatre One was officially
renamed the Alun Waddon Lecture
Theatre by Alun’s wife, Dr Michelle
Aldridge-Waddon, in a ceremony held
yesterday (October, 27th) that was attended
by Alun’s colleagues and friends.
Alun Waddon is sadly missed with
the School, but not forgotten.
The Waddon family at the ceremony, with Dr Charles Leek (Head of the School of
Psychology)
16 Psych News, September 2011
Get Involved!
Hopefully once you’ve had a flick through you’ll feel inspired to join us! There are
numerous roles on the team and as you’ll soon discover we are fairly fluid. There’s a core
senior editorial team currently consisting of Bryony-Fleur Hopwood, Phillip Nelson, Tom
Parmiter and me, Daniel Scrase. We basically rubber stamp the editions, checking it all for
quality and accuracy. Wider we have a number of contributing writers and photographers. Of
course we also need someone to go through with a fine tooth comb and hammer out any
typos and grammatical errors. Finally, once an edition is ready to print, Tracey Lloyd
(resident lecturer and nice person) scans it for potential litigation material, then ta da! If you
have any articles, comments, suggestions or you’d like to get involved please email
psychnews1@gmail.com or search Psych News on Facebook!
17 Psych News, September 2011