Brentwoodian 2019

21 London Psychology Trip On the 26th March I, along with a group of other Psychology students, had the privilege of attending a Psychology conference in London. As a Psychology student, I was already keen about the event, as I knew the trip would be beneficial and further encourage my learning. The conference comprised of a variety of speakers, each tackling a different sector of Psychology in an easy and enjoyable way. These speakers included well-renowned doctors, researchers and presenters. We began the day with a presentation on how intertwined psychology and our day- to-day lives are, which was given by Dr Phil Banyard who opened by posing the question ‘What does a baby see?’ and went on to discuss the effects of synesthesia and how these are often overlooked. This was followed by an eye opening presentation by Professor Alex Haslam and Steve Reicher, who explained why everything we know about Milgram’s famous ‘obedience’ study and Zimbardo’s well-known Stanford Prison Experiment was incorrect. The two researchers dived deep into the idea of obedience and how this is often linked to loyalty and ‘the greater good’, using the example of the loyal Nazi soldiers and posing the question of whether they are as much to blame for the Holocaust as Hitler himself or whether they were simply obeying authority and doing what they believed was for a good cause. After lunch, Professor David Wilson, one of the country’s leading criminologists, explained the phenomenon of serial killer ‘Jack the Ripper’ as well as other similar cases. Wilson allowed us to enter the mind of a serial killer while explaining the possible psychological reasons behind the decisions they make. Professor Wilson uncovered the social structures and cultures that produce more or less serial killers as well as the journey of thought a serial killer might undergo before and after a kill. I found this particularly interesting not only because of the publicity this case has received, but mostly because Wilson demonstrated a deep interest and persistence in attempting to uncover the mystery of ‘Jack the Ripper’. In addition, Wilson showcased his ability to effortlessly fuse public interest and genuine criminology. The conference closed with an excellent presentation by Elizabeth Loftus, one of the most famous female psychologists. This was admittedly one of the highlights of the day. Loftus discussed her most popular research, which mainly surrounds cognitive psychology and more specifically memory. This was especially useful because her research makes up an important part of both the IB and A Level Psychology course. Loftus began her presentation with the opening question of whether she could make us remember something that didn’t actually happen; she then went on to explain how memory is reconstructive rather than an exact copy of an event and can therefore be implanted with the use of repeated recall. Loftus, along with all the other speakers, was incredibly interesting and informative as well as useful to the Psychology course. By Michelle Kafe "Wilson allowed us to enter the mind of a serial killer while explaining the possible psychological reasons behind the decisions they make." After arriving at the Lyric Theatre in London, an entertaining and thrilling evening followed, mixed with a rollercoaster of emotions and nostalgia. The spectacular high octane celebration is a tribute made to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The show featured all the music from Michael Jackson’s career from his earliest time in the Jackson 5, such as, I Want You Back, ABC, Billie Jean and many more. As stated by The Stage , the show was “Quite literally thrilling”. From our arrival to the very end, we were surrounded by a lively atmosphere. The performers engaged with us, the audience; we sang, we danced and we laughed whilst enjoying ourselves tremendously. Thriller However, what made the show particularly outstanding was the Michael Jackson tribute, who managed to identically imitate Michael Jackson’s dance moves, moonwalking, and singing, especially, Thriller. From the first beat of the song, we were utterly engaged as we were taken down through memory lane and through a pleasantly identical piece reminiscent of the original. The dancers were all enthusiastic, creating the vivid and lively atmosphere we had been enjoying the whole evening. The lead singer, took it upon himself to make it the most thrilling and unforgettable part of the night. By Inger Hansen