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BGU Graduate’s Exploration of Spatial Orientation Published in Psychology Journal
Richard D'Amelio, who graduated Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in 2018, has had his Psychology dissertation published in PSYPAG Quarterly, a postgraduate peer-reviewed journal. Working alongside his dissertation supervisor Dr Thomas Dunn, Richard's research examined the validity of the Santa Barbara sense of direction scale as a measure of spatial orientation. Richard’s experiment involved having participants estimate (via pointing) the direction of various landmarks, with examples including the BGU Library, Lincoln Cathedral, London and France, whilst located in a windowless room on BGU's campus. His findings revealed an interesting systematic bias in pointing accuracy which was dependent on the participant's gender. Speaking following the publication Richard explained what drew him to the study: “It is incredibly rewarding to see the research featured in a peer-reviewed journal. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of sense of direction and our ability to navigate the environment (or not), so I thoroughly enjoyed applying the knowledge gained during the course of my degree to this area of study. However, the successful completion of the project was only made possible by the experience, professionalism, and advice offered by my academic supervisor, Dr Thomas Dunn, in addition to the high quality tuition delivered by the Psychology team at BGU.” Dr Thomas Dunn, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at BGU, was equally full of praise for Richard’s efforts: "I am delighted that the quality of Richard's work has been recognised and resulted in a peer-reviewed publication. This was an interesting project to work on with Richard and is reflective of the high standard of research that can be achieved by students at BGU" Please click here, if you would like to read Richard's article. If you have a subject you’re passionate about exploring then BGU is perfect place for you to start. Find out about our supportive and collaborative learning environment, by visiting our website, booking onto one of our Open Events or by speaking to our Enquiries Team. -
Aspirations, wellbeing and depression explored by Psychology students at national research conference
Three third year Psychology students from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) presented their dissertations at the national Conference of the British Society for the Study of Individual Differences (BSPID) last week. Covering topics including postnatal depression, adult stress and life goals, Eniko Wagner, Tyler Cameron and Lauren Paul, showcased their work in front of a large audience of peers, researchers and academics. -
Lecturer's new publication examines evolutionary factors in voting for Brexit and Trump
A new research paper by Dr Alyson Blanchard, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), examining voting behaviour in the EU Referendum and US Presidential Election of 2016 from an evolutionary perspective has been published in Evolutionary Psychological Science. As the paper explains, the year 2016 witnessed historic political change with the ascension to power of Donald Trump and the UK’s vote to leave the European Union (commonly referred to as Brexit). While research has sought to explain these once-deemed unlikely events, an evolutionary theoretical account had remained unexplored. Dr Blanchard’s work investigated whether people may have felt more fearful for their lives due to media coverage of the War in Syria between 2014 and 2016 that had led to a perceived increase in threat from terrorism and associated immigration issues. Evolutionary theory suggests that when environments seem dangerous and harsh that it is adaptive to make decisions that are optimal for the short-term. In this case, despite the long-term consequences for voting for Trump or Brexit – both campaigns promised immediate resolutions to existential threats caused by terrorism and immigration such as “Taking Back Control” and to “Make America Great Again”. The multi-study paper revealed that Trump and Brexit voters reported that they had experienced a perceived increase in existential threat in the time period 2014 and 2016, and feared terrorism and immigration respectively. Environmental factors such as social deprivation, ethnicity and education had a differential impact on vote choice, including votes for neither Trump, nor Hilary Clinton. Overall, the link between existential threats and voting is complex, but the paper affords new insight into voter psychology during the EU referendum and US presidential election.” You can find the full article in the Evolutionary Psychological Science Journal by clicking here. If you’d like to find more information our exciting and innovative doctoral and Psychology programmes vist our website or contact our Enquiries Team. -
Lecturer Helps Develop New Risk Assessment Tool for Animal-Assisted Interventions
Dr Mirena Dimolareva, Lecturer in Psychology at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), together with colleagues and the University of Lincoln and Virginia Commonwealth University, USA has published a risk assessment tool for animal-assisted interventions in any settings. The tool is free to use for staff and practitioners nationally and internationally, in any setting (including education, nursing homes, hospitals) and aims to provide unified, standardised guidelines for animal-assisted therapy as well as animal-assisted interventions and activities. It is a comprehensive tool which takes into consideration the animal and human care and welfare. Speaking following the publication, Dr Dimolareva discussed what drove the research and what users could expect from the new tool: “Animal-Assisted Interventions in various settings have become extremely popular in recent years. Most often, therapy dog visits are organised for hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other educational settings with some scientific research showing beneficial effects. Other animals such as cats and reptiles also provide visits, but the beneficial effects are less known. As a new area of work and research there is lack of clarity around these visits and interventions. Furthermore, thorough risk assessments which consider all involved- the service users, staff, therapy animals and handlers are often overlooked. This free-to-use detailed Risk Assessment Tool was created to provide information on the risk related to Animal-Assisted Interventions as well as a Risk Assessment Template for any setting. The aim is to unify the field and thoroughly consider the safety and well-being of all involved. It is flexible and easy to use, providing the opportunity to incorporate procedures and protocols relevant to the different institutions hosting the animals and handlers.” The publication and attached tool is available for free by clicking here.. If you have a subject you’re passionate about exploring then BGU is perfect place for you to start. Find out about our supportive and collaborative learning environment, by visiting our website, booking onto one of our Open Events or by speaking to our Enquiries Team. -
Mindfulness-based interventions could slow cell aging and improve immune system function, new research suggests
A study of the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on six immune related biomarkers provides new evidence that the practices could improve inflammatory regulation, immune cell ageing and immune response. -
University Professor co-authored the British Sleep Society’s case for Permanent Standard Time
One of the universities' professors, Caroline Horton, reviewed and edited a position statement advocating for the restoration of permanent Standard Time -
BGU's Psychology Degree Receives Accreditation
The popular Psychology degree course offered at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln has been awarded accreditation by the British Psychological Society. BGU introduced Psychology as a new subject course in September last year, and it has proved to be a highly popular choice among students.The university aimed to recruit 20 first-year students but actually enrolled 37, almost double the target figure. BPS accreditation is essential for any student planning to pursue psychology-related further study or professions. Accreditation takes effect immediately so both current students and those starting their course this September will benefit. Graham Meeson, Head of Education and Learning at BGU, said: "This has been a fantastic year for the subject, beginning with excellent recruitment and ending with this well justified recognition. "We were all taken aback by the popularity of the subject as the student interest and intake exceeded all our expectations." The Psychology course at BGU is offered as a combined honours degree, allowing students to study the subject alongside a range of other subjects such as Special Educational Needs and Inclusion, or Early Childhood Studies. The university will be offering Psychology as a single honours programme for 2015 entry, specialising in area of the arts therapies, community engagement and wellbeing. Dr Olivia Sagan, Academic Co-ordinator for Psychology at BGU, said: "I am delighted Bishop Grosseteste University has received the BPS stamp of recognition and approval, but this is just the beginning. "Our focus is now set on maintaining the excellent standards we have set, growing our student body, developing a national reputation for the development of student-centred psychology learning and developing a research profile." The launch of the new course brought a number of new facilities including a PsychLab and interview area, high-end computers for carrying out quantitative and qualitative analysis and facilities for digitally recording, editing and analysing observation and interviews. The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the national representative body for psychology and psychologists. Its accreditation is a mark of educational quality recognised by students and employers. The university went through a year-long process with the BPS before being awarded the official accreditation. To download the news release and high-res images please visit shootingstar-pr.co.uk/Newsroom/popular-psychology-degree-receives-accreditation/ -
BGU Graduate shares her Psychology dissertation with Alopecia UK.
Bethany Hills, a 2020 Education Studies & Psychology graduate from Bishop Grosseteste University, has written an article for Alopecia UK discussing her research project which explored the impact of support charities on parents of children with alopecia. You can read a short excerpt below and can read the full article on Alopecia UKWhy did you decide to do this research? The semester before I started my Psychology dissertation, we had to do a pilot study in health psychology. During this module, I realised I could have done mine on Alopecia but was too late to change my idea. When it came round to thinking of ideas for my dissertation, I wanted something that I was interested in as well as something that had a personal connection. I started writing ideas down and the two that stood out to me was mental health and Alopecia, so I decided to combine the two topics. I also have someone very close to me who has Alopecia and have seen the amazing work Alopecia UK have done so wanted to incorporate them into my project too. You can read the full article by clicking here -
Psychology Lecturer Accepted onto Prestigious ISSID Board
Psychology Lecturer Accepted onto Prestigious ISSID Board Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are delighted to announce that Dr Alyson Blanchard, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, has been accepted onto the board of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences (ISSID). Founded in 1983, ISSID fosters research on individual differences in temperament, intelligence, attitudes, and abilities. The aim of the society is to investigate the major dimensions of individual differences in the context of experimental, physiological, pharmacological, clinical, medical, genetical, statistical and social psychology. It further aims to seek the determinants, causes, and concomitants of individual differences, using concepts derived from these disciplines. Having been published several times in the Society’s official journal, Personality and Individual Differences, Dr Blanchard was invited to begin reviewing potential articles submitted to ISSID. Following the success of this increased involvement Dr Blanchard was asked to stand for a place on the Society’s board. Following the announcement of her acceptance Dr Blanchard discussed the exciting prospects it could offer: “I was really pleased just to be asked to stand for a place, so to be accepted onto the board is incredible and real accolade at this stage of my career, especially given the Society’s reputation and history. Studying personality traits from an evolutionary perspective is my main area of research meaning the prospect of increasing my engagement with ISSID is very exciting” Many of our academics hold positions in international societies and are regularly invited to present at conferences and events around the world, you can follow all their travels on our news page and find out how you can start your own adventures on our course pages. -
New Head to Lead Psychology Degree at BGU
An academic who specialises in how arts activity can facilitate mental wellbeing is leading the new Psychology degree course at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Olivia Sagan has moved from University College London (UCL) to take up the post of Academic Co-ordinator for Psychology at BGU. For the first time from September 2013 BGU undergraduates will be able to combine the study of psychology with another degree subject, such as drama, history or sport. Olivia’s background in fine art and her work with mental health and community organisations mean she will bring a fresh approach to the teaching of psychology. “Psychology at BGU has got a particular flavour and draws on expertise in education, special educational needs, drama, arts and sport,” said Olivia . “We are really focusing on the arts and therapies, and social, developmental and community psychology. That makes it quite distinctive from other courses. “This focus, with its eye on community applicability, reflects my research and background in art and engagement with disadvantaged groups in the community.” Interest in the new course has been encouraging, says Olivia. “Those who have expressed an interest on the course are mainly those who want to go into education but who want to keep other doors open,” she said. “They may be interested in drama therapy, or they may want to apply a social psychological understanding to historical events; sport and psychology and English and psychology are also good combinations.” Olivia, a chartered psychologist, began her career as a psychodynamic counsellor but moved into education, becoming first a senior lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire and then a researcher at the Institute of Education in London, where she gained her PhD. She then took a post as Senior Research Fellow at the University of the Arts London before being appointed as Programme Director for the MSc in Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology based at the Anna Freud Centre at University College London. “I’ve continued my research into mental wellbeing, interviewing people who have been using art as a means to aid their recovery journey,” said Olivia. “One strand of this work culminated in a film which was shown at Tate Modern last year and I am currently writing a book based on narratives of wellbeing to be published by Routledge in the coming year. “My appointment at BGU is an exciting opportunity for me to bring together my passion for psychology with my experience in pedagogy, the arts and community applications and provide a stimulating and critical psychology degree course which draws on the substantial existing strengths of this university.” The new psychology degree at BGU complies with the criteria of the British Psychological Society and the university is working with the BPS to achieve accreditation in the near future.
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