The 17 Psychology Sixth Form students were in for a treat when they attended a Psychology Conference at The Emmanuel Centre in London at the end of the Spring Term. They were delighted to hear a range of eminent speakers including Professor Richard Wiseman who gave a hugely entertaining talk about ‘the luck factor’ based on how his childhood interest in magic led to a career in psychology. Upper Sixth student Tammy C, who has been a fan of his for a long time, was quick to volunteer when he asked for help – and was immediately rewarded with £10 for her ‘bravery’. That was a lesson to us all!
They also heard Professor David Wilson, a criminal psychologist, give a talk discussing ‘Why do we punish – what is the purpose of prison?’ This directly linked to the syllabus the Upper Sixth have been studying but was embellished with examples of Prof Wilson’s personal experience dealing with murderers and psychopaths. Getting an insight into the minds of such an unusual sub-set of society is always compelling and the girls found this fascinating.
The final talk was given by Professor Elizabeth Loftus who was over from the United States. This in turn had the audience engrossed in her lecture.
It was a very interesting day for all those who attended.