About this day
For A level and IB students
Join us at Psychology in Action for an exciting day of informative sessions and inspirational stories that will give your students real insight into psychology beyond the classroom. Our experienced speakers will deliver five engaging sessions that examine the theories and applications of psychology in the modern world.
The day will also include a special session on examination success designed to provide students with the tools that they need to excel. With plenty of opportunities to directly engage with the speakers, this event is sure to help your students realise their potential, and discover how psychology applies to their studies, careers, and daily lives. Book now to secure your places!
Host: Helen Pilcher (Science Writer and Presenter) Exam Session: Rosie Husssain (Director of Teaching and Learning)
“A great opportunity for our students’ ideas about psychology to be stretched and challenged beyond the A-level specification ”
— Lady Eleanor Holles, Autumn 2024 —
Programme & speakers
Focus in a Frantic World Sam Wass, Institute for the Science of Early Years, University of East London
In this talk we explore how the ability to concentrate develops as our brains develop from infancy into adulthood. Learn how everyday environments shape attention—and discover practical, research-backed strategies for improving focus at any age.
About Professor Sam Wass
Professor Sam Wass is a child psychologist and neuroscientist specialising in child concentration and child stress. He leads the Institute for the Science of Early Years (www.isey.org) at the University of East London and was an on-screen scientist on the Channel 4 programme The Secret Life of 4 and 5 Year Olds.
Is Your Teacher A Psychopath? Kerry Daynes, Consultant Forensic Psychologist
You might have thought so at times, but just what is a ‘psychopath’ exactly? Scientists estimate that between one and three percent of the population are card-carrying ‘psychopaths’ – a scary thought – but in what walks of life are you most likely to find them and when might you even be happy to meet one?
About Kerry Daynes
Kerry Daynes has spent over thirty years working with the UKs most violent and notorious criminals in prisons, secure hospitals, courtrooms and in the community.
The neuroscience of mental health Camilla Nord, Professor of Neuroscience, University of Cambridge & Author
Mental health is an intricate process that is different for all of us. In this talk, Camilla explains how our brain uses dopamine to learn what to expect, and how that can change the way we feel day to day. She will look at a variety of treatments, from therapy and medication to recreational drugs and electrical brain stimulation, to show how they work – and why they sometimes don’t.
About Professor Camilla Nord
Camilla Nord is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, where she directs the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab. Camilla’s recent book The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health (Penguin) was a Sunday Times and Financial Times Book of the Year.
Mind Games: How Behavioural Science is Used to Influence You Patrick Fagan, Behavioural scientist
Ever bought something you didn’t really need? Or felt like a political ad was speaking directly to you? That’s no accident. In this eye-opening session, discover how behavioural science and “nudging” are used in marketing and political campaigns to influence your decisions. Plus, we explore the art of personalised persuasion – where your data is used to read your mind and then change it.
About Patrick Fagan
Patrick is an applied behavioural scientist with 15 years’ experience influencing behaviour for brands and campaigns. He was formerly the lead psychologist at Cambridge Analytica and is now a university lecturer, entrepreneur and Sunday Times bestselling author.
This Talk May Cause Side Effects Helen Pilcher, Author and Science Communicator
Most people have heard of the placebo effect, but did you know that it has an evil twin? This is a force that conjures side effects, symptoms and ill health. It can be spread by social media and explains how curses can kill. In this talk, neuroscientist Dr Helen Pilcher explores the dark side of the placebo effect and explains what we can do to protect ourselves from it.
About Dr Helen Pilcher
Dr Helen Pilcher is a tea-drinking, biscuit-nibbling science and comedy writer. Her books include Bring Back the King: the Science of De-extinction and Life Changing: How Humans are Altering Life on Earth and This Book May Cause Side Effects.