The Psychologist, June 2025
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This is a member only download
Access to PDFs of Psychologist issues is restricted to members of the society. Join us to enjoy this and a host of other benefits.
Fay Clark argues that studying animals challenges students to change their perspective, plus our spotlight on Nottingham.
Editorial, June 2025
Dr Jon Sutton introduces the issue.
Awards for Fiske, Freeborn, Towl and Tribe
Ella Rhodes reports on the latest round of British Psychological Society recognition,
Applications for study visit funding open
The Early Career Study Visit and Postgraduate Study Visit schemes are open until June 2025.
‘It’s about providing meaningful services and ongoing value for members’
We hear from Dr Carol Cole, Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Board of Trustees, as she completes her first six months in the role.
Mental health in darts
Dr Linda Duffy, chartered psychologist and former England Darts Captain, asks the Professional Darts Corporation to do more to protect players’ mental health.
First Psychologist becomes President of the British Neuropsychiatry Association
We hear from Vaughan Bell, Chartered Psychologist and Professor of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Neuropsychiatry at University College London, around his appointment and the importance of the multidisciplinary approach.
'You need to be strategic, guided and influenced by where the policy gaps are'
Dr Jo Daniels, researcher and clinical psychologist, becomes the first psychologist to be awarded the Royal College of Emergency Medicine's highest accolade. Ella Rhodes reports.
'Speaking with one voice with different accents'
Ella Rhodes spoke to Dr Sharon Davis, Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Welsh Branch and Staff Tutor and Senior Lecturer at the Open University, about her background and the branch’s work on policy alongside the Senedd.
Soldiers in combat can kill without moral injury
Recent work comparing soldiers in combat to those on peacekeeping missions finds that when it comes to the psychological impact of taking a life, the context of the mission matters
Is panic buying actually panicked?
New research charts the differences between ‘panic buying’ and true panic.
Episode 40: Kink, community, and transformation
Find expert insights on the psychological side of kink subculture from Liam Wignall and Kate Marks in this episode of PsychCrunch, hosted by Ella Rhodes.
The precision of a memory can be seen in the eyes
New work finds a linear relationship between memory precision and pupil dilation.
How do adolescents identify online misinformation?
New research explores young people's strategies for filtering fact from fiction in online spaces.
Delusional themes may be more varied than we thought
A recent study takes a global look at common themes of delusions, finding far more than previously assumed.
Victim-blaming language results in shorter sexual assault sentences
Work examining the influence of rape myths on convictions finds that their use in court is associated with more lenient sentences.
'We need less research, better research, and research done for the right reasons…'
Marcus Munafo on academics’ responsibilities as publicly funded employees, and when further research is not needed.
More than companions? The shifting focus of human-animal relations research…
Ella Rhodes hears from psychologists whose work on human-animal interactions and animal welfare is moving to decentre humans as the most important animal on the planet.
A bird’s eye view of animals in Psychology
Fay Clark argues for more context, nuance and variety in the curriculum.
Spotlight on Nottingham
Our series continues…
'You have to know your community'
Our editor, Dr Jon Sutton, meets Dr Niamh McNamara, Associate Professor in Social Psychology and Groups, Identities and Health Research Group lead at Nottingham Trent University.
'There’s greater recognition of the therapeutic power of online communities'
Our editor, Dr Jon Sutton, meets Neil Coulson, Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Nottingham.
'Trauma is not in a vacuum, it’s always in relation to other people'
Our editor, Dr Jon Sutton, meets Blerina Kellezi, Associate Professor in Social and Trauma Psychology and Lead of the Trauma, Social Isolation and Mental Health research group at Nottingham Trent University.
'People really want to support neurodivergent people – they just sometimes don’t know how'
Our editor, Jon Sutton, meets Danielle Ropar, Professor of Psychology at the University of Nottingham.
'Our assumption of a lack of empathy in dark traits was blown out the water'
Our editor, Dr Jon Sutton, meets Dr Nadja Heym, Associate Professor in Personality Psychology and Psychopathology at Nottingham Trent University.
'Background will shape how we view, assess and relate to people'
Our editor, Dr Jon Sutton, meets forensic psychologist and chartered member, Dr Palwinder Athwal-Kooner.
‘We need to focus on what shapes disordered eating’
Dr Alison Fixsen (Senior Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Westminster) tells Deputy Editor Jennifer Gledhill why we need to explore the influence of larger systemic forces when researching eating disorders…
‘Puberty is a true crossroads – particularly for the female profile of autism’
Isabelle Hénault on themes in her new book.
What Louise Thompson’s Lucky reveals about the mind-body connection
Dr Lydia Hickman reviews Louise Thompson's book, 'Lucky: Learning to Live Again'.
‘In a strange way, I feel I know my mum better now than I ever did’
Professor Catherine Loveday (University of Westminster) on the story behind her new podcast, ‘Mempathy’.
Mental health as an exhibit
Clinical Psychologist Dr Charlotte Russell with a whistlestop tour of museums.
‘When you form silos, there are gaps, and people fall down them’
‘Psyched’ is a podcast from clinical psychologist Dr Tess Maguire and undergraduate student Poppy Hulbert, both at the University of Southampton. In this edited transcript from episode 1, they talk homelessness with clinical psychologist Professor Nick Maguire and Loretta, a Homelessness Peer Worker with lived experience of homelessness.
Supporting respectful professional discourse
Deanne Jade on the concept of gender self-identification, with a statement from BPS President, Dr Roman Raczka, and a response from Martin Milton.
Heavy metal light relief
Colin Sowter writes in.
Towards net hero
John Gallacher, on the May 2025 issue of The Psychologist.
Working ethically around imprisonment
From Principal Clinical Psychologists, Dr Abigail Willis and Dr Alison Fogg.
Health goes hand in hand…
Verena Kroll writes in about Dr Monty Lyman's interview in the May 2025 issue of The Psychologist.
Left speechless
The psychological toll of living in a warzone is causing children in Gaza to lose their ability to communicate, writes Sarah Dawood, editor at Index on Censorship.
When there are no words, we’d better find some
Chartered Psychologist Dr Aspa Paltoglou on the responsibility of Psychologists to care about and speak up for the Palestinian people, through a book review.
'I'm not a stranger - neither are millions of others like me'
Chartered Psychologist Dr Bruno de Oliveira reacts to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's 'island of strangers' comment.
Dr D. I. Williams 1941-2025
A tribute to the British Psychological Society Fellow, from Dr Ian E. Morley, Associate Professor, University of Warwick (Retired).
Chris Lewis 1944-2024
A tribute from Paul Yarker.
Autism – 11 ways we can cultivate positive change
Deputy Editor Jennifer Gledhill looks at how psychologists can challenge and shift stereotypes surrounding autism.