Contents
'The Origin of Symmetry and Asymmetry', by mirror-writing artist Kasimir Bordihn, frames this month's cover feature, by Edinburgh psychologists Rob McIntosh and Sergio Della Sala. You may remember Sergio from his fascinating feature on the anarchic hand, with similarly striking cover, in October 2005. Here the pair deliver another intriguing take on a bizarre phenomenon: mirror-writing (see p.742).
Talking of reflection (because we were), this is the time of year I consider new formats for another volume of The Psychologist. Ideas always welcome, along with feedback on The Psychologist and Digests in general: e-mail me on jon.sutton@bps.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @psychmag.
We are also progressing with redevelopment of The Psychologist website (although not at the pace we would like), and members should soon be able to read The Psychologist on Kindle, tablets and smartphones. As we approach our 25th year, please engage with your membership publication and rest assured that we are attempting to develop as resources allow.
Dr Jon Sutton
Mirror writing
Robert McIntosh and Sergio Della Sala explore some intriguing phenomena
Sexual health - where theory meets life
Triece Turnbull and Mark Forshaw analyse the contribution of health psychology
Promoting mental health through schools
Is this field of development an evidence-based practice, asks Rosalyn H. Shute
Surviving postnatal depression
Rebecca Gillibrand reflects on the research in the light of her own experience
'We are not in control'
Jon Sutton interviews Bruce Hood
Letters
Playing second fiddle to medics?; A-level; participant observation; and more
News and digest
fMRI-based lie detection; animal consciousness; media violence; modern-day Phineas Gage; nuggets from the Society's free Research Digest service; and more
Media
Psychologists and the paralympics, with Kairen Cullen; and the joy of serendipity; consciousness after decapitation; and a feast of links
Book reviews
Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature reviewed by Roy Baumeister; out-of-body experiences; and more
Society
President's column; Lifetime Achievement Award; supporting research integrity; preventing suicide; socially inclusive parenting classes;
and more
Careers and psychologist appointments
We meet Suzanne Heape, a Senior Human Factors Engineer, Laura Tozer writes about her work in Peru; featured job; all the latest vacancies; how to advertise
New voices
Virtual patients in the hypnosis laboratory: Michael Connors with the latest in our series for budding writers (see www.bps.org.uk/newvoices for more)
Looking back
the history of 'general paralysis of the insane' in the Victorian asylum, with Jennifer Wallis
One on one
...with Guy Claxton