G Psychology in the news

In this appendix, I’m going to add psychology-related articles that I came across in the news and found worth reading. If you have questions or comments about any of these, feel free to post them on the Moodle forum.

Pinker’s progress: the celebrity scientist at the centre of the culture wars | Steven Pinker | The Guardian

  • Pinker is a highly influential, if somewhat controversial (see article), cognitive scientist. Read this if you’re interested in: the role of science and empiricism in society and politics, New Optimism (also see this critical look at New Optimism)

David Spiegelhalter, chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at Cambridge University, has a statistics-related weekly column in the Guardian that is often worth reading.

Should scientists run the country? | Science | The Guardian

  • Read this if you’re interested in the relationship between science, society and politics.

Woman successfully treated for depression with electrical brain implant | Depression | The Guardian

  • Read this if you’re interested in personalised medicine, new depression treatments and the mind-body problem.

The big idea: Is it your personality, or a disorder? | Books | The Guardian

  • A critical look at diagnostic labels. Read this if you’re interested in clinical and/or developmental psychology.

‘People shunned me like hot lava’: the runner who raised his fist and risked his life | Race | The Guardian

  • A great act of courage at an immense personal cost. Not to be forgotten.

The dawn of tappigraphy: does your smartphone know how you feel before you do? | Smartphones | The Guardian

  • Read this if you’re interested in how data from smartphone interactions could be used to identify mental health issues.

‘Our notion of privacy will be useless’: what happens if technology learns to read our minds? | Technology | The Guardian

  • Read this if you’re interested in “mind reading” and associated ethical issues. I side with Adrian Carter.