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Our A Level psychology pupils attended a psychology conference at the Emmanuel Centre in London. This event was run by ‘Education in Action’, and included world-class speakers who were researchers, academics, and experts across the field of psychology who gave us valuable insights into the subject beyond the classroom, and into the real world. Here are some highlights from the speakers:

Dr Katie Daubney is a developmental psychologist and lecturer at the University of East London, who specialises in child sensitivity and child stress. In this talk, she explored how our ability to concentrate develops as our brain develops from infancy to adulthood. She argued that our brains are ‘plastic’, meaning that they are moulded to change in accordance with our social development; this includes the development of technology. This advancement in technology and the fact we are using technology from an earlier age, means that our attention spans are actually being shortened as we are being heavily stimulated from an early age and crave that through to adulthood. Daubney then highlighted the two types of attention: attention capture and attention control. Attention capture is movement that naturally grabs our attention (this also links to evolution/our survival instinct), and attention control is what we choose to ‘shine a spotlight’ on. She explained that in order to keep our ‘controlled’ attention, we must keep to the ‘upside-down U theory of arousal’, meaning that tasks shouldn’t be too predictable or too unpredictable, and sit within the ‘goldilocks zone’. This zone allows us to stretch our knowledge as it shifts the more we know. To conclude, Daubney suggested ways to improve focus, including having a ‘calm zone' and being aware of distraction and the fact it might take us a while to ‘settle down’. 

Patrick Fagan is a behavioural scientist with over 15 years of experience influencing behaviour for brands and companies. In this talk, 'Mind Games: How Behavioural Science is Used to Influence You', Patrick explained how behavioural science and 'nudging' are used in marketing and political campaigns to shape our decisions. He also touched on more modern, data-driven kinds of influence: 'personalised persuasion', showing how our own data can be used to predict and subtly influence our behaviour. He used examples from marketing and even some political campaigning to explore how persuasion not only influences what we buy, but also how we vote or process political messaging. Overall, Patrick offered a fascinating insight into the psychology behind the influence that we often overlook, yet surrounds our everyday life.

Our next talk was 'Five Pressing Questions to Answer about Autism and ADHD' with Professor Angelica Ronald from the University of Surrey. She began by exploring the causes of autism and ADHD, highlighting that both conditions arise from a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors rather than a single cause. She explained how genetic research is helping scientists to identify the specific genes that contribute to neurodevelopmental differences, providing new insights into how these conditions manifest in children. Professor Ronald also addressed why autism and ADHD frequently co-occur with other conditions, discussing overlapping genetic and neurobiological pathways which can influence multiple aspects of development. She challenged the audience to consider whether these traits exist on a spectrum, suggesting that everyone may have some characteristics associated with autism and ADHD, but only some meet the threshold for a clinical diagnosis. Throughout Ronald’s talk, she drew on her extensive research in child development, including studies on genes influencing when children start to walk. She examined the neurodiversity movement, emphasising its focus on valuing differences rather than simply trying to 'fix' them, and the importance of supporting individuals in ways that respect their own unique strengths and challenges. Overall, her session provided a thought-provoking look at science, experiences and social perspectives surrounding autism and ADHD.

Rosie Hussain is a director of teaching and learning (as well as an A Level examiner), whose presentation was on exam success, including hints, tips and guidance. First, she started with revision. In order to reduce cognitive overload, she finds that starting with strengths in a topic will build confidence. Then in the exam, she starts with the actual question. She advises to go over the question again and underline key information and command words (including the IV, DV, extraneous and confounding variables, hypothesis, etc.) In terms of AO1 (knowledge), she highlights the importance of specialist terminology and real world applications and examples. Hussein states that, yes, AO1 is important, but to achieve top grades, we must be able to expand on our knowledge and apply it. For AO2 (explanation), she suggests that we should make it a point to cover all bases, not skip over questions worth one to four marks for AO2, and stresses the importance of empirical evidence. For AO3 (evaluation), she says that we should revise strengths and weaknesses for everything, be able to explain why it is a positive/negative, and how it impacts on the short/long term. Lastly, Hussein emphasises signposting when linking back to the question (this matters/is necessary because…)

Dee Anand is a forensic psychologist and has prepared specialist reports in civil and criminal cases across the UK. In his talk, 'The Work of a Forensic Psychologist', he explored what the role of a forensic psychologist really involves and challenged common myths about the profession. He explained the varied responsibilities within the role, including assessing mental health, personality functioning, and the motivations behind sexual and violent offending. A significant part of the talk focused on how society views individuals such as psychopaths and serial killers. Anand argued that, despite their actions, they are still human beings, and he criticised the tendency to dehumanise them or treat them as fundamentally separate from society. He highlighted how this attitude influences the justice system and leads to often isolating treatment in prisons, rather than approaches focused on understanding, rehabilitation, or mental health support. Drawing on over 22 years of experience in this field, Anand also explained the path to becoming a forensic psychologist and the rewards of working in such a demanding job, as well as the emotional toll it can take. He offered insight into preparing specialist reports for court, handling high-risk cases, and navigating environments where moral and emotional pressures are widespread.

Finally, chartered psychologist and nutrition specialist Kimberley Wilson presented a talk on the relationship between lifestyle and brain health, drawing on ideas from her book 'How to Build a Healthy Brain'. Wilson emphasises a 'Whole Body Mental Health' approach, arguing that psychological wellbeing cannot be fully understood without considering the biological, nutritional and lifestyle factors that support the brain. A key theme of her talk was that, although genetics influences vulnerability to mental health disorders, modifiable lifestyle factors, such as diet, sleep and physical activity, play a significant role in protecting against both mental illness and cognitive decline. Wilson discussed in detail how nutrition is one of the most powerful and overlooked determinants of cognitive performance. She highlighted the importance of eating nutrient-dense, low glycaemic foods before exams to stabilise blood sugar and sustain concentration. Another major focus, which isn’t widely discussed enough, is that she highlighted research showing the importance of resistance training for women. As women age, particularly after menopause, they experience more rapid declines in muscle mass and bone density, which are linked to increased inflammation and reduced cognitive function. Strength training helps to counteract this process, lowering the risk of dementia and supporting executive functioning, memory, and overall brain health. Overall, Wilson's talk provided a compelling reminder that mental health is inseparable from physical health. Her evidence-based guidance on diet, sleep, and exercise demonstrates that individuals can take active steps to support their brains throughout life.

Shania De Z-S, L6S