1) David Kilcullen On ISIS
David Kilcullen is a former colonel in the Australian Army. His academic background is in the social sciences. He has acted as an adviser to governments on threats from Islamist extremists. Here, he speaks at length about what we know and don’t know about these extremists.
https://radio.abc.net.au/programitem/pgX460EDLV?play=true
We’ve been looking at concepts in AS Social Influence related to minority social influence and social change: identification, consistency, commitment and flexibility. Using these concepts and w a whole load more, Kilcullen assesses what has gone wrong and what we might do to put things right. It’s fascinating.
2) What Is Depression?
Here’s a TED Ed video from Helen M. Farrell introducing some important ideas about Depression. There are some extra resources to explore here.
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-depression-helen-m-farrell#digdeeper
3) A Couple From Mental Elf
This first link refers to short interventions for people experiencing problems with alcohol. Screening people with a problem of addiction, particularly if they are visiting a health care provider for another reason, and then giving them some sort of intervention, has been seen as a good way to address addiction.
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
This link suggests that this approach is not particularly effective for alcohol.
This set of links represents the best of Mental Elf from 2015. A great summary of where we are at in some critical areas.
4) Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking
This has appeared on the NHS website.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/smoking/Pages/e-cigarettes.aspx
E-cigarettes remain controversial. The fact that their use as a tool to stop smoking is now discussed on the NHS website suggests that attitudes and evidence about them is changing.
5) Robert Spitzer
Robert Spitzer’s death has been announced.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35185138
This obituary explains why he was important in framing the system for classifying mental health disorders. It also explains his role in redefining homosexuality and his later regret at some of his earlier research.
DHSB/DHSG Psychology Research Digest 