Invited Speaker Series 2008
Abstracts and biographies

Dr Mark Blagrove

Abstract
Lucid dreaming is the relatively rare ability to realise that one is dreaming while continuing to dream. While lucid it is then possible to intentionally control the dream. Lucid dreams occur during REM sleep, but are more prevalent during the later REM periods of the night. In this presentation various studies comparing frequent, occasional lucid dreamers and non-lucid dreamers on personality and attention measures will be described. These show that lucid dreaming is associated with waking life Internal Locus of Control, high Need for Cognition, high Creativity, and high attentional control on the Stroop task. The results support the Continuity theory of dreaming, which holds that waking life cognition, and individual differences in waking life cognition, are related to dream content variables.   

Biography
Mark Blagrove is Reader in Psychology and Director of the Sleep Laboratory at Swansea University. He researches the psychology of dreaming and the aetiology of nightmares, and is on the editorial boards of the A.P.A. journal Dreaming (www.apa.org/journals/drm) and the Journal of Sleep Research. He is a past-president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams (www.asdreams.org).

Dr Christine Mohr

Abstract
Magical thinking and/or belief is one of the productive symptoms reported from patients with schizophrenia, and is, at the same time, a common experience in the general population. In both instances, this thinking style has been related to an attenuated left hemispheric dominance for language, and a consecutive disinhibition of remote associative processing in the right hemisphere. While this right hemisphere contribution to language processing in the patient population might impinge normal conversational capacities, the same processes in the general population might facilitate creative thinking. Studies using neuropharmacological manipulations (dopamine agonistic treatment) support the view that magical belief in the general population is not simply on the continuum to psychosis, but might reflect a well-adapted personality dimension showing evolutionary advantages.

Biography
Dr. Mohr did her PhD on the "neuropsychology of magical belief" at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and continued working in this field ever since. In 2004, she joined the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol as a lecturer where she teaches Neuropsychiatry. With respect to paranormal belief, she mainly investigates and publishes on the neuropsychological correlates of these beliefs, and aims to understand why some individuals with such "bizarre" beliefs are considered by most as absolutely healthy (but spiritual), while in others it is considered pathological (psychotic). This is particularly relevant, because the dimensional, or rather quasi-dimensional view of psychosis would indicate that the healthy expression might have evolutionary advantages.

Dr Matthew Smith

Abstract
'Chance, Luck and Destiny: A Psychological Perspective'
Have you ever noticed that some of the most important things that happen in our lives, such as relationships or careers, are often influenced by a chance encounter, or a fortuitous occurrence? How much are we really in control of our lives? Does each of us have a destiny that we are supposed to fulfil? It is questions like these that have inspired Matthew Smith to re-examine the role that luck plays in our lives and explore the notion of destiny. Is destiny something we can control or is it something that simply helps us to make sense of life's ups and downs?

Biography
Matthew Smith is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Liverpool Hope University. He studied for his PhD with Richard Wiseman at the University of Hertfordshire researching the psychology of luck. Since then, he has conducted research on such varied topics as experimenter effects in parapsychology, offender profiling, and lie detection. He returns to the subject of his PhD research to explore the notion of ‘destiny'.

Joe Banks

Abstract
'Rorschach Audio: Implications for the Electronic Voice Phenomenon and Art'
Banks will be demonstrating the illusions of sound which have been discussed in his MIT Press published research project 'Rorschach Audio'. Rorschach Audio argues that credulous interpretations of EVP research (which are commonplace in contemporary art) are at best examples of willful self-delusion, at worst examples of outright fraud. Rorschach Audio offers the primary hypothesis that an understanding of the relevant aspects of psychoacoustics provides a complete explanation for most EVP recordings, and a secondary hypothesis that an informed understanding of these processes is as important to understanding the emergent field of sound art as studies of optical illusions have historically been to understanding visual art.

Biography
Through his ground-breaking Disinformation project (active since 1995), noise DJ and installation artist Joe Banks pioneered the use of electromagnetic (radio) noise from sources such as live mains electricity, lightning, industrial and IT hardware, laboratory equipment, trains, magnetic storms and the sun as the raw material of musical and fine-art publications, exhibits and events. 'Disinformation' has been the subject of 10 UK solo exhibitions, experienced by over 100,000 people and described by The Guardian as “some of the most beautiful installations around."

Dr Ciarán O’Keeffe

Abstract:
‘The Truth About Mediums’
During a traditional mediumistic reading the medium usually produces a large number of statements and the sitter has to decide whether these statements accurately describe themselves or departed loved ones or relatives. In order to assess the extent to which such statements may provide evidence of the possibility of post-mortem survival, it is important to employ protocols that are effective in ruling out alternative explanations (such as chance, fraud or 'cold reading').  Recent academic research attempting to use such protocols has either been dogged by criticism for actually lacking them, or not provided evidence for mediumship ability. There is also an inherent difficulty in using 'special claimants' as, aside from other points raised in the talk, issues regarding anonymity and confidentiality arise as participants occasionally abuse their participation and declare it almost as a 'badge of credibility'. There are frequent references in the late 1800s and early 1900s to problems in sitting with mediums, problems that appear not to have gone away.

The media provides an alternative setting where such protocols are not available and so assessment of their ability is even more difficult. Despite this, increased media exposure for a select group of mediums results in their ever growing popularity, increased theatre ticket sales and workshop dates, book deals and training courses. It seems media exposure is seen as an indication of accuracy and confirmation of an elusive ability. This, aside from the fact that many mediums have written glaring inconsistencies in biographies or that there is seemingly no agreement regarding the nature of the after-life and that frequently mediums in the media have incidents of fraudulent behaviour in the past. This talk openly discusses the truth about mediums and asks if we will ever know true mediumship?

Biography
In 2005, Ciarán was awarded a Doctorate entitled ‘Assessing the content of advice given by practitioners claiming paranormal ability,’ (focusing on psychics and mediums) at the University of Hertfordshire. During his time at University of Hertfordshire, Ciarán was fortunate enough to be involved in several Perrott-Warrick Research Unit projects (e.g. ‘ghost’ projects at Hampton Court and Edinburgh Vaults), also taking time off for other spontaneous cases and unusual assignments (including a dream project, and exorcism research), and returning to the Rhine Research Center for their Summer Study Program in 2000.

From 1999 to 2006, he was employed as a psychology lecturer at Liverpool Hope University, assisting with both criminal psychology and parapsychology teaching.

Ciarán currently holds a Research Associate position at Université de Paris 8 - Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale. In addition Ciarán can be seen appearing on paranormal TV shows such as Living TV’s Most Haunted and Jane Goldman Investigates where he provides a sceptical voice and regularly battles with all manner of mediumistic communication.

Dr Dorothy Rowe

Abstract
'Why is that important to you'
We all like to think that we have chosen our beliefs for sensible, logical reasons, be they reasons associated with science or with a special relationship with God. However, the reasons behind our beliefs have more to do with how we see ourselves than with science, reason or God. This is why we cling to certain beliefs even when they are shown to have no basis in fact.

Biography
Dorothy Rowe is a clinical psychologist and writer who is renowned for her work on how we create meaning, and how the meanings we create determine what we do. Her application of this understanding to the problems of depression and of fear has changed many people’s lives for the better, and has caused many mental health professionals to think more carefully about how they deal with people who are suffering great mental distress. She writes regularly for newspapers and magazines, appears frequently in the media, and is the author of 12 books, the most popular of which are Depression: The Way Out of Your Prison which is in its third edition, and Beyond Fear which is in its second edition. Her latest book My Dearest Enemy, My Dangerous Friend is a radical examination of what is often the most important relationships in our lives, our relationships with our siblings.

In 1971 Dorothy completed her PhD, and in 1972 she went to Lincolnshire to set up and head the Lincolnshire Department of Clinical Psychology. Dorothy obtained a research grant which enabled her to continue her research. After periods elsewhere, in 1995 Dorothy moved to London where she still lives. She writes regularly for Saga Magazine and Openmind, and intermittently for other publications. She is frequently interviewed on radio and television, and she has a great many conversations with journalists who phone her for advice and information.