HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS – YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

Free will is generally defined as freedom of choice. An individual may have acted one way, but he/she could have

acted another way, had he/she desired. The individual alone is the author of their actions. By contrast, determinism is

the doctrine that every event has a prior cause – if this is so, how can a person be the author of their actions?

Alice Hood Hammatt was the first American recipient of a psychosurgical procedure known as ‘lobotomy’. The

American psychiatrist Walter Freeman believed she was an ideal candidate: Hammatt’s past – and present - was one

of extreme emotional turbulence, including depression, anxiety, impulsivity and suicidal feelings. After gaining the

consent of both Hammatt and her husband, the surgery was performed. Freeman, with the aid of his colleague,

administered anaesthetic, shaved Hammatt’s hair, cleaned her scalp and marked and cut two three centimetre

entrance holes into her skull. Utilizing the leucotome – the surgical tool used to perform lobotomy - they began cutting

away cores of Hammatt’s brain tissue. Following the procedure, Hammatt’s previous depressive and anxious

symptoms were relieved. Freeman noted a disappearance in Hammat’s spontaneity and a lack of initiative in

commencing conversation and physical action. Hammatt’s husband stated that her behaviour was more ‘normal’ than it

had ever been.

The same procedure performed by Freeman on Rosemary Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy, who

presented unruly behaviour, rendered her incontinent, only able to speak a few words and resulted in a life of

institutionalised care. During the next forty years after Hamatt’s surgery, over forty thousand such procedures would

occur in the USA alone, each instance irrevocably changing the behaviour, for better or worse, of the recipient.

The brain is a physical system. It is subject to the laws of nature. Thoughts and actions are the result of brain states

and brain structure. This is why any changes in brain structure e.g. lobotomy, will have a direct impact – implicit or

explicit – on human behaviour. Behaviour is ultimately caused and constrained by biology – where is the freedom in

that? To further illustrate this point, consider the heart breaking example of Clive Wearing: due to a damaged

hippocampus, Wearing is unable to form new, lasting memories. PTSD, and the symptoms associated with the

condition, are associated with changes in brain structure and functioning, including shrinkage of the hippocampus. If

free will exists, and behaviour is not the product of brain activity, then we are surely forced to say that, in all of these

cases, the individual is choosing to act the way they do.

The question of whether humans possess free will has been hotly debated for thousands of years. More recently,

psychologists as diverse as James, Freud, Skinner and Rogers have offered their thoughts on the debate. Perhaps the

most notorious experiment on free will was conducted by Benjamin Libet. Libet’s experiments, using EEG, revealed

that activity in the motor cortex was detectable some 300-500 milliseconds before participants subjectively felt they had

decided to move. In other words, brain activity preceded the

BY BEN JOSEF GOVIER

conscious feeling to move. A recent experiment found that the activity of 256 neurons alone could predict with 80%

accuracy an individual’s decision to move 700 milliseconds before the individual became aware of the impulse.

Psychologists, amongst many of their activities, attempt to understand the causes of behaviour – as such they work

within a determinist framework. In attempting to understand behaviour, the psychologist considers a diverse range of

possible causes e.g. biology and environment. An act of free will could have no antecedent cause and would be

utterly inexplicable. Psychology allows zero room for free will; the existence of free will would render the discipline a

futile waste of time.

Inevitably, the free will debate raises questions relating to moral accountability. In 2003, the Archives of Neurology

published an article outlining the case of a 40-year-old schoolteacher who, uncharacteristically and inexplicably,

began manifesting sexually deviant behaviour. A conviction ensued and a failed attempt at rehabilitation. On the eve

of his prison sentencing, he began complaining of headaches. The doctor sent him for an MRI scan, following which,

he was diagnosed with having a right orbitofrontal tumour – a brain area, the authors noted, associated with impulse

control and social regulation. Following resection of the tumour, the man’s deviant behaviour disappeared and he was

deemed safe to return home. However, in October 2001, he began experiencing a persistent headache accompanied

by a return of his former impulses. An MRI revealed tumour regrowth and reresection was completed four months

later. The removal of the tumour, whilst changing his behaviour, did not magically restore his free will. It only meant

that his behaviour was no longer influenced by the tumour. If behaviour is the product of brain states, which

themselves have antecedent causes, it is surely impossible – and unjust - to hold people morally accountable for their

actions. To inflict punishment would be a reprehensible act of unjustifiable cruelty.

Bertrand Russell uses an example of a car to illustrate the folly of retributive punishment: if a car were to break down,

we would not call the car ‘evil’ or blame or punish the car. We would seek to understand the way the car operates and

discover the cause of the problem and attempt remedial intervention. Of course, humans are much more complex

than cars, but the underlying principle remains. True compassion and understanding lie within determinism.

Recognising that free will does not exist is a humbling experience. I cannot take any credit for the person I am -

whether good or bad. The difference between me and a psychopath, can, at its core, be ascribed to pure luck. I can

only express gratitude that antecedent conditions did not mould me into a psychopath. Belief in free will is failure to

recognise or acknowledge the numerous ingredients that contribute to making a person who they are. Indeed, some

suggest belief in free will is ignorance, conceit or pure egotism. Recognising your good fortune is reason enough to

be more thankful, forgiving, charitable and merry this Christmas.

This article barely scrapes the surface of the diverse literature on free will. Of course, not everyone subscribes to the

view that free will is an illusion. The neuroscientist Raymond Tallis and philosophers Daniel Dennett and Julian

Baggini, amongst many other academics, offer considered opinions to the contrary and are worth reading. Some

adhere to ‘soft determinism’ or ‘compatibilism’ – the view that free will can coexist with determinism. The

neuroscientist Sam Harris describes the literature in favour of free will as resembling theology. You will have to make

your own mind up.

So, the next time you find yourself not having completed an assignment on time, don’t forget to use determinism as a

mitigating circumstance:

“Because free will does not exist, I had no choice but to

procrastinate and not write a word of my assignment...”

PONTIO – FINALLY!Pontio – The much awaited Students' Union building and the new centre of arts and innovation for both Students and

the community. Pontio has been under scrutiny for years after many delays in it’s opening for reasons speculated, such

as lack of funding and delays in release of funding, poor constructional organisation and even rumours such as needing

to redesign landscaping due to not building a car park! Despite not actually having a building to host events, Pontio as a

company has been hosting theatre performances, workshops and shows for over two years. In more recent months

Pontio has played host to an aerial acrobatics company called Pirates of the Carabina, a company who specialise in

technical, yet mesmerizing theatrical shows with a strong live music element. I saw them perform over the summer in

their extended show ‘Flown,’ and was lucky enough to bag myself and 5 other friends free tickets to see them perform

on the opening day of Pontio in their new performance, ‘Shine’. Once again I was incredibly impressed with the group’s

performance. From tight-rope walkers toddling their way above the dining area tables, playing drums at the top of

scaffolding reaching the top of the 5 storey building, to an incredibly strong and beautiful pole dancing duo, performing

breath-taking stunts, and gravity defying counter balancing acts, Pirates of the Carabina put together a solid

performance once again with an innovative use of space.

As much as I wanted to hate the place – The Students' Union I was promised would be ready in my second year of uni,

but have lived without for 5 years now, did actually live up to, and dare I say it surpass my expectations. The staff there

are polite and seem proud to be working there – not embarrassed to be working in place that was once the butt end of

many a Bangor Meme. And I can see why; the building is modern and spacious, yet there is room for a variety of

activities to take place including space for conferences and student events. (Can I see Serendipity possibly taking place

there in the future? Yes, I can). There is a light and spacious dining area with modern, yet comfortable seating. I didn’t

feel out of place at a student, and it appeared neither did any locals or families who also attended the event. As we took

a sneaky peak up to the third level, one member of staff showed us around the Fab Lab – a centre where customised

products and pieces of machinery can be designed and made, as well as many technological devices, from sewing

machines, soldering irons and textile printing machines, all the way to 3D printers and laser cutters, leaving users with

the opportunity to create their own masterpieces. Their plans for programmes and courses for both the locals and

students sound innovative and exciting, with enough guidance to enable to users to really be creative and use facilities

independently for whatever their imagination inspires them to. Moreover, plans are to have all courses available via a

membership, which (hopefully) will be free to all of Bangor Students, making the whole thing seem a lot more accessible.

It seems like it will be a while before the cogs that actually make the Students' Union tick (you know – our amazing

SABBS and the staff that support us day in day out) will actually be fully moved into the building. In my opinion, I don’t

think that Pontio itself will change our Students' Union that much. We have an amazing SU, and now a swish building in

which to ‘house’ our SABBS and staff from Monday to Friday 9-5. But let’s face it, how much time do they really spend in

the SU? I don’t know about you, but I personally find it a pain to catch Becca Kent or Mark Stanley for 5 minutes in their

office! They’re always out with the students. One thing I do want to see in the SU? After being asked many times, I’ve

had a good think. I think we need a Dry Room, to store your wet booties and coats after being sodden in the miserable

Bangor rain. Everyone one would use it. It would be amazing. And we should absolutely call it the Oz Room. Feel free to

agree and lobby the SU for what (I believe) would be an excellent addition to what is already looking to be a successful

Students' Union Building.

BY AIMEE OZ

PSΨCHSOC IS BACK- AND WE WANT YOU!

Over the past few months, the name PsYchSoc has been a word that has slowly been fizzling out of the

Wheldon. Behind the scenes however, a new Committee

has been forming, getting together and preparing a

repertoire for new (and old!) members to enjoy. After a few

weeks of silence, the PsYchSoc Team are happy to report

that we are ready and raring to go - and ready to make thi

one of the best years for PsYchSoc yet!

Who are PsYchSoc? What do you do?

We are a society built for all students – both Psychology

and non-Psychology – who have some kind of interest

and/or passion for all things Psychology. Our aim is to make content available to all students who wish to learn

about the vast array of topics Psychology has to offer, through public talks, film nights, lectures and other

academic content.

How do I get involved?

Our current Committee consists of a whopping eleven members – of which the majority are in their first year of

study. Because of this, it is now easier than ever to get involved with the Society and its goings on! We have

branched out on all forms of Social Media and we are currently working on setting up a dedicated mailing list, as

well as making a bigger presence for ourselves within the Wheldon building for those who prefer a physical port

of call. If you want to check out any information in person, consult our notice board in the Wheldon Building. You

can also contact us directly: psych@bangorstudents.com.

Interested? Why not consider joining?

Facebook: Bangor PsΨchSoc E-mail: psych@bangorstudents.com

Twitter: @BangorPsYchSoc Youtube: Bangor PsΨchSoc

Though we are an academic society, we also run plenty of social events that have been

more than successful in the past: the Winter Ball, Casino Royale, trips to the Fun Centre

and a trip to Chester Zoo are a few of the events we’ve run in the past.

The Society also closely works with the School of Psychology and prides itself on having

a Staff Liaison so that we can further bridge the gap between staff and students. Through

this we have been able to organise charity events and other organised fun runs that

usually pertain to some staff and committee members doing silly things – such as dunking

ourselves into tubs of beans or wearing onesies around Wheldon for a day – but can also

include academic events structure, such as our Social Psychology film marathon that

nicely runs alongside Year 2’s Social Psychology module.

Overall, we are a Society that aim to bridge the gap between students and staff members

alike, in order to pursue the common interest we all share: Psychology.

Psych News

Love Psychology? Want a change to let your creative juices flow? Do you like writing? Writing for Psych news is a

brilliant opportunity to write about a subject you’re passionate. You can more or less write about what you want, and

best of all you get lots of friendly helpful advice to write your articles and improve your writing. Interested in joining the

team? Email Tracey at t.lloyd@bangor.ac.uk or look out for an email about our first meeting next semester!

BY SARAH NOLAN

EMPLOYABILITY ADVICE FROM THE GRADUATE PERSPECTIVE

As a former PsychNews committee member, I’ve been asked to write one final piece from the graduate point of view.

Things after university suddenly become very complicated if you blindly leave Bangor with incorrect assumptions about

“what comes next”. Follow these tips, and hopefully you’ll be on the track to success!

What to do whilst you’re doing your degree (1st and 2nd year):

Get as much experience as you can. “Getting smashed at Peep 2014-2017” isn’t going to work in your favour if that’s all

you can put on your CV. Paid work, voluntary positions, internships, the BEA, international experience… try everything!

Build your network. In addition to needing some excellent references as a graduate job hunter, there is always a chance

that with a good reputation amongst high-profile individuals, you may be headhunted for an amazing opportunity .

Learn skills, not facts . University is not about cramming your mind full of facts; an employer will not expect you to spill out

your knowledge like you do in exams. Employers are looking for candidates with graduate level skills, but not necessarily

graduate level knowledge.

What to do as you’re about to finish your degree (3rd year):

Look at what’s on offer. Don’t just start looking at the best way to pursue your ideal career; the first thing to do is to check

that your dream job actually exists and that there is demand for graduates to enter the profession. No demand, no

opportunity… no work!

Don’t worry. If you commit to something too early because you’re worried about getting nothing, you’re more likely to end

up pursuing a masters you can’t afford, the wrong graduate training scheme or a job you won’t enjoy.

Use the resources at your disposal. The university has an excellent careers and employability department who can review

your CV and guide you through the difficult decisions. Your lecturers will also have great knowledge on various career

paths, or See Dr Helen Morgan, Bangor Psychology’s very own employability tutor.

What to do when you’ve finished your degree (graduates):

Explore alternative pathways. This doesn’t mean “give up on your dreams”, it just means that there are usually other, less

competitive (and less expensive) ways to achieve your goals. Also consider other professions as a springboard to your

future dream job.

Be prepared to relocate. Most graduates return to their hometowns and assume that without a student loan filling their

pockets every few months , moving back to their parents’ house is the only option. The best opportunities are rarely at the

end of your road, so be prepared to chase after them.

There’s no shame in taking a break. Some of the most sought-after careers in psychology require applicants to have

extensive work experience, which may not even be of a graduate-level. Others prefer to take a year out of academia and

save up for the next big adventure.

I offer these tips to you because I genuinely believe in them; they are the characteristics of my own journey, and I’m very

happy with my life after Bangor University. I’m currently working in socioeconomic research but will relocate in the New

Year to begin a fully-funded PhD. Take it from someone who knows; if you’ve worked hard and have shown that you’re

worth it, you have nothing to worry about .

Bangor Employability Award

Get involved at Bangor! Have you got a job? Want to participant in Student Volunteering

Bangor? Joining a team this semester? Ydych chi’n dysgu Cymraeg? ¿O Español? Want to be

recognised for the hard work you do? Register yourself for the BEA Award and start getting

recognised for the fantastic things you do – by the University and your future employers!

BY JAKE SALLWAY - COSTELLO

HEALTH AND WELLBEING PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES 15-16

Bangor University in partnership with Grwp Llandrillo Menai offer brilliant opportunities to the public, to attend

speeches given by academics and professionals in their fields of expertise. The lectures take place in Venue Cymru,

Llandudno and Certificates of Attendance are awarded to all those who attend. There is parking to the rear of the

venue and most importantly luxurious refreshments - all completely free of charge.

The Psychology of Happiness:

On 17 November, the event was well attended, with the vast majority of seats filled., awaiting speeches from two of

Bangor University’s prestigious psychologists. The Director of Student Engagement for Psychology, Dr Tracey Lloyd

ahaired the event.

Dr Rebecca Sharp – Happiness: Lessons from behaviour analysis

Dr Sharp has interests in how the principles of learning can be applied to improve the quality of people’s lives. Dr

Sharp explained helpful strategies that can be useful for anyone in their everyday lives. Firstly, if you have a

behaviour to change or a goal you want to achieve it must be: Achievable, Measureable and Specific. Making the

goal public, monitoring it and programming pleasurable consequences for such achievements also increase the

likelihood of achieving your goals. A key point was to make the goals task focused not time focused , so instead of

saying you want to achieve your goal, by Christmas, put another measurable limit on your goal (for example, to be

able to run 5K in less than half an hour). Arrange the environment around you so that it is set out in the best way to

help you achieve your goals. Dr Sharp also enforced the idea of decreasing the input of effort for achieving the

positive behaviours you wish to implement, and increasing the input of effort to stop behaviours you do not wish to

continue.

Dr Fay Short – Stop thinking yourself miserable: Rational Thinking for Positive Self-Management

Dr Short wants you to think your way to happiness and explained that your interpretation of the world in front of

your eyes is NOT always accurate. Dr Short further explained how people have maladaptive ways of thinking such

as: thinking in extreme absolute ways, focusing on one detail then ignoring the rest and drawing conclusions with

limited evidence. More maladaptive thinking examples are: labelling yourself and others resulting in a self fulfilling

prophesy , assuming personal responsibility for things that are not your fault and overgeneralisation of one bad

event to everything. Everyone thinks this way sometimes, but thinking yourself happy is the recognition of the

maladaptive thinking patterns you have and reflecting on them (which is as important as realising your interpretation

of the world is not always accurate!). Dr Short concluded by saying that acceptance is a key part to achieving

happiness. You have a choice, it is in your hands, it is in your control. Choose happiness.

To find out about future talks, visit: www.bangor.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing or for more information or to book a

place email: nerys.hague@bangor.ac.uk

BY AZARA INGRAM

#SMALLTHINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

All around Wheldon people are either rushing around, glued to their screens, or frantically typing. It’s clear everyone is

taking their education seriously (which is amazing!) however it is also apparent we are neglecting ourselves and those

around us. By planting little goodies around Wheldon I wanted to emphasise that even though we’re bogged down with

our own work, studies, emails, problems… that there IS time to pause and look after ourselves and others.

What is #smallthings?

#smallthings is one of many ‘Time To Change’ campaigns, run by leading mental health charities, Mind and Rethink

Mental Illness. The campaign revolves around the idea of the smallest things making a massive difference - particularly

to those suffering from a mental health disorder!

Are you okay?

I urge you all (particularly with so many deadlines and exams looming around the corner) to stop for a moment and think

about yourself – how are YOU doing? Are you handling things okay? Are you looking after yourself and eating properly?

If not, ask for help! You might not believe it right now, but there are people who genuinely want to help. You could pop

into a local GP surgery, arrange a meeting with your personal tutor, or perhaps visit Cheryl or Fiona at the Mental Health

Drop-in (Wednesdays 2-4 in the SU).

It’s also important to be mindful of those around you… are they okay? Are they quieter than usual? Have they been

spending a lot of their time in their room recently? If you’re worried about them you have the power to help. Little things

can make a huge difference to the life of someone else.

We are not alone!

I was incredibly happy to gain the support of local businesses ‘Lookachu’ and ‘FreakShakes’ during the campaign. The

owners were so passionate about the cause and donated their time and products to individuals who were identified as

needing a little TLC. The support of these companies was a reminder that there are good people out there… and that the

community of Bangor cares about us students!

The future

The psychology department and mental health services at the university have also been incredibly supportive throughout

the campaign. As a result, throughout December (and hopefully beyond) there will be a large number of mental health

information leaflets, ‘stress-busting’ resources and help sheets easily accessible around Wheldon. In the future I hope to

form links with other departments and spread the word that it’s okay to ask for help… and that little acts of kindness can

make massive difference.

In mid-November some of you may have noticed strange goings-on in the Wheldon building like complementary sticky

notes and free food… however some of you may not be sure why this happened. Hopefully this article will clear things

up! I would like to emphasise that this was NOT a study (I heard some people speculating this!) These were genuine

acts of kindness paired with a mental health campaign.

Why did this happen?!

BY ANONYMOUS

TEACHFIRST APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

This summer I was headhunted by a company called TeachFirst via LinkedIn. I had no idea who they were - so when I

found out from The Times Top 100 they are the 4th best graduate employer, I definitely thought it was a hoax message!

Two months later I am a Brand Manager for TeachFirst at Bangor University.

What is TeachFirst?

TeachFirst is a charity which trains talented graduates to be inspiring, passionate, teachers in low income communities.

Why? We believe that every child (regardless of how much their parents earn, or where they come from) deserves an

amazing education. Our drive to end educational inequality has led us to develop the following programmes for

undergraduate students.

Our Programmes

For first year students we run a series of taster days throughout the year. You’ll be invited to our London office for a

whirlwind tour of TeachFirst and a day of employability workshops. This is a chance for us to get to know you a little

better and for you to start thinking about your future career.

If you are a second year student with A-Levels in two science/maths

subjects you are eligible to apply for our Insight Programme - a paid,

residential internship down in London. If successful you will spend two

weeks with TeachFirst; developing a lesson plan and enhancing your

employability skills through a series of workshops. At the end of the

two weeks you will teach your lesson to a class in one of our partner

schools!

If you don’t have those A-Levels, don’t worry! – You may be eligible to apply for the position of Brand Manager (my

current role). My role involves being creative to promote TeachFirst on campus (e.g. setting up engaging stands,

collaborating with societies to organise events…). The picture (right) is of myself and the Afro-Caribbean Society, after

my first TeachFirst presentation!

At TeachFirst we are offering third year students the chance to be a Brand Manager (see previous) and the opportunity

to join our Leadership Development Programme (LDP) following graduation. The LDP is a two year graduate scheme

which combines your development as a practicing teacher with personal and business skills training, internship

opportunities and mentoring. As well as earning a salary throughout the two years you will also gain a fully funded

PGCE qualification.

If after the two years you want to continue teaching, that’s awesome! If not, then that’s also okay. After completing the

LDP we can fast-track any applications you make with companies such as The Royal Navy, PwC, Accenture, ALDI and

Goldman Sachs - the company who consults businesses like Paypal, Microsoft and Apple on their billion dollar deals!

The programmes fill up quickly so I urge you to open any applications ASAP via www.graduates.teachfirst.org.uk

If you feel passionate about our cause, want to develop

your skills, make a difference, travel and meet loads of

new people I encourage you to apply!

BY KATIE RIDDOCH

ENACTUSSo have you heard about Enactus? No? Well permit me to tell you about it. Enactus is an international non-profit

organisation that challenges its student members to make a positive impact within the community through sustainable

entrepreneurial business. What does all that mean? Simply put, Enactus is all about doing good, by seeing the bad and

doing something about it. But it’s a little more than that, it’s also about business, empowering others and enabling them

to continue the good work. Sound good? Well it is.

Enactus started life in 1975 as Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) in the USA. In the 40 years since Enactus nee SIFE

has grown to be present in 36 countries, involving more than 1700 universities, 70,500 students and over 500 corporate

and business partners, including Unilever, Amazon and Coca Cola. It’s made a worldwide impact that has affected two

million people for the better. Each year the organisation holds regional, national and international competitions to find the

best Enactus group and projects. 2015 saw Southampton's team win the world cup held in Johannesburg with their

SanEco project, it’s impressive stuff and worth a google (other search engines available!) to get an idea of what Enactus

does.

On October 5th Enactus came to Bangor University and a group of students met for the first time in LR4. Caroline Turner

regional Programme Manager for Enactus UK made a presentation on the Enactus experience. Skip forward a few

weeks and Enactus Bangor has officially formed. It has recruited most of a committee team and started developments on

some projects. To find out more, I met up with Aaron Andrew John at the Management Centre for a chat.

Hello Aaron, thanks for taking the time to talk with me, can you explain who you are and what you do at the university?

Hi, well I’m Aaron and I’m a Masters student here at Bangor Uni studying Law and Business, specifically procurement,

which is basically purchasing, and I’m the president of Enactus Bangor.

So what does that mean, and what do you do?

Well, I head up the committee here at Bangor, and it's our job to work with our project leaders, and make sure they have

all the resources they need to ensure their projects are successful. We also liaise with the academic advisors and our

local business, government, and corporate partners.

Board of Advisors who are they?

They are representatives from the University who share their expertise with us. They consist of Lowri Owens from B-

Enterprising, Frank Fitzmaurice, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, and Professor James Intriligator of

the School of Psychology.

So what do you see Enactus Bangor as?

I see Enactus Bangor using social enterprises as a vehicle to bring the university and the local community closer and

empower those worse off through the power of business, enterprise and entrepreneurial action.

Who can join Enactus Bangor?

Basically any student who has an idea, in other universities, Enactus is usually dominated by Business Students, but

here at Bangor that’s not so, half our committee is made up of Psychology students, the rest are business or law

students. In fact, one of our project leaders is a psychology student working on a recycling project. So the possibilities

are endless, and we want a huge range of skills so as long as people put in the time and effort you can be a part of

Enactus.

Scan for Bangor Enactus’s Facebook Page.

ENACTUSWhat type of projects will Enactus Bangor be doing, and who decides what projects we do?

Any project that fits the Enactus criteria. As an example we have one ambitious project, ReMake, which is in the early

stages of development. ReMark is focused on recycling plastic and developing innovative products to be sold. We are

also developing Est. Studio. This is an ideas incubator, partnered with B-Enterprising and Pontio. Essentially any

student or member of the public with an idea can come along and work with us on making it a viable project. If it works

as a project it could very well become a fully blown Enactus Project.

Is it all business or is there a social aspect, like nights out etc?

Oh yes, but for now I’d say watch this space! We keep the Facebook page regularly updated with our activities so I

would look that up and give us a like.

If someone was interested in seeing what it is you guys do, or would like to join what do they do?

Get in touch! Head over to the Facebook page send us a message, keep an eye out for any meetings and feel free to

come along to one.

So if you think you have the capacity to be an Enactus Student, and relish the challenge of setting up your own

entrepreneurial project and actually making a real impact in your community whilst gaining some valuable skills then

please look them up, and give them your support.

PSΨCHNEWS COOKSARRABIATTA

Arrabiatta is a quick and easy versatile Italian pasta sauce, comprising of tomatoes, garlic and chilli. The name

literally means ‘Angry’ on account of the spiciness but this can be tailored to your palette. Add, onions and

mushrooms or fried Pancetta (bacon lardons) to bolster the meal and serve with generous amounts of parmesan.

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g Penne Pasta

1 400g Tin of chopped tomatoes

¼ Fresh Red Chilli

2 Garlic cloves

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil.

Method: If adding pancetta, fry off first and set aside to cool and clean the frying pan. Add crushed garlic and grated

chilli to fresh olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Once sizzling add anything else like mushrooms or onions and

cook until soft, then add a tin of tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes. If applicable add the cooked pancetta and keep

on a low heat. Season to taste. In the meantime set a pan of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta,

typically penne, as per instructions, but I find it is best when it’s al dente (with a slight crunch). Drain the water and

mix the arrabiata sauce with the pasta, put on a warmed plate and serve. If you're feeling creative add a few capers

and anchovies instead of pancetta to make a pseudo puttanesca! Enjoy!

ENACTUS – BY CASPAR WYNNE; PSψCHNEWS COOKS – BY CASPAR WYNNE

PSΨCHNEWS COOKSBLUEBERRY TART

Fantastic dessert that takes very little effort but people love it! Don't like blueberries? Try raspberries or

blackberries!

Equipment:

Standard 23-25cm tart tin

Rolling pin

Mixing bowl

Wooden spoon.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Base:

165g Plain Flour

25g Ground Almonds

120g unsalted butter cubed

55g Caster sugar

1 Medium egg

To make the base, mix the flour and ground almonds in a big bowl and rub in the butter and mix in the sugar.

The mixture should resemble crumbs. Add the egg and mix using hands into a dough. Wrap in food wrap and

chill for 3 hours in the fridge. Once chilled preheat oven to 190°, roll out and place into the greased tart tin.

Leave pastry hanging over the edges as pastry shrinks during cooking. Do not blind bake .

Filling Ingredients

85g softened unsalted butter

175g caster sugar

175g ground almonds

2 eggs

A punnet of blueberries

Icing sugar, for dusting

Mix the softened butter and caster sugar and ground almonds together in a mixing bowl, then mix in the eggs

one by one. Once you have a gooey thick mixture throw in the blueberries and gently stir in. Pour/spoon the

mixture into the pastry lined tart tin and gently level out. Cook for 40-50 minutes or until both filling and pastry

is golden and firm to the touch. Bring out of the oven, cool for 10 minutes and dust with icing sugar. Serve

with favourite accompaniment and enjoy!

BY CASPAR WYNNE

Got any suggestions for us? Want to know how to cook something? Want us to interview someone? Any

questions you want answering – psychology or otherwise! Or, do you have a topic you would like us to

apply to psychology? Let us know! We would love to hear your feedback and we want to know what you

want to see in your PSψCHNEWS

BRITISH PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETYThe British Psychological Society (BPS) is the representative body for psychology in the UK. It was established in 1901

at the University College London (UCL) by a group of psychologists, psychiatrists, philosophers, physicians and

neurologists. In 2012 there were 49,678 registered members of the BPS. As psychology is a scientific discipline it aims

to regulate the discipline and the professional practice of psychology. The Society aims to increase the awareness of

psychology, educate people in the field of psychology and raise standards and the practice of psychology. The Society

publishes a monthly magazine called “The Psychologist” which reports the most recent psychological research to all of

its members. Honorary fellows of the BPS include famous psychologists such as Anna Freud and B F Skinner. Since

2003 the BPS has also published reports in the form of a fortnightly email, which is referred to as the BPS Research

Digest by the BPS. The BPS Research Digest won “Best Psychology Blog” award in 2010.

The BPS currently has 10 divisions and 13 sections. The divisions include areas such as forensic psychology and

neuropsychology with the largest division being clinical psychology. The sections of these divisions subsequently

include areas such as psychobiological, educational, psychology of women and social psychology. Each member is

allocated to a specific branch of the BPS, depending on your geographical region. All members that are part of the BPS

in Bangor are part of the Welsh Branch of the BPS. You can then also decide to join specific divisions and selections,

depending on your interest.

The psychology course at Bangor University is a BPS accredited course, which includes BPS approved compulsory

modules; these modules include clinical psychology, social psychology and research methods among others. This

accreditation is often required if you want to pursue further training in the field of psychology, e.g. clinical psychology.

As psychology undergraduates you can become a student member of the BPS, which gains you access to the online

forums, monthly newsletters, the fortnightly “digest”, as well as discounts to conferences around the UK and other

psychology related events. The cost for a BPS student membership for a year currently stands at £25. Once you

become a graduate there is also the opportunity to become a graduate member, which not only gives you all the

benefits of the student membership but also entitles you to use more postnominals (letters after you name). The cost of

the graduate membership currently stands at £130 per year but your title goes from being BSc (hons) to BSc (hons)

MBPsS.

There is also a BPS Wales subcommittee at Bangor University that hosts a series of external lectures, which can be

attended by anyone interested in the area of psychology. The first one was hosted on the 3rd of December and was

about clinical psychology and understanding psychosis. Dr Mike Jackson, Research Director North Wales Clinical

Psychology Programme and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, working in BCUHB gave a talk about his work on the

“UNIQUE” project. The title of his talk was ‘Seraphs or snakes? What makes psychosis distressing, and can it be

helpful?’ The talk received great feedback and provided insight into the pros and cons of psychosis in relation to

different disorders and psychosis that has been triggered by substance abuse. There is also the opportunity to get

involved in the BPS subcommittee and contribute to organizing guest lectures. This is a great opportunity to get

involved in the BPS and to see how the society works first hand. If anyone is interested in getting involved in the BPS

subcommittee then you can contact the members of the committee via the two emails listed below. Information in

relation to membership for the BPS can be found via the URL address below.

Alice Sibley: psu48e@bangor.ac.uk

Eva Lee: psu61f@bangor.ac.uk

http://www.bps.org.uk/what-we-do/benefits-belonging/membership/membership

BY ALICE SIBLEY

BANGOR BUCKET LISTThere are some things you just have to do before you leave Bangor. It doesn’t matter if you are going into your final

semester of your final year, or just finishing your first semester here, it’s never too late to get out there and experience

everything that beautiful North Wales has to offer – you may as well whilst it’s right on your door step!

Climb Snowdon! In the snow, just in time for sunrise, on a rare day when it’s clear at the top or just in time to grab a hot

chocolate from Hafod Eryri, the cafe on the summit. Make sure you climb it at least once (no cheating and catching the

train!). Llanberis track is one of the easiest, although some would argue PYG track is an easier ascent. Looking for a

challenge? Try crib Goch! A 300m long tight rope track with sheer drops on either side - for adrenaline junkies only!

Beaumaris – such an awesome day out! Start with a trip around it’s medieval castle, stop off at the Red Boat Café for

some of the best ice cream you will ever taste and end the day with a RIB ride around Puffin Island with a chance to spot

cute puffins and a rafts of seals (did you know a baby seal is called a puggle!)

Portmerion – regularly described as one of the most beautiful places in the world, or a place that looks like it’s been pulled

straight from the Mediterranean, this gorgeous little village is well worth a visit.

Rhosneiger beach – okay, everyone will big up Newborough beach, which, to be fair, has some awesome ruins, but

Rhosneiger is by far prettier and much quieter, with little rock pools to fish in and shallow waters to paddle in – it’s the

perfect place to unpack your picnic and watch the RAF planes practice.

Llandudno – visit one of Wales’ longest piers, climb the Great Orme, indulge in a spot of shopping (especially if you like

trinket shops) and see where CS Lewis – the author of Alice in Wonderland spent his holidays, with quaint wooden

statues of the White rabbit and Alice herself decorating Llandudno’s streets. Looking for something more cultured? Check

out Venue Cymru, with an abundance of shows, theatre productions, movie showing and lectures, there truly is something

for everyone.

Caernarfon – Galeri Caernarfon plays host to a range of artistic events from drama performances that will blow you away

to dance workshops where you can really get in on the action. Caernarfon is home to some tasty eateries and Caernarfon

castle. Whilst you’re there, you can also visit Plas Menai – the National Water Sports Centre of Wales.

Colwyn Bay – Into animals? Visit the Welsh Mountain Zoo – home to acrobatic sea lions, falconry, snow leopards, tigers

and some of the world’s rare red pandas. Into music? Or sport? Colwyn Bay has that covered too – Eirias Park Stadium

hosts the U21’s 6 Nations, as well as providing a stage for acts such as Little Mix and Tom Jones.

Surf Snowdonia – set in beautiful woody surroundings, this inland lagoon in the size of 6 football pitches and can produce

waves upto 2m high.

Bounce Below/Zip World – visit the only underground trampoline adventure or the UK’s longest zip line – all in one

exhilarating day. It’s kind of pricey, but it’s a must have item on any self-respecting Bangor Student’s bucket list.

Surf Lines – Need to burn off some excess energy? Surf Lines offers a range of extreme sports activities from canoeing

and paddle boarding to coasteering and mountain walking. With affordable prices and qualified instructors offering

activities every day, there is no reason to not pay it a visit!

BY AIMEE OZ