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psychology conferences

A Day on Psychology & Culture

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Bill von Hippel - The Weekend University

The Evolutionary Origins of Human Culture

Professor Bill von Hippel
Dr Iain McGilchrist

The Brain & Culture: A Symbiotic Relationship

Dr Iain McGilchrist
Kate and Richard - The Weekend University

Culture and Mental Health

Prof Kate Pickett & Prof Richard Wilkinson
A Day on Psychology & Culture

Neuroscience, Evolutionary Psychology & Mental Health: A full day of talks exploring the fascinating interplay between psychology & culture.

Ever wonder how we went from small insignificant primates to modern civilisation?

Why are rates of mental illness in the UK twice that in Germany?

How does the society we live in influence which areas of our brain get activated? Why do some societies stimulate logical, linear and limited ‘left-brain’ thinking, while others result in creative, expansive and more holistic ‘right-brain’ thinking and behaviour?

The answer to all of these questions’ hinges on the fascinating interplay between psychology and human culture.

Content

In this series of talks, you’ll learn:

  • The Evolutionary Origins of Human Culture; the fascinating evolution of social intelligence, what explains the meteoric rise of homo sapiens, and how events in our distant past guide our lives today – Professor William von Hippel
  • The Brain & Culture: A Symbiotic Relationship; the neuroscience of how our brains mould the world, and how the world moulds our brains – Dr Iain McGilchrist
  • Culture and Mental Health; how unequal societies affect our mental health and wellbeing, and how we can begin creating cultural environments that lead to human flourishing – Professor Kate Pickett and Professor Richard Wilkinson

These unique insights will help you deepen your understanding of human nature and the world we live in.

Event Schedule:

  • 10:00am – 12:00pm: The Evolutionary Origins of Human Culture – Professor William von Hippel
  • 12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch break
  • 1:00pm – 3:00pm: The Brain & Culture: A Symbiotic Relationship – Dr Iain McGilchrist
  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon break
  • 3:30pm – 5:00pm: Culture and Mental Health – Professor Kate Pickett and Professor Richard Wilkinson

Lectures & Speakers

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The Evolutionary Origins of Human Culture

The most basic aspects of our psychology were shaped by the “social leap” our distant ancestors made from the rainforest to the savannah. In their struggle to survive on the open grassland, our ancestors prioritized cooperation and teamwork over physical prowess, creating a new form of social intelligence that set the stage for our rise to the top of the food chain. In this talk I trace our evolutionary history over the last six million years to show how events in our distant past guide our lives today.

Bill von Hippel - The Weekend University
Professor Bill von Hippel

The Evolutionary Origins of Human Culture

William von Hippel is an evolutionary psychologist and the author of the bestselling book: ‘The Social Leap’. He grew up in Alaska, got his B.A. at Yale and his PhD at the University of Michigan, and then taught for a dozen years at Ohio State University before finding his way to Australia, where he is a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland. He has published more than a hundred articles, chapters, and edited books, and his research has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, The Economist, the BBC, Le Monde, El Mundo, Der Spiegel, and The Australian. He lives with his wife and two children in Brisbane, Australia.

Reading Recommendations:

  • Stephen Pinker – The Blank Slate
  • Richard Dawkins – The Selfish Gene
  • Robert Wright – The Moral Animal
  • Robert Sapolsky – 1) Behave 2) A Primate’s Memoir
  • Steve Stewart-Williams – The Ape that Understood the Universe
  • Michael Tomasello – 1) Becoming Human 2) A Natural History of Human Morality 3) A Natural History of Human Thinking
  • Robert Plomin – Blueprint
  • Christopher Boehm – 1) Hierarchy in the Forest 2) Moral Origins
  • Thomas Suddendorf – The Gap
  • Joseph Henrich – The Secret of our Success
  • David Buss – Evolutionary Psychology: The new science of the mind

The Brain & Culture: A Symbiotic Relationship

All in Nature is interconnected: all processes are interactive.  The brain and the world (which it exists to bring into being for us) are no exceptions to this. Our brains mould the world and the world moulds our brains.  Given the capacity for each hemisphere to attend to the world differently, and therefore make some aspects of the world stand forward at the expense of others, different cultures may come to emphasise different ‘takes’ on the world.  I will consider some ways in which this has worked itself out historically in the West, and whether seeing this can help us get a new perspective on what we see happening around us in the world today.

Dr Iain McGilchrist
Dr Iain McGilchrist

The Brain & Culture: A Symbiotic Relationship

Dr Iain McGilchrist is a Psychiatrist and Writer, who lives on the Isle of Skye, off the coast of North West Scotland. He is committed to the idea that the mind and brain can be understood only by seeing them in the broadest possible context, that of the whole of our physical and spiritual existence, and of the wider human culture in which they arise – the culture which helps to mould, and in turn is moulded by, our minds and brains. He was formerly a Consultant Psychiatrist of the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley NHS Trust in London, where he was Clinical Director of their southern sector Acute Mental Health Services.

Dr McGilchrist has published original research and contributed chapters to books on a wide range of subjects, as well as original articles in papers and journals, including the British Journal of Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, The Wall Street Journal, The Sunday Telegraph and The Sunday Times. He has taken part in many radio and TV programmes, documentaries, and numerous podcasts, and interviews on YouTube, among them dialogues with Jordan Peterson, David Fuller of Rebel Wisdom, and philosopher Tim Freke. His books include Against Criticism, The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, The Divided Brain and the Search for Meaning, and Ways of Attending. He published his latest book: The Matter With Things, a book of epistemology and metaphysics. You can keep up to date with his work at https://channelmcgilchrist.com

Reading Recommendations:

  • The Matter With Things – Dr Iain McGilchrist
  • The Master and His Emissary – Dr Iain McGilchrist
  • Ways of Attending – Dr Iain McGilchrist

Culture and Mental Health

Why is the incidence of mental illness in the UK twice that in Germany? Why are Americans three times more likely than the Dutch to develop gambling problems? Why is child well-being so much worse in New Zealand than Japan? The answer to all of these questions, hinges on inequality.

This talk will explore how inequality affects us individually, how it alters how we think, feel and behave. You’ll learn about the overwhelming evidence showing that material inequalities have powerful psychological effects: when the gap between rich and poor increases, so does the tendency to define and value ourselves and others in terms of superiority and inferiority. The speakers will then go on to demonstrate that societies based on fundamental equalities, sharing and reciprocity generate much higher levels of well-being, and lay out a path towards making them a reality.

Kate and Richard - The Weekend University
Prof Kate Pickett & Prof Richard Wilkinson

Culture and Mental Health

Kate Pickett is Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York and leads the Public Health and Society research group. She is the co-author of The Spirit Level and The Inner Level, with Richard Wilkinson, and her work addresses the social determinants of health and well-being. She was a National Institute for Health Research Career Scientist from 2007-2012, is a Fellow of the RSA and a Fellow of the UK Faculty of Public Health.

Richard Wilkinson is a British social epidemiologist, author, advocate, and political activist. He is Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, having retired in 2008. He is also Honorary Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London and Visiting Professor at University of York. In 2009, Richard co-founded The Equality Trust and was awarded the Charles Cully Memorial Medal in 2014 by the Irish Cancer Society.

Reading Recommendations:

  • The Inner Level – Kate Pickett & Richard Wilkinson
  • Drop the Disorder – Jo Watson
  • Lost Connections – Johann Hari
  • Chasing the Scream – Johann Hari
  • Barbalat G, Franck N. Ecological study of the association between mental illness with human development, income inequalities and unemployment across OECD countries. BMJ open. 2020 Apr 1;10(4):e035055.

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attendee testimonals

What TWU students are saying

The Weekend University is amazing! They recently hosted the Holistic Change Summit where such great minds were brought together to discuss a wide variety of topics relevant to change, growth and living a meaningful life. The facilitator, Niall, asked excellent questions which really gave the speaker the chance to discuss ideas that many of us wonder about. It was brilliant and I loved it.
Kiden Shae
Summit Attendee
Extremely stimulating events! It brings together great professionals who share their experience in their respective fields to pass their knowledge in a way accessible to the general public and other professionals alike. It is a great way to bring motivated people in the same place! Also, Niall is extremely thoughtful, considerate and driven person. His personal approach and professionalism in making those events happen does not go unnoticed!
Nikolay Petrov
Event Attendee
This event is nourishment for my mind! The kind of subjects usually reserved for academics is now open to us all and the information is delivered in a way that anyone can understand. The audience was filled with interesting people, hungry to learn and engage in fascinating conversations. We had all day to connect, to learn and to share. Just like a delicious cool drink on a very hot day, my mind felt quenched! Thank you, Niall, for creating this. I will be back!
David Saville
Event Attendee
Absolutely excellent day with The Weekend University last Saturday on Attachment and Psychotherapy. Superb speaker who was totally engaging, really useful practical insights, and great organisation. Thank you!
Helen Jane
Event Attendee
I attended an Existential Coaching seminar out of curiosity and ended up being supermotivated and serious to get more into this subject! The event was really went organised, the venue was central and easy to find and the organisers and facilitator were amazing. Totally recomend!
Fiora Maya Touliatou
Seminar Attendee
My first time at the Weekend University on their day of Wellbeing a fantastic event. Excellent venue, thought provoking speakers, interesting topics, really well organised, communication, support material a 5 star rating.
Viryapushpa Nolan
Event Attendee
I attended 'A Day on Sleep and Dreams’ and it was fantastic - excellent speakers and thought provoking content. The Weekend University has been a great discovery and I will defiantly be attending more lectures. The event was really well organised by Niall - informative emails, follow ups etc. I recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to go, you won’t be disappointed!
Hannah Durhager
Event Attendee
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Date and time

26/07/2020

09:30 – 17:00 BST

Location

Online Conference

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