Past Talks      Here are some of the talks that I have given as part of the Southend season.             Introducing Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Powerful Tool For Change or Hype?    Allegedly used by illusionist Derren Brown as the means to achieve some of his amazing effects, since its creation in the 1970's, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has become a popular tool that has extended from its original development within therapy into the worlds of business and education.  Claims for NLP include almost instant defeat of phobias, increases in confidence and other radical changes, enhanced communication, persuasion and influence, and the ability to study and model excellence in other people.  This evenings talk, designed for anyone with an interest in psychology, looks at what NLP is - its origins and history, the reasons for its popularity, and gives an experiential understanding of it's key techniques.     You will also find out some of the key NLP techniques that you might like to apply in your own life!    Tonight find out more about NLP and explore some of the ideas behind it....        The Hidden Mind Understanding and Influencing the Subconscious Mind - Hypnosis, Freud, and beyond!      Much of our mind appears to be hidden from us, with subconscious drives, decision-making and perhaps even independent intelligence.  This evening we will begin to explore the structure and abilities of our subconscious mind, and how it might be reached and influenced - for good or ill!...     Our journey takes us from the developing understanding of the power of the subconscious mind, through the fascinating topic of hypnosis, early explorations by Freud, to controversies surrounding subliminal advertising, embedded covert communication, and more.      The subconscious itself has always been a controversial topic within psychology, and hypnosis has ignited debate for many years, not just about its effectiveness but even about more fundamental issues such as what it actually is. Tonight is your chance to find out more about these issues...          The Psychology of Stress and the Pursuit of Happiness Today, it seems to many as if stress has reached almost epidemic proportions. Tonight we look at both the psychology of stress, and try to explore the reasons for its prevalence. Usefully, we will also be exploring a range of valuable techniques for overcoming it!    To complement this, we explore an exciting new direction in research – Positive Psychology. Psychologists have begun to look not just at peoples problems but also at what makes people healthy and happy.     We will be reviewing the latest ideas about the secrets of happiness - as defined by the psychologists doing research at the cutting edge of this exciting field - and whether we can use this to enhance our lives.         A Brief History of the Mind     A fascinating, humourous, and enjoyable evening during which you will find out about the discovery of hypnosis, surprising uses of pigeons, Freud's couch, why people talk to empty chairs, and much more - including some of the latest ideas from psychology and it's application to our everyday lives.     During our eclectic journey we will reveal some of the wonderful personalities that have contributed to our understanding of the mind, and you will discover some real and often surprising insights into how you, and others around you, think.     No previous knowledge of psychology is required - it is accessible and engaging whether you are studying psychology or simply want to know more about people and the way we think.    During the evening Lucy Betteridge will help me to bring many of the ideas to life.         The Eyes Have It!... How our eyes tell us about the World - and the World about us!..      Tonight's talk is full of interesting ideas that will make you wonder whether to ever really trust your eyes again!...     Our eyes not only allow us to see and interact with the World around us, but also give away a lot about us and what we may be thinking. They can do an amazing job of interpreting things in the World around us, yet can fall prey to optical illusions and may be less reliable than we like to think!….     This evening you will learn about the body language of the eyes, find out just why eyewitness testimony is so poor, and gain a new understanding of illusion and mirage including how those ‘magic eye’ pictures really work, as we explore the psychology and science of vision and perception.       Body Language Seeing and Understanding Non-Verbal Communication    It has been suggested that at least 60% of what we communicate to other people is transmitted through our body language rather than the words that we use.      Body language, or non-verbal communication, if properly interpreted, can give us some surprising effective clues about what people are really thinking, even when their words are saying something very different.     Tonight you will find out about how to read the expressions, postures, gestures and movements of other people, and what this can tell you about their real thoughts and feelings…   What are the subtle signals that we give out without saying anything, and how can this be used in everyday life?       Decisions, Decisions... Why Your Decisions Are Far Less Logical and Reasoned Than You Think!..      Everyone believes that they make decisions rationally and logically, but psychologists now know that all sorts of internal unconscious biases as well as subconscious external factors, affect our decisions in ways that are both surprising and also at times, possibly quite alarming!    Understanding how we make decisions can not only help you to avoid the traps of decision making and make better decisions in your everyday life and business, but also give you a new larger perspective on the World around us - from the Challenger disaster to the causes of the credit crunch.     This evening, find out about the surprising truth just how illogical our decisions actually are, how even simply everyday decisions can be affected by seemingly arbitrary influences and biases, and what we can do to make better decisions!...      The Psychology of Sex, Love & Loathing! From Attraction and Seduction, to the Dark Side of our Emotions...  Relationships are vital for our well-being and self esteem. Why do some relationships last and not others? What is behind the art of seduction? What are the secrets behind successful long-term relationships?     To complement this, we complete our exploration of the two most powerful emotions, love and hate, by looking at the darker side of human nature.                       The Social Mind - Humans Behaviour as Individuals and Groups How And Why Do We Act And React Differently When We Are In A Group?     The people around us that we interact with, have many effects upon how we feel, behave, and think, and several classic experiments have opened a window onto the human as a social being.    Tonight we will be exploring these as we learn more about the ways in which we think and react in group situations.                  The Psychology of Shopping... ...and other Real-World Applications of Psychology   Shopping is one of the most popular leisure activities, and is big business which means that psychology is used to help retail outlets part us from our hard earned money!     This is a fascinating area where the research findings of academic psychology have been employed to achieve specific aims.      Tonight, find out more about the science behind shopping, as well as other, sometimes surprising, areas in the real World where psychology has been applied....