Jim Fallon: Natural Born Killer?

Neuroscientist Jim Fallon uncovered the defining characteristics of the “serial killer brain”, only to discover he too had the brain and genes of what he calls a ‘really bad news character’. So why wasn’t Fallon a killer? This film, featuring extensive interview footage of Fallon talking about his research, explores this question, illuminating the neurological […]

Rethinking Obesity: Nature via Nurture

This film explores an interactionist approach to obesity: Part 1: shows how cultural and environmental changes have altered our relationship with food and created an ‘obesogenic environment’. But why isn’t everyone obese? Part 2: filmed at the Dept. of Neuroscience at Cambridge University, Professor Giles Yeo explains the role of genetics in making some people […]

Beyond Milgram: Obedience and Identity

Generations of students have been taught that Milgram’s famous obedience experiments demonstrated how easily ordinary people can be persuaded to harm others when instructed to by a person in authority. But did Milgram’s research really show that? Using original footage and new documentary evidence, this film suggests Milgram’s experiments demonstrate something rather different: that obedience […]

Beyond Genetics

There’s a revolution challenging a century of taken for granted assumptions about genetics and raising new questions: How does environment affect gene expression? Could we be passing on more than just our genes?  This film provides an accessible introduction to a new science of epigenetics that is giving us a new way of understanding the […]

 Are You What Your Mother Ate?

The foetal susceptibility hypothesis suggests the nourishment an embryo receives from its a mother is a major determinant of health in later life. In this film, Professor Randy Jirtle tells the story of his ground-breaking experiment at Duke University that demonstrated the effect of maternal diet on offspring health prior to birth. It showed how […]

A Cage and Freezing Water

Students can read about the causes of depression and the therapies for its treatment. But what’s it actually like to suffer from depression? This short film looks at one woman’s experience of depression: the fatigue, the feeling of being trapped and the continual voices in her head telling her to end her life. Please Note: […]

Behind the Statistics

Three short films highlighting the importance of the methodological processes underpinning the production of statistical data. In this film we combine three of our standalone films to go “Behind the Statistics” to look at the various factors – from sampling techniques, through ideas about correlation and causation to experimental design – that can influence the […]

Of Mice and Monkeys: Ethical Issues in Animal Research

Issues and Debates: Psychological research is governed by a strict code of ethics covering things like obtaining participants’ consent; protecting them from possible harm and allowing them to withdraw from the research. But there are some “participants” who can’t give consent, may be harmed and are unable to withdraw from the research. Using research examples, […]

Individualistic and Situational Psychology

Issues and Debates: Most psychology is individualistic, suggesting that people’s behaviour is a product of their biological inheritance and personal experiences. This short film, using original footage from Zimbardo’s famous Stanford Prison Experiment, illustrates an alternative idea: that people can be literally transformed by the situations in which they find themselves.

Determinism and Free Will

Issues and Debates: Do we really have free will? And, if so, where does it come from? In this film, Professor Patrick Haggard explains the differences between free will and behavioural, psychic and neurological determinism. We then reconstruct Benjamin Libet’s seminal experiment on determinism, showing its implications for understanding consciousness and explaining human behaviour.  

The Nature-Nurture Debate

Issues and Debates: Is human behaviour explained primarily by what we inherit (nature) or what we experience (nurture)? This film uses the question of whether there are ‘natural born killers’ to illustrate nature, nurture and interactionist approaches.

Is Psychology a Science?

Issues and Debates: A perennial question, both inside and outside Psychology, is whether or not it can be considered a science. This film: explains the scientific method illustrates its application in psychology shows how not all questions in psychology, particularly those involving peoples’ experiences and behaviour in real world situations, can be answered this way. […]

Reductionism and Psychology

Issues and Debates: This film illustrates both the importance and limitations of reductionism in psychological explanation using the example of research into diet and obesity.  It compares reductionism and holism and cautions students against simply using reductionism as a critique to be compared unfavourably with holism. 

The Usefulness of Psychological Research

Issues and Debates: Have you ever wondered why some people claim to see the face of Jesus in their toast? Well, psychologists at the University of Toronto did. But why? This film uses a number of studies to illustrate how the usefulness of psychological research is assessed and evaluated. And if you’re wondering about the […]

Socially Sensitive Research

Issues and Debates: While ethics is about the conduct of research, socially sensitive research is about the consequences. Might it harm some individuals or groups? Using the example of recent research into genetics and education, this film illustrates the questions typically asked about socially sensitive research and shows how problems may be anticipated and avoided.