In society
New policy on play
Dr Elizabeth Wood’s research has formed the backbone of a new National Union of Teachers (NUT) policy on play, which calls for improved opportunities for play as a vital part of learning. Dr Elizabeth Wood’s work closely aligns play with personalised learning and well-being. Play and playfulness support social and interactive skills, as well as creativity, flexibility, and imagination – all essential to successful learning and participation. The backbone of Dr Wood’s research and the NUT’s policy are that learning through play supports and enriches learning throughout formal education.
Stereotypes can lead to success
Stereotypes can boost as well as hinder our chances of success, according to psychologists from the University of Exeter and St Andrews University. Drawing on a large body of research, the authors argue that success or failure at work, at school or in sport cannot always be attributed solely to ability or incompetence. For example one reason why the England football team performs so badly in penalty shoot-outs (winning only 1 of 7 in major tournaments) is that performance is impeded by knowledge of stereotypes associated with a history of failure.
“The power of stereotypes should not be underestimated." said Professor Alex Haslam of the School of Psychology. "What we think about ourselves - and also, what we believe others think about us - determines both how we perform and what we are able to become”.
Read the full story: 'How stereotypes can lead to success'.
Bleeding heart jet setters spell bad news for the climate
The emergence of a new generation of ‘bleeding-heart jetsetters’ has disturbing implications for the UK’s spiralling emissions from air travel, according to new research by the Geography. According to a survey of over 200 people, along with focus groups and in-depth interviews, even the most committed environmentalists – identified by green trademarks such as shopping ethically, installing water and energy saving appliances and recycling – would not be prepared to accept extra ‘green taxes’ and are deeply sceptical of the carbon offsetting schemes designed to mitigate them.
Read the full story: 'Bleeding heart jet setters spell bad news for the climate'.
A tall story
Scientists are beginning to develop a clearer picture of what makes some people stand head and shoulders above the rest. The team of Exeter researchers who last year identified the first common version of a gene influencing height has now identified a further 20 regions of the genome which together can make a height difference of up to 6cm. The number and variety of genetic regions that we have found show that height is not just caused by a few genes operating in the long bones" says Dr Tim Frayling of the Peninsula Medical School. "Instead, our research implicates genes that could shed light on a whole range of important biological processes. By identifying which genes affect normal growth, we can begin to understand the processes that lead to abnormal growth – not just height disorders but also tumour growth, for example."
