Under…

Psychologists have been going ‘under’ since the dawn of the discipline…delving into the depths of the subconscious, studying the effects of being under pressure to perform, going ‘under’ in hypnosis. But last year, while reading Robert Macfarlane’s excellent Underland, it occurred to me that there are modern-day psychologists inhabiting both metaphorical and literal ‘underworlds’. So the idea for this special issue, loosely themed around the word ‘under’, emerged. 

Through these pages we dig into the psychology around diving and caving, our own hidden depths (or lack of them), the impact of working under a hierarchy or rooting for the underdog, and more as a seam running through much of the edition. 

What aspects of ‘under’ have we failed to surface? If you’re feeling under represented, under funded, under appreciated, do raise a hand as we would consider a follow up. And of course, don’t get over-excited, but there may be scope for a flipside issue on ‘over’…

Under pressure
A special feature from our Research Digest

Fixing problems under the surface 
Laura Walton takes psychology underwater

From underworlds to outerworlds 
Nathan Smith

What lies beneath? 
Nick Chater on the perils of looking under our glittering surface

The psychology of underwear 
Carolyn Mair

The ‘human’ underpinning workplace resource 
Rosalind Searle on working under a hierarchy

The underdog effect 
Ciaran O’Keeffee on the appeal, and how things change

Under the weather 
Trevor Harley

A journey to the core of our being
Our editor Jon Sutton reviews Underland by Robert Macfarlane

Going under to rise above mistakes
Under Pressure by Gareth Lock, reviewed

Tracking the footprints of consciousness
Why are so many concepts of conciousness expressed in terms of spatial relations, e.g. 'going under', 'subconsciousness', 'a higher state'? Christof Koch answers as part of a books Q&A.

Illustration: Guido Iafigliola