Psychology - and The Psychologist - at Latitude Festival

Eagle-eyed readers / followers on social media may have noticed that we're rather excited about our first ever festival appearance, at Latitude this July. ‘The Psychologist presents…’ slot, supported by the Wellcome Trust, pairs psychologist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore with author Fiona Neill, for a discussion in the Literary Arena titled ‘Being Young Never Gets Old – Teenagers Debunked’. You can read more about the event, along with a report from Professor Blakemore's recent keynote at the Society's Annual Conference and a review of Fiona Neill's novel 'The Good Girl'.

But our session is not the only psychology on offer. Here we present a handy guide to some of the highlights:

- Dr Catherine Loveday, Chair of the Psychologist and Digest Editorial Advisory Committee and a Principal Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster, hosts a session with Salon London's Helen Bagnall on music, memory and Alzheimer's. Could understanding exactly how our brain stores and recalls music hold the keys to a much deeper understanding the brain and memory?

- Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, a 'psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher with a strong interest in the arts' and Director of the National Problem Gambling Clinic, will be in discussion with ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ author Matt Haig and writer and ‘Nature Cure’ author Richard Mabey.

- In the Wellcome Trust hub, Dr Marius Kwint (University of Portsmouth, Creative & Cultural Industries) will be in conversation with Arthur I. Miller (Colliding Worlds: How cutting edge science is redefining contemporary art), discussing creativity. Arthur I. Miller wrote for our 'Looking back' section in 2010 on a meeting of minds between Carl Jung and the physicist Wolfgang Pauli.

- The Wellcome Trust also play host to neurosurgeon Dr Henry Marsh in the literary arena. See his article in our June issue.

- Salon London will be returning to the festival, adding 'Depression: Nature, Nurture & Genetics' with Ruby Wax and Professor Elaine Fox.

- Prof Barry Smith & Prof Charles Spence will be presenting 'If Music Be The Taste of Wine', chaired by Helen Bagnall. Expect a multi-sensory perception of flavour as they explain how music works in the brain to affect how you taste food and wine. Professor Spence has written for us several times on the multisensory perception of flavour.

- 'Information Overload' will see Professor Carmine Pariante (Kings College London) and Clare Edwards discuss the brain under 21st century stress, and how to deal with it.

- Dr  Pam Spurr will be on hand with 'love and sex tips to rock your world'.

- Prof Anil Seth, co-director of the Sackler Centre, will be discussing 'The New Science of Consciousness' - using the tools of science to understand the experience of being you.

- There will be talks by Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology Dr Michael Proulx (University of Bath) and Dr Roi Cohen Kadosh (Oxford University) on Numerical Cognition. Our December 2013 issue had a 'One on One' with Dr Proulx.

- 'Drugs: Medicine for the soul?' pairs psychologist Dr Robin Carhart-Harris with psychiatrist and researcher Dr Owen Bowden-Jones. Dr Carhart-Harris contributed a piece to last year's special issue on hallucinogens.

- Neuroscientist, martial artist and pioneering Mindfulness expert Dr Tamara Russell will lead you on a journey through your wandering mind. Both The Psychologist and Research Digest have had a mindfulness-themed trawl through the archives recently. 

- Memrise and friends look forward to presenting "The Magical Memory Bus" (aka the Membus). The Membus is an art-work, tour vehicle, and mobile lecture hall whose aim is to narrate the mysteries and glories of memory. Features talks on memory from philosophers, neuroscientists, a memory champion and grandmaster.

All of this is, of course, in addition to dozens of music and comedy acts across several stages over the three days. The festival takes place 16–19 July near Southwold in Suffolk – visit their website for full line-up, information and tickets.