Dr Alex Bridger

We argue for use of the narrative concept of the “turning point” in homelessness research from a critical social psychology perspective. BackgroundTurning points are often understood as rifts in the life course followed by significant change in direction. However, within narrative theory they are not events but subjectively significant features of the person’s life-story. The turning point as narrative toolThe analysis identified how turning points were deployed by participants in a study of homelessness experiences. Participants used the turning point in constructing themselves as agentic, reformed individuals who had gained insight. However, this did not necessarily bring positive life changes. Data extracts are used to illustrate the power of adopting a constructivist, narrative theoretical orientation in understanding turning points in accounts of homelessness. Implications for practiceViewing turning points in this way may help us understand how best to provide support for people without housing.

Background An offshoot of selfie taking is the “Brelfie” – a self-image capturing breastfeeding. Brelfie images and accompanying text are particularly useful to understanding how parents see themselves in their role within the digital age. The aim of this research was to understand how women posting #brelfies construct breastfeeding, motherhood, and identity through this modality. Methods This study used content analysis to examine 173 Instagram posts consisting of 199 Instagram breastfeeding images. The first author used open coding to create three visual representations and seven visual categories (e.g. focus on mother, child or both) from the corpus of data. An inductive interpretive thematic analysis was then performed to investigate the accompanying in post texts. Results were then analysed using chi-square tests. Although England was most prevalent, the Instagram search gleaned posts from nine other countries and posters used eight different languages. Results Content analyses indicated three types of visual image (breastfeeding portrait, breastfeeding selfie, and breastfeeding baby portrait) were tagged as brelfies, this supported the seven visual themes. Textually, three themes were developed: Breastfeeding as a Natural and Magical Journey, Breastfeeding as Female Empowerment, and Breastfeeding as a Struggle with the Desire for Support and Normalization. When analysed, breastfeeding portraits were associated with captions around the theme of female empowerment. The themes of a natural magical journey and struggle for support and normalisation were not related to any of the types of photos. Non-English language text was associated with the theme of the struggle. Conclusions This research supports the idea that mothers depict breastfeeding as largely positive, but that there are still perceived barriers and a voiced need for support. The type of brelfie presented and the language/cultural origin of the text could inform their intended message, thus helping understand how the parents see themselves. Brelfies should be encouraged to post this media to potentially help signpost to other breastfeeding parents that they are not alone in their breastfeeding journey.

This article will outline how mobile methods and documentary strategies (e.g., diaries, cameras, and maps) can be used to document and reflect on the research process and to consider the political implications of urbanism and gentrification. I draw particular inspiration from the work of the Situationist International and their use of detournement and the dérive. I will refer to a long-term project in Manchester city where I have used a situationist qualitative methodology. I will discuss the usefulness of the situationist tactics of the dérive and detournement for qualitative research in psychology. The wider aims of conducting this research are to extend qualitative methods in psychology; to further politicise qualitative methods; to consider the implications of the gentrification of environments; to reflect on the social roles of the researcher as academic, activist, and artist; and to consider what changes are possible as a result of doing this sort of research. © 2014 2014 Crown Copyright.

In this chapter I want to discuss a psychogeographical project conducted at the main site of the horrific and monstrous September 11

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Psychogeography usually refers to radical and artistic ways of walking or to a conflation of psychology with geography. In this unique work, the author makes arguments for considering psychogeography as way to critique the contemporary world and to consider new ways of studying the interface of human beings in environments. The book begins by introducing and explaining the term psychogeography from a range of academic, activist, and artistic perspectives. Each chapter presents different approaches to doing psychogeography and there are arguments presented for why there is a need for a postpsychology. The author takes a creative and innovative approach to psychogeography by extending walking methods of research to include other forms of practice and research including playwriting and wargaming. The only book written on psychogeography from a psychological perspective, this book will appeal to researchers and students of psychology, geography, architecture, and cultural studies as well as artists, activists, and the public.

The purpose of this review is to critique the social and environmental psychology literature on spaces and places with a focus on consumer culture and neoliberalism. By drawing on social theory and the Continental philosophical literature, the review argues that an alternative approach to knowledge production is required. To this end, recommendations are provided for what a psychogeographical approach in social and environmental psychology could look like. It argues that such work could be of benefit to academic and local communities by exposing the social costs and consequences associated with consumer culture and neoliberalism.

Abstract

The study of social environments is a neglected site of research not only in psychology, but across academic disciplines ranging from human geography to cultural studies. This paper will review contributions to studying social environments through academic writings, situationism and psychogeographical groups. It will be argued that disorientating walking practices can be used as a means to reflect on experiences of places in order to begin to think how social environments could be radically changed. It is important to question the taken for granted ways that people make sense of urban environments. It is argued that psychogeographic practice can be used to extend qualitative epistemologies and methods to argue for a ‘turn to place’ in psychology and to open up new methods and approaches in critical psychology. Finally, the implications for radicalizing critical psychological research methods will be considered in relation to the current status of critical psychology, which suffers from an apathetic vision of radicalism and criticality.

In this article we present a psychogeographical community project involving members of an arts and health organisation. Using creative ways to improve the mental health and well-being of individuals, we draw on the concepts of trace and spaces to map relationships between researchers and participants. This project was underpinned by three aims which were: to do community group work to produce contributions both in and beyond the University; to playfully critique everyday life in consumer capitalist society and finally, to consider the extent to which personal and social changes could be enabled. To realise those aims, we put into practice a range of architectural, community psychological and psychogeographical methods such as photo-elicitation, dice walking and scavenger hunting. We also facilitated participatory workshops which involved the production of artistic maps, writing poems and short stories. We conclude the paper with reflections from stakeholders with conclusions and future psychogeographical research being considered.

In this chapter, the author reflects upon how walking can be used as a visual method, and how experiences of walking, writing narrative accounts and creating subverted maps can all contribute to the study of subjective experience and material environments. This work extends qualitative research in psychology in arguing for what has been referred to by some researchers as a ‘turn to place’. The situationists referred to a practice called psychogeography whereby they actively disorientated themselves in places to open themselves up to how they experienced and made sense of environments. It is important to revive political research in psychology by connecting it to psychogeography, situationism and Marxism. In this work the author have demonstrated how psychogeographic methods can be used in psychology and have drawn importance to the practice of challenging the routinised ways in which we think and behave in environments.

Research evidence suggests that professional players across a variety of sports may be at greater risk of developing addictions and other mental illnesses than the general population, both during and post-career. In this paper, we report findings from a larger project on the experiences of career transition in UK professional footballers that provide some insight into this. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological approach, four ex-professional footballers who were attending the Sporting Chance Clinic for help with problems concerning alcohol and gambling were interviewed in depth about their experiences. Focusing on issues the players perceived to be relevant to their addictions, the data were analysed thematically, drawing on Van Manen’s phenomenological method, and individual case histories were also produced. The analysis suggested that club culture was key to understanding the players’ difficulties; a harsh, unsupportive psychological environment combined with expectations of manliness resulted in a culture of silence in the face of personal difficulties. Relationships within the culture of pro-football were fraught with anxiety and distrust, leaving the players feeling unable and unwilling to disclose their problems and feeling used and unvalued by their managers. The lack of supportive relationships in their clubs also resulted in loneliness and social withdrawal for the participants. We conclude with a number of recommendations for the governing bodies in professional football, clubs and individual players.

This paper will suggest how a psychogeographical methodology can be developed as a new method for feminist psychologists, in the study of urban and rural environments. One of the limitations of situationist psychogeography is its grounding in the male gaze. In addition, men have had privileged access to and time to participate in such activities. Drawing on Feminist geography, Queer theory and Gay/Lesbian writing, core concepts such as embodied subjectivity and heteronormativity can be used to develop the theoretical base of a feminist psychogeographical methodology. In this paper, I will outline how feminist psychogeographical research might be conducted; the ‘situationist’ approach of using bodies as research ‘instruments’ means that innovative data may be gathered through the experience of walking and seeing the world through the situationist lens. Finally, the implications of this work for personal and political social transformation will be addressed.

Play-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders explores the most recognized, researched, and practical methods for using play therapy with the increasing number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and shows clincians how to integrate these methods into their practices. Using a diverse array of play-based approaches, the book brings together the voices of researchers and practicing clinicians who are successfully utilizing play and play-based interventions with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. It also examines the neurobiological underpinnings of play in children on the autism spectrum and the overall effect of play on neuro-typical and neuro-atypical development. Finally, through careful integration of theory with real-world clinical case application, each chapter also shows clinicians how to incorporate a particular treatment approach and make it a viable and effective part of their work with this challenging clinical population.