Different strokes
No 4069
Set by David Limond
A well-known textbook in psychology bears a copyright notice declaring: “This edition is intended for use outside the United States only, with content that may be different from the US edition.” How different is US psychology that it requires its own textbook? We asked for examples of psychological concepts, experiments, or theories that might not apply or might produce different results in the United States
Report by Ms de Meaner
As you can see, we are getting a new layout and This England is leaving the page to find a home elsewhere. £20 to the winners, the Tesco voucher going to David Silverman. PS: We forgot to mention last week that the Tesco vouchers went to Helen M Hogan.
Boundaries
(UK) The invisible lines between an individual’s and others’ personal space.
(US) Non-applicable. Individuals ignore their personal boundaries by expanding in girth. Nationally, Americans ignore boundaries to their way of life in committing cultural imperialism.
Drive
(UK) Amount of directed energy a person has in chasing their goals. Thus, “a drive” is the path a person pursues
to reach their castle.
(US) Ability to use a car in pursuit of
an individual’s goals. Hence “drive-in” movies and “drive-by” shootings.
M E Ault
American psychological terms
Bipolar affective disorder A form of cognitive dissonance involving a mistaken belief that decades of greed, materialism and an arrogant isolationist approach to the environment will not destroy the planet.
Anorexia nervosa Anxiety state resulting in a refusal to eat any more than three 16lb cheeseburgers and fries, followed by any more than 14 blueberry waffles with maple syrup, at a sitting.
Emotional literacy Bursting into tears every time a camera is pointed at you.
Neurolinguistic programming Failed attempts by successive teams of Harvard scientists to get the last president to string a sentence together.
Psychopath Ex-president.
Delusional state Choose any one from 50.
Intelligence No equivalent term.
Dyslexia American English.
David Silverman
Rendition to Britain
Deprivation of sunlight is only one technique which causes disorientation. The same kinds of reaction can be triggered by acts of apparent charity. In an experiment, four prisoners from Middle Eastern countries, who had been awaiting arraignment, but whose papers had been mislaid, were offered Bovril, copies of the Sunday Sport, toasted teacakes, cucumber sandwiches, and a recording of The Goon Show. They were also asked repeatedly what they thought of the quantity and duration of the rain, and whether the downpours bore comparison with those of previous days, weeks, months and years. Throughout, the two warders knitted a woolly hat and a sweater. Surprisingly, the prisoners began to confess.
Bill Greenwell
No 4072 Her eyes bore into him
Set by John O’Byrne
Nigel Andrews, in the Financial Times, writes that the new film The Young Victoria presents “Victoria as a combination of beddable moppet and Betty Sharp minx . . . Emily Blunt puts the sex into Saxe-Coburg . . . the history is by Mills & Boon”. We want Mills & Boon-style accounts of great historical events – for example, the resignation
of Margaret Thatcher, the abdication of King Edward VIII, and so on.
Max 125 words by 16 April
Email: comp@newstatesman.co.uk
