Ian Robertson – författare

What makes a winner? Why do some succeed both in life and in business, and others fail? The ‘winner effect’ is a term used in biology to describe how an animal that has won a few fights against weak opponents is much more likely to win later bouts against stronger contenders. As Ian Robertson reveals, it applies to humans, too. Success changes the chemistry of the brain, making you more focused, smarter, more confident and more aggressive. And the more you win, the more you will go on to win. But the downside is that winning can become physically addictive.By understanding what the mental and physical changes are that take place in the brain of a ‘winner’, how they happen, and why they affect some people more than others, Robertson explains what makes a winner or a loser – and how we can use the answers to these questions to understand better the behaviour of our business colleagues, employees, family and friends.

Problem Drinking aims to bridge the wide gap that exists between the modern, scientific account of the nature of alcohol problems, and the popular understanding of the subject. In particular, it presents detailed evidence and arguments against the commonly accepted view that 'alcoholism' is best regarded as a disease. Instead, it outlines an alternative approach to alcohol problems, based on the premise that they are best seen as examples of socially learned behaviour. In the third edition, the authors have brought the book up to date by covering the major developments that have taken place in recent years, in particular in the field of genetics. The book is also one of the first to discuss the results and recommendations of the 5 year long Project MATCH study, probably the most extensive alcohol study ever undertaken, the results of which are due to be published in 1997. The book provides a useful textbook for students undertaking courses in alcoholism, as part of psychology and psychiatry degrees, and provides practical advice for counsellors, social workers, and health promotion officers. Reviews of the 2nd edition '... a valuable and clearly written exposition of problem drinking...' British Journal of Psychiatry, 1990'Certainly this book should provoke general practitioners to reassess their views about the problem and should be read by those people working in the field.' Family Practice, 1991

Larger than Life is aimed at anyone interested in obesity and its treatment. It follows a dramatherapy group attended by six women, all struggling with their weight, using vignettes, transcriptions of the sessions attended, and commentary on the progress made by the participants. A final interview concludes each of the women's therapy, where they talk about their experiences within the group, followed by the therapist's summation of their treatment. The book concludes with brief telephone conversations with all six women three years after their treatment ended, giving a clear picture of the value of dramatherapy to the individual. As well as looking at these specific case studies, the authors also discuss the causes and effects of obesity, the dramatherapy group process, and why dramatherapy is an effective means of treating eating disorders. This is a must-read book for anyone interested in the subject of obesity or dramatherapy.

Listen. Can you hear an aircraft passing overhead? A dog barking? The twittering of birds? In straining to listen, you have just sent a surge of electrical activity through millions of brain cells. In choosing to do this with your mind, you have changed your brain - you have made brain cells fire, at the side of your head, above the right eye. By the time you've read this far, you will have changed your brain permanently. These words will leave a faint trace in the woven electricity of you. For 'you' exists in the trembling web of connected brain cells. This web is in flux, continually remoulded, sculpted by the restless energy of the world. That energy is transformed at your senses into the utterly unique weave of brain connections that is YOU.New research has demonstrated the way in which the brain is shaped by experience and sculpted by our interactions with the world around us. As one of the world's leading authorities on brain rehabilitation, Ian Robertson is uniquely placed to explore these ground-breaking discoveries, that free us from the currently fashionable genetically determinist view. Mind Sculpture is a singularly accessible and imaginative book which communicates the excitement and challenge of the most recent research, its consequences for how we understand the brain and how we perceive ourselves.

Unilateral neglect is a fairly common disorder, usually associated with a stroke, which results in a neglect or lack of attention to one side of space usually, but not exclusively, the left. Theoretically, it is one of the most interesting and important areas in neuropsychology; practically, it is one of the greatest therapeutic problems facing therapists and rehabilitationists. This book covers all aspects of the disorder, from an historical survey of research to date, through the nature and anatomical bases of neglect, and on to review contemporary theories on the subject. The final section covers behavioural and physical remediation. A greater understanding of unilateral neglect will have important implications not just for this particular disorder but for the understanding of brain function as a whole.

Spatial neglect is a profound clinical problem as well as intriguing scientific problem. In the last ten years, there has been an explosion of interest in this disorder, which as a result is no longer viewed as a single entity, but rather as a number of different disorders. This book is an attempt to bring the reader up to date with the latest advances in understanding neglect, at least insofar as this contributes to better clinical assessment, management and treatment. This is not a book for the specialist researcher in the neuropsychology of neglect and attention. Rather, it is a book aimed at clinicians - student and trained - from all disciplines involved in the assessment, management and treatment of neglect.The book begins with the description of four cases manifesting different types of unilateral neglect. The reader is introduced to different aspects of neglect through these patients. These distinctions include those between personal and extrapersonal neglect, motor versus sensory neglect and many others. The reader is also introduced to other phenomena that are closely related to neglect, including ansognosia and impaired sustained attention. The latest methodes of assessment of neglect are also described, as are methods of treatment, again with reference to the four introductory specimen cases.

Spatial neglect is a profound clinical problem as well as intriguing scientific problem. In the last ten years, there has been an explosion of interest in this disorder, which as a result is no longer viewed as a single entity, but rather as a number of different disorders. This book is an attempt to bring the reader up to date with the latest advances in understanding neglect, at least insofar as this contributes to better clinical assessment, management and treatment. This is not a book for the specialist researcher in the neuropsychology of neglect and attention. Rather, it is a book aimed at clinicians - student and trained - from all disciplines involved in the assessment, management and treatment of neglect.The book begins with the description of four cases manifesting different types of unilateral neglect. The reader is introduced to different aspects of neglect through these patients. These distinctions include those between personal and extrapersonal neglect, motor versus sensory neglect and many others. The reader is also introduced to other phenomena that are closely related to neglect, including ansognosia and impaired sustained attention. The latest methodes of assessment of neglect are also described, as are methods of treatment, again with reference to the four introductory specimen cases.

Originally published in 1981 and revised in 1983, Controlled Drinking was the first scholarly review of the literature on a controversial but increasingly practiced approach to the treatment of alcoholism. Nick Heather and Ian Robertson analyse all the pertinent questions that controlled drinking raises, starting with the need to examine the ‘disease conception’ of alcoholism and ‘total abstinence’ treatment. They look at the evidence indicating that some people, previously diagnosed as alcoholics, are able to return to normal, controlled patterns of drinking, and discuss therapies where controlled drinking is the treatment goal, fully reviewing the evidence for their success and failure. Concluding with a discussion of the theoretical and policy implications of controlled drinking, the authors recommend that the disease view of alcoholism be finally abandoned.For the revised paperback edition, as well as correcting and updating the text and references, the authors included an important postscript on the charges of falsification of evidence and their subsequent refutation which made up the Sobell affair. The wealth of other material presented in Controlled Drinking supports the authors’ conclusions even if the Sobells’ work were ignored. However, this revised edition was made more useful for student and professional readers by the postscript’s discussion of the controversy surrounding the most widely known and quoted controlled drinking trial at the time.

Originally published in 1981 and revised in 1983, Controlled Drinking was the first scholarly review of the literature on a controversial but increasingly practiced approach to the treatment of alcoholism. Nick Heather and Ian Robertson analyse all the pertinent questions that controlled drinking raises, starting with the need to examine the ‘disease conception’ of alcoholism and ‘total abstinence’ treatment. They look at the evidence indicating that some people, previously diagnosed as alcoholics, are able to return to normal, controlled patterns of drinking, and discuss therapies where controlled drinking is the treatment goal, fully reviewing the evidence for their success and failure. Concluding with a discussion of the theoretical and policy implications of controlled drinking, the authors recommend that the disease view of alcoholism be finally abandoned.For the revised paperback edition, as well as correcting and updating the text and references, the authors included an important postscript on the charges of falsification of evidence and their subsequent refutation which made up the Sobell affair. The wealth of other material presented in Controlled Drinking supports the authors’ conclusions even if the Sobells’ work were ignored. However, this revised edition was made more useful for student and professional readers by the postscript’s discussion of the controversy surrounding the most widely known and quoted controlled drinking trial at the time.

This book describes a full range of contemporary techniques for the design of transmitters and receivers for communications systems operating in the range from 1 through to 300 GHz. In this frequency range there is a wide range of technologies that need to be employed, with silicon ICs at the core but, compared with other electronics systems, a much greater use of more specialist devices and components for high performance – for example, high Q-factor/low loss and good power efficiency. Many text books do, of course, cover these topics but what makes this book timely is the rapid adoption of millimetre-waves (frequencies from 30 to 300 GHz) for a wide range of consumer applications such as wireless high definition TV, '5G' Gigabit mobile internet systems and automotive radars. It has taken many years to develop low-cost technologies for suitable transmitters and receivers, so previously these frequencies have been employed only in expensive military and space applications. The book will cover these modern technologies, with the follow topics covered; transmitters and receivers, lumped element filters, tranmission lines and S-parameters, RF MEMS, RFICs and MMICs, and many others.In addition, the book includes extensive line diagrams to illustrate circuit diagrams and block diagrams of systems, including diagrams and photographs showing how circuits are implemented practically. Furthermore, case studies are also included to explain the salient features of a range of important wireless communications systems. The book is accompanied with suitable design examples and exercises based on the Advanced Design System – the industry leading CAD tool for wireless design.More importantly, the authors have been working with Keysight Technologies on a learning & teaching initiative which is designed to promote access to industry-standard EDA tools such as ADS. Through its University Educational Support Program, Keysight offers students the opportunity to request a student license, backed up with extensive classroom materials and support resources. This culminates with students having the chance to demonstrate their RF/MW design and measurement expertise through the Keysight RF & Microwave Industry-Ready Student Certification Program.www.keysight.com/find/eesof-universitywww.keysight.com/find/eesof-student-certification

Why is it that some people react to seemingly trivial emotional upset – like failing an unimportant exam – with distress, while others power through life-changing tragedies showing barely any emotional upset whatsoever? How do some people shine brilliantly at public speaking when others stumble with their words and seem on the verge of an anxiety attack? Why do some people sink into all-consuming depression when life has dealt them a poor hand, while in others it merely increases their resilience?The difference between too much pressure and too little can result in either debilitating stress or enduring demotivation in extreme situations. However, the right level of challenge and stress can help people to flourish and achieve more than they ever thought possible. In The Stress Test, clinical psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist Professor Ian Robertson, armed with over four decades of research, reveals how we can shape our brain’s response to pressure and answers the question: can stress ever be a good thing? The Stress Test is a revelatory study of how and why we react to pressure in the way we do, with real practical benefit to how we live.

Larger than Life is aimed at anyone interested in obesity and its treatment. It follows a dramatherapy group attended by six women, all struggling with their weight, using vignettes, transcriptions of the sessions attended, and commentary on the progress made by the participants. A final interview concludes each of the women's therapy, where they talk about their experiences within the group, followed by the therapist's summation of their treatment. The book concludes with brief telephone conversations with all six women three years after their treatment ended, giving a clear picture of the value of dramatherapy to the individual. As well as looking at these specific case studies, the authors also discuss the causes and effects of obesity, the dramatherapy group process, and why dramatherapy is an effective means of treating eating disorders. This is a must-read book for anyone interested in the subject of obesity or dramatherapy.

* Confidence makes your brain work better and boosts your performance* Confidence acts like a mini-antidepressant, lifting your mood* Confidence is contagious* Confidence is anxiety's greatest antidote* Confidence is a set of habits that feel fake at first but become real with practice* Confidence makes boys bullsh*t more than girls* Overconfidence can have disastrous consequences_________'Brilliant ... it will change how you think about confidence.' Johann Hari'Important for everyone but crucial for women.' Mary Robinson'Interesting and important.' Steven Pinker__________Imagine we could discover something that could make us richer, healthier, longer-living, smarter, kinder, happier, more motivated and more innovative. Ridiculous, you might say... What is this elixir?Confidence.If you have it, it can empower you to reach heights you never thought possible. But if you don't, it can have a devastating effect on your future. Confidence lies at the core of what makes things happen.Exploring the science and neuroscience behind confidence that has emerged over the last decade, clinical psychologist and neuroscientist Professor Ian Robertson tells us how confidence plays out in our minds, our brains and indeed our bodies. He explains where it comes from and how it spreads - with extraordinary economic and political consequences. And why it's not necessarily something you are born with, but something that can be learned.__________'Rich stories and change-inspiring examples for every kind of performer.' Pippa Grange'Appealing... ranges from neuroscience to politics.' Nature

Designed for all those who, due to health or financial reasons, wish to cut down on their drinking. Useful advice to enable people to change their drinking patterns, a drinking diary and tips for drinking less are included.

Professor Saraiva's multi-volume History of Portugal is a celebrated scholarly standard work. Yet, when he published a one-volume Historia Concisa, it proved a run-away best seller in Portugal, and the television series that went with it became a chart-topper. His latest book, produced especially for Carcanet's Aspects of Portugal series, is a history of his country, brief, acute and illuminating, written with scholarly insight and with non-specialist foreign readers specifically in mind.To this main text Ian Robertson, author of the well-known Blue Guide to Portugal, has added a historical gazeteer, brief biographies, chronological tables, maps and other elements which make this an essential Companion, the sort of book that a reader in need of accurate, brief and lucid reference will find useful, and every visitor to Portugal will find rewarding.The book is generously illustrated.

Therapeutic case histories covering themes ranging from obesity to depressionThis book consists of ten case histories that cover a wide range of themes from obesity to depression. One woman is trying to come to grips with past memories, another cannot escape from a passionate love with no future, an adolescent immigrant is trying to overcome a persistent stammer, a fifty-year-old man decides to separate from the love of his life rather than compromise with his principles. Writing in the first person, the dramatherapist describes her reactions to and interaction with the client as well as some of the techniques used in the therapeutic process. The stories are based on real cases, but in order to conform to the story-telling genre they contain a beginning, middle and end, which is not always the case in real life.

Inspired by true events and beautifully stunning locations, 'Equinox on Arran' is a remarkable, highly original and captivating crime story with a bizarre chain of dangerous circumstances in an unforgettable setting.Logan is haunted by his troubled past. He finds peace in the beautiful wilderness on Scotland's Island of Arran, photographing wildlife. During one of his walks in a remote glen, he finds a three-year-old child, alone, close by a parachute. This mystery deepens as it leads him to further events. The autumn equinox is four days away. He must solve the mystery before then. If he fails, many people will die, and life on the island will be devastated.

The contributors to this collection address a range of issues in Caribbean linguistics. At this stage of Caribbean development, it is critical that we have a broader appreciation of the significance of the languages of the region for developing a deeper sense of self and for understanding others who have shared a common Caribbean experience. The linguists in this volume interrogate the interpretations of the history of our Caribbean languages, the use of these languages for literary expression and their role in the democratization of education and the development of Caribbean people. Several of the articles deal with profoundly controversial topics, including the question of competence in a Creole environment; the expansion of Rastafarianism globally and how word-formation devices reflect Rastafarian thinking; the use of the vernacular in West Indian education; the relevance of vernacular literacy for education; the use of Creole in Caribbean literary texts; and how to determine dialect boundaries, especially in linguistic situations in which Creoles from two distinct lexical bases vie for social space and supremacy.The work is dedicated to the distinguished Caribbean linguist Pauline Christie and celebrates her contribution to the study of linguistics in the Caribbean.