Behind the yellow line

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Ted is a Reader, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London. He is developmental psychologist with strong training in longitudinal applications of structural equation modelling. He investigates how stressful environments exacerbate underlying (epig)genetic vulnerabilities to affect children’s development. Ted is particularly interested in the impact of psychopathology in caregivers (and associated risks) on children’s antisocial behaviour, and the relative role of prenatal and postnatal risk exposures.

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I am interested in exploring novel methods of research dissemination. In my years as a researcher, I have experienced how hard it is to find a way to communicate research results to the wider non-scientific community – the “real” world. Often researchers will upload videos where they discuss – or create animations – that highlight important findings. These videos tend to have a few shortcomings regarding dissemination to a non-academic audience.

First, videos of researchers describing their results are not efficient in gaining the attention of the real world; rather, they tend to exist solely (and potentially prosper) within the scientific/academic community. One reason for this is that the videos can be pedagogical, with use of specialised language and the persons within the video come from – or are appealing to – the academic community. These videos may not be appealing to the real world.

With my film ‘Behind the yellow line’ I hope to create interest in exploring “out of the box” ideas for research dissemination. Ultimately, to help improve the chances a researcher can get their ideas out to a non-academic audience.

It is my view that documentary shorts hold great potential as a manner to communicate results, for a few reasons:

  1. they can be character driven portrayals of real-world people;
  2. the shorts do not have to be pedagogical or use specialised language;
  3. the medium of film is flexible, the narrative arc and aesthetic can be tailored to a targeted demographic.
  4. there is potential to engage Instagram or Twitter “influencers” as a means of dissemination.

Behind the Yellow Line from Ted Barker on Vimeo.

 

JCPP Papers

An example of Ted’s recent work includes:
Annual Research Review: DNA methylation as a mediator in the association between risk exposure and child and adolescent psychopathology
Edward D. Barker, Esther Walton, Charlotte A.M. Cecil.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Volume 59, Issue 4

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