Welcome to the Autumn issue of Society Now, the


ESRC’s regular magazine which showcases the impact of the social science research we fund. This issue looks at how the Green Great


Britain Week promotes the new clean growth strategy and celebrates the opportunities available. Engineer turned social scientist Professor


Nigel Gilbert explains how social sciences contribute to our understanding of engineering and manufacturing. Features examine how employers can improve the wellbeing of their employees, and how practices and policies need to change to ensure all children have a positive start to school. Rebekah Stroud of the Institute for Fiscal Studies asks whether restricting advertising of unhealthy foods helps tackle childhood obesity. Opinions look at the recent UK Supreme Court judgment about feeding tubes and end-of-life decisions, and the psychological skills needed to win gruelling events such as the Tour de France. Finally, please complete and return the reader


survey inserted in this issue of the magazine – or complete it online at: esrc.ukri.org/societynow


Nick Stevens, Editor - nick.stevens@esrc.ukri.org Society ESRC RESE


RCRESEARCH MAKING AN IMPACT AUTUMN 2018 ISSUE 32


ow


Greening Great Britain The drive for clean growth


Ready for school: Ensuring a positive start


Reducing obesity: Do restrictions on ads work?


The views and statements


expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the ESRC


Voices: Bringing a social science perspective to engineering


In this issue


REGULARS 3 News


13 Opinion How athletes employ psychological skills.


17 Opinion Reflections on the recent UK Supreme Court judgment on end-of-life decisions.


20 The UK by numbers: Green issues 33 News and people


CONTRIBUTORS


Arild Foss is ESRC writer/ editor and Communications Manager


James Dixon is ESRC Press Manager


Dr Helen Fitzhugh is Senior Research Associate at the University of East Anglia


2 SOCIETY NOW AUTUMN 2018


Martin Ince is a freelance science writer, media adviser and media trainer


Laura Mickes is Professor in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London


Helen Victoria Smith is Assistant Professor, University of Nottingham


Rebekah Stroud is a Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies


26 FEATURES


10 Overexposed to unhealthy ads Does restricting advertising of unhealthy foods help tackle childhood obesity?


14 Greening Great Britain The first ever annual Green Great Britain Week starts in October. What can be done across society to tackle climate change?


18 Beyond free bananas To improve employee wellbeing organisations must be interested in their employees and do the management basics well.


22 Voices: Altering images Professor Nigel Gilbert looks at perceptions of engineers and engineering in the UK, and how social sciences contribute to our understanding of engineering and manufacturing.


26 Improving eyewitness testimony Eyewitnesses to serious crimes can provide valuable evidence, but the way that evidence is collected and used needs much improvement.


28 Ready for school? How can we ensure all children have a positive start to school and that parents can support their children’s learning?


28 10 14 18 22


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