Dr Sigman is a Fellow
of the Society of Biology, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological
Society, a recipient of the Chartered Scientist award from the Science
Council and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He has just addressed
the European Parliament Working Group on the Quality of Childhood in
the European Union in Brussels, on reducing alcohol misuse among children
and adolescents. He was a keynote speaker at two Department of Health
NHS conferences on alcohol this autumn: the North West Alcohol Conference
2011 and the North East Alcohol Office conference 'Calling Time on Second
Hand Harm'.
Dr Sigman previously addressed the European Parliament Working Group in Brussels, on the impact of electronic media. He addressed this year's Headmasters’ & Headmistresses’ Conference: Meeting the Challenges. His book, Alcohol Nation (see below), has just been published and his biology paper, A Source of Thinspiration?, on the biological aspects of media, body image and dieting, has recently been published in The Biologist, the Journal of the Society of Biology.
Dr Sigman has worked on health education campaigns with the Department of Health and acted as advisor to the Institute of Personnel Management on health and psychology issues. He conducts seminars and public speaking. He gives talks to schools and parents on the effects of alcohol and other health issues, and he writes the Brain and Behaviour column for The Times Educational Supplement magazine.
Dr Sigman's previous books include The Spoilt Generation and Remotely Controlled: How Television is Damaging Our Lives. His health and psychology book Getting Physical won The Times Educational Supplement's Information Book Award.
Statement
on Day Care Article Published in The Biologist
Dr Sigman has published other papers. Well
Connected?: The Biological Implications of 'Social Networking',
is published in The Biologist, Vol 56(1), the journal of the Society
of Biology.
Note: This paper has been misrepresented by some news
reports as claiming that social networking causes cancer or disease.
This is not true. The paper addresses the extent to which time online
may be displacing face-to-face contact, and that lack of social connection
is associated with physiological changes, increased incidence of illness
and higher premature mortality.
His previous paper Visual Voodoo,
on the biological effects associated with watching television, also
published in The Biologist, and his talk at the Houses of Parliament,
caused widespread public debate.
Dr Sigman has also written and presented scientific documentaries for
BBC1 and Radio 4 on the scientific basis of faith; the biology of hypnosis;
and on the effects of too much choice, and for Dispatches on Channel
4 on the hidden detrimental effects of moderate dieting.
Dr Sigman travels abroad frequently to observe
various cultures including Turkmenistan, Republic of Congo, Bhutan,
North Korea, Mali, Borneo, Tonga, Myanmar (Burma), Irian Jaya (West
Papua), Laos, Iran, Vietnam, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Far Eastern Siberia,
Sumatra, South Korea, Cambodia and others. Click
here to see photos.
