大象传媒

PHYSIOGNOMY
Is it possible to guess another鈥檚 personality from facial information only? Dr Anthony C Little, Royal Society University Research Fellow, discusses the findings of his recently published research entitled Using composite images to assess accuracy in personality attribution to faces.

Raj Persaud tests out the new research which appears to show that there is some truth in the popular belief that facial characteristics might accurately reveal character.

SUICIDE HOTSPOTS
The annual progress report from the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England has just been published. It concludes that the rate of suicide is continuing to fall, but greater reductions are needed if the target of cutting rates by one fifth by the year 2010 is to be met.

The report acknowledges that the likelihood of taking one鈥檚 own life will depend to some extent on the ease of access to and knowledge of effective means, because suicidal behaviour is sometimes impulsive. Reducing access to domestic gas, carbon monoxide emissions from vehicles, the pack size of analgesics as well as installing barriers at suicide hotspots can help in the prevention of suicide. One UK bridge has had barriers since 1998 and as a result the number of deaths has halved.

Professor Raj Persaud is joined by David Gunnell, Professor of Epidemiology at Bristol University and member of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group to discuss the effectiveness of barriers on bridges and talks to film director Eric Steel about his documentary,The Bridge, about suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge.

FOYLE TAXIWATCH
As suicide rates In Northern Ireland continue to rise, taxi drivers in Londonderry, concerned about the problem, have taken the issue into their own hands. Many of them are being trained in suicide awareness skills including what they can do to save lives at one of the city's most notorious death spots. Marie-Louise Connolly talks to the drivers involved.