My name is Roland S. Persson, PhD, a behavioural scientist by profession, an advanced bodybuilder by vocation, author for the love of writing and a former concert pianist. I currently both work and reside in the city centre of Jönköping; a university town in the south central parts of Sweden.
THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
is my work and passionate interest. I am a social psychologist with many and varied research interests. I spend my working hours as Associate Professor of Psychology my fields of expertise being talent and giftedness, music behaviour, sports behaviour, gender and culture-specific behaviours. The psychology of bodybuilding and gym training is a field I have recently started to explore and build for the benefit of athletes, gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts. I don't need to say, perhaps, I do it also to satisfy my own craving for knowledge and understanding
BODYBUILDING
has been my sport and interest for over 25 years. I never liked chasing a ball, run on a track or throw objects around for distance. I tried my hands on Judo, Swimming and Horseback Riding, but was not enthused enough by these to pursue them with any greater commitment. I entered a gym for the first time in 1983, however, and loved everything about it from my very first workout. However, I have come to re-evaluate bodybuilding as a sport. Bodybuilding as we once knew it differs greatly from what is available today. It has changed dramatically over the last decade. Feel free also to brows my Bodyspace page.
Lately as a scientist I have discovered that the appeal of muscular enhancement has many causes, from socio-biological ones to culturally constructed ones. Bodybuilding is a haven for a Social Psychologists and Etologists (Experts of animal behaviours). They would be amazed how many similarities exist in the social dynamics of a gym and that of a flock of gorillas! I have never tired of training and am as keen now as when I started in 1983. I hold a Private Trainer's License (IFBB), I am 5 10 (178 cm) and weigh 220 - 235 lbs (100 - 107 kilos) in season and about 260 - 280 lbs (117 - 127 kilos) off season, though I have abandoned further plans to compete. There is an on-line photo gallery available thanks to Gunther Delgu, Germany.
MUSIC
is my third passion which also used to be my professional career. I studied Piano Performance and Music Education in Sweden and Canada. Toured as Pianist and Organist, mostly as accompanist to singers and instrumentalists. A life in music raised many questions. I often wondered why musicians did what they did (and how) and why music conservatoires are worlds unto themselves, frozen in time, often with social dynamics unacceptable elsewhere in society. No one in the music world could then answer these questions nor satisfy my curiosity. My wishes to discover unknown and rarely played piano music was frowned upon and I was told I had to study "the standard repertoire" for a pianist. I was too strong-willed and inquisitive to settle with that. I played whatever satisfied my artistic curiosity and turned to Psychology for understanding the strangeness of performance teaching and its common contempt for independent thinking. In the end I wrote my PhD Thesis in Psychology on the subject (1993).
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
I am an affiliate of the British Psychological Society (BPS), The American Psychologists Association (APA) and a Full Member of the Swedish Psychological Society. I am also a life-time honorary member of The European Council for High Ability, member World Council for Gifted Children, former Editor-in-Chief of High Ability Studies and Editorial Board Member of Education Today. In addition, I am a member also of the Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society.
Listed in The Who's Who in the World (Marquis) since 1998.
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Dec 3rd, 2008 07:14 PM
