Fate or Fortune? Just Who or What Is Really in Control of All Our Destinies?; PSYCHOLOGY: World Events Impact Heavily on Our Behaviour

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Byline: JOANNE ATKINSON

YOUR life during the next 12 months is going to be partly determined by a series of events that are completely out of your control.

Let's cast our minds forward to December 31, 2002. Who and what will have influenced our lives in the intervening 12 months?

There are some obvious issues, figures and events that will shape the coming year - the continuing war against terrorism, the euro, the economy, the Queen's Golden Jubilee, the football World Cup - but there will also be unexpected happenings and unlikely stars.

After all, who would have predicted that a hairdresser from Cwmbran would have become one of the most recognisable figures in the country last year?

Local, national and international events can have a massive effect on the psyche of the nation.

Dr Lance Workman of the University of Glamorgan psychology department said, "Although personal events, such as getting married, or changing your job, have the greatest influence on someone's life, these can …