Psychology Research Themes
Research in the Department of Psychology is focussed around three key cross-cutting research themes, each of which connects our research with wider society to bring about positive change. The work within each theme draws on the full breadth of psychological research methods, from brain imaging, computational modelling and experiments through to surveys, interviews and focus groups, and is underpinned by the work of our two research centres and four research groups.
Explore our research themes
Understanding and Enhancing Communication and Information Exchange
Improving our understanding and the accuracy of communication and information processing in face to face and digital contexts.
Research in this theme informs our understanding of how people communicate with each other in various media. This work tries to understand the processes by which people may communicate important personal and everyday information, from their mere appearance to their sharing of personal narrative. This theme includes work that ranges from internet-mediated communication in an online environment to the interpersonal experience of people sharing spaces.
By providing a rigorous scientific framework for studying communication (e.g. psychophysical, neuroimaging and computational models), we seek to identify the key factors that influence how we communicate and how we interpret the communication of others. This knowledge has far-reaching implications for a wide range of fields, including forensic investigations, healthcare and business.
Recent publications
Acerbi, A., & Stubbersfield, J. M. (2023). Large language models show human-like content biases in transmission chain experiments. PNAS, 120(44), e2313790120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2313790120
Bayless, S. J., Harvey, A. J. & Keating, S. (2022) Effects of alcohol and task difficulty on visual tracking and inattentional blindness. Psychopharmacology, 239, 2605–2617. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-022-06148-y
Bradley-Cole, K., Denicolo, P., & Daniels, M. (2023). It’s the way I tell them. A personal construct psychology method for analysing narratives, Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 36, 467-482. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2023.2168806
Youngblood, M., Stubbersfield, J. M., Morin, O., Glassman, R., & Acerbi, A. (2023). Negativity bias in the spread of voter fraud conspiracy theory tweets during the 2020 US election. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02106-x
Find out more about research under this theme by exploring:
The Brain and Cognition Research Group
Promoting human flourishing
To understand and promote the educational, health, and wellbeing outcomes necessary to maximise life chances and enable all people to achieve their full potential in different contexts, throughout their lives.
Successful human flourishing is underpinned by key enablers including quality of health, mental health, and wellbeing, opportunities for meaningful learning, and engagement with others in the context of our lives. Our research in this theme focusses on gathering evidence for best practice approaches to support the journey to flourishing for all, including vulnerable groups.
In particular, our work emphasises:
- Family and peer relationships in childhood and adolescence
- Educational experiences during school and beyond
- Promotion of healthy behaviours
- Evaluation of behaviour change interventions
- Participation and leadership in the workplace
- Community engagement
Recent publications
Aznar, A., Sowden, P. T., Bayless, S., Ross, K., Warhurst, A., & Pachi, D. (2021). Home-schooling during COVID-19 lockdown: Effects of coping style, home space, and everyday creativity on stress and home-schooling outcomes. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 10(4), 294-312. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000182
Gray, D., Randell, J., Manning, R., & Cleveland, M. (2024). Helping in times of crisis: Examining the social identity and wellbeing impacts of volunteering during COVID-19. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 34(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2699
Hughes Z., Ball L.J., Richardson C., Judge J. (2023). A meta-analytical review of the impact of mindfulness on creativity: Framing current lines of research and defining moderator variables. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 30(6), 2155-2186. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-023-02327-w
Moghadam S., Husted M., Aznar A., & Gray D. (2024). A Person-Based Web-Based Sleep Intervention Aimed at Adolescents (SleepWise): Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study. JMIR Formative Research, e51322. https://doi.org/10.2196/51322
Find out more about research under this theme by exploring:
The Engaging Communities Research Centre
The Healthy Lives Research Group
The Childhood and Youth Psychology Research Group
The Social and Organisational Psychology Research Group
Tackling Inequality and Injustice
To reduce and prevent social and systematic determinants of inequality and injustice.
Meeting significant social challenges at local, national and international levels, work within this theme is focussed on fairness, inclusivity and equality for all, across the lifespan. We achieve this through cutting edge research and evidence-based interventions, training and policies.
Working closely with collaborators, industry, government stakeholders and global partners, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, we strive to reduce inequality and injustice across a wide range of aspects. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Criminal justice processes
- Education
- Development
- Health and wellbeing
- Culture and society
The applied focus of our research ensures significant beneficial impact for all our stakeholders.
Recent publications
Crossland, D., Kneller, W., & Wilcock, R. (2023). Mock Juror Perceptions of Intoxicated Eyewitness Credibility. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 38(1), 105-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-021-09430-5
Hope, L., Kontogianni, F., Rechdan, J., Tavitian-Emladjian, L., Soubra, N. A., Abu Marak Brome, D. M., Gibson, V., & Anakwah, N. (2023). Exploring cultural differences in eyewitness accounts using a self-administered reporting technique. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2023.2279330
Satchell, L., Jaeger, B., Jones, A., López, B., & Schild, C. (2023). Beyond Reliability in First Impressions Research: Considering Validity and the Need to “Mix It Up With Folks”. Social Psychological Bulletin, 18, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.32872/spb.10211
Warhurst, A., Bayless, S., & Maynard, E. (2022). Teachers’ Perceptions of Supporting Young Carers in Schools: Identifying Support Needs and the Importance of Home-School Relationships. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 10755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710755
Find out more about research under this theme by exploring:
The Centre for Forensic and Investigative Psychology
The Engaging Communities Research Centre
The Childhood and Youth Psychology Research Group