PhD Psychology; BSc (Hons) Psychology
Research Fellow
Room: 29.2.1.07

Tel: 028 9097 2596
E-mail: j.hanratty@qub.ac.uk
Twitter: Jen_ICCR

Biography

I completed my PhD in 2010 on emotional expression in context. Since then, I have worked on a number of projects related to emotion expression, emotion regulation and wellbeing.

In the ICCR, I am currently working on two NIHR HTA systematic reviews: one looking at a measurement in autism spectrum disorder; and another looking at the effectiveness, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for maltreated children and adolescents. Alongside this, the team and I are convening advisory groups for young people and professionals to inform our review.

I am also working with Dr Karen Niven on primary research on the regulation of others emotions ('Cruel to be Kind'). It’s easy to find instances of efforts to improve other people’s feelings to make them feel good but what about when we worsen other people’s feelings for their own good? The ‘cruel to be kind’ project investigates if we actually engage in this kind of regulation of our own and others emotions? If so, who are the likely targets? Take part here!

Past projects: My PhD investigated the ways in which the context (both social and individual) influences what emotions we express and how we express them. This work has been presented at numerous international conferences. In June, I will be presenting an overview of the topic at the University of Manchester’s Emotion and expression conference.

Pupils emotional health and wellbeing, Centre for Effective Education: I conducted an investigation of current practice in post-primary schools in northern Ireland for promoting pupils emotional health and wellbeing. The resulting report has influenced the development of a self-assessment tool for schools to allow them to assess how they promote pupils’ emotional health and wellbeing and how this might be improved.

SEMAINE, The Sensitive Agent Project, QUB Psychology: I tested the Sensitive Artificial Listener (SAL), a computer avatar capable of holding a fully automated conversation in real time with a person, developed by the FP7 funded SEMAINE project. I assessed the quality and nature of interactions with the system.

The Neural Basis of Emotion Regulation, Psychological Science, University of Manchester: I worked with Dr Deborah Talmi on an ESRC funded project investigating the neural underpinnings of emotion regulation.

“Care Cards”, realist review: I worked with Dr Fiona Ulph and Hamish Holewa on a realist review of emotion communication in a health care setting. The review was commissioned to inform decision making in the NHS over the use of ‘care cards’ designed to help health care professionals communicate with children about emotional responses to care.

Research interests

Emotion, mental health and wellbeing, emotion/self-regulation, communication of emotion, child maltreatment, mental disorders diagnosed in childhood.

Publications

Sneddon, I., McRorie, M., McKeown, G. & Hanratty, J. (2012). The Belfast Induced Natural Emotion Database. Affective Computing, IEEE Transactions, 3 (1), 32-41. Read the abstract

Cowie, R., Douglas-Cowie, E., Sneddon, I.,  McRorie, M., Hanratty, J.,   McMahon, E. & McKeown, G. (2010).  Induction techniques developed to illuminate relationships between signs of emotion and their context, physical and social. In: A Blueprint for Affective Computing: a Sourcebook and Manual, pp. 295-307. Read the abstract

Connolly, P., Sibbett, C., Hanratty, J., Kerry, K., O'Hare, L., Winter, K. (2011). Pupils’ Emotional Health and Wellbeing: A Review of Audit Tools and a Survey of Practice in Northern Ireland Post-Primary Schools. Belfast: Centre for Effective Education, Queen's University Belfast. Read the report