Institute of Agri-Food & Land Use

Lecturer in Consumer Behaviour

Postal Address:
Institute of Agri-Food & Land Use
Queen's University Belfast
David Keir Building
Stranmillis Road
Belfast BT9 5AG

Room:  0G.329
Telephone:  +44 (0)28 9097 6561
Fax:  +44 (0)28 9097 6513
Email:  moira.dean@qub.ac.uk

Profile

Dr Moira Dean is a lecturer in Psychology of food choice and consumer behaviour at Queen's University Belfast having previously worked at the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre at the University of Surrey.  She has carried out research on the psychology of food choice, including the application of social psychological models of attitude-behaviour relationships to food choice and dietary change.  Moira has worked on a number of projects investigating food and consumer behaviour and risk communication, including Communication partnerships: effects of consensus, disagreements and expertise (funded by the FSA), Consumer decision making on organic products (CONDOR) (EU Framework 5), Satisfaction with food related quality of life in later life (Senior FOOD QUL) (EU Framework 5), Healthgrain: Benefits of grains for the good of modern consumers (EU Integrated project, Framwork 6), - Ways of harmonizing nutrient recommendations across Europe (EURECCA) (EU Integrated project, Framwork 6), Early Nutrition programming- long term follow up of efficacy and safety trials and integrated epidemiological, genetic, animal, consumer and economic research (EARNEST) (EU Integrated project, Framwork 6) and Integration of social and natural sciences to develop improved tools for assessing and managing food chain risks affecting the rural economy (RELU).  She is experienced in qualitative and quantitative methodologies for the assessment of attitudes, values, perceptions and barriers associated with food, health and sustainable living.

Qualifications

• BSc. (Hons) Psychology, 1994; Open University
• MSc in Social Psychology, 1995; University of Surrey
• PhD in Psychology, 2000; University of Surrey

Further Information

• Member of the British Psychological Society
• UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) PhD studentship

Publications

Dean, M. and Shepherd, R. The role of self-identity, past behaviour and their interaction in predicting intention to purchase fresh and processed organic food.  Journal of Applied Social Psychology, (in press).

Saba, A., Vassallo, M., Shepherd, R., Lampila, P., Arvola, A., Dean, M., Winkelmann, M., Claupein, E. And Lähteenmäki, L (2010). Country-wise differences in perceptions of health-related messages in cereal-based food products.  Food Quality and Preference, 21: 385-393.

Dean, M., Grunert, K.G., Raats, M.M., Lumbers, M. and the Food in Later Life Project Team (2009). Factors influencing eating a varied diet in old age. Public Health Nutrition, 12 (12), 2421-2427.

Vassallo, M., Saba, A., Arvola, A., Dean, M., Federico, M., Winkelmann, M., Claupein, E., Lähteenmäki, L., Shepherd, R. (2009). Willingness to use functional breads: Applying the Health Belief Model across four European countries.  Appetite, 52(2): 452-460.

Dean, M., Grunert, K.G., Raats, M.M., Nielsen, N.A., Lumbers, M. and the Food in Later Life Project Team (2008).  The impact of personal resources and their goal relevance on satisfaction with food related life among the elderly.  Appetite, 50: 208-315.

Dean, M., Raats, M.M., Shepherd, R. (2008). Moral concerns and consumer choice of fresh and processed organic foods.  Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38(8): 2088-2107.

Arvola, A., Vassallo M, Dean, M., Lampila, P., Saba, A., Lahteenmaki, L., Shepherd, R. (2008). Predicting intentions to purchase organic food.  The role of affective and moral attitude in the Theory of Planned Behaviour.  Appetite, 50(2/3): 443-454.

Claupein, Erika; Winkelmann, Markus ; Arvola, Anne ; Dean, Moira ; Vassallo, Marco ; Lähteenmäki, Liisa ; Saba, Anna ; Shepherd, Richard (2008). Frequencies of use and valuation of cereal products among European consumers - Results out of the Healthgrain Project.  In: Cereal Technology, volume 2008, issue 2: 111-118.

Dean, M., Arvola, A., Vassallo, M., Winkelmann, M., Claupein, E.,  Lähteenmäki L, Raats, M.M., Saba, A., Shepherd, R. (2007). Consumer perceptions of healthy cereal products and production methods.  Journal of Cereal Science, 46: 188-196.

Arvola, A., Lähteenmäki L, Dean, M., Vassallo, M., Winkelmann, M., Claupein E, Saba, A., Shepherd, R. (2007). Consumers' impressions of whole and refined grain products in UK, Italy and Finland.  Journal of Cereal Science, 46: 197-206.

Egan, M.B., Raats, M., Grubb, S.M., Eves, A., Lumbers, M.L., Dean, M., Adams, M.R. (2007.) A review of food safety and food hygiene training studies in the commercial sector.  Food Control, 18(10): 1180-1190.

Grunert, K.G., Dean, M., Raats, M.M., Nielsen, N.A., Lumbers, M., the Food in Later Life Project Team (2007). A measure of satisfaction with food-related life.  Appetite, 49(2): 486-493.  

Dean, M. and Shepherd, R. (2007). Effects of information from sources in consensus on perceptions of genetically modified food.  Food Quality and Preference, 18: 460-469.

Dean, M., Arvola, A., Vassallo, M., Lähteenmäki, L., Raats, M.M., Saba, A., Shepherd, R. (2006). Comparison of elicitation methods for moral and affective beliefs in the theory of planned behaviour.  Appetite, 47(2): 244-252.

Book chapters

Dean, M., Raats, M.M., Shepherd, R. (2008). Consumers and functional cereal products. In Hamaker B (Ed.)  Technology of Functional Cereal Products. Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge.

Dean, M., Raats, M.M. and Grunert, K.G. (2008). Older people, food and satisfaction with life. Raats, M.M., de Groot, C.P.G.M., van Staveren, W.A. (Eds.)  Food for the ageing population. UK: Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge.

Technical reports

Dean, M. S. and Shepherd, R. (2002a). Effect of source consensus on perceptions of risks and benefits of GM food - Report for the Food Standards Agency.

Dean, M. S. and Shepherd, R. (2002b). Effects of collaboration between expert sources on perceptions of organic foods - Report for the Food Standards Agency.

Dean, M. S. and Shepherd, R. (2002c). Interviews with Food Standards Agency and Stakeholders on Risk Communication - Report for the Food Standards Agency.

Dean, M. S. and Shepherd, R. (2002d). Consensus and partnerships between the Foods Standards Agency and stakeholders in risk communication - Summary report for the Food Standards Agency.

Conference papers

Hayles, C.S. and Dean, M. (2010). Methodology for assessing changes to tenants' perceptions, awareness and behaviours around sustainable living, in response to proactive sustainable technology interventions in social housing.  Proceedings of SB10: Sustainable building affordable to all, Vilamoura Hilton, Portugal, 17th-19th March 2010.

Hayles, C.S. and Dean, M. (2010). Adapting to zero carbon living.  Proceedings of CIB 2010 World Congress, Salford, Manchester, 10th-13th May 2010. In press.

McCullough, J., Hayles, C.S. and Dean, M. (2010). Methodology for assessing end users and design teams' perceptions, awareness and behaviours around sustainable housing design.  Proceedings of SB10 Sustainable Community - building SMART, 22nd -24th September 2010. Under review.

Hayles, C.S., Dean, M. and Chinowsky, P. (2010). A study of potential approaches to supporting behaviour changes required to meet the challenges of climate change and the built environment.  Proceedings of the COBRA 2010 RICS Research Conference, Paris, France, 2nd -3rd September 2010. Under review.

Published abstracts

Markus Winkelmann, E. Claupein, A. Arvola, M. Dean, M.Vassallo, L. Lähteenmäki, A. Saba, R. Shepherd (2007). Verbrauchererwartungen bei verbesserten Getreideprodukten (Functional Food & Vollkorn);  Proceedings of the German Nutrition Society, 10: p.86.

Dean, M. & Shepherd, R. (2003).Including affect and moral concerns in attitudes towards organic food.  Appetite, 41: 344. Poster presented at the 11th Food Choice Conference, Philadelphia, 26 July 2003.

Chryssochoou, X. and Dean, M.S. (2000). Belief Systems and Risk Perceptions: Which is more frightening, illness or changes to the species?  In the proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Social Representations, Montreal, Canada, 30 August - 2 September

Theses

Dean, M.S. (2000). Contested Innovation: Influence of conflict on perceptions of Genetically Modified Food.  PhD Thesis, Department of Psychology, University of Surrey.

Dean, M. (1996). Social representations and identity processes: Changing social representations of family amongst Sri-Lankan Tamil Immigrants in Britain.  MSc Dissertation, Department of Psychology, University of Surrey.

PhD Supervisions

• Alain Allard (with Dr Monique Raats) Consumer perceptions and understanding of health claims
• Elaine McMackin (with Dr Michelle McKinley) Perceptions and consumption of Wholegrains in NI
• Aoibeanne Walsh (with Dr Roy Nelson & Dr Susan Doherty) Food, culture and decision making: implications for the food supply chain in Northern Ireland
• Jane McCullough ( with Dr Carolyn Hayles) Environmentally sustainable housing: behavioural change for design and liveability

Teaching & other roles

• Module Coordinator for ALU3015, ALU2028, ALU3014, ALU3001
• Personal tutor
• Placement Assessor

Committees & other roles

• Member of the School of Biological Science ethics committee
• Member of the Institute of Biology and NI branch committee
• Member of the steering group - Development and evaluation of an interactive CD-ROM for people with Type 2 diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolism Group, Centre for Public Health
• Reviewer for Appetite, Journal of Environmental Management, ESRC, MRC, Food Quality and Preference & British Food Journal