Research
The School of Psychology conducts research under the structure of one research cluster entitled Behavioural Sciences. A key feature of our research programme is the leadership the School provides in multi-disciplinary collaborations that address key challenges in society.
The School conducts fundamental and applied psychological research that has both a regional legacy in Northern Ireland and a global resonance, addressing important societal challenges. We achieve this through our four interlinked research themes: Development and Cognition; Health, Welfare and Clinical Psychology; Perception and Action; and Social Psychology.
- Our research is facilitated through the development of meaningful and long-term partnerships with non-academic organisations, and both international and interdisciplinary collaborations.
- This strategy has enabled us to secure funding from a diverse range of sources, including UK central government bodies, local authorities, health and hospital authorities (e.g. Department of Health; PHA; NIHR), UKRI funders (e.g. AHRC; ESRC; and EPSRC; GCRF Newton), UK-based charities (e.g. Cancer Research UK; Forces in Mind; Leverhulme Trust; Nuffield Foundation; Royal British Legion; the Wellcome Trust; and the Templeton Foundation), EU government bodies (ERC; SEUPB), and UK industry (e.g. Aperture, IVA; Sensum).
- Our research is responsive to new and emerging challenges, for example understanding the challenges posted by social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic and developing evidence-based guidelines for how to stay healthy duriong this time.
Professor Rhiannon Turner, Director of Research
Find our more about our four research themes: Perception and Action, Development and Cognition, Social Psychology, Health, Welfare and Clinical Psychology on our Research Themes webpage.
in the UK for Research Intensity
Research Excellence Framework (2014)in the UK for Research Impact (Joint)
Research Excellence Framework (2014)Doctorate Programmes
The School of Psychology has four Research Centres:
- The Animal Behaviour Centre (ABC)
- The Centre for Identity and Intergroup Relations (CIIR)
- The Centre for Improving Health-Related Quality Of Life (CIHRQOL)
- STARC (Stress, Trauma And Related Conditions).
Our researchers contribute to several of the University’s interdisciplinary research centres.
The School of Psychology has leading roles in the Centre For Evidence And Social Innovation. Through CESI we further our interdisciplinary research to produce robust research evidence to help improve the lives of children, families and communities.
Staff from the Perception & Movement and the Social Psychology themes work collaboratively with the Centre For Intelligent Autonomous Manufacturing Systems in the areas of movement in robotics and human robot interaction.
Several staff are fellows of the Mitchell Institute, working collaboratively on joint grants proposals and projects, and contributing to the Institutes summer school.
The School offers an inclusive and supportive environment and provides staff with the time, resources, and academic support and mentorship they need to undertake high quality, impactful research.
Our research is built on a solid foundation of state of the art research infrastructure, backed up by a talented technical support team dedicated to Psychology.
Learn more about our Research Culture and Environment
The school has a vibrant postdoctoral research community in the School across all research themes, and we are committed to supporting the career development of our postdoctoral researchers.
We provide excellent postgraduate research opportunities for PhD students, based on the expertise of our staff and state of the art facilities. We have a vibrant community of postgraduate research students from a number of countries including Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Ireland, Portugal, Slovakia, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States.
Find out more about PhD research in the School.
Hear from some of our current PhD students and previous doctoral students.
The School of Psychology has a weekly seminar series with local, national and international colleagues and visiting academics sharing their research.
For further information, visit our Research Seminars page.
Latest Publications
Consensus for experimental design in electromyography (CEDE) project: Single motor unit matrix
- Eduardo Martinez-Valdes
- Roger M Enoka
- Aleš Holobar
- Kevin McGill
- Dario Farina
- Manuela Besomi
- François Hug
- Deborah Falla
- Richard Carson
- Edward A Clancy
- Catherine Disselhorst-Klug
- Jaap H van Dieën
- Kylie Tucker
- Simon Gandevia
- Madeleine Lowery
- Karen Søgaard
- Thor Besier
- Roberto Merletti
- Matthew C Kiernan
- John C Rothwell
- Eric Perreault
- Paul W Hodges
Age differences in narcissism: a comprehensive study across eight measures and over 250,000 participants
- Rebekka Weidmann
- William J. Chopik
- Robert A. Ackerman
- Marc Allroggen
- Emily C. Bianchi
- Courtney Brecheen
- W. Keith Campbell
- Tanja Gerlach
- Katharina Geukes
- Emily Grijalva
- Igor Grossmann
- Christopher J. Hopwood
- Roos Hutteman
- Sara Konrath
- Albrecht C.P. Küfner
- Marius Leckelt
- Joshua D. Miller
- Lars Penke
- Aaron L. Pincus
- Karl-Heinz Renner
- David Richter
- Brent W. Roberts
- Chris G. Sibley
- Leonard J. Simms
- Eunike Wetzel
- Aidan G. C. Wright
- Mitja D. Back
A qualitative systematic review of enablers and barriers to helpseeking for veterans that have completely left the military within the context of mental health and alcohol
- Catherine Michele Hitch
- Paul Toner
- Cherie Armour
Rationale and design of a multisite randomized clinical trial examining an integrated behavioral treatment for veterans with co-occurring chronic pain and opioid use disorder: The pain and opioids integrated treatment in veterans (POSITIVE) trial
- Kevin Vowles
- Katie Witkiewitz
- Erik Clarke
- Zachary Schmidt
- Brian Borsari
- Karlyn E Edwards
- J Richard Korecki
- David I Moniz-Lewis
- Juliana A Bondzie
- Chloe Mullins
- Joannalyn Delacruz
- Consuelo H Wilkins
- Sarah Nelson
- Jennifer Delventura
- Ryan Henderson
- Andrea Katz
- William Hua
- Erin Watson
- Catherine Baxley
- Bernard R Canlas
- Tiffany Pendleton
- Ellen Herbst
- Steven Batki
The effect of question order on outcomes in the ORBITAL core outcome set for alcohol brief interventions among online help-seekers (QOBCOS): findings from a randomised factorial trial
- Marcus Bendtsen
- Claire Garnett
- Paul Toner
- Gillian Shorter
Future research direction in Psychology
Building on our research strengths we will work collaboratively to address global societal challenges related to mental health and health-related behaviours, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
The school will continue to work closely with our already strong and growing network of community stakeholders undertaking research to inform policy and practice on the ground.