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
Community-based mental health and well-being interventions for older adults in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Clarissa Giebel
- Mark Gabbay
- Ross White
Unwanted and non-consensual sexual experiences reported by university students in Northern Ireland
- Ngozi Anyadike-Danes
- Megan Reynolds
- Cherie Armour
- Susan Lagdon
Risk factors for mental disorder development in asylum seekers and refugees resettled in Western Europe and Turkey: participant-level analysis of two large prevention studies
- Corrado Barbui
- Ross White
Attention and social communication skills of very preterm infants after training attention control: Bayesian analyses of a feasibility study
- Oliver Perra
- Fiona Alderdice
- David Sweet
- Alison McNulty
- Matthew Johnston
- Delfina Bilello
- Kostas Papageorgiou
- Sam Wass
A Path to Post-Trauma Resilience: A Mediation Model of the Flexibility Sequence
- Martin Robinson
- Emily McGlinchey
- George A. Bonanno
- Eric Spikol
- Cherie Armour
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.