- Farm animal welfare
- The development of animal welfare assessment methods
- Human behaviour change for improving animal welfare
- The evolutionary psychology of pet keeping
- Feline welfare e.g. indoor versus outdoor housing
- The impact of infant features in animals on human behaviour and animal welfare
My research is focused on animal welfare and human-animal interactions. Specifically, I am interested in research on farm animal welfare, including pigs, beef and dairy cattle, and broiler chickens. I am also interested in anthrozoology, feline welfare, and evolutionary psychology. Current research interests include human behaviour change for improving animal welfare and understanding the evolutionary mechanisms underlying infant features in companion animals.
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Dr Grace Carroll
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- Focused on the psychology of relief, future thinking and debt, and cross-cultural differences in essentialist thinking.
I am interested in the role of thinking in everyday life and in how thinking develops. I have strong interests in judgement and decision making and in associated emotions such as regret and relief. I am also interested in how people think about categories and the role played by essentialist beliefs about social categories in how we think about other people. More recently I have developed applied interests around the psychology of debt and the psychology of medicine adherence.
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Professor Aidan Feeney
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- The human animal bond
- Animal welfare
- Laterality in animals
- Pets and human health
My research concentrates on animal behaviour and welfare, with a particular focus on the domestic dog. Much of my work has been concerned with exploring the welfare of animals housed in captivity (e.g. zoos, rescue kennels) and finding ways of improving psychological well-being through the implementation of novel and scientifically tested enrichment strategies. Other research areas include pets and human health, behaviour problems in companion animals and laterality in animals.
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Dr Deborah Wells
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- Psychosocial adjustment in chronic conditions
- Arts in health
- Animals and health
- Vaccination hesitancy
- Eating behavior
My main research interests reside in the development of individual-level or public-level interventions to improve mental and physical health. In particular I am interested in the impact that chronic physical conditions such as diabetes have on young people, adults, and family members, and exploring ways to support psychosocial adjustment.
Animal-assisted interventions and art-based therapy and methodologies are also areas of interest to me. In future research I am also keen to explore public health issues such as vaccination hesitancy and eating behavior.
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Dr Emma Berry
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- The measurement of auditory perception in young children
- Early precursors to the development of language or literacy
- Trajectories of neural development for speech and language processing in infancy and early childhood
- Methods for investigating classroom communication
Tim’s research focuses broadly on the development of speech, language and literacy. His recent work has focused on the auditory precursors to speech processing and the impact that these have on later literacy development and vocabulary learning. He works with both typically and atypically developing populations of children, using classroom observation, cognitive, psychometric, psychoacoustic, and cognitive neuroscience (predominantly EEG) methods.
Language Development, Literacy Development, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Classroom Communication
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Dr Tim Fosker
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- Psychosocial intervention development for post-treatment cancer survivors and carers
- Improving quality of life in advanced illness
- Public health approaches to palliative care
- Psychosocial interventions in spinal deformity
My research interests are broadly in the assessment and management of psychological wellbeing and quality of life in chronic conditions. In particular I am interested in the assessment and management of late and longer-term effects in post-treatment cancer survivors, particularly psychological adjustment. Intervention development in palliative and end of life care (both malignant/non-malignant conditions) to enhance psychological wellbeing and quality of life. Lastly, building resilience in healthcare professionals
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Dr Lisa Graham-Wisener
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- Auditory perception in relation to coordination / mobility (including in people with visual impairments or Parkinson’s disease)
- Auditory augmented feedback in skill acquisition / rehabilitation
- Skill acquisition in music, particularly in musical improvisation
My main research interests are in perceptual-motor coordination and skill acquisition, with a specific focus on auditory-motor coordination. My research includes: studying how people synchronise with a beat or walk to rhythmic sounds; investigating how interactive sounds can be used as feedback to enhance learning of motor skills; skill acquisition in music performance, including understanding how sound-movement coupling emerges through musical training, and techniques to enhance musical skill acquisition in the context of music improvisation.
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Dr Matthew Rodger
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- PhD projects on addiction (with a particular focus on alcohol) and mental health research utilising psychological approaches to prevention, assessment and intervention.
I lead research which aims to prevent and alleviate the suffering and economic burden caused by addictive behaviours and common mental health difficulties. Through rigorous development work, experimental and mediation testing utilising innovative methods my research attempts to improve ways of preventing, assessing and treating these issues at individual, family, community and population levels. Implementation fidelity from research to the real-world context is also an important consideration, ensuring impact outside of the University environment.
alcohol, common mental health, psychometrics, mixed methods, psychosocial interventions
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Dr Paul Toner
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- Field of cultural diversity
- Immigration and integration
- Identity politics
- Educational success
- Political participation of immigrants and minorities
- Using a wide range of methods from comparative, multi-level, longitudinal research designs and analyses to experimental and intervention studies.
Dr. Baysu’s research focuses on the social psychology of cultural diversity, immigration and integration, educational success of immigrants and minorities, intergroup relations, identity processes, identity politics and political participation of minorities.
Her explanatory approach is based on social, developmental and political psychology. She uses a wide variety of research methods from comparative, multi-level, longitudinal research designs and analyses to experimental and intervention studies.
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Dr Gülseli Baysu
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- Psychological trauma
- PTSD, Complex PTSD and Posttraumatic Growth
- The development of Psychosis
- Constructing and assessing mental health measures, test and questionnaires
- Using digital phenotyping and apps in mental health • Systematic reviews, meta-analysis and evidence gap maps in mental health
- Psychometric properties of Mental Health Measures
- Modelling predictors of mental health including: self-conscious emotions (especially shame), physical health & exercise, socio-economic status, childhood adversity & abuse, measurement issues, trauma appraisals, coping styles, etc.
Dr Hanna's primary research interest is mental health including the measurement and modelling of psychological trauma, psychosis and related constructs. He has substantial experience leading, supervising and collaborating on a range of mental health and well-being projects. He is a recognised expert in research design, quantitative analyses and psychometrics.
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Dr Donncha Hanna
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- Investigating sensory integration for balance control in young and older adults using fNIRS
- The 15 minute city: Speed and gait characteristics in city walking
- Balance control and sensory integration il autism
- Walking in the city in people living with Parkinson's
My research focus is on the control of posture and walking in neurotypical young and older adults, in adults with autism, and in people living with Parkinson's. The techniques I use are motion capture, cognitive tasks, dual-tasks (e.g. walking and talking), and functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy.
Balance, walking, ageing, autism, Parkinson's multitasking fNIRS
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Dr Mihalis Doumas
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Promoting confidence in contact among school children
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Developing interventions to promote positive intergroup behaviour
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Nostalgia and intergroup relations
Professor Turner’s research focuses on intergroup contact.
Topics of investigation include identifying factors that predict cross-group friendships among school children, examining consequences of these friendships for intergroup relations, and developing and testing prejudice-reduction of interventions based on e-contact (online intergroup communication), extended contact (learning about other people’s contact experiences), and imagined contact (imagining a positive contact experience).
Professor Turner is also interested in predictors and consequences of intergroup romantic relationships, and the influence of nostalgia on intergroup relations.
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Professor Rhiannon Turner
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Design and evaluation of community interventions to promote social cohesion
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Superordinate, cross-cutting, and alternative forms of identification in divided societies
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Development and maintenance of cross-group friendships
Dr Blaylock’s research focuses on intergroup relations, intergroup conflict and social change in divided societies and is closes associated with social identity theory and contact theory. As an applied researcher these theoretical constructs are examined within "real-world" contexts; particularly those found within divided communities.
Her current work explores contact initiatives designed to promote social cohesion in divided societies, the emotive relationship between the police force and young people in Northern Ireland, and experiences of shared identity through parades and commemorations.
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Dr Danielle L Blaylock
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My research is framed by an intergroup developmental approach to study risk and resilience processes for youth in settings of protracted conflict. My work has implications for youth outcomes, such as aggression, prosocial behaviours and social identity, as well as broader psychosocial processes, such as shared education and intergroup relations, which may fuel or constrain conflict. Toward this end, I study how and why violence affects behaviours and attitudes related to conflict transformation, primarily during adolescence.
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Dr Laura K Taylor
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- Modelling the psychological predictors of health-related quality of life via reviews of current literature and primary research
- Designing and evaluating interventions to enhance quality of life and modify illness and sick-role behaviours.
- Developing and testing instruments to measure psychological constructs of importance in this area, eg. health-related quality of life.
Dr Dempster’s research is focused on enhancing the psychological well-being / quality of life of people with chronic illness (cancer, diabetes and heart disease) and their families. More specifically:
Modelling the psychological predictors of health-related quality of life via reviews of current literature and primary research
Designing and evaluating interventions to enhance quality of life and modify illness and sick-role behaviours.
Developing and testing instruments to measure psychological constructs of importance in this area, eg. health-related quality of life.
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Professor Martin Dempster
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- Visual motion processing
- Perceived duration of visual events
- Identifying cortical loci of motion-induced illusions
- Role of laughter in social interaction
My current interests are in the areas of motion transparency, interactions between direction sensitive mechanisms, neural mechanisms underlying adaptation in the human visual system, local & global motion processing, and time perception, as well as investigating the role of laughter in social interaction.
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Dr Will Curran
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- Facial expression of emotion
- Sensorimotor simulation and facial mimicry
- Culture and emotion
- Development of emotional competence
My research focuses on expressions of emotions, their effects, and the mechanisms underlying their perception and interpretation. At QUB, I work with Dr. William Curran and Dr. Gary McKeown. Our team investigates social functions and characteristics of laughter produced in different contexts. I am also interested in facial expressions of emotions, especially the smile, which is arguably the most complex and versatile among them.
Some of my studies explore how eye contact and facial mimicry influence facial expression processing in infants and adults. Other projects examine cross-cultural differences in smiling and effects of smiles (as well as other emotion expressions such as regret or guilt) on economic decisions in interpersonal and intergroup settings.
emotion smile facial expression
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Dr Magdalena Rychlowska
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- Behavioural neuroscience
- The neural basis of manual interception Sports science
- Interceptive actions by goalkeepers (using a virtual reality simulator)
Movement coordination, with a focus on eye-hand coordination in interceptive tasks like catching (both fundamental [behavioural neuroscience] and applied [sports]). Since recently, I also started working on human-robot coordination, with a focus on manufacturing environments.
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Dr Joost C. Dessing
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- Clinical and Health Psychology
My research interests are in the area of the development and evaluation of psychological (e.g. cognitive behaviour therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)/behaviour change interventions to reduce the psychological sequelae of physical health conditions (cancer, chronic pain, asthma, IBD) as well as disease prevention through encouraging lifestyle change (e.g. diet/oral hygiene).
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Dr Pauline Adair
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- Chronic pain rehabilitation
I study chronic pain and illness in adults and adolescents with a focus on assessment and treatments aimed for facilitate meaningful living within a context of persistent symptoms. Through my research program, I have found that:
Chronic pain is a complex experience, composed of more than nociception alone
It is possible to improve willingness to have pain in the service of personally-identified values, even if pain remains,
Substance misuse issues in chronic pain occur in a clinically significant minority of individuals
Treatment effectiveness can be quantified as engagement in meaningful living, not merely as pain reduction.
My research has resulted in just over 90 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, 1 edited book, and more than 100 national and international oral presentations.
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Professor Kevin Vowles
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- Cognitive development across the lifespan
- Understanding and remediating cognitive learning difficulties
- Working memory – mechanisms, learning and training
- Mind-wandering in children and adolescents
I study higher-level cognition and its development across the lifespan. I am particularly interested in understanding what limits memory for the immediate past, and how those limits change as people grow older. My research has a strong translational perspective that uses core principles of developmental and cognitive psychology to understand classroom learning. I am currently undertaking a programme of research to probe mind wandering in children, examine its phenomenology, and consider the costs and benefits that this experience can bring in the context of educational attainment.
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Dr Agnieszka Jaroslawska
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- Addiction
- Aetiological mechanisms
- Treatment and recovery
- Attentional Bias Psychological Trauma
- PTSD and other co-existing psychological difficulties
- Neuropsychological presentations and neuropsychological and psychosocial outcomes
I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director for the DClinPsych training course at QUB. I have extensive experience in clinical psychology training and as a clinical and research supervisor. I have a broad range of research interests including; Addiction, aetiological mechanisms, treatment and recovery Attentional Bias Psychological Trauma, PTSD and other co-existing psychological difficulties Neuropsychological presentations and neuropsychological and psychosocial outcomes
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Dr David Curran
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- Individual differences
- Personality
- Developmental Psychology
My current research interests involve exploring the degree to which dark personalities (with a particular focus on narcissism) contribute to resilience and performance across contexts. My work has focused on narcissism, as a first step, in order to highlight some positive sides of this seemingly dark trait, such as showing resilience. The objective of my research programme is not to rehabilitate dark personalities, but rather to contextualize them in a complex web of societal costs and benefits. In so doing, I plan, through collaborative work, to be able to look into ways in which society can harness the energy of dark personalities while also curtailing their potential for harm.
Dark Triad, Narcissism, Psychopathology, Educational Achievement
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Dr Kostas Papageorgiou
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- Emotion
- Social interaction
- Laughter
- Affective computing
- Virtual Reality interactions
- Emotional and empathic AI
I am an experimental social psychologist seeking to understand the psychology of communication, social interaction, and emotion. There is an evolutionary and cultural evolution theoretical basis underlying my research. I use methods drawn from the affective computing and behaviour oriented artificial intelligence domains. I try to understand these issues using technology to observe and quantify behaviour. Recent topics of study include emotion, laughter, empathy, and gossip, and the methods employed include VR, physiological sensing, and face and body behavioural analysis.
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Dr Gary McKeown
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- Mathematical cognition
- Learning in a second language environment
- Bilingualism
- Development of reading skill in a digital environment
I am interested in the development of mathematical skill in children, particularly when this takes place in a second language/bilingual/immersion context. The impact of bilingualism on executive function and language in both children and adults is a core focus of my research.
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Dr Judith Wylie
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- Childhood adversity research
- The neurodevelopmental factors in psychotic disorders
I am interested in hearing from students who have an interest in PhD study in areas related to childhood adversity research, and/ or the neurodevelopmental factors in psychotic disorders
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Dr Teresa Rushe
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- Clinical Psychology
- Clinical Health Psychology
- Mental Health
- Clinical Neuropsychology
I am a clinical academic, my research is in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology. Mainly I am interested in whether and how psychological therapies work in mental and physical health conditions - particularly acceptance and compassion-focused approaches. All of my work is aimed at improve the quality of healthcare offered in the NHS, and other healthcare systems.
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Dr Christopher Graham
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- Trauma and Mental Health in Uniformed and Emergency Services
Trauma and Mental Health
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Professor Cherie Armour
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- Developmental psychology, particularly aspects of cognitive development including temporal cognition, children's thought about the future, regret and decision making in children.
Cognitive development, especially the development of thought about time, future thinking in children, development of regret.
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Professor Teresa McCormack
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- Social Psychology
- Computer Science
My research is focused on stereotyping and prejudice, gender and leadership, gender and academia, attitudes/resistance to diversity, virtual reality, bias reducing interventions.
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Dr Ioana Latu
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- Parenting
- Childhood adversity
- The evaluation of psychosocial interventions
My research interests centre around parent child interactions and the evaluation of psychosocial interventions aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people. Of particular interest is how adversity affects family processes and the impact on familial and child outcomes. I am experienced in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and have worked on a range of evaluations of interventions, aimed at improving the psychological, social, cognitive and educational outcomes for both parents and children.
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Dr Katrina McLaughlin
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- Alcohol and drug use or dependence
- Trials methodology
Focused on those who are currently experiencing harm or are at risk of harm from alcohol and drugs. It aims to improve health and wellbeing, reduce stigma, and empower change in four ways: Identification of problems to understand who to target Trials methodology -determining what works using the best possible methods Intervention evaluation- what works to empower those who are seeking help to achieve it Prioritising outcomes - what do key stakeholders want to change following an intervention (e.g. core outcome sets for alcohol and drugs).
alcohol use, drug use, addiction, randomised trials and methodology
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Dr Gillian Shorter
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- Social cognition, intuitive thinking (e.g. essentialism)
- Moral cognition
- Empathy and prosocial behaviour in intergroup contexts
- Development of religious acquisition and beliefs
My research investigates the development of social cognition with an emphasis on how children categorize others into social groups, and how these categories then guide further inferences and behaviour, with a particular focus on studying children in contexts of intergroup conflict.
social cognition, development, empathy, prosocial behaviour, intergroup conflict
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Dr Jocelyn Dautel
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- Intergroup conflicts and collective trauma
- Political resistance in non-democratic contexts
- Justice processes in post-conflict societies
Dr. Li's research lies at the intersection of social, political, and peace psychology. It focuses on the psychological processes of intergroup conflicts and their resolution, group-based violence, national and ethnic identity, transitional justice, as well as civil resistance in violent and repressive contexts.
Conflicts, peace and violence, identity, transitional justice, resistance, collective action, repression
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Dr Mengyao Li
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- Personality and social relationships including relationship development
- Non-normative life and relationship choices and communication around those choices
- Psychological assessment
As a psychological scientist, I am fascinated by the complex interplay of personality and social relationships. I study how people navigate these relationships in everyday life and in relation to how they see themselves and others. As such, my research programme cuts across the psychology of interpersonal relationships, personality psychology, and psychological assessment/psychometrics. I also have an emerging programme of research centring on non-normative life and relationship choices, and I currently study how people navigate communication around those choices.
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Dr Tanja Gerlach
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- Development of symbol-symbol associations
- Development of fraction knowledge
Broadly, I am interested in cognitive developmental psychology, with a focus on mathematical cognition. My research aims to further understanding of the development of children’s mathematical skills and related cognitive processes. In particular, I focus on understanding the developmental course of number integration, that is, the process of making connections between number concepts and symbols, which is central to children’s construction of higher-level mathematical understanding.
Mathematics; numeracy; cognitive processes; child development; cross-cultural comparison
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Dr Chang Xu
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Open to PhD applications within my research area.
My research focuses on communication and teamwork in healthcare contexts. I examine social exchanges in clinical populations where communication may be problematic (e.g. psychosis) and in healthcare teams where communication is critical to patient safety. This overarching aim of this research is to provide empirical evidence that can inform clinical training and practice and improve patient care.
communication, social interaction, teamwork, human Factors, healthcare, mental health
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Dr Mary Lavelle
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