RSS 1.0Psychology
Staff within the Department of Psychology have a wide range of specialist expertise and knowledge. We work together in a number of research groups through which we support the work of both staff and students in the Department. In addition, we are able to offer a range of services on a consultancy basis. If you would like to discuss collaboration or consultancy with us, please do get in touch. Our research groups play an important role in the Department of Psychology. The groups meet regularly throughout the academic year and provide opportunities for members to discuss their current research, ideas for new research projects, or simply to discuss an interesting journal article or conference presentation they've seen. They also provide an important support structure for junior researchers, including MPhil and PhD students.
This collection is licenced under a Creative Commons licence. Copyright belongs to the authors. The collection may be reproduced for non-commerical use and without modification, providing that copyright is acknowledged.
Recent Submissions
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An exploratory service evaluation of reported incidents of racism in inpatient mental health wards and a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU)Prompted by growing concerns about racism in healthcare, particularly towards staff, this mixed-methods service evaluation investigated the frequency, nature, and response to incidents of racism within inpatient mental health settings across an NHS Trust in North-West England. Incident reports from January 2023 to December 2024 were analysed. Quantitative data was used to examine associations between aggression-related racist incidents and factors such as ward type, perpetrator sex, and the victim–perpetrator relationship. Reflexive thematic analysis of incident narratives was conducted to explore how racism is described, understood, and managed in practice. Findings suggest that racist abuse, primarily by patients towards staff, was prevalent in high-acuity settings. Racism was frequently conceptualised as a symptom of mental illness, contributing to ambiguous or minimised documentation. Three key themes were identified: the normalisation of racist abuse, inadequate support for affected staff, and limited intervention for perpetrators. Reports often lacked anti-racist language or clear definitions of discrimination, potentially obscuring the issue. These findings underscore the need for trauma-informed, anti-racist practice and culturally sensitive staff support. Enhanced reporting mechanisms and interventions are recommended to promote psychological safety and equity in mental health care. This evaluation contributes to evidence that responses to racism must extend beyond procedural de-escalation.
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'Great expectations’ versus ‘reality checks’: UK Christian clergy spouses' experiences of divorce and separation and implications for pastoral careChallenges associated with clergy marriage and divorce have been documented, and there has been recognition of the impact of marital breakdown on clergy spouses. However, there is a paucity of work that addresses the specific support needs of Christian clergy spouses and what constitutes effective pastoral care for this population. This article presents a mixed-methods study conducted in 2023 of UK divorced and separated clergy spouses exploring their understandings of pastoral care and support experienced before, during, and post marital breakdown. Twenty-seven participants completed an online survey, and thirteen took part in a follow-up semi-structured interview. The findings illustrate that pastoral care needs are higher during and after marital breakdown, but a considerable number of participants did not receive pastoral care. Where care was received, it was rated higher when provided by family, friends, and organizations than by the church. The study also demonstrated the impact of expectations of clergy marriage on the experience of marital breakdown. Importantly, high expectations of model marriages acted as barriers to disclosing marital breakdown. The findings demonstrate a lack of adequate pastoral support. A thematic analysis yielded a series of recommendations for effective pastoral care. These were care for the person at the center, holistic and individualized care, pre-emptive care, and persistent and consistent care. Overall, the study highlighted the profound impact of expectations on clergy marriages and the need for improvement in pastoral care for clergy spouses. This improvement of care should include training on the issues highlighted in this study.
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Impact of human presence and activity on urban Eurasian red squirrels' innovative problem-solvingHumans impact wildlife positively and negatively, and increasing evidence shows that humans potentially play a major role in shaping urban wildlife cognition. However, it remains unclear which, and how specific anthropogenic factors shape animal cognitive performance. Here, across 15 urban areas in Oulu, Finland, we investigated how varied levels of human presence nearby, types of human activity (walking, dog walking, cycling, and playground activities), and distance to the nearest footpaths influenced 64 squirrels’ innovative problem-solving ability – measured as the proportion of solving success at the site level, solving outcome at the individual level as well as individuals’ first-success latency. Higher mean human presence nearby and all measured human activities significantly decreased the proportion of success at the site level. Playground activity showed the highest negative impact on both the first and subsequent visit success rate at the site level. Increased mean human presence and walking decreased the likelihood of a squirrel successfully solving the novel food-extraction problem. Increased mean human presence also decreased individuals’ first-success latency, and dog walking was the outstanding factor affecting first-success latency. These results show the negative effects of specific human-related factors on an important cognitive trait, problem-solving ability. These factors may also potentially exert selective pressure on shaping urban wildlife cognition.
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Characteristics of urban environments and novel problem-solving performance in Eurasian red squirrelsUrban environments can be deemed 'harsh' for some wildlife species, but individuals frequently show behavioural flexibility to cope with challenges and demands posed by life in the city. For example, urban animals often show better performance in solving novel problems than rural conspecifics, which helps when using novel resources under human-modified environments. However, which characteristics of urban environments fine-tune novel problem-solving performance, and their relative importance, remain unclear. Here, we examined how four urban environmental characteristics (direct human disturbance, indirect human disturbance, size of green coverage and squirrel population size) may potentially influence novel problem-solving performance of a successful 'urban dweller', the Eurasian red squirrel, by presenting them with a novel food-extraction problem. We found that increased direct human disturbance, indirect human disturbance and a higher squirrel population size decreased the proportion of solving success at the population level. At the individual level, an increase in squirrel population size decreased the latency to successfully solve the novel problem the first time. More importantly, increased direct human disturbance, squirrel population size and experience with the novel problem decreased problem-solving time over time. These findings highlight that some urban environmental characteristics shape two phenotypic extremes in the behaviour-flexibility spectrum: individuals either demonstrated enhanced learning or they failed to solve the novel problem.
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Do Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Predict Utilisation of a Community Based Musculoskeletal Triage Service? A Retrospective Cohort StudyIntroduction: In the United Kingdom, 20 million people are affected by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. To reduce the burden on GP surgeries, there are now MSK triage services where patients are diagnosed and managed by allied health professionals. There is limited research exploring the sociodemographic characteristics and reasons for attendance of those using the MSK triage service. Aim: To explore the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of adult patients accessing an MSK triage service within Northwest England. Method: This is a retrospective cohort study using secondary data collected between 1st January 2022 and 31st December 2024. Data were extracted from an NHS electronic patient record system, including sociographic data as well as the number of consultations and diagnosis. Results: The sample included data on 6398 patients, of which 2826 (44%) were male and 3571 female (66%). The mean age was 56.9 years, the majority (83.1%) identified as White British and 28.4% of the sample resided in areas of low deprivation. Compared with lower body diagnoses, individuals with spine‐related diagnoses had 28.7% fewer consultations and those with upper‐body diagnoses had 19.2% fewer consultations. Both differences were highly significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that establishing more clearly defined clinical pathways may enhance the efficiency of service utilisation. Improving the accessibility of the MSK triage service has the potential to enhance access for both patients and referring clinicians, thereby optimising the timeliness of care delivery. This study adds to the evolving understanding of how MSK triage services can be enhanced in the NHS primary care setting.
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A logic model to guide ‘My Grief My Way’: An intervention development study for a digital psychological support package for unmet bereavement support needsLogic models are simplified graphics that guide the development and evaluation of complex interventions. This paper describes a logic model for an online intervention to improve coping and quality of life after bereavement. A combination approach to intervention development was used. Evidence was synthesized in iterative cycles from: (i) research literature; (ii) interviews with therapists; (iii) workshops with bereaved people; (iv) workshops with bereavement support professionals; and (v) expertise of the research team. The logic model illustrated the links between: risk factors for and indicators of grief support needs, contextual considerations for online interventions, intervention components, change mechanisms, short and long term intended outcomes at the individual and organizational level, as well as broader impacts. The logic model guided the intervention development process, fostering collaboration and synthesis of multiple sources. The description of the process will be useful to other intervention developers.
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Detecting child sexual abuse in perpetrators: The effects of perpetrator age and of training on observersThe early detection of sexually abusive relationships between adults and children is important. However, media propagation of child sex offender stereotypes may inhibit offender detection. This study used a vignette‐based online questionnaire to explore to what extent the signs of abuse can be detected in a relationship between a child and his football coach and whether the ‘dirty old man’ age stereotype impacts detection. Whether adults already trained in detecting child sexual abuse (CSA) rated the potential for CSA differently than untrained adults in scenarios where it was included was also explored. The analysis indicated a significantly higher rating for CSA in ‘abuse’ scenarios than ‘no‐abuse’ scenarios across all participants, with a large effect size. However, there was no significant difference in rating for CSA based on abuser age. Additionally, CSA‐trained participants did not rate abuse scenarios significantly differently than untrained participants. Extensive reporting of high‐profile cases that did not include a stereotypical offender was considered a potential mitigating factor for the age stereotype. The focus of existing CSA training on signs in victims, rather than signs of abusive relationships, is considered a potential explanation for the comparable ratings for CSA between trained and untrained participants.
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Validation of the general attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence Scale in the Italian context and the role of trustRecent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have profoundly impacted various sectors, including healthcare, education, and security, leading to a paradigm shift in the way in which society engages with technology. Considering the increasing integration of AI in these critical areas, it is important to understand people's attitudes towards this technology to understand their acceptance of AI. The present study aimed to validate the General Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS) in the Italian context. The study examined the psychometric properties of the scale and explored the relationship between interpersonal trust and attitudes towards AI. The GAAIS, previously validated in the UK and Turkey, was translated into Italian. The scale was administered to two independent samples of Italian adults (Study 1, N = 205; Study 2, N = 121). Participants varied in age, gender, and self-reported familiarity with AI, offering a culturally specific perspective on attitudes toward AI in the Italian context. The study also investigated potential factors that may influence AI attitudes, including demographic characteristics, computer usage, and knowledge about AI. The findings supported the hypothesized link between positive attitudes with younger male individuals, higher education levels and greater familiarity with AI. Data also showed that epistemic mistrust –i.e. the lack of confidence in the reliability of a source measured through the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ), correlated with skepticism, while epistemic trust –i.e. the willingness to accept information from others as reliable– was linked to forgiving attitudes towards AI drawbacks. These findings underscored the pivotal role that interpersonal trust and cultural context play in shaping public attitudes towards AI.
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The evolution and implementation of Norway’s ultimate penalty: An exceptional approach to life imprisonment?Though formal life sentences have been abolished in Norway, forvaring (post-conviction indefinite preventive detention) – a type of informal life sentence – can be imposed on individuals convicted of certain offenses who are considered to be at high risk of future offending. While great attention has been paid to Norway as an “exceptional” penal outlier globally, there is a notable lack of comprehensive knowledge about its indefinite penal sanction. Drawing on extensive historical research and legal and policy documentary analysis as well as leveraging a unique national dataset on the total forvaring population, this article provides the first international in-depth assessment of the evolution and implementation of Norway’s ultimate penalty. In so doing, it highlights significant disparities between policy ambitions and current practice and questions the extent to which the sanction of forvaring can be considered an “exceptional” approach to life imprisonment. It is argued that the development and growth of this type of informal life sentence can be seen as the epicenter of the impact of a more punitive ideology in Norway, emphasizing the need to move away from the concept of penal exceptionalism to better understand the full spectrum and practice of Norwegian and Nordic penality.
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Editorial: People and pets: Good for each other?Editorial for special issue on relationships between people and their companion animals.
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The finer details? The predictability of life outcomes from Big Five domains, facets, and nuancesAssociations between personality traits and life outcomes are usually studied using the Big Five domains and, occasionally, their facets. But recent research suggests these associations may be driven by the items (reflecting personality nuances) chosen to measure these traits. Using a large dataset (N = 6126), we examined associations with 53 self-reported outcomes using domains, facets and items (markers for nuances), training and validating models in different sample partitions. Facets better predicted outcomes than domains (on average, 18.0% versus 16.6% of variance explained), but items provided the most accurate predictions (on average 20.9%). Removing domain and facet variance from items had no effect on their predictive validity, suggesting that outcome-related information was often in items' unique variances (i.e., nuance-specific). Item-based prediction also showed the highest discriminant validity. These observations, replicating previous findings, suggest that personality traits' valid associations with outcomes are often driven by narrow personality nuances.
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The ways of the world? Cross-sample replicability of personality trait-life outcome associationsResearch in (mostly) Western samples has indicated that personality domains’ associations with life outcomes are replicable but often driven by their facets or nuances. Using three diverse samples (English-speaking, N=1,232; Russian-Speaking, N=1,604; Mandarin-speaking, N=1,216), we compared personality trait-outcome associations at domain, facet, and nuance levels, both within and among samples. Trait-outcome associations were at least moderately consistent among samples for all trait-hierarchy levels (average intraclass correlations = 0.64 to 0.74). Nuances provided the strongest predictive accuracy, both within and among samples. Trait-outcome associations were higher among English-speakers than Mandarin and Russian-speakers. Our observations suggested moderate generalizability among diverse samples, with nuances providing unique and replicable information. This offers potential to improve understanding of trait-outcome patterns.
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Measuring the semantic priming effect across many languagesSemantic priming has been studied for nearly 50 years across various experimental manipulations and theoretical frameworks. Although previous studies provide insight into the cognitive underpinnings of semantic representations, they have suffered from small sample sizes and a lack of linguistic and cultural diversity. In this Registered Report, we measured the size and the variability of the semantic priming effect across 19 languages (N = 25,163 participants analyzed) by creating the largest available database of semantic priming values based on an adaptive sampling procedure. We found evidence for semantic priming in terms of differences in response latencies between related word-pair conditions and unrelated word-pair conditions. Model comparisons showed that inclusion of a random intercept for language improved model fit, providing support for variability in semantic priming across languages. This study highlights the robustness and variability of semantic priming across languages and provides a rich, linguistically diverse dataset for further analysis.
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People and pets in the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis: Identifying trends in the intake, adoption and return of companion animals during times of uncertaintyPet ownership is the most common form of human–animal interaction (HAI), is prevalent worldwide and confers benefits for the health and wellbeing of humans. Here, we examined a large set of anonymised data from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) to identify trends in the intake, adoption and relinquishment of companion animals in England and Wales before and during times of uncertainty, namely, the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis (COLC). We employed an interrupted time series (ITS) design which controls for pre-existing trends by comparing observed outcomes post-intervention with those expected if the intervention had not occurred. Nearly 200,000 animals were taken in by the RSPCA and over 140,000 animals were adopted or released over the four-year period from 2018 to 2022. When controlling for the brief closure of RSPCA sites, fewer dogs and cats were taken in and adopted during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic, and the intake and adoption of animals were lower during the COLC than before. A downward trend in the return of animals was observed, and the principal reasons for return were problem behaviours, owner unpreparedness and a change in circumstances. Our ITS analysis also permitted forecast predictions to be made which could prove helpful to the RSPCA.
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Side preferences in human dyads when walking: the influence of country, threat, handedness, and sexIn several species, lateral position preferences have been observed in pair mates, mother–infant dyads, and during agonistic interactions. This research examined side preferences in human dyads in an observational study and survey. We observed 1236 male–female pairs walking in the UK and found a bias for males to walk on the right side of the pair, which did not depend on hand-holding, or walking during daylight or darkness. The survey measured side preferences in 798 participants (398 left-handed, 411 right-handed), from the UK (402) and USA (396). Participants chose a side to walk when walking with their partner, or alone, in various threatening/non-threatening scenes. Threat did not influence preference in walking couples, but males, when passing a threatening stranger, preferred the best combat side for their handedness. Country and handedness also influenced preferences. Left-handers preferred the left side and right-handers preferred the right side, and USA participants exhibited a more rightward preference than UK participants. The pattern of preference for each country was equivalent, showing independent influences of handedness and cultural learning. Overall, the results suggest that males and females prefer the side that allows their dominant hand to be on the outside of the dyad.
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Developing research collaborations and building capacity in palliative and end-of-life care in the North West Coast of England: the PalCaRe-NWC partnershipBACKGROUND: The North West Coast area of England (Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and South Cumbria) has high palliative care need (third highest prevalence in England) and historically low recorded National Institute for Health and Care Research research activity (second lowest research recruitment rate in England). To stimulate research activity, a new research partnership was formed to support and encourage palliative care research, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research from January 2022 until June 2023. OBJECTIVES: To develop a sustainable palliative care research partnership infrastructure across the North West Coast. To work with palliative care providers, patients and the public, and research staff to further understand local barriers and facilitators to palliative and end-of-life care research, and develop and implement solutions to these barriers. To build capacity in palliative and end-of-life care research through the mentorship of emerging research leaders and share expertise across organisations. To facilitate the development of high-quality research grant applications. ACTIVITIES: Phased activities were planned and actioned throughout the funded period to develop and embed an active palliative care research partnership across the region. These included: a survey and working groups to rapidly identify current local barriers to research and their sustainable solutions; individual and group support activities to build research capabilities and capacity; development and submission of high-quality, clinically relevant research proposals to the National Institute for Health and Care Research and other funders. RESULTS: Survey participants (<i>n</i> = 293) were mainly from clinical settings (71%), with 45% being nurses. While around three-quarters of participants were not research active, most wanted to increase their involvement. Key barriers identified from both the survey and working groups (<i>n</i> = 20 professional participants) included: lack of organisational research culture and capacity (including prioritisation and available time); research knowledge (including skills/expertise and funding opportunities); research infrastructure (including collaborative opportunities across multiple organisations and governance challenges); and patient and public perceptions of research (including vulnerabilities and burdens). Based on these findings, the partnership is working with national stakeholders to develop user-friendly resources to facilitate hospice-based research. Three action learning sets, that met several times (<i>n</i> = 15 staff), and two networking events (<i>n</i> = 78 participants) took place to facilitate collaboration and research capacity building. Eleven research grant applications totalling £5,435,967 were submitted as a direct result of partnership activities between January 2022 and June 2023. Limitations: Survey and working group findings and resulting activities represent the views and needs of staff within a particular United Kingdom geography and had limited public representation. CONCLUSIONS: Funding to support partnership work has been demonstrated to be effective in pump-priming research activities, leading to successful research grant submissions and building research capacity. However, consideration is needed about how to maintain partnership work, embed in local organisations and further develop work across non-traditional stakeholders such as hospices and social care providers if ongoing funding is unavailable. FUTURE WORK: North West Coast Clinical Research Network has provided short-term funding (July 2023-March 2024) to enable and sustain the expansion of Palliative Care Research Partnership North West Coast.
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Temperature testing climate action: what are the impacts of social and economic factors on local climate action in the UK?Introduction: Social and economic factors influence human behaviour at the individual and community levels. This study examines how variables such as sense of community, well-being, income, and deprivation impact climate-action behaviours. It provides an initial investigation into behaviours as ‘actions’ taken by people, individually and with their communities, under different social and economic conditions. Answering the primary research question, ‘Do social cohesion and socio-economic indicators impact climate action at the individual and community levels?’. Material and Method: A convenience sample of 105 participants from the UK was obtained for this study, comprising 84 online responses and 21 in-person responses. Independent variables representing social cohesion included well-being (WHO-5) at the individual level and sense of community (Brief Sense of Community Scale) at the community level. Socioeconomic position was assessed using income (bands) and deprivation (Indices of Multiple Deprivation). Each of these were grouped in accordance with the scale, and a MANOVA was conducted to analyse the effects of these groups against the dependent variables of individual and community climate actions. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that the sense of community groups and income groups significantly impacted climate action. Univariate tests of between subjects effects indicated that the effect of sense of community was only significant on community climate action and post-hoc fishers LSD revealed the high sense of community group was varying from Low and Moderate sense of community. Income was found in post hoc analysis to have no significant differences between income groups. Wellbeing and Deprivation groups did not have an impact on climate action Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of fostering a high sense of community through needs fulfilment, belonging, influence, and connection, to promote sustainable climate action behaviours and move towards a Net Zero Society. Sense of community as a social cohesion indicator, emerged as a key driver and the piece recommends collaborating with communities to track real-time behavioural and social change. Limitations of the research are the sample size and localised geography, yet it is argued that a place-based approach is needed in future social cohesion and climate action research.
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Long-term stability of chimpanzee personality: comparing trait ratings and behaviour codings over a quarter of a centuryThere is a lack of research examining whether trait ratings and behaviour codings yield similar measures of personality in nonhuman animals, and whether these measures are stable over the long term. Here, we compare personality assessments in the same group of zoo-housed chimpanzees over a 25 year period, offering a rare opportunity for the analysis of long-term temporal stability of personality in this species. We attempt to disentangle the effects of time and measure through an analysis of similarities and differences at a group and individual level. The first wave of the study rated 59 chimpanzees’ personality traits on an adapted version of the Madingley Questionnaire. The trait principal component analysis (PCA) revealed five components: Submissiveness, Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness and Openness. A separate PCA identified five components based on behavioural codings: Grooming, Play, Sociability, Aggression and Responsibility. The second wave, with 19 individuals, identified three components arising from behavioural codings: Popularity, Sociability and Influence. When comparing across time for the 11 chimpanzees common to both waves, our primary hypothesis, that trait ratings from the first wave would not correlate with behaviour codings from the second because they are measuring different axes, was largely supported. Our second hypothesis, that the behaviour codings carried out during the two waves would correlate because they were measuring the same thing, was supported, both at the component level and the individual behaviour level, thus providing evidence of stability of behaviour codings over time, particularly those reflecting sociability measures. Personality trait ratings were different to behavioural codings and included aspects not captured through those codings, including intelligence, apprehension, excitability and gentleness; thus, we argue that they represent a more comprehensive characterisation of individuality.
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Higher education students’ perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactionsThe paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students’ perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students’ use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions’ managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.
