Mhairi Bowe

Postgraduate Student

Supervisor: Fabio Sani

Thesis title: The Role of Place Identity in Subjective Self-Continuity

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Contact Details:
Telephone: (+44)(1382) 388254
Email: Mhairi Bowe

Postal Address:
School of Psychology
The University of Dundee
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland, UK

Biography

My interests lie broadly in aspects of collective and personal identity. In recent years, I have been involved in a research program with Dr Fabio Sani investigating the nature and functions of Perceived Collective Continuity (PCC) in national and regional ingroups. This research has involved the development of a 12-item scale to measure PCC and has revealed that PCC is characterised by two distinct dimensions that relate to both a sense of historical and cultural continuity. A number of multinational studies have shown that PCC is associated with a series of positive group cognitions such as collective self-esteem, collective identification and perceived group entitativity. Subsequent studies have also shown that PCC is linked with the fulfilment of desires for belonging and uncertainty reduction as well increased social well-being. Experimental evidence has further revealed that PCC can act as an anxiety-buffer under mortality salience conditions by providing ingroup members with a sense of symbolic immortality through identification with a temporally enduring group identity.

We have recently been involved in extending this research project to look at the significance of PCC in family groups and this has lead to the development of the Perceived Family Continuity (PFC) Scale. Using this scale we have found that high levels of PFC predict identification with the family group and that PFC influences both family members’ psychological well-being and the functioning of the family group by increasing a sense of group cohesion.

During my PhD research I will be investigating the links between place and identity. In particular, my research will focus upon the ways in which psychologically significant places might satisfy basic identity motives such as the need for self-continuity. My studies will initially be aimed at small scale territories such as the home, and will then extend through to larger community based levels, finally focusing upon national homelands and territories.

Publications


Links	Publications
	Journal Articles
	Herrera, M., Sani, F., & Bowe, M. (2010). Perceived continuity and group identification: Implications for social well-being. Revista de Psicología Social, 25 (2), 203-214.
	Sani, F., Herrera, M., & Bowe, M. (2009). Perceived collective continuity and ingroup identification as defence against death awareness. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45 (1), 242-245.
	Greenwood, R.M., Zeedyk, M.S., Bowe, M., Stell, C., Wakefield, J.R.H., & Webber, E. (2008). Toward A New Psychology of Women: Still Relevant after All These Years? Feminism & Psychology, 18, 358-367.
	Sani, F., Bowe, M., & Herrera, M. (2008). Perceived Collective Continuity and Social Well-being. European Journal of Social Psychology, 38(2), 365-374.
	Sani, F., Bowe, M., Herrera, M., Manna, C., Cossa, T., Miao, X., et al. (2007). Perceived collective continuity: Seeing groups as entities that move through time. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37(6), 1118-1134.

	Book Chapters
	Sani, F., Bowe, M., & Herrera, M. (2008). Perceived collective continuity: Seeing groups as temporally enduring entities. Self-continuity: Individual and collective perspectives. New York: Psychology Press.

	Conference Papers
	Bowe, M. & Sani, F. (2010). The Role of Places in Subjective Identity Continuity. Poster presented at the Eleventh Annual Meeting of The Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Las Vegas, NV., January.
	Bowe, M. & Sani, F. (2009). A Place for Life?: The Role of Place in Subjective Identity Continuity. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Social Psychology Section, University of Sheffield, September.
	Sani, F., Herrera, M., & Bowe, M. (2009). Group identification, cohesion and continuity: Implications for well-being and health. Paper presented at the Annual APA conference, Toronto, August.
	Sani, F., Herrera, M., & Bowe, M. (2009). Group identification, cohesion and continuity enhance mental and physical health. Paper presented at the 11th European Congress of Psychology, Oslo, July.
	Bowe, M. & Sani, F. (2009) "Is there more at home than the heart?": Place and Perceived Identity Continuity. Paper presented at the First Conference on Social Psychology in Ireland. University of Limerick, May.
	Sani F. & Bowe M. (2008). Identification with social groups in Scotland: Implications for well-being and mental health. Paper presented at the 4th European Conference on Positive Psychology, Rijeka, Croatia, July.
	Bowe, M., Sani, F., Herrera, M., & Bolognesi, A. (2008) Perceived family continuity, well-being and family functioning. Poster presented at the 15th General Meeting of the European Association for Experimental Social Psychology (EAESP), Opatija, Croatia, June.
	Bowe, M., Sani, F., Herrera, M., Bolognesi, A. (2007) Perceived Collective Continuity, Identification and Well-being in Family Groups. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Social Psychology Section, University of Canterbury, Kent, September.
	Sani, F. & Bowe, M., & Herrera, M. (2006). Perceived collective continuity: Seeing groups as temporally enduring entities. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Social Psychology Section, University of Birmingham, September.
	Sani, F. & Bowe, M. (2005). Perceived collective continuity: Seeing the ingroup as an entity that moves through time. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Social Psychology Section, University of Edinburgh, September.
	Bowe, M. & Sani, F. (2004). Perceived collective continuity: Its dimensions and correlates. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Social Psychology Section, University of Liverpool, September.
	Sani, F. & Bowe, M. (2004). Perceived group historical continuity: a cross-national investigation. Paper presented at a small EAESP meeting on: Collective remembering, collective emotions and shared representations of history: Functions and dynamics. June, Aix-en-Provence (France).
	Bowe, M. (2004). Perceived historical continuity in social groups: A scale development. Paper presented at the Scottish Annual Undergraduate Dissertations Conference, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, March.

Qualifications and Role

Master of Science Degree (with distinction) in Psychological Research Methods
University of Dundee, 2007

Research Assistant in School of Psychology, University of Dundee,
June 2004 – September 2006.

Master of Arts Degree (with honours) in Psychology: First Class
University of Dundee, 2004.

Teaching

On-line Tutor in Introductory Social Psychology, Discover Learning at Dundee Programme (University of Dundee, 2009)

Lecturer in Introductory Social Psychology, Wider Access Study Centre Psychology Summer School (University of Dundee, 2005-2008).

Administration

Course Co-ordinator (2005-2008) for the University of Dundee Wider Access Study Centre Psychology Summer School.

Psychology Co-ordinator for the Discovering Degrees Program (2008), University of Dundee

Postgraduate Student Representative (2007-2008)

Additional Information

Prizes and Funding

May-Sept. The Carnegie Trust Undergraduate Vacation Scholarship 2003

June 2004 The Reginald Laville Memorial Award for a Dissertation of Outstanding Merit

June 2004 Psychology Class Medal (2003-2004)

Sept. 2006 Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1+3
-June 2010 studentship for the pursuit of PhD in Psychology
(Award No: PTA 030 2006 00028)

Aug. 2008 Obtained on a competitive basis, a place at the E.A.E.S.P. Summer
School, 17th-31st August, School of Psychology, University of
Cardiff, Wales.

Invited Talks

Bowe, M. (2009) The Role of Places in Subjective Identity Continuity and Well-Being. Talk presented for the Social Psychology Club Seminar Series, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 25th November.

Bowe, M. (2009) A Place for Life?: The Role of Place in Subjective Identity Continuity. Talk presented to the Social Psychology Group, School of Psychology, St Andrews University, 6th May.

Bowe, M. (2009) Places and Perceived Identity Continuity. Talk presented at the SEORG Seminar Series, School of Psychology, Exeter University, 14th May.

Membership of Professional Bodies

British Psychological Society

European Association of Social Psychology

Society for Personality and Social Psychology

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

Professional Responsibility

Ad Hoc Reviewer for Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology

Consulting Member - Wiley Publishing Compass User Crew

Ad-hoc Reviewer for European Journal of Social Psychology, 2009-Present.

Training Courses and Workshops

As well as training in research design, qualitative methodology and advanced statistics completed as part of my MSc studies, I have also attending a number of additional training courses listed below.

Postgraduate Project Management (University of Dundee, Nov. 2007)
Preparing for Poster Presentations (University of Dundee, March 2008)
Practical Presentation Skills (University of Dundee, April 2008)
Moderated Regression Workshop (EASP Summer School, Cardiff University, Aug. 2008)
Getting Started with Web Page Design (University of Dundee, Jan. 2009)
Academic Publishing in the 21st Century (University of Dundee, March 2009)
Practical Publishing Workshop (University of Dundee, March 2009)
Advanced MS Word for Thesis Writing (University of Dundee, March 2009)
Read at Speed (University of Dundee, March 2009)
Map Your Mind (University of Dundee, March 2009)
Writing up Qualitative Research (Welcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Edinburgh, June 2009)
Introduction to Teaching & Supporting Learning: Small Group Teaching (University of Dundee, September 2009)
ESRC Media Training for Early Careers Researchers (Economic and Social Research Council, Edinburgh, October 2009)
Structural Equation Modelling(ESRC National Centre for Research Methods, Lancaster University, May, 2010)

Press & Media Coverage

City of Discovery: The Links between Subjective Family Status and Health
http://www.cityofdiscovery.com/news/new-research-points-links-between-subjective-family-status-and-health.html

Revealing Research: The Psychology of People and Places
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/genericskills/outreach/upcoming.htm

Contributions to the Public Understanding of Science

"The Implicit Association Test" An Interactive Demonstration for the School of Psychology Post-UCAS Application Open Day (University of Dundee, October 2008).
"Studying Psychology at the University of Dundee" Presentation for secondary school students for the Discovering Degrees Programme (University of Dundee, March, 2008)
cafe_science_mhairi_bowe.pdf Public Talk for the Cafe Science Extra Series, Sensation Science Centre, Dundee, November 2009)