Research in Psychology

Our research, which has been recognised as being world-leading, spans across five key areas of psychology - Cognitive, Social, Developmental, Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical

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Our research tackles fundamental questions of human mind and behaviour, including groundbreaking research exploring the human capacity for language, higher-level thought, self-regulation, and social connection. Taking a lifespan perspective, and answering questions at neural, behavioural and societal level, we aim to advance our understanding of human beings in context.

We also aim to apply our research to deliver societal impact, consulting and working with local councils, charities and corporations in order to facilitate knowledge exchange, and secure optimal outcomes. To realise the university mission to transform lives on a local and global scale, basic and applied research must work in concert, and we champion the integration of these activities in our teaching and research profile.

Our research focuses on two themes:

Social Inclusion and Health
girl sitting working at computer

This encompasses research from social, developmental and evolutionary psychology and aims to answer questions on how our social experiences impact upon our health outcomes.

Social inclusion and health research
Human Communication and Learning
Little girl using a tablet

This investigates the fundamental cognitive processes that underlie our everyday interactions, across the lifespan and across diverse populations.

Human Communication and Learning research