A wide range of psychological research conducted at the Centre for Psychological Sciences focuses on the broad themes of Identity, Self and Society. Researchers and projects in this area address the psychological factors and social contexts underlying the actions, experiences and interactions of both individuals and groups.
Substantive topics in the area include relevant issues faced by society today. Many of our projects pay attention to the experiences of groups and individuals who are disadvantaged, minoritised or disempowered in some way, while others deal with the ways in which individuals engage with, or experience, political and social processes. Another focus of interest is how people construct their individual and social identities – whether sexual, political, compassionate, religious or academic.
Much of our work is multidisciplinary and methodologically eclectic. Researchers employ a variety of empirical and theoretical perspectives, ranging from experimental methods and personality questionnaires to in-depth qualitative approaches.
Recent and ongoing research programmes in this theme include:
- Engagement with false information on social media,
- Experiences and identity construction of minoritised people,
- Group processes and intergroup relations (including prejudice and discrimination),
- Environmental psychology and climate change,
- The experiences of learners in higher education,
- Audio description and its role in inclusive museum experiences for both blind and non-blind people.
People researching within this theme: