About

This blog is written by me as I work a Teaching Fellow at Oxford Brookes University.  it is important to note that the views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of my employer. 

Prior to starting work at Oxford Brookes University, I completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Exeter (2006), a Masters degree in Social Science Research Methods at Cardiff University (2007), a PhD in Psychology at Cardiff University (2011), and a research post at Keele University.

The research post involved looking at children’s humour use and how this may be linked to bullying and victimization, and in turn to psychological maladjustment. It was undertaken in collaboration with Claire Fox (Keele University) and Simon Hunter (University of Strathclyde).

My PhD research, supervised by Antony Manstead (Cardiff University) and Andrew Livingstone (University of Stirling) concerned how school bullying may be explained at a group level, and in its social context. More specifically, I looked at  how children’s perceptions of school bullying scenarios change, depending on whether they share group membership with either the perpetrator or the target of such bullying. I also investigated how the experience of group-based emotions, such as guilt or shame, affects children’s appraisals of bullying, and their subsequent desire to act in bullying situations. You can read more about my research by accessing articles in my resume. .

Alongside teaching, I am working on a project investigating collective action and bystander intervention against bullying, This aims to show how emotions such as anger, and a sense of injustice, can motivate groups to take action against those who perpetrate bullying.