Stoke Psychology in the Pub returns for 2016/17!

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We are pleased to announce that a new series of the Stoke Psychologist in the Pub talks starts on the 5th October. The series is organised by the British Psychological Society’s West Midlands Branch, the BPS Stoke Hub, and psychologists at Staffordshire University, and very kindly hosted by The Glebe Pub in Stoke.

The Glebe Pub, Stoke-upon-Trent

The Glebe Pub, Stoke-upon-Trent

The talks provide a friendly, informal and inspiring space for anyone with an interest in Psychology, to hear about the latest psychological research being conducted in the West Midlands.

The 2015/16 Stoke Psychology in the Pub series saw a series of great talks from academic psychologists working in Staffordshire University’s Psychology department and universities around the region on subjects as diverse as psychogeography, false confessions, the psychology of art and aesthetics, cyberpsychology and consumer psychology!

The 2016/17 edition of #PitPStoke starts on Wednesday 5th October 2016, 6pm, with a talk by Dr Jo Lloyd (Staffordshire University) titled “Is gambling really the son of avarice and the father of despair?“.

Upcoming talks (may be subject to change) include:

2nd Nov 2016: Dr. Jim Grange (Keele University) “The Reproducibility Crisis in Psychological Science: One Year Later”

7th Dec 2016: Dave Spence, Keele University. “The Psychology of Beliefs: Christmas Special”

1st Feb 2017: Dr. Daniel Jolley, Staffordshire University. “Are Conspiracy Theories Harmless?”

1st Mar 2017: Andrew Wood, Staffordshire University. “Irrational Beliefs in Sport – Helpful or Hindrance?”

The talks take place in the Glebe Pub, Glebe Street, Stoke-upon-Trent, ST4 1HG. Talks start at 6pm and last until 7pm, with opportunities for questions to the invited speaker and networking after the talk has finished. Guests are advised to arrive early to secure a seat and order food/drinks! Directions to the Glebe Pub can be found here.

Students, staff and anyone interested in psychology from the general public are very welcome to attend the talks! No need to book just show up!

Don’t forget that you can join in the Psychology in the Pub conversation using the #PitPStoke twitter hashtag or follow the Staffordshire University Psychology Department twitter feed for live tweets (@StaffsPsych)!

We hope to see you there!

Dr Daniel Jolley blogs on attending the BPS Social Psychology Section Annual Conference

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Dr Daniel Jolley (Lecturer in Psychology) recently attended the British Psychological Society’s, Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, in Cardiff, and blogs about his visit to the conference:

The conference theme “Reclaiming Social Psychology: Interdisciplinary Dialogues” brought together an excellent showcase of Keynote speakers, such as Prof. Clifford Stott (Keele University) and Prof. Rebecca Lawthom (Manchester Metropolitan University), alongside over 140 delegates. The conference had an inspired atmosphere, which could be felt during the Keynotes, Oral and Poster Presentations. There was certainly a buzz throughout the conference.

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Dr Daniel Jolley presenting his research into beliefs in conspiracy theories at the BPS Social Psychology Section Conference.

(Copyright, @DrSimonGoodman)

During the Conference, I presented an Oral Presentation on my current research in to belief in conspiracy theories, intergroup prejudice and contact.  I received some good feedback on this work, so indeed, whilst presenting can be a slightly nerve-wracking experience, presenting new work is very rewarding.

I also delivered, alongside Dr Jane Montague (Derby University), a Postgraduate Workshop on Dissemination in the 21st Century. Jane and I talked through our experiences of academic publishing, the use of Twitter, and reflected on blogging.  The workshop attendees were complimentary of the workshop, and several have already put into practice some of the handy tips we gave them by joining Twitter.

As a declaimer to my positive review, however, I must confess that I am a part of the Conference Organising Committee. This means my role involved such tasks as helping plan the programme schedule (so deciding themes and times of presentations), alongside Chairing sessions throughout the conference. This is the third year that I have been involved in the Conference Organising Committee, and like all the years before, being involved is a fantastic experience that has further developed an array of skills.

If you are interested in learning more about Social Psychology – or attending the Section’s conference – please visit our website.  Hopefully see you there in 2017?

Staffs-Uni-Hi-Res_45-1024x683The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology research and is situated in the heart of England.

The School is home to the recently launched Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research, a hub for research excellence for psychology research at the University. The Centre houses experts from a variety of psychological disciplines (including our renowned Centre for Health Psychology) and offers Postgraduate Training in Research, including Applied Masters by Research courses, MSc in Health Psychology, MPhil/PhDs, as well as Taught Professional Doctorates in Health and Clinical Psychology.

Interested in a Psychology degree? Come to an Open Day – for further details, and to book your place at an upcoming Open Day, please visit: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

Professor David Clark-Carter wins a BPS Lifetime Achievement Award!

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Staffordshire University’s Professor David Clark-Carter will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Psychological Society for his contributions to teaching and research methods nationally and internationally.

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David has worked at Staffordshire University since 1989 and is currently the Professor of Psychological Research Methods. Throughout this time David has inspired generations of students and his seminal text Quantitative Psychological Research: the Complete Student’s Companion is popular across many institutions.

From the development of a half degree in psychology on a Modern Studies course, through to the first ever BPS accredited Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology and MSc in Health Psychology, David has been central to course and programme development at Staffordshire University’s Centre for Health Psychology.

Dr Amy Burton, Course Director for the MSc in Health Psychology at Staffordshire University, was part of the team who nominated David. She commented:

“Having studied both my BSc and MSc at Staffordshire University I have experienced first-hand David’s approach to supporting and educating students. It is a pleasure to work alongside David on our MSc and Professional Doctorate Health Psychology courses and see our students benefit from the inspiration and support I valued in my own student journey.”

Judy David, Academic Group Leader for Undergraduate Psychology Programmes added:

“David’s influence with psychological research methods education runs to literally thousands of researchers, academics, students and professionals, in the field of Psychology. His influence on Psychology as a Science cannot be overstated; he has shaped the discipline as a whole. We are so proud to have him on our team here at Staffordshire.”

Outside of the University David has also provided quality assurance for the BPS Accredited Qualifications, contributing to syllabus design and acting as Chief Examiner for BPS Qualifying Examination Research Methods module.

On accepting the award, David said:

“My approach to education has always been to try to empower the next generation of psychologists so that they feel they can use their subject to solve problems involving humans, regardless of the domain.  This notion has guided my approach to public engagement in that I try to show how psychology can address everyday issues from its unique perspective.

“In addition to the joy of seeing those I’ve taught go on to do great things, I have benefitted, as the only way to know whether you truly understand something is to try to explain it to someone else.  I am extremely honoured to be given this award.”

Find out more about Staffordshire University’s range of Psychology courses here.

This is a reposting of a Press Release from Staffordshire University and the British Psychological Society.

Interested in Psychology? Come to an Open Day & find out more about Psychology courses at Staffordshire University.

Curious about how psychologists test and observe behaviour? Thinking about taking a Psychology degree or a related course?

Come to one of Staffordshire University’s Open Days and find out more! Book your place via: www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

Staffs Psychology Graduation 2016 Gallery!

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The Psychology Department held their Annual Graduation Ceremony at the beautiful Trentham Estate in July 2016. See the below gallery for images of our Graduating Class of 2016:

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Psy1The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees situated in the heart of England.  We produce internationally recognized research in our Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research which informs our teaching and is conducted in collaboration with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.

Interested in a Psychology degree? Come to an Open Day – for further details, and to book your place at an open day, please visit: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

How is problematic online gambling related to experiences of self-harm and suicidal ideation?

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Dr Jo Lloyd

Dr Jo Lloyd, Lecturer in Psychology at Staffordshire University and a member of the Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research, blogs about her recently published study investigating online gamblers’ experiences of self-harm and suicidal thoughts:

This week, a piece of research I carried out with colleagues at Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry has been published in the academic journal, International Gambling Studies. The study, ‘Thoughts and acts of self-harm, and suicidal ideation, in online gamblers’ set out to explore how factors such as demographics, gambling motivations, and mood disorders relate to the likelihood of having contemplated, or engaged in, self-harm.

There has been considerable research into the links between problem gambling and both depression and suicide, but how problematic gambling links to self-harm is less well understood. Because we were able to recruit a large sample of over 4,000 gamblers to this study, we wgambling_blogere able to explore the links in detail. While many of the risk factors identified echoed those for non-gambling-specific self-harm in the general population, there were also some interesting novel findings, which could have important implications for assessment and treatment. I found it particularly intriguing that those who gamble as a means of mood modification were more likely to have self-harmed, and not only because of their gambling problems. Gambling and self-harm can both be maladaptive ways of coping, and in an earlier 2010 study we found that gambling for mood modification was significantly associated with gambling problems and other mood disorders. Further research to explore these factors in ‘offline’ gamblers, and those seeking treatment, has the potential to help improve our understanding of how best to help people who experience difficulties related to gambling and self-harm.

You can read Dr Lloyd’s new publication via the below link:

Staffs-Uni-Hi-Res_45-1024x683The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology research and is situated in the heart of England.

The School is home to the recently launched Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research, a hub for research excellence for psychology research at the University. The Centre houses experts from a variety of psychological disciplines (including our renowned Centre for Health Psychology) and offers Postgraduate Training in Research, including Applied Masters by Research courses, MSc in Health Psychology, MPhil/PhDs, as well as Taught Professional Doctorates in Health and Clinical Psychology.

Interested in a Psychology degree? Come to an Open Day – for further details, and to book your place at an upcoming Open Day, please visit: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

Using Psychology to compete like an Olympian – Prof Marc Jones explains!

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Prof Marc Jones

Professor Marc Jones, Head of the School of Psychology, Sort and Exercise, was recently featured on the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest Podcast discussing how psychological knowledge can be applied to help Olympians manage their stress levels and emotions during competitions.

Professor Jones’ research into how individuals respond to stress via threat and challenge states offers a unique explanation for how athletes could better manage the pressures during competitions. You can hear Marc’s interview via the below link:

BPS Research Digest – Episode 7: Use Psychology To Compete Like An Olympian

Marc was also featured on the BBC Radio Stoke Lee Thomas Evening Show in August 2016 discussing Adam Peaty’s gold medal at the Rio Olympics and the psychology behind managing stress in competitive sports.

BBC Radio Stoke (iPlayer) – Lee Thomas Show (link expires end August 2016 – interview starts from 1hr 06 mins into the programme)

Interested in studying Psychology? Staffordshire University offers a range of courses in Psychology, including our popular BPS Accredited BSc Psychology and BSc Sport & Exercise Psychology courses.

Staffs-Uni-Hi-Res_45-1024x683The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees and is situated in the heart of England.  We produce internationally recognized research which is driving knowledge in this area forward and we work with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.

Interested in a Psychology degree? Come to an Open Day – for further details, and to book your place at an open day, please visit: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

Growing Success at the Fourth Staffordshire Health Psychology Conference!

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Dr Rachel Povey (Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology) reports on a successful conference held by Staffordshire University’s Centre for Health Psychology:

At the end of June, Staffordshire University’s 4th Health Psychology Conference took place in the Science Centre. This year the conference had grown to 50 delegates who included undergraduate and postgraduate students, graduates, and external partners. The conference had a real buzz about it and as well as the usual oral paper presentations, this year’s programme included posters and workshops for the first time. The conference organization for this year had also changed, with a group of health psychology trainees collaborating with me in the planning and running of the conference (Lisa Cowap, Nicola Stenberg and Harpreet Sohal).

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The oral programme was kicked off by Adam Boughey, a 4th year trainee who presented a behaviour change intervention using yoga for smoking cessation. A number of thought-provoking papers followed, some of which focused on outcomes of research, others were more reflective discussions from trainees on the Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology. The conference finished with a fascinating keynote from Dr Daniel Masterson, a Health Psychologist and recent graduate of the Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology. Daniel presented his interesting and challenging work as a health psychologist working in the novel environment of urban planning.

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Dr Daniel Masterson delivers his keynote talk on urban planning

Prizes were awarded to current PhD Student Sian Calvert for the best poster for her work investigating healthy eating behaviours and social norms in high schools, and to health psychology trainee Harpreet Sohal for the best oral paper. Overall, the conference was a great success, with lots of positive feedback including “one of the best conferences I have attended” and “it has inspired me to conduct further research”.  A great day all round!

 Staffordshire University – The Home of Health Psychology

Staffordshire University’s Centre for Health Psychology is a Psy1centre of excellence for teaching and research in Health Psychology, and is home to Staffordshire’s BPS Accredited Stage 1 MSc in Health Psychology and BPS Accredited Stage 2 Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology. The Centre for Health Psychology is part of the School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise, one of the leading research-active academic schools for Psychology and Sport degrees situated in the heart of England.

For further information about Health Psychology courses and research at Staffordshire University please visit the following webpages:

MSc Health Psychology Graduates Talk at the Stoke-on-Trent Health Literacy Group Meeting

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The Health Literacy Group (Stoke-on-Trent) hosted an event on 24th June 2016 at Keele Hall. The event was organised by Mike Oliver from the Stoke-on-Trent Council Public Health Team who is also a current MSc Health Psychology student at Staffordshire University.

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Mike Oliver facilitating discussions during the Health Literacy event

‘From Ideas to Action: Update and Moving Forward’ encouraged attendees to share ideas and good practices for promoting health literacy for people living in Stoke-on-Trent.

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Jo Protheroe, delivering her keynote speech

Jo Protheroe, Chair of Health Literacy UK, and Lesley Mountford, Director of Public Health for Stoke-on-Trent, were keynote speakers at the event. They shared health literacy statistics and examples of how health literacy can influence a person’s ability to maintain good health.

After the keynotes there were eight presenters who showcased examples of health literacy initiatives and good practice in Stoke-on-Trent. One of these presenters was our Sarah Higgins, who shared her findings on nutrition label health literacy from her research conducted whilst on the MSc Health Psychology course.

Sarah commented: ‘It was wonderful to hear about so many successful health literacy projects in Stoke-on-Trent and to share my research findings with the group. The passion and motivation to influence health literacy in the area is truly inspiring!’

After the presentations group discussions took place to discuss the examples of good practice as well as feedback on future actions to promote health literacy. For more details please follow the Stoke-on-Trent City Council Twitter account (@SoTCityCouncil) and the #HLStoke hashtag.

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 Staffordshire University – The Home of Health Psychology

Staffordshire University’s Centre for Health Psychology is a Psy1centre of excellence for teaching and research in Health Psychology, and is home to Staffordshire’s BPS Accredited Stage 1 MSc in Health Psychology and BPS Accredited Stage 2 Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology. The Centre for Health Psychology is part of the School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise, one of the leading research-active academic schools for Psychology and Sport degrees situated in the heart of England.

For further information about Health Psychology courses and research at Staffordshire University please visit the following webpages:

Could you design and conduct a psychological experiment in one day?

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On Wednesday 11th May 2016 the Psychology Department welcomed sixteen psychology students from Stoke-On-Trent Sixth Form for an ‘Experiment in a Day Workshop’. The interactive workshop provided the students with an opportunity to develop and run memory-based experiments whilst gaining insights into the Psychology technical resources available in the department.

Paul Gallimore and Sarah Higgins, Technical Sarah-H paul-GSkills Specialists in the Psychology Department and members of the Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research, delivered the workshop with assistance from George Fortune, a current second year Staffordshire Psychology Student Advocate. In the session, the sixth form students defined the different memory processes and engaged with tasks to test apply their knowledge. Afterwards they then ran their own experiments on student participants from the sixth form to collect data to take away and analyse for a report set by their teacher.

There were four different experiments that the students had a chance to build, all of which tested different types of memory processing from recognition tasks to encoding tasks. One of the experiments ran by the students was the Stroop Task (pictured below) which required their participants to identify the ink colour words were written in. Once the data was collected the group discussed the findings for each of the experiments and provided suggestions to explain the results collected.Stroop Task

Students who took part in the workshop were asked for their feedback, with all students in attendance stating that they enjoyed the workshop, particularly the practical elements. Some students mentioned that they liked being able to take part in the experiments as well as conducting them. Whereas other students mentioned that they enjoyed using the psychology equipment / software and enjoyed the interactive quiz and tasks integrated within the workshop.

If you would like to come and have a go at some experiments and see the equipment that we have to offer why not attend our next open day?

Interested in Psychology? Come to an Open Day & find out more about Psychology courses at Staffordshire University.

Curious about how psychologists test and observe behaviour? Thinking about taking a Psychology degree or a related course?

Come to one of Staffordshire University’s Open Days and find out more! Book your place via: www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

Dr Sarah Rose talks about her Children’s TV Viewing & Creativity research on BBC Radio

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Dr Sarah Rose

Dr Sarah Rose, Lecturer in Developmental Psychology & Award Leader for the BSc Psychology & Child Development, has been featured on local BBC Radio Stations discussing her research into the effects of viewing television on Children’s creativity. Dr Rose’s research investigates whether viewing fast or slower paced episodes of television programmes (Postman Pat) has an immediate positive or a negative impact on children’s creativity.

Sarah explains her most recent findings in two interviews with BBC Radio in Stoke-on-Trent and Shropshire.

To listen to the interviews click on the below links to the BBC iPlayer website (links to the programmes will expire in late August 2016):

Dr Rose is the Director of the Staffordshire Children’s Lab and has a specific research interest in understanding the development of children’s creative abilities. The Children’s Lab is part of the Staffordshire Centre for Psychological Research which is home to psychological research at Staffordshire University.

For more information about the Children’s Lab, their research and ongoing studies seeking participants please click here.

Interested in Psychology? Come to an Open Day & find out more about Psychology courses at Staffordshire University.

Intrigued by Dr Sarah Rose’s research? Wonder whether screen time is actually having more negative than positive effects on child health and development? Thinking about taking a Psychology degree or a related course?

Come to one of Staffordshire University’s Open Days and find out more! Book your place via: www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

Find out about our Psychology degrees, including our BSc Psychology & Child Development degree which received 100% Student Satisfaction (2015 National Student Survey) and our other highly rated Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses.

The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees and is situated in the heart of England. We produce internationally recognized research which is driving knowledge in this area forward and we work with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.