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School of Psychology

Research- Social Group

The social psychology group is a large, vibrant, active, and eclectic group of academic staff and postgraduate students. The group has a wide variety of research interests, often with a focus on issues surrounding social justice and the applications of social psychology. The group does research on topics such as:

  • Group dynamics and organisational climate
  • Intercultural communication
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Psychosocial issues in medically assisted reproduction
  • Refugees, immigration, and resettlement
  • Self and identity
  • Stereotyping and prejudice

Cutting across these research interests is a multi-methodological expertise, with group members variously adopting and adapting experimental, survey, and discursive methods.

STAFF MEMBERS IN THE SOCIAL RESEARCH GROUP

Name

Main Research Interests

Iain Walker

Stereotyping and prejudice; social cognition; social representations.

Paul Bain

Human values and virtues; lay theories and beliefs; cognitive structure of concepts; psychological essentialism; infrahumanisation.

Bonnie Barber Adolescent and young adult social relationships across life transitions; long-term benefits of organized sport and activity participation; positive development in divorced families.

Pia Broderick

Psychology of fertility and infertility; male and female health issues; attitudes and motivation in human tissue donation; attachment and psychological adjustment in children and adolescents; alternative family formation.

Ngaire Donaghue

Future representations of self; motivated cognition; self-concept and affect; implicit theories of self; social representations of consciousness.

Tim Kurz

Environmental Sustainability; Social Construction of Gender; Stereotypes and Prejudice; Discourse Analysis.

Anne Pedersen Attitudes toward different cultural groups (in particular refugees and Indigenous Australians) and applying such findings practically
Max Sully

Work values; organizational change; conflict management; work/life balance.

Craig McGarty Bolstering commitment to positive social change through group-based interaction. The categorization process in social psychology and the processes of stereotype formation and change. Group-based emotions including collective guilt. Public opinion and collective action.