Social Psychology and Social Issues
The Social Psychology and Social Issues research theme focuses on understanding the complex interplay between individual development, social interaction, and the broader societal structures that shape human experience. We are centrally concerned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and Goal 4 (Quality Education), as we strive to promote social cohesion and equity across the lifespan.
Members of the group have interests in intergroup relations and peacebuilding, child and adolescent development in social contexts, social justice and prejudice reduction, and the psychological impact of socio-economic disparity. We also explore the future of human connection, investigating how digital tools, non-verbal communication, and AI ethics influence social inclusion and wellbeing.
The group embraces a range of methodological approaches, including longitudinal developmental studies, experimental social psychology, psychometric validation, and innovative qualitative and arts-based methods. We are committed to working in partnership with external stakeholders—including schools, healthcare providers, NGOs, and policymakers—as critical enablers for achieving Sustainable Development Goals by mobilizing resources and sharing knowledge across sectors.
The Social Psychology and Social Issues research theme includes three specialized hubs that allow for focused collaboration and research activity:
- The Centre for Identity and Intergroup Relations (CIIR)
- The Kids in Context Lab
- The Social Interactions Lab
Research Areas
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An EPSRC project was developed with the following aims:
- To gather new evidence about how GEIs should be designed and implemented, so that STEM academics have positive attitudes towards them and engage with them.
- To use this evidence to design a unique set of training resources to chage attitudes towards GEIs, and test these resources across thje three institutions.
- To make these resources freely available to all EPS departments in the UK.
Dr Gary McKeown has created a research programme at the School of Psychology that seeks to understand human emotional communication in itself but with an added application of informing computational science and commercial partners how to take advantage of these discoveries.
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Through a mixture of language analyses and psychological experiments, this research programme investigated the narratives that populists use to influence public understandings of group identities, and whether these could be challenged. Initial research from my PhD focused on politicians and News Media, as two of the most prominent sources of populist political narratives, across three liberal democracies (UK,US, and Australia).
Find out how this project is developing
- We have provided expert testimony on intergroup contact and its benefits to the NI Department for Education commissioned Independent Review of Integrated Education
- We are involved in EU Special Funding Body project to evaluate the impact of the PEACE IV Programme on Children and Young People
- We are involved in an ESRC GCRF Networking Grant which aims to implement and evaluate Shared Education in NI to the Balkans region
- By exploring the way in which identity and intergroup relations play out within divided societies, our work directly impacts programmes and policies to promote social cohesion.
Professor Turner’s is interested in intergroup contact and prejudice looking at predictors and outcomes of different forms of intergroup contact in reducing prejudice, including cross-group friendships.
She took part in an award winning Channel 4 documentary on tackling racism in schools. Based in a London comprehensive school and spread across three weeks, a multicultural class of 24 Year 7 students took part in a series of activities as part of their normal school day. Taught by their regular teachers, the pupils were observed by a team of experts through each stage of the experiment.
Watch how the experiment took place and its outcome.