Psychology research themes
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The Discipline of Psychology at UTS has a research-intensive culture, with experienced academics working across seven key research themes:
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We explore the psychological foundations of both healthy and disordered eating (including anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating), in addition to body-image concerns, weight management, and obesity. Our research spans food reward, cue reactivity, habit formation, associative learning, health services use and epidemiology, and prevention and treatment of disordered eating. We welcome PhD candidates and collaborators interested in understanding the mechanisms of eating behaviours, healthy food environments, evidence-based understanding, and interventions in these domains.
Representative research topics
- Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating)
- Body image concerns
- Weight management and obesity
- Food reward / cue reactivity
- Disordered eating prevention
- Habits and associative learning
- Drug and alcohol addiction
Key research questions
- What are the psychological mechanisms underlying adult obesity and weight management?
- What are the barriers that impede successful weight loss and weight maintenance?
- How does anticipation of food or drug rewards influence learning, thinking, and motivated behaviour and how does this differ across contexts (e.g., when tired or stressed)?
- How can we identify and control the conflict between automatic responses to food (or drug) rewards and our 'good intentions?
- How can we monitor and improve the reach and effectiveness of treatments for disordered eating?
- What predicts clinical outcomes for eating disorders (onset and recovery) and can we build prediction models to improve the way we prevent and treat eating disorders?
- How do marketing and food cues affect consumer acceptance of alternative and nature‑based food sources?
Researchers
Deborah Mitchison; Amy Burton; Dean Spirou; Katarina Prnjak; Poppy Watson; Daniel White; Anna Brichacek
Clinical laboratory
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We bring together complementary research into how humans process, learn, and evaluate information across traditional and digital contexts. We examine early childhood development, exploring internal learning mechanisms and external factors that shape language acquisition and cognition. Using eye-tracking and neuroimaging techniques, we investigate reading processes and language processing across diverse populations and abilities. We also study belief formation and social reasoning, focusing on how individuals determine which information to trust based on source reliability and consensus cues. Our research programs bring together fundamental questions about literacy development, misinformation effects, and learning mechanisms across the lifespan, providing insights for supporting effective communication and cognition in our increasingly complex information environments.
Representative research topics
- Language acquisition and processing
- Reading and eye movements
- Digital and traditional literacy
- Misinformation / belief‑updating
- Learning and memory across the lifespan
- Eye-tracking and neuroimaging co-registration
Key research questions
- How are vision, attention, word identification, and language processing coordinated in the brain to enable skilled reading?
- How do readers adapt to digital reading environments to comprehend text?
- How does reading comprehension relate to misinformation susceptibility?
- What are the internal and external factors that drive child development?
- How do we support child growth from their interaction with technology?
- How do we decide who to trust and what to believe?
- How do people incorporate social information (e.g., what other people believe, credibility) into their beliefs?
- What factors in the information environment contribute to the acceptance and spread of sexual and reproductive health misconceptions, and what are the consequences for health behaviours?
Researchers
Aaron Veldre; Saoirse Connor Desai; Liquan Liu; Matt Davidson; Kiley Seymour; Milan Andrejevic; Tarren Leon
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We explore the intersection of human cognition and emerging technologies, addressing fundamental questions about how technology reshapes mental processes and human experience. Our interdisciplinary approach combines cutting-edge neuroscience methods with computational modelling and behavioural analysis. We employ immersive technologies (VR/AR), advanced neuroimaging (EEG/fMRI), and human-computer (AI/LLM) interaction paradigms to understand how the brain adapts to and processes digital environments.
Representative research topics
- VR/AR and immersive interfaces
- Neurotechnology and BCIs
- EEG/fMRI neuroimaging methods
- Multisensory integration and neurofeedback
- AI/LLM ethics and privacy
- Human–computer interaction
Key research questions
- How do we navigate uncertainty in the digital world? What drives ordinary and extraordinary human behaviour in domains like cybersecurity, medical decisions, etc.
- How do people moralise about their interactions with technology?
- How does technology change how we think, act, and interact?
- How can we leverage emerging technologies to better understand the relationship between our brains, behaviour and environment?
- How can we use our knowledge of human psychology and brain mechanisms to build safer human-centred technology?
Researchers
Kiley Seymour; Matt Davidson; Milan Andrejevic; Alex Puckett; Garston Liang; Saoirse Connor Desai; Liquan Liu; Daniel White
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Pain amelioration using mind-body approaches. Mindfulness approaches to palliative care of younger people. Schema applied to cancer, pain, associated distress and in other rehabilitation contexts including neuro-rehabilitation. Accessible interventions (online, APPs, remote working). End of life care. Training non-psychologist clinicians in managing associated mental health distress in medical conditions. Biofeedback for pains. Consumer-led pain support interventions. Loneliness in Endometriosis. Chronic pain experiences in those with Alcohol and Other Drug disorders. Therapeutic alliance in working with children with chronic pain. Flexible goal adjustment in chronic pain treatment. Provision of chronic pain services in rural and remote Australia.
Representative research topics
- Chronic and acute pain mechanisms
- Sensorimotor dysregulation
- Mindfulness‑for‑pain and ACT interventions
- Palliative / oncology psychology
- Neuroimaging of pain
- Rehabilitation outcomes
Key research questions
- Can psychological interventions reduce pain in palliative care settings (e.g., MiCBT, Mindfulness and others)?
- Is equanimity modification the active component in reducing pain in palliative care settings?
- What suits whom in reducing distress in medical conditions?
- Can a stepped care approach be applied in palliative and neuro-rehabilitation settings?
- Does a consumer-led adjunctive social support and learning program benefit people living with chronic pain?
- What influence does loneliness and/or social isolation have on the experience of endometriosis?
Researchers
Toby Newton-John; Ian Kneebone; Alice Shires; Azhani Amiruddin
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Populations are rapidly ageing in Australia and globally, raising urgent questions about how people can maintain wellbeing, autonomy, and quality of life across the lifespan. Our group examines the psychological, social, and environmental determinants of successful ageing from infancy through to older adulthood. We take a lifespan perspective, recognising that experiences and decisions earlier in life shape outcomes in later years. Our research involves interdisciplinary collaborations, diverse populations, and methodologies ranging from controlled laboratory experiments to experience sampling in everyday life.
Representative research topics
- Cognitive ageing
- Emotion regulation
- Purpose and meaning
- Social decision-making
- Trust
- Advice-taking
- Solo ageing
- Intergenerational relationships
- Perceptual learning
Key research questions
- How do social and cognitive factors influence young and older adults' decision-making?
- What are the strategies that sustain or improve meaning in life for older adults?
- How does culture inform age-related differences in behaviour and wellbeing?
- How do emotion regulation strategies and abilities differ across the lifespan?
- How is our developmental trajectory affected by internal and external factors?
- Can intergenerational relationships influence physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development across the lifespan?
Researchers
Phoebe Bailey; Tarren Leon; Catherine O’Gorman; Ian Kneebone; Aaron Veldre; Liquan Liu; Milan Andrejevic
We are aligned with the UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC)
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UTS is a student-centred university working to support students to thrive in all stages of their educational journey. In line with this goal, we advocate for an evidenced-based approach to teaching and learning, with a particular focus on psychology students. Our group members and cross-institutional partners conduct research investigating topics such as artificial intelligence, cultural responsiveness, student transitions from school to university to the workplace, wellbeing, belonging, and retention.
Representative research topics
- GenAI use
- Evaluating training in clinical competencies
- Career readiness
- Transition from school to university to work
- Student wellbeing and belonging
- Retention
- Teacher burnout
Key research questions
- What are the predictors and outcomes of GenAI use among psychology students?
- How can we support successful transitions from school to university and from university to the workplace?
- What are psychology students’ perceptions and expectations of their studies and potential careers as they progress through their degree?
- Can we use technology to enhance learning outcomes in clinical training?
Researchers
Catherine O’Gorman; Kell Tremayne; Daniel White; Phoebe Bailey; Liquan Liu; Tarren Leon; Bethany Wootton
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Our research focuses on innovative approaches to mental health care and wellbeing. We are passionate about enhancing access to evidence-based treatments for people with mental health challenges.
Representative research topics
- CBT and schema therapy trials
- Digital / remote mental‑health interventions
- Mindfulness integrated approaches
- MiCBT and mechanisms of change in mindfulness integrated approaches
- Youth and parenting early‑intervention programs
- Clinical‑decision aids and registries
- Prevention science
Key research questions
- How can we improve outcomes for different therapeutic approaches?
- Are remote treatments effective for various mental health problems?
- How can we enhance client experiences in psychological treatments?
- How do we deliver treatment in novel ways to improve access and improve clinical efficiency?
Researchers
Bethany Wootton; Lawrence Roux; Alice Shires; Alex Puckett; Vesna Basile
Clinical laboratories
Mindfulness Integrated Therapies and research clinic
Supervisors
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- Dr Milan Andrejevic
- Professor Phoebe Bailey
- Associate Professor David Berle
- Dr Amy Burton
- Dr Saoirse Connor Desai
- Dr Matt Davidson
- Professor Ian Kneebone
- Dr Tarren Leon
- Dr Garston Liang
- Dr Liquan Liu
- Dr John McAloon
- Dr Sarah McDonald
- Associate Professor Deborah Mitchison
- Professor Toby Newton-John
- Dr Alice Norton
- Dr Erika Penney
- Dr Katarina Prnjak
- Dr Alex Puckett
- Associate Professor Kiley Seymour
- DrAlice Shires
- Dr Dean Spirou
- Dr Aaron Veldre
- Dr Poppy Watson
- Dr Daniel White
- Professor Bethany Wootton
Current PhD students and topics
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Student Project Primary Supervisor Colleen Alford Understanding and addressing the specific needs of parents/carers of autistic children and adolescents with eating disorders: A parent-based adjunct to standard child and adolescent eating disorder treatment A/Prof Deb Mitchison Stephanie Beavers Exploring change in an adolescent eating disorder day program A/Prof Deb Mitchison Sophie Berry Prevention of Eating Disorders in Schools Dr Amy Burton Harvey Billingham Clinician Perspectives on Trauma Recovery and Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care: Implications for Australian Health Systems Prof Ian Kneebone Ian Boreham Understanding the History and Dimensionality of Purpose in Life and its Implications for Healthy Ageing
Prof Phoebe Bailey Catherine Calvi An Investigation of Loneliness, Body Image Concerns, and Quality of Life in People Living with Endometriosis Prof Toby Newton-John Louise Carpenter The Co-review and Expansion of a Learning Health System in Eating Disorder Treatment A/Prof Deb Mitchison Bree Cavanough Investigating the Interaction between Gait and Global and Local Processing: A VR Study Dr Matthew Davidson Anjana Chalise Phenomenology of Feeling Eureka (aha) Moments: Studying the Neuroscience Behind Cognitive Paradigm and Emotional Impasse Dr Matthew Davidson James Donohoe Protecting Humans in the Digital Era: Examining the Impacts of Technology on Mental Processes and Cognitive Liberty A/Prof Kiley Seymour Isaac Dunn Cognitive Behavior Therapy for LGBTIQA+ Identifying Individuals Prof Bethany Wootton Denise Goggin The Effects of Comorbid Depression and Age of Diagnosis on Group-Delivered Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Adult ADHD Dr Melissa Rouel Jenna Haidar An Investigation of the Trajectory of Emotion Dysregulation from Childhood to Adolescence and the Clinical Implications Dr John McAloon Melissa Lethbridge An Exploration into Suicide Risk Training for Australian Postgraduate Psychology Students Prof Toby Newton-John Hannah McHardy Feasibility and Efficacy of an Online Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Intervention for Transgender and Gender Diverse Young Adults Prof Bethany Wootton Maral Melkonian Stepped Care Treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Prof Bethany Wootton Amarnie Mohammed Program Evaluation of the Next Steps Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program and its Application into Remote and Indigenous Communities A/Prof Deb Mitchison Ellen Parker Mental Health Difficulties amongst Professional and Pre-Professional Dancers Dr Anastasia Hronis Caitlin Pedel The Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy in Minimising Psychopathology in Youth with Internalising Disorders: A Rural/Remote Perspective Dr Anastasia Hronis Terry Rae Therapeutic Dragon Taming: The Effectiveness of a Therapeutically Applied Dungeons and Dragons Group Program in a Public Mental Health Setting Dr Poppy Watson Rivqa Rafael Acceptability and Efficacy of Strengths-Based High-Intensity Remote Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Prof Bethany Wootton Sarah Rees Adapting Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations: A Cultural and Clinical Evaluation Dr Dean Spirou Lawrence Roux Does Cognitive Flexibility Medicate Pain Intensity and Magnitude of Disability in Patients with Chronic Pain Prof Toby Newton-John Catherine Ryan Understanding the psychological aspects of ocean swimming for older adults Prof Phoebe Bailey Rebecca Seah Trauma-Related Shame and Causal Attributions in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) A/Prof David Berle Neeraja Shankar An investigation of the impact of culture on parenting practices and the clinical implications for parenting programs and child outcomes Dr John McAloon Alyssia Simos Understanding the relationships between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Insomnia and Nightmares A/Prof David Berle Melissa Sims Death Anxiety and it's Relationship with Suicidality Prof Ross Menzies Amy Wang A Fully Remote Stepped-Care Treatment Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder Prof Bethany Wootton Halaina Winter Remote Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) Prof Bethany Wootton
Research degree
Contact us
For further information about commencing a research degree in the Discipline of Psychology contact a potential supervisor or email gsh.future@uts.edu.au to make a confidential enquiry.
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