Social Identity and health.

This relatively new line of research investigates the role of social identity in helping people cope better with lifes challenges - how do the groups we are part of buffer stressful experiences? How can we maximise group identity to help people recover from illness or addiction?

(Pic by Yoichi R. Okamoto)

Alcohol is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. Most research focuses upon the effect of alcohol upon individuals. Abrams, Hopthrow and myself are developing a model which explores how some of the effects of alcohol, such as decreased vigilance and poorer decision making, can be ameliorated by group membership.

Psychosocial processes - particularly cardiac responses to situational stressors

By examining how peoples blood pressure, ventricular contractility and heart beat change in different situations, we can tell whether they feel challenged (able to approach situations) or threatened (leading to avoidance). We are in the process of applying this to the above research areas.

Reactions to ingroup deviance (a.k.a. Dealing with Rule Breakers).

The social groups we belong to are an important part of our identity. When members of our groups break the rules of the group it can damage how positively the group is viewed, and in turn how we view ourselves. This line of my research examines how we react to rule breakers - when we try to persuade them, when we punish them and when we just plain avoid them!

(Pic by Yoichi R. Okamoto)