Applied research for 'real-world problems'
A NEW psychology research group has been launched to tackle real-world problems and improve people’s quality of life.
Academics from Manchester Metropolitan University joined forces to launch the Applied Psychology and Wellbeing Group, expertise from a range of areas of psychology under a united research umbrella.
World-class studies from the group will draw on the wealth of knowledge encompassing health psychology and behaviour change, community psychology, applied cognitive measurement, forensic psychology and performance psychology.
Researchers are already focusing on mental toughness, paranormal beliefs, disability, how memory works, sports psychology and elite performance, eyewitness and expert witness evidence, body image and smoking cessation.
Impact
Professor Sarah Grogan whose research includes a Medical Research Council-funded smoking prevention project, is the lead for the group.
She said: "Our work primarily focuses on solving real-world problems, to ensure that our theoretically-strong work has an impact outside academia.
"We are engaged in wide-ranging inter and multi-disciplinary research in health services, disability and rehabilitation, education, sport and exercise, the business community, learning disability, and other areas of applied behavioural science.
“The key aim is to produce high-quality research in applied psychology that impacts outside academia as well as being published in international psychology journals.”
The group was officially launched this month featuring demonstrations of facial morphing, mind-ball, biopac and posters from all research clusters. Department of Psychology head Prof Christine Horrocks introduced the group followed by a keynote talk from Prof Suzie Skevington, from Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, University of Manchester.
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Manchester Metropolitan University is a leading university for the professions and a powerful driver of the North West economy.
The University educates and trains large numbers of the region’s legal and business professionals, scientists, engineers, teachers, health workers and creative professionals. It enjoys an excellent reputation for teaching and applied research and is a recognised innovator in partnership working with its local communities. The University is currently investing almost £300 million in its estate and facilities.