Student research
Over the last 50 years the research group has hosted more than 50 PhD students, we also co-supervise EngD and PsychD projects. Students have examined a range of topics relating to environmental sustainability, nature and wellbeing, places and space and much more.
Student research
The Environmental Psychology Research Group currently has PhD students conducting research in a wide range of areas.
Examples of past and recent PhD projects
PhD theses can be found online through the University of Surrey Library, University of Surrey - Research Portal. Some examples of completed PhD projects can be found below.
- Atkin (2023). Exploring nature-based interactions after acquired brain Injury. https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.900856
- Cowen, L. (2020). Householders' perceptions of energy use and energy saving. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.00851703
- Dumpfrey, R. (2025). Using motivations to explain pro-environmental behaviours: Leveraging psychometric approaches. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.901568
- Elf, P. (2020). Supporting sustainable lifestyle change: an evaluation of IKEA’s Live Lagom project. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.00853736
- Isham, A. (2020). Flow, materialism, and well-being: exploring the psychology of sustainable prosperity. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.00853100
- Jagannath, S. (2023). Flexibility of the Home and Psychological Wellbeing. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.900712
- Newman, M. (2024). The use of virtual reality in human-environment interaction research. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.901723
- Parker, N., Z. (2023). Goals for Good: Testing an intervention to reduce materialism in three European countries. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.900796
- Ratcliffe, E. (2015). Restorative perceptions and outcomes associated with listening to birds. https://openresearch.surrey.ac.uk/esploro/outputs/9951568260234
- Rieg, N.A. (2025). Organisational Change towards Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.901580
- Shearer, L. A. (2020). Food for Thought: Applying Behavioural Insights to Household Food Waste Recycling Behaviour. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.00853724
- Weber, C. (2020). Privacy fit in open-plan offices : its appraisal, associated outcomes & contextual factors. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.00850409
- White, E. (2020). Perceptions of naturalness. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.00852301
- Wiles, C. (2024). Virtual Reality Nature for Mental Health: Acceptability, Usability, Efficacy, and Development of a VR Nature Intervention. DOI https://doi.org/10.15126/thesis.901125
MSc in Environmental Psychology
Our Master’s students conduct a wide range of fascinating research projects for their final dissertation. Past projects have included examination of privacy regulation in Maggie Centres, attitudes towards different building facades, the impact of workplace personalisation, pro-environmental messages in hotels, affordances in children’s playgrounds.
We encourage students to publish these works. Some examples of published dissertation projects can be found here.
- Azad, S. & Marselle, M. (2024). Thriving Through Stressful Life Events with Nature: A Mixed-Method Study on Tending Indoor Plants and Rumination Resilience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2, 369. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22030369
- Davis, N., & Gatersleben, B. (2013). Transcendent experiences in wild and manicured settings: The influence of the trait “connectedness to nature”. Ecopsychology, 5(2), 92-102. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2013.0016
- Gatersleben, B., & Haddad, H. (2010). Who is the typical bicyclist?. Transportation Research part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 13(1), 41-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2009.10.003
- Golding, S. E., Gatersleben, B., & Cropley, M. (2018). An experimental exploration of the effects of exposure to images of nature on rumination. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2), 300. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020300
- Morten, A., Gatersleben, B., & Jessop, D. C. (2018). Staying grounded? Applying the theory of planned behaviour to explore motivations to reduce air travel. Transportation Research part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 55, 297-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.02.038
- White, E. V., & Gatersleben, B. (2011). Greenery on residential buildings: Does it affect preferences and perceptions of beauty?. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 31(1), 89-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.11.002
- Uzzell, D., & Horne, N. (2006). The influence of biological sex, sexuality and gender role on interpersonal distance. British Journal of Social Psychology, 45(3), 579-597. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466605X58384.
