Our research
Our research cuts across several areas of social and personality psychology.
Current research
Our current research revolves around three main themes:
Social emotions and judgements
- Social (e.g., nostalgia, happiness) and moral (e.g., disgust, anger, shame, and guilt) emotions in relation to psychological wellbeing and tolerance.
- Stereotyping and social judgements about the perceived competence, morality and warmth of other individuals and groups.
- 2020 - British Academy – Leverhulme Small grant The World Needs Hope. Investigators: Russell, P.S., Cohen-Chen, S., Rusconi, P & Fasoli, F.
- 2020 - SME Innovation voucher Investigating the Psychological Factors influencing Insect Consumption (2020). Investigators: Russell, P.S, & Knott, G.
- 2017 - Heroes against Homophobia. British Academy. This project, conducted by Peter Hegarty, Sophie Russell and Sebastian Bartos examined whether positive emotions can block the prejudice that is prompted by the emotion of disgust. You can read more about it on the British Academy blog.
Gender and sexuality
- Language, voice, and communication (e.g., parent-child talk, media-representations) in relation to homophobia, gender-stereotyping and sexual objectification.
- Promotion of equality and social change (e.g., feminism, collective action) and the reduction of prejudice and discrimination (e.g., sexual harassment, benevolent sexism).
- 2025 – IGNITE Network+ Flexible Fund (PI: Fabio Fasoli, Co-I: Marco Reggiani). Enhancing Inclusion: Evaluating, Co-Creating, and Implementing Effective Practices to Address Barriers for LGBTQ+ Researchers in STEM and Energy
- 2024-2025 – EDI Caucus Flexible Fund (PI: Fabio Fasoli, Co-Is: Hannah Frith, Noelia Noel, Susan Hutton). Breaking Barriers in Research Funding Applications: Evaluating Narrative CVs and Co-Designing Solutions for Application Processes
- 2021-2022 - ESRC Impact Accelerator Grant, Harriet Tenenbaum (PI), Aife Hopkins-Doyle, Lauren Spinner, Lindsey Cameron, Teaching Gender Equality: A Toolkit for Teachers
- 2021 - British Academy – Leverhulme Small grant (PI: Aífe Hopkins-Doyle, Co-I: Harriet Tenenbaum). Investigating the role of essentialism in children’s acceptance of, and attitudes toward, social exclusion.
- 2020-2024 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks, Prof Dr. Sabine Sczesny, (Co-Is: Yvonne Benschop, Andrea Carnaghi, Sylvie Graf, Marie Gustafsson Sendén, Peter Hegarty, Margreth Lunenberg, Carola Richter, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Harriet Tenenbaum (Surrey PI), G-VERSITY
- 2020 - British Academy – Leverhulme Small grant (PI: Fabio Fasoli, Co-PI: Jane Ogden). Humour as a way to counteract the effects of sexual objectification.
- 2016-2018 - Beyond ‘Straight Talking’: The Consequences of Vocal Cues to Sexual Identity for Modern Prejudice (H2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships. Fellow: Fabio Fasoli
The self and interpersonal relationships
- Individual differences in personality, the self and identity (e.g., narcissism, moral identity, self-stereotyping) and their impact on social behaviour and interpersonal relationships.
- Interpersonal dynamics (e.g., talk between parents and children, peers, and romantic partners) and their consequences for equality and psychological wellbeing.
- 2025-2028 – ESRC Research Project grant (PI: Erica Hepper, Co-Is: Bridget Dibb, Constantine Sedikides, Tim Wildschut). Dyadic Nostalgia in Couple Relationships.
- 2022-2023 - UK South Korea Connections Grant, Michaela Gummerum (PI), Harriet Tenenbaum, Matthew Easterbrook, Lindsey Cameron, Yvonne Skipper, Jinkyung Na (Co-Is). Children's Perceptions of Socio-economic Inequality in South Korea and the United Kingdom. ESRC.
- 2020 - British Academy – Leverhulme Trust Small Research Grant (Hepper, E.G., Wyles, K., & Gatersleben, B.). Don’t judge me, Greta: Narcissism and environmental defensiveness.
- 2019-2021 - BPS Symposium Series on “Children and Inequality” Harriet Tenenbaum with Michaela Gummerum and Julie Dickinson.
- 2018-21 - Erasmus+, Dr. Sonia Ingoglia (PI), Harriet Tenenbaum (Co-I, Surrey PI), Nora Wiium (Co-I), “Children’s Voices for a New Human Space”.
Social development
- Socio-moral development throughout the lifespan (e.g., reactions to offline/online bullying)
- The role of relationships with peers, parents, siblings, and teachers on children’s social media use, understanding of rights and social justice, and mental health.
- 2022-2023 - UK South Korea Connections Grant, Michaela Gummerum (PI), Harriet Tenenbaum, Matthew Easterbrook, Lindsey Cameron, Yvonne Skipper, Jinkyung Na (Co-Is). Children's Perceptions of Socio-economic Inequality in South Korea and the United Kingdom. ESRC.
Publications
For publications, please see each member's individual web page.