Royal Holloway Psychology

New paper led by @makitotakei.bsky.social!

We found experimental evidence for one of the key theoretical tenets of audience cost theory - those in the challenged country understand that the challenger’s leader would face a punishment for backing down.

Audience costs in the eyes of an adversary - Makito Takei, Chanki Moon, Hirotaka Imada, 2026 Audience cost theory suggests that as a country increases its audience costs, it can send a credible threat to an opponent and prevail in an international crisi...

@makitotakei.bsky.social, Chanki Moon & @hirotakaimada.bsky.social test if target publics see audience costs. US survey (N=1,404): people infer domestic punishment for backing down; credibility is similar for democracies and autocracies.

Read more here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

A Developmentally Informed Study of Sleep and Circadian Polygenic Scores in Adolescence This study uses polygenic scores derived using summary statistics from large adult genome-wide association studies to examine whether genetic variants that are associated with adult sleep phenotypes a...

Genetic variants identified in adult #GWAS may be relevant to #sleep phenotypes in #adolescents. Great work by Katie Lewis! @sleep-rhul.bsky.social @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Are you from the global majority and interested in a career in Clinical Psychology? Join our free online event to find out more.

events.teams.microsoft.com/event/14a6fb...

Research priorities for mental health and circadian science: a priority setting partnership of individuals with lived experience, carers, clinicians and researchers Background Undisturbed circadian rhythms of rest/activity are crucial to health and well-being. There is growing evidence to suggest that circadian rhythm disruptions are also associated with adverse ...

What are the #research #priorities for #mentalhealth and #circadian science? mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/29/1...
Dedicated to @mvonschantz.bsky.social @sleep-rhul.bsky.social @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

Delighted to welcome our friend Stephania to @sleep-rhul.bsky.social lab from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). It was wonderful to hear about your work on #sleep in #twins. @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

PhD Studentships

If you are looking to do a #PhD on #healty and #wellbeing with a focus on #impact - please get in touch with me by the end of Feb

@rhulpsychology.bsky.social

www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and...

“If there was no stigma around it, I would tell people”: perspectives of UK youth living with perinatally acquired HIV, their social networks and healthcare professionals on HIV status sharing Sharing one's HIV status with others is complex for youth with perinatally acquired HIV (PAH). However, the support from sharing one's HIV status may assist with HIV-related challenges. This study ...

Youths with HIV want to be open about their HIV status, but researchers, including Michael Evangeli at Royal Holloway, found that this desire is influenced by stigma and cultural silence: www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/...

Researchers, including Michael Evangeli at Royal Holloway, found that activity levels, disclosure and support among South Africans with chronic pain in a high HIV prevalence setting were influenced by income, stigma and gender, not HIV.
bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/1...

📢 New Alopecia Meta‑Synthesis

• Identity changes
• Acceptance varies
• Concealment taxing
• Coping shaped by others
• Support unmet needs

Personalised psychological care + co‑produced services

=>
bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@rhulpsychology.bsky.social @bjhpsych.bsky.social

I am also hiring a PhD student (4-years, home student only to join the project, starting in September 2026🌏

Please share it widely!
www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-her...

Professor Kathleen Rastle

Professor @kathyrastle.bsky.social, from @rhulpsychology.bsky.social, has spent her career investigating the science behind reading.

She has helped transform classrooms in the UK. Now, she’s looking at what children are learning in classrooms around the world.

More: ow.ly/OVJQ50XXg1Y

I am hiring a 4y postdoc for my Leverhulme-funded project on the role of beliefs about what in/outgroup members believe/do about climate change in shaping pro-climate behaviours🌏

Start date: May 2026 at latest
Deadline: Feb 8

Please share it widely!

jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

In January, I will be recruiting a PhD student (4y/domestic tuition) and a postdoc (4y) to work on a 5y project about the role of beliefs about what in/outgroups value/do/believe in shaping one's climate action. Please keep an eye out for the job advert if you are interested🙏🔥

Co-presenting today with my doctoral trainee Ana Calladine- Personalising Process-Based Therapy Day

We lack direct evidence for personalising paediatric headache care — and our proof-of-concept study is promising.

More soon… publication on the way! 📢
@iasp.bsky.social @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

"If I have a very strong belief that I have a very fragile heart, for instance, then the slightest flutter or increase in heart rate, might be really meaningful and alarming. That preconception shapes my experience of my body in that way." (Professor Ryan McKay, Department of Psychology)

Research infusing the national health conversation 🎧

Professor Ryan McKay, of @rhulpsychology.bsky.social, recently contributed his expertise on the role beliefs play in our perception of health on BBC Sounds podcast, 'What’s Up Docs?' by Chris and Xand van Tulleken.

bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Huge congratulations to our recent graduate Ellie Carre for winning the @britishneuropsych.bsky.social Undergraduate Prize for her final-year project - and for delivering a fantastic talk at the Autumn Meeting! 👏 @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

Results finally in!

So what are the effects of #kefir on symptoms, sleep, and gut microbiota in children with ADHD? #sleep #adhd #microbiome @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

rdcu.be/eRFxI

Ran a workshop on psychological flexibility for Oxford staff — great conversations on resilience, values, and managing everyday pressures. Grateful for the engaged group

Staff wellbeing is foundational to effective,sustainable university services

@rhulpsychology.bsky.social @oxforduni.bsky.social

"Read more about how digital technology and artificial intelligence are used in asylum claims" with an arrow pointing to infographic.

Asking big questions about the use of AI in asylum claims

Professor @aminamemon.bsky.social and Dr Zoe Given-Wilson from @rhulpsychology.bsky.social are investigating the ethical and practical implications of digital tools in the asylum process.

Read more: ow.ly/N1hi50XtBMq

Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: Postdoctoral Teaching Associate Full-Time, Permanent/Fixed-Term - One permanent appointment and one 12-month appointmentApplications are invited for a Post-Doctoral Teaching Associate post in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holl...

Postdoctoral teaching associates: Two full-time posts, one permanent, one for 12 months
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: Teaching Associate Part-Time, Permanent - X2 positions availableApplications are invited for a permanent Teaching Associate position to work at .80 FTE. The post sits in the Department of Psychology, School of Life Scie...

Teaching associates: Two permanent posts at 0.8 FTE
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

We have four teaching-focused positions available, with a start date of early January. Please share widely and tag anyone who may be interested!

Teaching associates: Two permanent posts at 0.8 FTE

Postdoctoral teaching associates: Two full-time posts, one permanent, one for 12 months

Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: Lecturer in Psychology (Research & Teaching) Full-time, PermanentApplications are invited for a post of Lecturer in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, starting 1 April 2026. The post is open to ambitious, researc...

🚨We are looking for a scholar to join us as a lecturer (teaching & research contract, full-time, permanent), starting 1 April 2026! The application deadline is 1 December 2025.

jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: Postdoctoral Teaching Associate Full-Time, Permanent/Fixed-Term - One permanent appointment and one 12-month appointmentApplications are invited for a Post-Doctoral Teaching Associate post in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holl...

FOUR teaching roles available at @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

Interested in joining a large teaching focused group, in a wonderfully supportive, dual excellence department? Check out the job adverts below:

jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Each year, our third-year DClinPsy trainees form a committee to organise the annual programme conference. This year’s theme is Health Inequalities, with an excellent line-up of speakers exploring disparities. Here are a few of the committee members setting up for the day.

Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: Lecturer in Psychology (Research & Teaching) Full-time, PermanentApplications are invited for a post of Lecturer in the Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, starting 1 April 2026. The post is open to ambitious, researc...

🚨We are looking for a scholar to join us as a lecturer (teaching & research contract, full-time, permanent), starting 1 April 2026! The application deadline is 1 December 2025.

jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Our new study is out

Self-as-Context (SAC): a promising tool for managing cancer-related pain.
SAC

- can support active coping with cancer pain
- a more stable sense of self during distress
- More EMA research needed
🔗 www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13...

@myacbs.bsky.social @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

|| New Study ||
Community-based ACT helps in the rheumatic management of pain and emotions
Body awareness, mindfulness, and values: key but dynamic

bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Community delivery=accessible psychosocial care
@myacbs.bsky.social @rhulpsychology.bsky.social

🌍 Day 1 of Demystifying Personalization in Psychotherapy kicks off in Athens!
Diving into Process-Based Therapy- reimagining how we personalize care in mental health
Let’s move beyond protocols - toward processes empowering change
@karekla.bsky.social @myacbs.bsky.social @rhulpsychology.bsky.social