Humans as animals and objects: the psychology of dehumanisation. This project will clarify how some individuals and groups as perceived as less than human. It will examine how some groups are subtly seen as animal-like and how some media images objectify individuals. It will yield a deeper understanding of how people may be degraded, dismissed, vilified and dehumanised.
A social psychology of affective disturbance. We are in the midst of a depression and anxiety epidemic that cannot be explained by focusing on individual experiences alone. We desperately need to understand the cultural contributors to depression and anxiety, thereby providing insight into the epidemiology of these conditions. Drawing on experimental studies, longitudinal sampling of daily emotional experiences, and multi-national data, the research will show how cultural contexts may exacerbate ....A social psychology of affective disturbance. We are in the midst of a depression and anxiety epidemic that cannot be explained by focusing on individual experiences alone. We desperately need to understand the cultural contributors to depression and anxiety, thereby providing insight into the epidemiology of these conditions. Drawing on experimental studies, longitudinal sampling of daily emotional experiences, and multi-national data, the research will show how cultural contexts may exacerbate individual-level affective disturbance and demonstrate the processes through which occurs. The findings will make a timely and much needed contribution to public policy decisions and preventive health care.Read moreRead less
Emotion regulation in daily life: Capturing context and flexibility. This project aims to understand the role of contextual and individual factors in effective emotion regulation in daily life. The ability to manage emotions is central to virtually every aspect of psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. However, because research in this domain has relied heavily on laboratory methods, very little is known about emotion regulation as it naturally occurs in daily life. Using cutting-edge mobile te ....Emotion regulation in daily life: Capturing context and flexibility. This project aims to understand the role of contextual and individual factors in effective emotion regulation in daily life. The ability to manage emotions is central to virtually every aspect of psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. However, because research in this domain has relied heavily on laboratory methods, very little is known about emotion regulation as it naturally occurs in daily life. Using cutting-edge mobile technologies, this project aims to uncover when, and for whom, various forms of emotion regulation are most effective in daily life. Besides a significantly improved scientific understanding of emotion regulation, this project is expected to inform the development of novel person - and situation-specific interventions in the many applied domains involving emotion regulation.Read moreRead less
Welfare receipt, demoralisation and mental health: how can welfare reform promote personal wellbeing and social inclusion? Welfare recipients are more likely to experience mental disorders and have poor wellbeing than non-recipients, and this can be a barrier to employment. This project examines the factors that may improve their mental health, promote employment outcomes, and help the Commonwealth Government develop effective welfare reform policies.
The impact of outdoor youth programs on positive adolescent development: an empirical evaluation. This project will seek to ensure that the nation's outdoor resources are fully utilised for the benefit of young people. Accordingly, this project will conduct the first comprehensive randomised controlled trial of a structured outdoor youth program in order to inform more strategic investment in outdoor programs to promote positive youth development.
The Power of Causal Attributions: Genetic Essentialist Biases and Health. Great advancements in the science of genetics are accompanied by increased public propensity to attribute causality to the genes for diverse outcomes such as abilities, social group differences, attitudes, and diseases. These genetic attributions activate cognitive biases termed Genetic Essentialist Biases, which have been shown to instigate a variety of deleterious outcomes. The project will evaluate hypothesized detrimen ....The Power of Causal Attributions: Genetic Essentialist Biases and Health. Great advancements in the science of genetics are accompanied by increased public propensity to attribute causality to the genes for diverse outcomes such as abilities, social group differences, attitudes, and diseases. These genetic attributions activate cognitive biases termed Genetic Essentialist Biases, which have been shown to instigate a variety of deleterious outcomes. The project will evaluate hypothesized detrimental effects of genetic attributions on actual health behaviours, endorsement of health policies, and disease related stigma. Furthermore, it will test interventions designed to reduce the negative effects of such attributions on attitudes, beliefs, intentions, and behaviours related to a common disease. Read moreRead less
Discriminatory acts and young adults with disabilities in public places. Young Australians with disabilities face pervasive disadvantages and institutional discrimination in many areas of life excluding them from social and economic participation. This project builds on this knowledge to investigate the inter-personal discrimination young people with disabilities experience in public and the impact of this discrimination on their social, economic, cultural and emotional lives. The potential outc ....Discriminatory acts and young adults with disabilities in public places. Young Australians with disabilities face pervasive disadvantages and institutional discrimination in many areas of life excluding them from social and economic participation. This project builds on this knowledge to investigate the inter-personal discrimination young people with disabilities experience in public and the impact of this discrimination on their social, economic, cultural and emotional lives. The potential outcome of this project will be a better understanding of the range and impact of actions and behaviours that young people with disabilities experience as discriminatory, violent or unsafe in public in Australia today.Read moreRead less
New directions in health inequalities research: understanding the intersection between housing, employment and health in Australia. People employed on a casual basis in Australia are nearly three times more likely to live in a household that is in housing affordability stress than their permanently employed counterparts. Employment and housing are both determinants of health. While social inclusion, employment and housing affordability are critical components of the government's current social p ....New directions in health inequalities research: understanding the intersection between housing, employment and health in Australia. People employed on a casual basis in Australia are nearly three times more likely to live in a household that is in housing affordability stress than their permanently employed counterparts. Employment and housing are both determinants of health. While social inclusion, employment and housing affordability are critical components of the government's current social policy agenda, articulation between these policy domains is limited and little researched. This important study will provide robust evidence on the ways that housing and employment interact to both cause and prevent health inequities. This will directly benefit agencies delivering services to vulnerable people and contribute to an evidence base of benefit to policy makers.Read moreRead less
Enhancing adolescent mental health through positive education. Positive education is a preventative, strengths-based approach to address the mental health needs of young people in schools. This project will use innovative methods to examine the contribution of positive education to adolescent mental health, and to social and learning outcomes; and will also guide effective and widespread dissemination of positive education, more generally.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100536
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Early identification of young people at risk of offending behaviour and mental health issues following traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury is common during childhood and has been linked to increased rates of antisocial and criminal behaviour in young adults. Accurate methods for predication and identification are vital to enable appropriate interventions targeted at high risk youth to reduce offending rates and will be the focus of this research.