Lecturer in Psychology
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons.) Psychology, first class, University of Glasgow
- MSc (with distinction) Research Methods in Psychological Science, University of Glasgow
- PhD Psychology, University of Glasgow
Teaching Role
- Lecture on Intelligence and Personality on Level 1 Foundations to Psychology
- Tutor on Level 2 Research Methods in Psychology
- Tutor on Level 2 Social Processes and Lifespan Development
Research Interests
- Emotion word processing: I am interested in both how we process emotion words and how they can be applied in real life to influence attitudes and behaviour. I have investigated the reading of emotional words using brain imaging (EEG), eyetracking, and behavioural measures.
- Impression formation and employability on social networking sites: I am interested in how we extract individuals’ personal information from sites such as Facebook, and how this is used to form impressions of them and judge them in relation to specific roles, e.g., as an employee or colleague.
Recent Research Projects
- Is a mean machine better than a great ride? It depends on your regulatory focus – this study demonstrated that the use of positive and negative language in the description of a product can influence readers’ attitudes towards that product, even when the underlying message is the same. This is often linked to their motivational state.
- Emotional words and emotional memories – participants were cued with emotion words and asked to think of the first memory that came to mind. The emotionality, vividness, and valence of the memories associated with different types of emotion words were examined.
- More than friends: Popularity on Facebook and its role in impression formation – this study investigated which aspects of Facebook profiles are responsible for conveying a profile owner’s popularity, and how this information influences others’ impressions of their personality and attractiveness.
Recent Conference Presentations
- Scott, G.S., O’Donnell, P.J., & Sereno, S.C. (2010, January). Product evaluation: The roles of regulatory focus and emotional language. Presented (poster) at the Society of Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.
- Sereno, S.C., Scott, G.S., Leuthold, H., & O’Donnell, P.J. (2007, July). Emotion word processing: Behavioural, electrophysiological, and eye movement evidence. Presented (talk) at the EPS / Psychonomic Society meeting, Edinburgh.
Recent Publications
- Scott, G.G., O’Donnell, P.J., & Sereno, S.C. (2012) Emotion words affect eye fixations during reading. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, in press.
- Scott, G.G., O’Donnell, P.J., Leuthold, H., & Sereno, S.C. (2009). Early emotion word processing: Evidence from event-related potentials. Biological Psychology, 80, 95-104.
Contact Details
Luton campus
Park Square
Luton, LU1 3JU
T: +44 (0)1582 489321
