Psychology collection
The Department of Psychology offers some of the most popular and highly-rated undergraduate courses at Otago. It provides excellent preparation of students for careers in research and the profession of Psychology. Students from the postgraduate programme have achieved national and international recognition and awards and a number have gone on to positions in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, UK and the USA.
For further information go to the Department of Psychology.
Recent Deposits
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Direct and Mediated Relationships of Schizotypy with Suicidal Anticipation and Dread
Common and severe mental disorders, including those on the schizophrenia spectrum, are associated with an elevated risk for suicide. There is also strong evidence that suicide is associated with risk for mental disorder. ... -
Involvement of the Prelimbic cortex and Nucleus accumbens in the interaction between attention and motivation
Schizophrenia is a major neurodevelopmental disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population. In New Zealand this means that around 30,000-45,000 individuals are affected (Murray, 1996). Individuals diagnosed with ... -
Memory function in borderline personality disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric condition that involves impairment in multiple areas of psychological functioning including disturbed cognition, impulsivity, and intense unstable relationships. ... -
“The Key for Giving Out Our Life Story”: Explorations of Longitudinal Research Participants’ Constructions of the Data-Sharing Debate
Sharing the data upon which scientific findings are based has been gaining traction in social science research. Current literature suggests that while data-sharing policies should be tailored to suit the populations they ... -
An empirical test of the minimalism theory of theory of mind development
Introduction. The Minimalist account of theory of mind (ToM) development contends that ToM develops through exposure to repeated behaviours and, later, mental state utterances. Patterns in these actions and utterances are ... -
Elucidating the Relationship between Borderline Personality Disorder and Intimate Partner Violence
This was the first research project to examine the established Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) relationship comparing the DSM-5 traditional categorical personality disorder (PD) ... -
Exploring the role of psychological flexibility in the management of fatigue-related disability in rheumatic disease
Fatigue is one of the most debilitating symptoms of rheumatic disease. Despite advances in medical treatments, fatigue persists for many people with rheumatic disease and remains a major contributor to functional disability. ... -
Best Practice Guidance for Working with Transgender Community Members in Health Professional Teaching
The relationship between teaching staff and transgender community members is integral for the success of education sessions that these community members contribute to. In order for good learning outcomes for students, and ... -
The Role of Self-Compassion in Influencing First-Year Students' Mental Health
In a recently published report, the New Zealand Student Association reported that 56% of tertiary students across New Zealand had considered dropping out at some point during their time at university. Major triggers for ... -
It's not Black and White: Examining the Underlying Motives Behind Prejudice and Discrimination
Research concerned with evaluating the motivational basis of intergroup discrimination has tended to focus on the role of self-esteem. Decades of research has, however, failed to find a consistent association between these ... -
Conscious decisions to move and cortical movement preparation: which comes first?
The idea that conscious decisions determine our actions has been challenged by a report which suggested that the brain starts preparing for a movement before the conscious decision to move (Libet et al., 1983). Since they ... -
Elucidating the Relationship between Psychopathic Personality Traits and Fearlessness: A Reconsideration of the Low-fear Hypothesis
Deficits in fear have long been posited as an important etiological factor in the development of psychopathy, a personality disorder characterized by severe interpersonal and social impairments masked by an outward appearance ... -
Social problem solving and language skills in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often have difficulties interacting socially with peers and adults. The research in this thesis explored the social problem solving skills and social functioning ... -
Design and evaluation of a mobile decision support system for screening neurodevelopmental disorders
New Zealand has the highest rate of youth suicide in the developed world. Young persons with ADHD and ASD, amongst other neurodevelopmental disorders, are at greater risk for depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide ... -
Keep Calm and Belong to be Strong: Social identity developed through an Adventure Education Programme foster resilience in Māori and New Zealand European youth.
Research on the Social Cure has demonstrated the undeniable importance of belonging to social groups and the impact that this has on one’s functioning, quality of life, health and well-being. Here, we extend this research ... -
The analysis of intra task fluctuation of Goal Conflict Specific Rhythmicity
Goal Conflict Specific Rhythmicity (GCSR) is a biomarker of an anxiety process based on Gray’s neuropsychological theory of anxiety. It provides an objective definition of anxiety, empirical measure for diagnosis, and aims ... -
The Effect of Memory-Focused Judicial Instructions on Juror Decision-Making
In New Zealand, child sexual assault is highly prevalent and it is not uncommon that there is a delay in reporting the alleged offence. Currently, judges are required to provide judicial instructions regarding memory if ... -
Intra-individual variability of reaction time and subclinical psychosis
Clinical and epidemiological studies have indicated that elevated intra-individual variability (IIV) of reaction time (RT) is a trait phenomenon that indexes vulnerability for a number of clinical conditions, including ... -
Conspiracy theory beliefs: measurement and the role of perceived lack of control
Despite conspiracy theory beliefs’ potential to lead to negative outcomes, psychologists have only relatively recently taken a strong interest in their measurement and underlying mechanisms. In this thesis I test a ... -
Driving to the Conditions: Driver Behaviour in Youths
Young drivers under 25 years are overrepresented in road fatalities and serious injuries worldwide. Past studies have identified that being male and having higher levels of sensation seeking, risk-taking, and self-perceived ...