Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Psychological Science

Albury-Wodonga Campus

Research

The School has an impressive research record in four key areas; Clinical and Health Psychology; Cognitive and Developmental Psychology; Behavioural Neuroscience; and Social and Cultural Psychology, with senior, active researchers leading teams in each of these areas. There are a number of research focus groups in the School including the Social Psychology Research group, Complex Decisions Group, and the Child Development Unit.

Research by staff at the Albury-Wodonga campus has been reported at numerous local and international conferences, and is published in books and refereed journals. Our research contributes to knowledge in Psychology more generally, and to understanding the issues and challenges faced by people living in “the bush”.

Staff research interests
Dr Michael Halloran - Developing and applying knowledge from Social Psychology to our understanding of intergroup relations, social identity, cultural maintenance and change, attitude change, existential anxiety and Indigenous issues.

Dr Brad Wright - Interests in psychophysiology (e.g., hormonal & immunological systems) and its relationship to stress, as well as areas investigating the effects of interventions on populations that include; disability workers, sportspeople and individuals with chronic illness.

Ms Sharon Zahkary - Determinants of patient satisfaction, paediatric outcomes measurement, and family-centred care in paediatrics.

Current Student-Staff research projects

4th year
Heather Craig and Brad Wright: Investigation into factors affecting adherence with prophylactic medication

Travers Loy and Brad Wright: Occupational stress: Comparing the Job Demand-Control-Support model and Effort-Reward Imbalance models with white collar workers

Shaun O'Brien and Brad Wright: Understanding the relationship between chronic stress and physiological reactivity: Identifying individuals ‘at risk' of stress-related illness.

3rd Year
Brad Wright (CI), Jacinta Adams, Heidi Cochrane, Janine Davies, Christopher Dishot, Danielle Eddy, Yvette Eriksen, Krista Kuljurgies, Cathryn Porter, Ben White.
Title: Acute stress, physiological responses and ill-health: Exploring new relationships.

Michael Halloran (CI), Sharon Zakhary (CI), Antona Ward, Michael Giannone, Joel Valente,  Sarah Taylor,  Kate Rixon,  Sonja Tilev,  Evelyn Horne,  Zoe Robertson,  Laura Skow,  Jessica Turner,  Monique Butt.
Title: The effect of psychological threats on optimisim about future health.

*CI - Chief Investigator