School of Psychology

Prior to starting work at Keele University, Sian completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Exeter (2006), a Masters degree in Social Science Research Methods at Cardiff University (2007), and a PhD in Psychology at Cardiff University (pending).

Currently, Siân is working on an ESRC Research Project that examines the role that different humour styles may play in the maintenance and resistance of bullying. Bullying is a social process, but little research has focused on the social functions of humour in children (which may include bullying) or the way that these functions develop through childhood and adolescence.  With Claire Fox and Simon Hunter (University of Stirling) she is investigating the importance of humour as both a means by which perpetrators of bullying may get at their targets (through maladaptive humour) and as a means by which targets might be protected from bullying (by using adaptive humour).

Sian’s PhD research, supervised by Antony Manstead (Cardiff University) and Andrew Livingstone (University of Stirling) concerned how school bullying may be explained at a group level, and in its social context. More specifically, she looked at how children’s perceptions of school bullying scenarios change, depending on whether they share group membership with either the perpetrator or the target of such bullying. She also investigated how the experience of group-based emotions, such as guilt or shame, affects children’s appraisals of bullying, and their subsequent desire to act in bullying situations.

Forthcoming

Jones, S.E., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (in press). Fair-weather or foul-weather friends? Group processes and children’ s responses to bullying. Social Psychology and Personality Science.

Jones, S.E., Bombieri, L., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (in press). The role of norms and social identities in childrens responses to bullying. British Journal of Educational Psychology.[pdf]

2011

Jones, S.E., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (2011). Ganging up or sticking together? Group processes and children’s responses to bullying. British Journal of Psychology, 102, 71-96. [pdf]

Jones, S.E., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (2011). Group norms and children’s responses to bullying. Invited Talk at University of Kent, Canterbury (January).

2010

Jones, S.E., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (2010). Fair-weather or foul-weather friends? Social identity and children’s responses to bullying. Talk presented to the BPS Social Section Conference, Winchester (September)

2009

Jones, S.E., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (2009). Birds of a feather bully together: Group processes and children’s responses to bullying. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 27 (4), 853-876. [pdf]

Jones, S.E., Manstead, A.S.R., & Livingstone, A.G. (2009).Group Processes and Children’s Responses to Cyberbullying. Presented as part of the BPS Social Section Symposium, Sheffield, Social Identity on the Playground (September).

Jones, S.E., Livingstone, A.G. & Manstead, A.S.R. (2009). Group processes and children’s responses bullying. Poster presented to the Antisocial Behaviour in Schools Conference, University of Greenwich (September).

Jones, S.E., Livingstone, A.G. & Manstead, A.S.R. (2009). Group processes and children’s responses cyberbullying. Talk presented to the PsyPAG Annual; Conference, Cardiff University (July).

2008

Jones, S.E., Haslam, S.A., York, L., & Ryan, M.K. (2008). Rotten apple or rotten barrel? Social identity and children’s responses to bullying. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16, 117-132. [pdf]