Dr Richard Stephens

Title:	Lecturer in Psychology
Phone:	(+44) 01782 7 33600
Email:	r.stephens@psy.keele.ac.uk
Room:	DH1.75
Roles:	Lecturer Year 3 Tutor School of Psychology

Background and Research Interests:

Richard Stephens ahs been lecturing at Keele University School of Psychology since September 2001, having joined the School in August 1999 as the Post-Doctoral Research Fellow on the Wellcome Trust sponsored study: 'Is football heading a cause of neuropsychological impairment?'. I've previously held the positions: Higher Psychologist at the Health and Safety Executive, Sheffield (1995-1999), and Research Associate at the Institute of Occupational Health in the University of Birmingham (1992-1995).

His PhD, 'Chronic neuropsychological health effects in sheep dippers', was related to a Health and Safety Executive funded project by supervised by Dr Anne Spurgeon and awarded by Birmingham University in 1996. His first degree, Life Sciences (Psychology) BSc (Hons) was awarded by Westminster University (formerly the Polytechnic of Central London) in 1992.

His research interests are the study of a range of influences on human cognitive performance. Richard has researched cognitive effects of exposure to organophosphates, heading footballs, chewing gum, hangover, mercury in tooth fillings, use of energy drinks, and mobile phone radio frequency fields. A related research interest is examining the psychometric properties (including age-related slowing) of substitution tests, e.g. the Digit-Symbol test.

Key Publications:

Selected Outputs

• Stephens, R., Ling, J., Heffernan, T.M., Heather, N & Jones, K. (2008). A review of the literature on the cognitive effects of the alcohol hangover. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 43, 163-170.

• Rutherford, A. & Stephens, R.  (2007).  Does football heading impair cognitive function?  In H.C. Sentowski (Ed.), Cognitive Disorders Research Trends (p7-50).  New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1600215667.

• Stephens, R. (2006). Age-related decline in Digit-Symbol performance: Eye-movement and video analysis. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 21, 101-107.

• Stephens, R., Rutherford, A., Potter, D. & Fernie, G. (2005). Neuropsychological impairment as a consequence of football (soccer) play and football heading: A preliminary analysis and report on school students (13-16 years). Child Neuropsychology, 11, 513-526.

• Rutherford, A., Stephens, R., Potter, D. & Fernie, G. (2005). Neuropsychological impairment as a consequence of football (soccer) play and football heading: Preliminary analyses and report on university footballers. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 27, 299-319.

• Stephens, R., & Tunney, R.J. (2004). Role of glucose in chewing gum-related facilitation of cognitive function. Appetite, 43, 211-213.

• Stephens, R., & Sreenivasan, B. (2004). The effects of long-term low-level organophosphate exposure on orchard sprayers in England: A neuropsychological investigation. Archives of Environmental Health, 59, 566-574.

• Rutherford, A., Stephens, R. & Potter, D. (2003). The neuropsychology of heading and head trauma in Association Football (soccer): A review. Neuropsychology Review, 13, 153-179.

• Stephens, R., & Sreenivasan, B. (2002). Analysis of substitution test performance using eye movement and video data. Applied Neuropsychology, 9, 179-182.

• Stephens, R. (2001). Feasibility of the use of eye movement data in the analysis of neurobehavioural test performance. Environmental Research, 85, 53-57.