Biography

I joined the School of Psychology as a lecturer in social and community psychology in October 2016, having previously worked part-time as a module assistant and seminar leader for the School.

I completed both my undergraduate degree (with foundation year) and PhD at Keele University. My PhD was supervised by Prof Michael Murray and Dr Alex Lamont and examined by Prof Catherine Campbell and Prof Judith Sixsmith.

Between completing my PhD and re-joining Keele University, I worked as a research associate at the University of Liverpool.

Research and scholarship

As a social and community psychologist, my research interests are broadly around health promotion, inclusion, justice and equality. My interests fall into 3 strands: 1) community-based and participant-led health promotion, 2) understanding processes of social change and 3) the health promotion of vulnerable or marginalised groups. I’m interested in theoretically-driven research utilising feminist and critical social psychological theories to both promote change and understand the processes involved in action.

I’m experienced in qualitative document analysis, interviews, focus groups, community arts and photovoice as well as survey and experimental methods. I’m particularly interested in innovative and creative qualitative research methods, including document and video analysis, community arts, world café, future workshops and photovoice.
I welcome contact from potential PhD students interested in health, wellbeing and inclusion across the life-course or with marginalised communities.

Teaching

Year 1:

  • Module Leader - PSY-10036: Introduction to Research Design for Psychology
  • PSY-10019: Applied Psychology
  • PSY-10018: Individuals in Society
  • PSY-10017: Cognitive and Biological Psychology
  • PSY-10015: Research Methods 1
  • PSY-10020: Natural, unnatural, supernatural: the psychology of unusual phenomena

Year 2:

  • PSY- 20013: Qualitative and Survey Research Methods
  • PSY-20034: Social Psychology in the Modern World

Year 3:

  • PSY-30077: Health Psychology
  • PSY-30096: Happiness and Wellbeing
  • PSY- 30061: Final Year Project

MSc:

  • Module Leader - PSY-40036: Qualitative Research Methods
  • PSY- 40015: Dissertation
  • PSY- 40043: Advanced Study in Social and Community Psychology
  • PSY- 40039: Advanced Research Skills and Design
  • PSY-40077: Advanced Study in Applied Social & Political Psychology
  • PSY-40079: Advanced Study in Health Inequalities

Publications

  • Murray, M., & Wright Bevans, K. (2017). Methods for Community Research, Action and Change. In J. Brooks, & N. King (Eds.), Applied Qualitative Research in Psychology. Palgrave.
  • Murray, M., & Wright-Bevans, K. (2015). Social Engagement: Community. In S. Davidson & P. Rossall (Eds.), Improving later life. Vulnerability and resilience in older people. (pp. 22–24). London: AgeUK.
  • Sherman, S. M., Follows, H., Mushore, A. B. R., Hampson-Jones, K., & Wright-Bevans, K. (2015). Television advertisements create false memories for competitor brands. Journal of Applied Research In Memory and Cognition, 4(1), 1-7.
  • Jones, S. E., Fox, C., Gilman, H., James, L., Karic, T., Wright-Bevans, K., & Caines, V. (2013). ‘I’m being called names and I’m being hit’. Challenges of longitudinal research on bullying amongst 11–13-year-olds. Pastoral Care in Education, 31(4), 321-336.

Roles

  • Programme Lead for Psychology with Placement Year
  • Open Day and Offer Holder Day Team Member
  • Outreach and Events Co-ordinator
  • Member of University or School Research Ethics Committee

School of Psychology
Dorothy Hodgkin Building
Keele University
Staffordshire
ST5 5BG

Psychology School office
Tel: +44(0)1782 731831
Fax: +44(0)1782 733387
Email: psychology@keele.ac.uk

Accessibility
Accessibility information for Dorothy Hodgkin Building can be found on its AccessAble page.