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Department News

Are we on ‘autopilot’ when we (do not) engage across social divides?

Stefania Paolini and Patrick Kotzur are thrilled to share a new Nature Reviews Psychology article together with a team of world-class international intergroup contact scholars.
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Durham psychologist’s pioneering work leads to creation of UK’s first PMDD charity

Dr Sophie Hodgetts, Assistant Professor in our world-leading Department of Psychology, has played a central role in shaping national Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) research.
Dr Sophie Hodgetts is pictured against a black and white background

Covid lockdowns set back children’s development for years

Children who started school during the Covid-19 pandemic may be experiencing lasting setbacks in their ability to self-regulate and adapt to new situations.
Two primary school-aged children in a class setting completing a worksheet

What autistic people – and those with ADHD and dyslexia – really think about the word ‘neurodiversity’

Dr Amy Pearson from our Department of Psychology is part of a team exploring terminology associated with different forms of neurodivergence. Here, the researchers discuss their findings into what autistic people, and those with ADHD and dyslexia really think about the word ‘neurodiversity’.
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Identity distress drives poor mental health in autistic people

A new study from our Department of Psychology has found that identity distress (difficulty forming a cohesive identity) could be a behind the higher rates of poor mental health experienced by autistic people.
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What we’ve learned about narcissism over the past 30 years

You’ve probably seen the word “narcissist” thrown around online in headlines, on dating apps or in therapy-themed TikToks. But the label that people often unthinkingly slap on toxic bosses or reality TV villains hides a much more complicated psychological picture. Here our Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, Sarah Walker, explores the evolution of our knowledge of narcissism over the last three decades.
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Study shows the lack of ‘me time’ for new mothers

New mothers only have about an hour out of their waking day for rest, according to new research by our psychologists.
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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder harms relationships for both sufferers and their partners – new study

Assistant Professor in Psychology Sophie Hodgetts explains the findings from her groundbreaking research on PMDD.
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Our ape cousins show us empathy has deep evolutionary roots – new research

Dr Jake Brooker and Professor Zanna Clay of the Department of Psychology cover their research showing the softer side of apes.
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The ‘morning shed’: a brief history of the sometimes dangerous lengths women have gone to look beautiful

As TikTok’s latest beauty fad goes viral, Dr Louise N Hanson of the Department of Psychology reflects on trends throughout history.
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Children’s perception of normal body shape is affected by who they see around them – new research

Professor Lynda Boothroyd, from our Department of Psychology, discusses the flexibility of body weight perceptions in children and young adults, as part of a first-of-its-kind study.
Silhouettes of a child growing through to an adult

Spotlight on: Professor Fuschia Sirois – transforming how we understand wellbeing

Our ‘Spotlight on’ feature showcases the work of our world-leading academics. Professor Fuschia Sirois, in our Department of Psychology, is pioneering a more compassionate approach to understanding the risk and resilience factors that shape health and wellbeing.
Professor Fuschia Sirois smiling to camera
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