Staff profile

• Investigative Interviewing
• Deception
• Police-civilian interactions
• Intimate Partner Violence and Coercive Control
• Sexual offending
• Cybercrime

Journal Article

• Investigating the relationship between a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in a cognitive task
  
  Kaufmann, A., Watson, S. J., & Friehs, M. A. (2026). Investigating the relationship between a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in a cognitive task. Learning and Motivation, 94, Article 102272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2026.102272
• Examining the effects of evidence disclosure timing and strength on information inconsistencies and provision within investigative interviews
  
  Polman, S., Luther, K., de Almeida, H., Eggers, J., & Watson, S. J. (2026). Examining the effects of evidence disclosure timing and strength on information inconsistencies and provision within investigative interviews. Psychology, Crime & Law, 32(3), 519-542. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316x.2024.2378061
• The power of words: the impact of police interviewer’s judgment error and apology on sexual violence victims in simulated interviews
  
  Oostinga, M. S. D., Rispa Hoyos, M. L. F., & Watson, S. J. (2026). The power of words: the impact of police interviewer’s judgment error and apology on sexual violence victims in simulated interviews. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 33(2), 182-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2024.2377587
• A grounded theory of how consumers determine the veracity of online user reviews
  
  Walther, M., Watson, S., Boden, A., & Stel, M. (2026). A grounded theory of how consumers determine the veracity of online user reviews. Behaviour & Information Technology, 45(4), 694-710. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929x.2025.2528764
• Unmasking Deception: Examining Receivers’ Emotional Responses with Automated Facial Expression Analysis in Veracity and Valence
  
  Slijkhuis, P. J. H., Watson, S. J., Förster, H., Stel, M., & Giebels, E. (2026). Unmasking Deception: Examining Receivers’ Emotional Responses with Automated Facial Expression Analysis in Veracity and Valence. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-026-00506-6
• The effect of tailored reciprocity on information provision in an investigative interview
  
  Weiher, L., Winters, C., Taylor, P., Luther, K., & Watson, S. J. (2026). The effect of tailored reciprocity on information provision in an investigative interview. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 16(1), 102-117. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcp-01-2024-0004
• The link between suspect verbosity during investigative interviews and observer‐rapport
  
  Weiher, L., Beukers, A., & Watson, S. J. (2025). The link between suspect verbosity during investigative interviews and observer‐rapport. Legal and Criminological Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.70019
• KNOWING BETTER, DOING BETTER: THE ROLE OF ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED KNOWLEDGE OF SELF-PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOUR ON PROTECTION MOTIVATION
  
  Bluhm, K., Watson, S., Jansen, J., & Sintemaartensdijk, I. V. (2025). KNOWING BETTER, DOING BETTER: THE ROLE OF ACTUAL AND PERCEIVED KNOWLEDGE OF SELF-PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOUR ON PROTECTION MOTIVATION. IADIS International Journal on Computer Science and Information Systems, 20(1), 23-39.
• Stepwise Driving: A structured intervention for impaired driving: Exploring the views of facilitators and programme attendees
  
  Woolford, R. J., Kahl, K., & Watson, S. J. (2025). Stepwise Driving: A structured intervention for impaired driving: Exploring the views of facilitators and programme attendees. Probation Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505251350077
• How multiple interviews and interview framing influence the development and maintenance of rapport
  
  Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Taylor, P. J., & Luther, K. (2025). How multiple interviews and interview framing influence the development and maintenance of rapport. Psychology, Crime and Law, 31(4), 414-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316x.2023.2265527
• Response-efficacy messages produce stronger passwords than self-efficacy messages … for now: A longitudinal experimental study of the efficacy of coping message types on password creation behaviour
  
  Simon, J., Watson, S. J., & van Sintemaartensdijk, I. (2025). Response-efficacy messages produce stronger passwords than self-efficacy messages … for now: A longitudinal experimental study of the efficacy of coping message types on password creation behaviour. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 17, 100615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2025.100615
• Disclosing Evidence in Investigative Interviews: What Can the Research Tell Us and What Does it Mean for Training?
  
  Oleszkiewicz, S., & Watson, S. J. (2025). Disclosing Evidence in Investigative Interviews: What Can the Research Tell Us and What Does it Mean for Training? Applied Police Briefings, 2(1), 41-43. https://doi.org/10.22215/apb.v2i1.5147
• Questionnaires for evaluating virtual reality: A systematic scoping review
  
  Bareišytė, L., Slatman, S., Austin, J., Rosema, M., van Sintemaartensdijk, I., Watson, S., & Bode, C. (2024). Questionnaires for evaluating virtual reality: A systematic scoping review. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 16, Article 100505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100505
• Perceptions of the freezing response of male and female rape victims, and the moderating role of rape myth beliefs
  
  Ostermann, J. C., & Watson, S. J. (2024). Perceptions of the freezing response of male and female rape victims, and the moderating role of rape myth beliefs. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 14(4), 374-390. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcp-01-2024-0002
• The influence strategies of interviewees suspected of controlling or coercive behavior
  
  Watson, S. J., Luther, K., Taylor, P. J., Bracksieker, A., & Jackson, J. (2024). The influence strategies of interviewees suspected of controlling or coercive behavior. Psychology, Crime & Law, 30(9), 1060-1086. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316x.2022.2144853
• Keeping our wits about us: introducing a bespoke informant interview model for covert human intelligence source (CHIS) interactions
  
  Moffett, L., Oxburgh, G. E., Dresser, P., Gabbert, F., & Watson, S. J. (2023). Keeping our wits about us: introducing a bespoke informant interview model for covert human intelligence source (CHIS) interactions. Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 18(3), 333-352. https://doi.org/10.1080/18335330.2022.2153614
• A systematic literature review about the consumers’ side of fake review detection – Which cues do consumers use to determine the veracity of online user reviews?
  
  Walther, M., Jakobi, T., Watson, S. J., & Stevens, G. (2023). A systematic literature review about the consumers’ side of fake review detection – Which cues do consumers use to determine the veracity of online user reviews? Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 10, Article 100278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100278
• Inside the shadows: a survey of UK human source intelligence (HUMINT) practitioners, examining their considerations when handling a covert human intelligence source (CHIS)
  
  Moffett, L., Oxburgh, G. E., Dresser, P., Watson, S. J., & Gabbert, F. (2022). Inside the shadows: a survey of UK human source intelligence (HUMINT) practitioners, examining their considerations when handling a covert human intelligence source (CHIS). Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 29(4), 487-505. https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2021.1926367
• Towards a desistance-focused approach to probation supervision for people who have committed Intimate Partner Violence: A digital toolkit pilot study
  
  Morris, J., Raducu, A. A., Fuller, M., Wylie, S., & Watson, S. J. (2021). Towards a desistance-focused approach to probation supervision for people who have committed Intimate Partner Violence: A digital toolkit pilot study. Probation Journal, 68(2), 261-281. https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505211002257
• Oral hygiene effects verbal and nonverbal displays of confidence
  
  Taylor, P., Banks, F., Jolley, D., Ellis, D., Watson, S., Weiher, L., Davidson, B., & Julku, J. (2021). Oral hygiene effects verbal and nonverbal displays of confidence. The Journal of Social Psychology, 161(2), 182-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2020.1784825
• A meta‐analytic review of the timing for disclosing evidence when interviewing suspects
  
  Oleszkiewicz, S., & Watson, S. J. (2021). A meta‐analytic review of the timing for disclosing evidence when interviewing suspects. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 35(2), 342-359. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3767
• No evidence for a difference in 2D:4D ratio between youth with elevated prenatal androgen exposure due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia and controls
  
  Nave, G., Koppin, C. M., Manfredi, D., Richards, G., Watson, S. J., Geffner, M. E., Yong, J. E., Kim, R., Ross, H. M., Serrano-Gonzalez, M., & Kim, M. S. (2021). No evidence for a difference in 2D:4D ratio between youth with elevated prenatal androgen exposure due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia and controls. Hormones and Behavior, 128, Article 104908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104908

Presentation

• Justifying the Unjust: How organisations legitimise criminal activity to the public
  
  Watson, S., Weißmüller, K., van den Broek, T., & Krawinkel, J. (2026, June 22 – 2026, June 24). Justifying the Unjust: How organisations legitimise criminal activity to the public. Presented at BASS26: Behavioural And Sciences in Security, Cardiff, UK.
• Can Virtual Agents Teach De-escalation? Virtual Reality & Serious Games for Training De-escalating Communication in Suicide Situations
  
  Oostinga, M., Watson, S., Ospanova, D., Smagul, R., Bovendeerd, L., & Fobbe, M. (2026, June 22 – 2026, June 24). Can Virtual Agents Teach De-escalation? Virtual Reality & Serious Games for Training De-escalating Communication in Suicide Situations. Presented at Behavioural And Social Sciences in Security, Cardiff, UK.