Ken presents at BERA2018 on identity and norms effects on approach to learning

Ken had the opportunity to present two studies on discipline social identity, deep learning approaches, peer and instructor norms, and the implications for academic grades. The British Educational Research Association conference is a large and diverse educational conference hosted around the UK each year. Ken presented two research studies, both of which have now been … Read more

Social Identification and Academic Performance: Integrating Two Existing Models of Tertiary Student Learning

We have now had this paper accepted at Educational Psychology. This was a collaboration between Ken and colleagues at the Australian National University. Abstract: Recent research has mapped the ways social identification and normative influence affect students’ self-reported learning approaches and course experience, and also, the ways in which social identification and learning approach impact … Read more

Kerry O’Brien completes his PhD

Congratulations to Kerry for completing his PhD changes in time for the recent graduation ceremony. Kerry explored several ways of using framing to either make particular identities more salient, or to influence the meaning of those identities. Kerry’s PhD is titled “Framing issues and identities: Aligning the content of group identity with the meaning of issues … Read more

Learning behaviour and outcomes: Social influence and field of study

This is an article by Lillian Smyth, Kenneth I. Mavor,  and Michael J. Platow published in the Social Psychology of Education (2017). The research reported in this paper was part of Lillian’s PhD project on discipline identification, peer norms and approaches to learning. In this paper we confirm the association of both identity and norms with deep learning approaches as … Read more

Self and Identity Processes, Stress, and Resilience: Invited Talk

Symposium on Burnout and Resiliency in Medical Education Participants from across Scotland and further afield gathered in the Gateway building at St Andrews to discuss recent work on building resilience in medical education. The importance of improving the well-being of medical students and professionals has been a growing priority in recent years. As part of … Read more

Lillian Smyth awarded PhD

Congratulations to Lillian on completing her corrections and submitting the final thesis for the award of her PhD!  Lillian’s thesis is entitled “Putting the Student in Context: A social and normative model of learning approaches and their outcomes”.  Lillian has one paper already published from her PhD: Smyth L., Mavor, K. I., Platow, M.J., Grace, D. … Read more

Ken gives “Beyond Prevalence to Process” talk to the School of Medicine in Dundee

The Seminar series run by the College of Medicine Dentistry and Nursing in Dundee is a wonderful opportunity to explore the implications of the self and identity process model of medical student well-being.  

Ken gives conference keynote at GRASP 2014, Linköping, Sweden

Ken had the terrific opportunity to present a keynote address entitled “Encapsulating the things that matter: Exploring identities for learning, social action and well-being” at the GRASP conference in Sweden on May 23rd (9th Nordic conference in group- and social psychology).   The GRASP conference attracts an interesting mix of researchers from across Scandinavia who are … Read more

“Prevalence to Process” paper in Medical Education

There is a well-established literature showing the higher prevalence of stress and threats to wellbeing in medical students. There is a well-established literature showing the higher prevalence of stress and threats to wellbeing in medical students.  In this paper we argue for the importance of researching specific psychological processes that might exacerbate or moderate these … Read more

Identity and norms: The role of group membership in medical student wellbeing

McNeill, K. G., Kerr, A, and Mavor, K. I. (2014) Perspectives on Medical Education Kathy McNeill has had her first, first-author paper published from her PhD work on identity and medical student wellbeing. Congratulations Kathy! We also continue to work with Annelise Kerr, who is a medical student at the ANU, and did her Medical … Read more