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Dr Wendy Iredale

Senior Lecturer

School of Psychology and Life Sciences

I am social psychology lecturer within the School of Psychology Politics and Sociology.

I have a number of research interests in the area of social evolutionary psychology which include, altruism, sexual selection, generosity and environmental behaviours. I joined Canterbury Christ Church University in October 2014, prior to joining I was a lecturer at the University of Kent and Sheffield Hallam University. I completed my PhD ‘Altruism as a Mate Signal - The role Sexual Selection in the Evolution of Human Altruism’ in 2009 from the University of Kent.

I am the module convenor for Individual Differences & Group Processes (year 3) and Personality and Individual Differences (year 2), in addition I teach on Research in Psychology (year 1) and Influences on Social Functioning (year 2).

My research interests include altruistic behaviour and why we help others at the cost to ourselves. I have an emerging research profile in this area, my current projects include:

  1. The eyes have it! Photographs of eyes on computer screens increase giving behaviour – Implications for online charity giving
  2. Helping others in situations of mass panic - Exploring the role of altruism in collective resilience
  3. Good genes or good behaviours - do females select mates based on attraction or altruism?
  4. Does the type of altruistic behaviour matter? Non-reciprocal altruism is seen as a stronger attractive mate trait.

Research Projects

  • Eyes on the screen: Exploring the watching-eyes effect on altruistic behaviour in online and field environments.. Researcher(s): Dr Kelly Jenner. Supervisor(s): Dr Wendy Iredale, Dr David Vernon. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • The use of instrumental beaming and of phrasing slurs in Art Songs, and whether either feature helps in practice to facilitate sight-singing and/or learning.. Researcher(s): Mr Alan Rooke. Supervisor(s): Dr Wendy Iredale, Ms Georgia Volioti, Professor Robert Rawson. [Postgraduate Research Project]

I am currently working with Medway council on a School funded project – ‘Being seen to be green: Exploring whether images of eyes on public information posters promotes energy conservation behaviour in local council buildings’