Professor Karen Douglas
Professor of Social Psychology
TEF Coordinator
About
Professor Karen Douglas is a Professor of Social Psychology, and Director of Graduate Studies (Taught) in the School of Psychology.
Research interests
Karen's research focus is on beliefs in conspiracy theories. Why are conspiracy theories so popular? Who believes them? Why do people believe them? What are some of the consequences of conspiracy theories and can such theories be harmful? She is also interested in the social psychology of human communication, including the influence of technology on social interaction, and the psychology of sexist language.
Key publications
- Douglas, K.M., Uscinski, J., Sutton, R.M., Cichocka, A., Nefes, T., Ang, J., & Deravi, F. (2019). Understanding conspiracy theories. Advances in Political Psychology, 40 (S1), 3-35. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pops.12568)
- Douglas, K.M., & Sutton, R.M. (2018). Why conspiracy theories matter: A social psychological analysis. European Review of Social Psychology, 29, 256-298.
- Douglas, K., Sutton, R., & Cichocka, A. (2017). The psychology of conspiracy theories. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26, 538-542. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721417718261)
- Jolley, D., Douglas, K.M., & Sutton, R.M. (2018). Blaming a few bad apples to save a threatened barrel: The system-justifying function of conspiracy theories. Political Psychology, 39, 465-478.
Conspiracy theory research database
This is a database of the current academic literature on conspiracy theories, and literature on other closely-related topics. Production was supported by the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (ESRC Award: ES/N009614/1). We intend to keep it up to date and re-post every three months. If you have any updates you would like to include, or notice any sources missing, please complete this form.
Media coverage
Coverage of Karen's research includes the following:
- The Conversation
- The Conversation
- The Observer
- Huffington Post
- New York Post
- Daily Mail
- stuff.co.nz
- Daily Mail
- CNN
- Newsweek
- BBC Future
- Psychology Today
- Psychology Today
- Time
- Bustle
- Daily Mail
Karen is available for media interviews via the University's press office (pressoffice@kent.ac.uk) or 01227 823985.
Supervision
Current research students
- Irem Eker (2nd supervisor): TBA
- Ricky Green (1st supervisor)
- Kenzo Nera: TBA
(co-supervised with Olivier Klein at the Université libre de Bruxelles)
Past research students
- Dr Clara De Inocencio Laporta: Toward a comprehensive theory of career callings
- Dr Varoth Chotipitayasunondh: Understanding phubbing: the truth on phone snubbing behaviour
- Dr Daniel Jolley: Social psychological consequences of conspiracy theories
- Dr Michael Wood: Understanding beliefs in conspiracy theories
- Dr Yvonne Skipper: The effects of different forms of praise and criticism on reactions to success and failure
- Dr Jennifer Cole: How impressions of persons are shaped by their descriptions of others. (Co-supervisor with Robbie Sutton)
- Dr Tracey Elder: The effects of context on perceptions of and reactions to, group criticism.
Professional
Grants and awards
| 2019 | R. Sutton, K. Dhont, Z. Bergstrom & K. Douglas Leverhulme Trust Moral memory bias about the sentience of animals | £192,118 |
| 2016 | K. Douglas, R. Sutton, A. Cichocka, J. Ang and F. Deravi ESRC/CREST Understanding conspiracy theories | £56,272 |
| 2014 | F. Deravi, J. Ang and K. Douglas Roke Manor Research Ltd. Personality and social networking activity | £31,389 |
| 2014 | R. Sutton and K. Douglas Centre for Defence Enterprise Multiple social identities | £7,000 |
| 2012 | K.Douglas Centre for Defence Enterprise Influence and critical thinking | £5,000 |
| 2012 | J. Ang, F. Deravi and K. Douglas Centre for Defence Enterprise Cognitive and behavioural concepts of cyber activities | £31,379 |
| 2012 | J. Ang, F. Deravi and K. Douglas Centre for Defence Enterprise Social influence and social networking activity | £32,881 |
| 2010 | K. Douglas European Social Cognition Network Intercultural communication - expert meeting | EUR 9,000 |
| July 2008-July 2009 | R. Sutton and K. Douglas Economic and Social Research Council Making a difference? Understanding the impacts of group criticism. Grant awarded under bilateral 'Linkage International Social Sciences Collaboration' between the ARC and ESRC | £101,145 |
| May 2008-May 2009 | R. Sutton & K. Douglas Australian Research Council Negotiating the minefield: Social conventions surrounding group criticism and their role in explaining defensiveness. Grant awarded under bilateral Linkage International Social Sciences Collaboration" between the ARC and ESRC, PI M. Hornsey (University of Queensland) | AU $72,129 |
| May 2008-Dec 2008 | Social Sciences Faculty Grant | £734 |
| Feb 2007-Jan 2008 | K. Douglas and R. Sutton Economic and Social Research Council Understanding and altering perceptions of personal ‘invulnerability’ to persuasive advertising | £87,591 |
| May 2006 | K. Douglas Social Sciences Faculty Grant | £489 |
| March 2006 | K. Douglas British Academy Conference Grant | £800 |
| January 2006 | R. Sutton and K. Douglas University of Kent Promising Researcher Grant | £6,005 |
| Sept 2005-Sept 2006 | R. Sutton and K. Douglas Economic and Social Research Council 'Us' versus 'Them': Reactions to speakers' use of language regarding groups | £46,566 |
| Sept 2004-Sept 2005 | K. Douglas and R. Sutton Economic and Social Research Council Inhibiting the expression of linguistic biases and stereotypes | £48,505 |
| Jan 2004-June 2004 | K. Douglas and R. Sutton British Academy Bias and stereotyping in language | £2,000 |
| April 2003 | K. Douglas British Academy Conference Grant | £800 |
Other service
- Associate editor for Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (2019-present)
- Co-editor for a special issue of the European Journal of Social Psychology (2018)
- External examiner (undergraduate) for Lancaster University (2016-present)
- Co-editor for the British Journal of Social Psychology (2014-2017)
- External examiner (postgraduate) for Nottingham Trent University (2014-2018)
- External examiner (undergraduate) for the University of Surrey (2014-2016)
- Associate Editor for the British Journal of Social Psychology (2012-2013)
- Undergraduate external examiner at the University of Strathclyde (2010-2012)
- Member of University Senate (2009-2012)
- Associate Editor for the European Journal of Social Psychology (2009-2011)
- Associate Editor for Social Psychology (2008-2011)
- Co-editor for a special issue of the Journal of Language and Social Psychology (2008)
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