We are a leading centre of research and teaching in theoretical and applied psychology.

In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), 80% of publications were rated as world leading or internationally excellent, with the proportion of world leading publications increasing from 20% to 42%, placing us 16th in the UK.

All of our students also conduct research. Undergraduates and postgraduates are able to work on staff research via experience schemes, and all carry out their own research. To help develop their research skills, they are also able to attend school-wide and research group seminars to learn about the latest cutting-edge research across all areas of psychology.

Our research: making a difference

The School of Psychology at Kent has a strong international profile for its research. As well as a long-established international reputation in social psychology, we have also established strengths in cognitive, developmental and forensic psychology.

Our academic community consistently attracts substantial research and innovation funding from UK research councils, European research programmes, charities, learned societies and businesses.

As well as generating theoretical innovations, the outcomes of our projects help health professionals, educators, charities, the public sector, government and commercial partners understand how people think, behave and interact to meet a range of personal, social and economic challenges.

Our areas of expertise include:

  • autism spectrum disorder
  • child development
  • cognitive neuroscience in health and disease
  • culture and emotions
  • memory, sensation and perception
  • offending behaviour and rehabilitation
  • personality and psychometrics
  • prejudice and prejudice reduction
  • psychological processes in politics
  • social and cognitive aspects of ageing
  • social interaction​ and group behaviours.

Visit our people page to discover more about our academic staff, their interests and activities, and how to contact them.