Psychology

Profile

Background

I joined the Department in September 2008. I graduated from the University of Exeter with a BA (Hons) degree in Psychology (1995) and an MSc in Economic Psychology (1998). After completing my PhD in Social Psychology at the University of St. Andrews (2004), I returned to Exeter where I worked as a post-doctoral research/teaching fellow until taking up my current post here at Portsmouth.

Teaching

I co-ordinate and teach social psychology (Level 2). I am Year 3 Tutor and co-ordinate the final year project unit. I also supervise a range of projects – predominantly in the areas of social and economic psychology

Research Interests:

My research interests span a number of topics within social psychology and economic psychology. The common theme that underlies these interests concerns our understanding of the ‘self’ (identity) and broader identity processes. More recently, I have started to explore the implications these processes might have for well-being.

With this common focus, my specific research topics include: the social psychology of money, materialism and ‘rational choice’; money in intimate relationships; gender and household money management; identity and economic practices; national identity and its social psychological consequences; sense of community and academic attainment. I also have an interest in qualitative research methodology and have worked on a number of qualitative projects (e.g., within clinical psychology on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and also work on ageing / living in care).

Recent Publications

More recent publications

Conference Presentations

Sonnenberg, S.J. & Fitzpatrick, L. (2012). "The Student as Consumer, Course Satisfaction and Well-Being: The Role of Student Identity in UK Higher Education", Poster presented at the conference of the International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP), Wroclaw, PL, 5th – 8th September 2012

Sonnenberg, S.J. & Morris, P. (2011). “Learners and Consumers: Identity matters in Higher Education”, Poster presented at the joint conference of the International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP) and the Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics, Exeter, UK, 12th – 16th July 2011

Morton, T.A. & Sonnenberg, S.J.  (2009).  “When history constrains identity: Expressing the self to others against the backdrop of a problematic past”,  British Psychological Society Social Section Annual Conference, Sheffield, 15th – 17th September 2009

Morton, T.A. & Sonnenberg, S. (2009). “Negotiating the past: When history constrains identity”, 39th Annual Meeting of the Society of Australasian Social Psychologists, Melbourne, Australia, 16th – 19th April 2009

Loibl, C. & Sonnenberg, S.J. (2009) “You got to give to get: The role of incentives in low income women’s transition to homeownership”, Joint conference of the International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP) and the Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 7th – 11th July 2009

Burgoyne, C.B. & Sonnenberg, S.J. (2008). “Financial Practices in Heterosexual Cohabiting Couples: Assumptions and Evidence”, Socio-Legal Group Seminar: “Money, Property, Relationships and Separation”, Trinity College Cambridge, 7th – 8th April 2008

Burgoyne, C.B., Barlow, A., Smithson, J., Sonnenberg, S.J. & Ashby, K. (2008). “Money Management in Cohabiting Relationships: Expectations and Reality”. Nuffield Foundation Seminar: “The Common Law Marriage Myth and Cohabitation Law Reform Revisited”, London, 28th January 2008

Sonnenberg, S.J. & Burgoyne, C.B. (2007). “Financial Practices in ‘Non-Traditional’ Heterosexual Couples”. XXXII Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 9th – 12th September 2007

Burgoyne, C.B., Sonnenberg, S.J. & Routh, D.A. (2007). “Values and the intra-household economy: the impact of individual differences in materialism on household money management.”. XXXII Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 9th – 12th September 2007

Burgoyne, C.B., Sonnenberg, S.J. & Routh, D.A. (2007). “Materialism, Couple Relationships and Household Money Management”. BPS Social Psychology Section Conference, Canterbury, Kent, 5th – 7th September 2007

Sonnenberg, S. (2006). “Attitudes to money: Towards an identity-based perspective”. Paper presented at XXXI Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, Paris, France, 5th – 8th July 2006

Routh, D.A., Burgoyne, C.B. & Sonnenberg, S.J. (2006). “Money and Materialism”. Paper presented at XXXI Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, Paris, France, 5th – 8th July 2006

Sonnenberg, S. (2006). “Managing Money and Identity: Household Financial Organisation and Discursive Practice”. Invited speaker at ESRC-funded workshop on “Family Finances”, Exeter, 30th June 2006

Sonnenberg, S., Burgoyne, C.G. & Routh, D.A. (2006). “Managing Family Finances”. Paper presented at the 5th Meeting of the International Academy of Family Psychology, Cardiff, Wales, 10th – 13th June 2006

Sonnenberg, S., Burgoyne, C.B. & Routh, D.A. (2005). “Income Disparity and Choice of Financial Organisation in the Household”. Paper presented at XXX Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic, 21st – 24th September 2005

Sonnenberg, S. (2004). “Money & Identity: A multi-method approach to questions in Economic Psychology”. School of Psychology, University of Exeter, February 2004

Sonnenberg, S. & Reicher, S. D. (2003). “Towards a Social Psychology of Money and Its Usage”. Invited speaker at symposium on “New issues in the social psychology of consumer and economic behaviour: Identity processes, well-being and welfare”, BPS Social Psychology Section Conference, London, 10th-12th September 2003

Sonnenberg, S. & Reicher, S.D. (2002). “Bad boys up against the good guys: Constructions of Identity and Power in a Prisoner’s Dilemma-Type Context”. Poster presented at the XXVII Annual Colloquium on Research in Economic Psychology, Turku, Finland, 30th June – 4th July 2002

Grants:

• 2010 – 2011    Grant (£5,000) from the University of Portsmouth’s Learning and Teaching Project Funding Scheme, with Dr. K. Nunkoosing for a project called “Improving the Attainment of Black and Minority Ethnic Students”
• 2008 – 2009 British Academy Grant (£7,155), with Drs. I.H. Gleibs, C. Haslam & J. Jones for a project entitled “The benefit of group memberships for well-being among older adults in care”
• 2006 – 2008 ESRC Small Grant (£47,293), with Dr. C.B. Burgoyne & Prof. A. Barlow for a project entitled “Financial Management Practices in Non-Traditional Heterosexual Couples”
• 2005 – 2006 ESRC Post-doctoral Fellowship Award for a project entitled “A Social Identity Approach to Economic Psychology”
• 1999 – 2002 ESRC PhD Scholarship