Psychology

Profile

PhD Psychology

MSc Evolutionary Psychology

BA (Hons) Natural Sciences (Zoology)

Background

I am interested in evolutionary approaches to behaviour, and am a member of the Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology. My research focuses on human mate choice, especially movement and facial attractiveness. Before joining Portsmouth, I completed my PhD at the University of Bristol on the topic of improving ecological validity in facial attractiveness research. I previously worked for three years in the scientific and medical publishing industry. Before that, I completed an MSc in Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Liverpool, and a BA in Natural Sciences (zoology) at the University of Cambridge.

Teaching responsibilities

I am the unit coordinator for Animal Behaviour (year 1), and I teach on Biological Psychology (year 2). I also supervise 3rd year projects on evolutionary psychology, attractiveness and mate choice, and animal behaviour.

Research interests

I am interested in evolutionary approaches to behaviour. My research focuses on human mate choice, especially facial attractiveness. Most research into facial attractiveness has relied on static stimuli such as photographs, and I am interested in the role of motion in attractiveness. I use motion-capture techniques isolate dynamic information, and morphing techniques to manipulate facial shape in videos. I am also interested in other aspects of human mating such as mate search, the process of finding suitable mates.

Recent Publications

More recent publications

Funding

ESRC First Grant. Strategic modulation of dynamic aspects of facial and vocal attractiveness. April 2011-March 2012. £117 000.

Collaborators

Dr Ian Penton-Voak, University of Bristol
Dr Andrew Clark, University of Bristol