Understanding the psychology of health and wellbeing, sports and exercise, and environmental change
Applied psychologists use psychological theories, methods and the outcomes of scientific research to solve practical, real-world problems affecting human and animal experience and behaviour.
The Research Group in Applied Psychology (RGAP) unites research staff primarily from the School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences with interests in Sport, Health and Environmental psychology.
Our research covers the following topics:
Health and Clinical Psychology: Improving human health and wellbeing
Our research is helping us understand the underlying factors of good/poor health and well-being and longer-term health conditions (e.g. chronic pain, obesity, alcohol consumption and anxiety disorders). We also investigate the impact of various interventions, and treatments on improving mental and physical health and well-being.
For example, we are interested in how our sense of smell and taste relate to various aspects of psychology, including eating behaviour (obesity, picky eating, disgust) and the role of memory in reducing the desire to consume alcohol. We also explore behaviour change and self-regulation in health contexts, the user experience of health technologies, and health attitudes among adults, adolescents and children.
Our health psychology researchers are also affiliated with other health and wellbeing centres and groups at the university, including the Centre for Integrated Health and Wellbeing (CiH-WELL), Food Cultures in Transition Research Cluster (FoodCiTi) and Institute of Life Sciences and Healthcare (ILSH)
Environmental Psychology: Improving human-environment interactions
Our research is helping us to better understand the interrelationships between people and the natural and built environment. In particular, we investigate the psychological and environmental determinants of pro-environmental behaviour and the acceptance of technologies designed to help decarbonise society and tackle climate change.
For example, through various projects we are studying the nature and determinants of the social acceptance of a variety of energy and environmental technologies, ranging from hydrogen to electric vehicle charging. This research recognises both the importance that societal attitudes and actions can have upon the success of technological innovation, and the need to include societal perspectives in research, development and deployment cycles for these technologies.
Our environmental psychologists are also affiliated with other energy and environmental centres and groups at the university, including the Centre for Environment and Renewable Energy Solutions (CERES) and the Technology Acceptance Research Group for Energy Technologies (TARG:ET).
Sport Psychology: Improving the performance and wellbeing of athletes
Our internationally recognised research in this area focuses on how to best support individuals, teams, and organisations to experience sustainable performance and wellbeing in high-performance domains. This work has informed numerous international position stands, shaping policy and practice across the field of on scientist-practitioners, ethics, mental health, integrity and governance, and organisational culture in sport.
Our sport psychology research proactively promotes an open research culture, with staff in the theme representing the University of Portsmouth as local network lead in the UK Reproducibility Network community. For example
Our sport psychology staff are also affiliated with other health and wellbeing centres and groups at the university, including the Centre for Integrated Health and Wellbeing (CiH-WELL), the research theme for Culture, Behaviour, Inclusion, Governance (CBIG) and the Institute of Life Sciences and Healthcare (ILSH).
Explore our research
Find out more about the work we're doing across our research entities in Psychology.
School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences
Discover the School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences, where we're exploring health and exercise science, sport science, and the impact of psychology.
Autism Centre for Research on Employment
ACRE addresses the gap in provision for autistic adults in terms of employment and to facilitate job retention by developing tools to support employers.
Centre for interaction, development and diversity
In the Centre for Interaction, Development and Diversity, we study psychological phenomena in relation to the contexts and situations in which they emerge.
Take part in our research studies
We're always looking for volunteers to join our research study programmes.
If you're an adult interested in registering for a research study, please fill in the following form.
If you're interested in registering a child for a research study, please fill in the following form.