Doing Good:
Our lab is interested in understanding and promoting positive social change, and we have a lot of people researching active do-gooding.
How can we help people to face up to climate change and the challenge of sustainability? How can we understand achievement and under-achievement in education? What about promoting charitable giving more broadly and effectively? These are all topics we've worked on in the lab, with questions ranging from "What's the role of images in helping or preventing persuasive messages to be effective?" to "How can we motivate stronger actions among people who’ve taken baby steps?"
A major focus for the lab’s research is to try to understand what works to translate good intentions or sympathies into concrete outcomes that matter.
How can we help people to face up to climate change and the challenge of sustainability? How can we understand achievement and under-achievement in education? What about promoting charitable giving more broadly and effectively? These are all topics we've worked on in the lab, with questions ranging from "What's the role of images in helping or preventing persuasive messages to be effective?" to "How can we motivate stronger actions among people who’ve taken baby steps?"
A major focus for the lab’s research is to try to understand what works to translate good intentions or sympathies into concrete outcomes that matter.
Current Research Projects
Image: 350.org
Environmental CampaigningRobyn Gulliver asks how activist groups help to build and maintain environmental social movements.
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Image: Nathan Keirn
Identities & Norms in ActionWinnifred Louis explores how identities and norms influence individuals' attitudes and actions.
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Image: Takver
Religious Collective ActionSusilo Wibisono asks how social identities influence collective action within religious movements.
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Image: Nathan Keirn
Charlie Pittaway explores how future-oriented thinking influences climate change attitudes and actions.
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Image: Takver
Cadhla O'Sullivan looks at an art-based intervention for peace with children and youth in Colombia.
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Image: Nathan Keirn
Hannibal Thai studies how pro-environmental messages are received and re-framed to maximize attitude and behaviour change.
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Image: Nathan Keirn
Christoph Klebl wants to know how social contexts lead people to support structural climate policies.
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Image: Craig Lassig/Reuters
Solidarity & AllyshipTulsi Achia investigates when and how helping disadvantaged groups can go wrong.
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Historical Research Projects
Psychology of Charitable GivingCassandra Chapman investigates how people decide which charitable organisations to support or neglect.
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Environmental SpilloverNita Lauren asks how we can encourage people to do more for the environment.
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Environmental Campaign ImagesTracy Schultz researches if and how images improve engagement in pro-environmental messages.
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Education CommunicationsWeijie (Kathy) Lin studies how communications affect Chinese students' intentions to study overseas.
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Resource Management DialogueLucy Mercer-Mapstone wants to know how 'meaningful dialogue' plays out in natural resource management.
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Our Collaborators
At the University of Queensland:
Elsewhere:
