Current studies

New Projects 2024-2025

Please find below some of our research projects for our Psychology students at universities across Scotland (and sometimes further afield). We rely on participation from all walks of life and hope very much that you will take part in our research. This site is updated every few days and your participation is a really valuable part of the training for our students and will help them to be more skilled researchers in the future. Thanks!

17/04/25

Death anxiety, self-esteem and mental health.
 
The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between death anxiety, self-esteem and common mental illnesses. We hope that research within this field will be able to shine a light upon current practises utilised within the NHS and potentially explore the moderating effects of self-esteem. To participate you only need to fill out the attached questionnaire, which should take approximately 10-15 minutes of your time. Please note that participants must be between the ages of 18-65 and that sensitive topics are explored within the questionnaire.
 
 

09/04/25

The Influence of Growth Mindset on the Relationship Between Leisure Physical Activity and Academic Happiness
 
This study aims to investigate whether a growth mindset mediates the relationship between leisure physical activity and academic happiness while examining gender differences and the influence of sport type (team vs. individual) among non-elite athlete university students.
 
What will participants need to do? Complete an online survey that is expected to take 10-15 minutes. The survey is divided into 4 parts:
  1. Leisure Physical Activity Level Questionnaire
  2. Growth Mindset Questionnaire
  3. Academic Happiness Questionnaire
  4. Demographics
Who can complete the study?
College and university students aged 18 years and over who are not professional athletes.

Follow this link to become involved: https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0H8Ca7vLbMFg5JI

28/08/25

Emotional intelligence as a resilience to stress among young adults.

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and resilience to stress in young adults (18-30), with a specific focus on whether gender moderates this relationship. Emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and manage emotions, is believed to enhance coping strategies, while resilience is critical for adapting to stress. This research aims to address gaps in understanding how these constructs interact, and whether gender differences influence this relationship.
 
https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3snmm1gnzBojbIq
 

The Conspiracy: The increase in ‘alternative truths’ and their prevalence in different age groups.
Over 18s will be asked to identify whether 20 headlines are real or fake. Once you have completed this, you will be asked to state how much you agree with 15 statements with 1 = disagree, 3= Neutral and 5= agree. To conclude the study, you will be asked to provided demographic information including your age and gender. Following the completion of the surveys, you will be provided with the post study information. The study will take around 10 – 15 minutes to complete.
 
https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1ZJocRpcUi4JvyC
 

18/03/25

The study looks at Scottish accent and its relationship with national identity and class in Scotland. It should take about 20 minutes. Participants will be asked to listen to two recordings of children’s story ‘The Gruffalo’, answer a questionnaire after each recording, and take part in a short experimental task after the questionnaire. 
To participate, people need to be 17+ and from either Glasgow or Edinburgh. 
 
 

25/02/25

Moral judgements in high-stakes situations

This study is being conducted as part of Rohan Mavinkurve’s Honours Degree in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews. We invite you to participate in a research project investigating people’s moral judgements in high-stakes situations. You will read a short story in which a person performs an action with human life hanging in the balance, and you will be asked about its moral acceptability. You will also answer a short questionnaire on some of your own feelings and responses. The study will be done via an online survey that should take you about 10 minutes.

By completing the survey, you will get a chance to enter a prize draw for one of eight £20 Amazon vouchers (valid in the UK).

If you are interested, please access the online survey using this link: https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2mWlrK7kbirRYB8

18/02/25

 
Individual variation in perspective taking 
 
Participants wanted! – Young adults aged 18-30 years, laptop/computer needed! 
 
Do you think you are good at taking other people’s perspectives? Test your skills in this study! 
 
This study is being conducted as part of my honours Degree dissertation in the school of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews. You are invited to participate in a research project looking at the ability to consider other people’s perspectives. You will be asked to complete two questionnaires, and one task looking at how well you can process what someone else can see. Full instructions will be provided! This online study will take around 20-25 minutes to complete and you will be offered the chance to be put into a prize draw for a UK Amazon voucher worth £50! 
If you are interested, please follow this link: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/97B976F5-0F54-4745-8344-DD5E7A01F02A  
 

18/02/2025

 
Study name: ‘Unlocking our full potential through self-regulation: Assessing what attributes affect perceived effort of applying self-regulation strategies.’
 
Brief: I am conducting research evaluating how the strategies used to encourage completing everyday tasks are perceived. Specifically assessing how personality factors and behavioural context affect the effort perception of applying these self-Regulation strategies. We invite you to take part! The survey is short but sweet (10 minutes) and is available to anyone who is over 18 years old. There will be no compensation for taking part and if you wish to further increase your privacy, you can copy and paste this link into your browser. 
 
Link: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/B0490D6B-EFBD-44B5-8AD6-6F110F4E89BF
 

17/02/25

Imposter Syndrome and Social Comparisons Among Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students: A Comparative Study 

 This study is part of my (Sophia Hughes) Honours Degree at the University of St Andrews’ School of Psychology and Neuroscience. We invite you to participate in a research project examining imposter syndrome and social comparisons in undergraduate and postgraduate psychology students. Participants in this study will be asked to complete an online survey in a setting of their choosing. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete  

Please paste this link into your browser

   https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8B72swF46Pw0usm

11/02/25

Happiness and Mental Health Help-Seeking behaviour in Black and White British Students
We invite you to participate in a research project investigating mental health help-seeking behaviour and happiness in Black and White British university students. The study will take place online on Qualtrics, and participants will complete three short questionnaires on happiness, help-seeking behaviour, and attitudes to professional help. This study should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. Please note that the questions ask you to reflect on what you might do if you needed support for your mental health, so we are not looking for participants who are currently engaging with mental health services.
If you participate, you could win one of four £20 Amazon gift cards!
The data will contribute to a Senior Honours Psychology project at the University of St Andrews. If interested, please use the URL below to access the study and read the consent form.
https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HvQqwxbf1gbDNQ
 

10/02/25

Exploring the effectiveness of an expressive writing task on stress and mood
The purpose of this Qualtrics online research study is to examine the effectiveness of expressive writing. Undergraduate students studying any discipline would be welcome to participate. Participants will be asked to complete a series of anonymous online questionnaires and write reflectively about daily instances from their lives. Participants will also be asked to reflect upon the experience of completing the study.  The study will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.
The study aims to further explore this approach and its impact on wellbeing.
Please follow this link to complete the survey:
https://abertay.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_diGfh8MjF0oASmG

05/02/25

Exploring Empathy and Perspective-Taking Under Sensory Distraction in Neurotypical Adults: Insights for Autism Research. This study is being conducted as part of my, Elena Rico Hernando research project in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews.

We invite neurotypical adults (18+) without an ASD diagnosis who live in the UK to participate in a study examining how sensory distraction affects empathy and perspective-taking. Participants will complete tasks online that may include some distracting visual (videos of crowds moving) and auditory stimuli (e.g. background  restaurant conversations) chosen to cause mild sensory distraction. Each session will take approximately 30 minutes, and participants may enter a draw to win a £10 Amazon gift card (per every 10 participants) as a thank-you for their time.

If you are interested, please CLICK HERE:

https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/64E25296-EA83-44B4-A5BF-B5F1F7F4DFA1

You will then be given a Participant Information Sheet that further details my research and have the opportunity to ask questions, before being asked whether you consent to participate.

03/02/25

Investigating the relationship between valued living, stress and self-esteem.
 
I am a fourth-year psychology student looking for participants to complete an online questionnaire about personal values, stress and self-esteem. Would you be willing to complete a 10-minute questionnaire? All responses are anonymous and there is no compensation for taking part. 
Who? Participants must be aged 17 and over, and currently live in the UK

02/02/25

Do you work alongside your University studies?

I’m conducting a study on how term-time employment affects academic engagement and overall well-being, and I’m looking for participants aged 18 or older. The survey includes demographic questions, two short questionnaires, and a second section with open-ended questions, taking approximately 20 – 30 minutes to complete (depending on your responses). Your responses will remain anonymous and will contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and benefits students face while balancing work and studies.

 If you have experience of balancing employment with academic studies and are willing to take part, please click the link below:

https://qualtricsxmkbvpgzvwv.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9z55Rm2UR0miHjw

27/01/25

 
(1) In this online study provided via Qualtrics, you will be asked to provide some general information about your socio-demographic background (i.e., gender, age, ethnicity, political orientation, education, etc.). After that, you will be requested to complete the Interpersonal Reactivity Index which assesses trait empathy levels. You will then be asked to read a vignette depicting one a variety of scenarios. Following which you will be asked to answer a series of questions relating to the vignette which you have just read. Lastly, you will be asked to participate in a social preference game. The study will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
 

(2) Familial Socioeconomic status. career aspiration, resilience and educational achievement. We would love to hear from anyone over the age of 18 on their perceptions of likely outcomes for young people given some hypothetical scenarios. The study takes between 12 and 15 minutes on average and is really interesting!

Please copy and paste this link into your browser: https://qualtricsxm686rxn4c4.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eFO3Epl0nC5kGBE

(3) To investigate the relationship between social media addiction, active and passive usage of social media on and mental wellbeing of general population we are looking for over 18’s to complete a short study to assess their use of social media and general wellbeing. Only ten minutes of your time would be a blessing for me.

https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5dUXHBOgXs1Lr0O

26/01/25

PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

Do you want to contribute to the development of improved mental health services for young people?
I am looking for young people aged 18+ to take part in my MSc research about high integrity mental health care. Have you recently received therapy that isn’t counselling or CBT? If so, I’d love to hear from you. You are invited to take part in a 30-45 minute online interview to have a chat about your experience of having therapy.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I TAKE PART?
The research aims to explore young people’s experience of having therapy suited to their specific needs, rather than being offered a traditional treatment pathway through a child and adolescent mental health service.
You will be asked a small number of open-ended questions over Microsoft Teams (you can choose to have the camera off!). The one-to-one meeting will be recorded and then transcribed. All data will be anonymised. I will then analyse the transcribed texts to look for common themes or particular aspects that stood out in the interviews. This analysis will form the basis of my MSc dissertation.

For more information, or to sign up, please email: [email protected]

07/01/25

Investigating what is valued across an individuals’ different friendships
 

Different friendships may offer new experiences, or be valued for specific reasons (e.g., emotional support, activity sharing). This research will investigate the friendships an individual holds and aims to understand the range of opportunities and values that the individual places on these friendships.

The study consists of two questionnaires that take a total of approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. We are looking for participants over 18 and who identify as male, female, or non-binary/genderqueer.  Please note that no compensation will be offered for participation in this study and your participation would be entirely voluntary. If you would like to take part, you can copy and paste this link into your browser: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/3A938C83-0B60-4D02-A80E-E9AFE3F070F9

17/12/24

 
Research on Moral Foundations and Meat Consumption/Animal Welfare
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and will involve questions regarding moral foundations and your beliefs/ attitudes towards meat consumption and animal welfare.
Participation Details:
  1. Eligibility: must reside in the UK and be over 18.
  2. Confidentiality: All responses will be kept confidential.
  3. Link to Questionnaire: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/0FD20819-814B-4341-ADAA-408A57926679

04/12/24

I can/t do it!: Mental health of UK students and their perceived levels of competence and autonomy, in every-day life skills.

 
The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ experiences of life skills, and the way in which they support or undermine their experiences of mental health. It is hoped that investigating this will identify directions for research that may lead to useful developments in support services for students.
 
https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_57j9tuAkr0MyhDg
 
Assessing the impact of engaging in regular mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation practices on sleep, creative achievements, and flow experience.
 
you will be asked to select whether you practice meditation, mindfulness and relaxation practices on a daily basis or you prefer to relax and recentre in an alternative way instead -it could be any activity you pursue daily with this same intent (examples might be gardening or reading). For the next step, you will be asked to complete three questionnaires. The first one is about sleep quality, the second one assesses your perceived level of creative achievement and third, flow state.
 
https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cSJinM5SYn4su22
 
Social Media Use, Anxiety and Wellbeing in University Students
 
The study aims to explore whether increased time spent on social media is associated with higher anxiety levels and lower well-being, and whether these relationships differ by gender. A survey will be given to participants which is expected to take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.
 
https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5aSdJ4Vzyovnw7c
 

03/12/24

Exploring Student Perceptions: Lecture Recordings, Video Impressions, and Mental Health Attitudes

 We are looking for university students who are at least 16 years of age to take part in a study examining perceptions and usage of lecture recordings, impressions of a brief pre-recorded video lecture and attitudes toward individuals with schizophrenia. At the end of the study, you will have the option to enter a prize draw to win one of ten £20 Love2shop vouchers (UK use only).

 If you would like to take part, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire that should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. During the questionnaire, you will be asked to watch a brief pre-recorded video lecture lasting ~5 minutes. Please note that some questions touch on sensitive topics related to mental health, which could be upsetting. 

 Follow this link to complete the survey: https://uofg.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e3t7OG5wYiczxiK

02/12/24

Everyday competencies and mental health in University undergraduates

Academic challenges are probably less difficult than negotiating everyday life events! We are interested in asking undergraduate students who are 18 and over about these everyday challengs in an online survey that will take approximately 8-10 minutes.

https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_57j9tuAkr0MyhDg

30/11/24

My name is Marnie Anderson and I am a final year student at the University of Dundee studying Psychology BSc. I’m conducting a study exploring how different social and political beliefs shape attitudes on inclusive education. You’ll complete a short, anonymous survey (about 20 minutes). You must be 18 years or older to be eligible to take part.

https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/74596075-D0AE-4A90-B71A-BF504BA4355A

26/11/24

Characterizing the psychologically rich life: Personality traits, daily activities, and goal pursuit

The purpose of this project is to better understand the relationship between personality, activities, and well-being. You will be asked to fill out self-report questionnaires online. These questionnaires will be about your personality, well-being, and motivation for pursuing particular activities. Demographic information (i.e., age, gender, ethnicity) will also be asked.

Follow this link to complete the survey:  https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/dundee/psychological-richness-pilot-study

Social Media Use, Anxiety and Wellbeing in University Students
 
We are interested in investigating the relationship between everday social media use and anxiety and well-being in University students. This will take approximately 15 minutes and you must be over the age of 18.

08/11/24

This research is looking at if shyness impacts the student experience. looking for Scottish undergraduate students as participants. It will be examining shyness levels, peer relationships, student-lecturer relationships, and engagement levels. Participants will be required to complete a survey that should take approximately fifteen minutes. This will involve a mix of open ended questions and questionnaires. If you would like to participate click on the link below:
 
 

07/11/24

The Impact of the Student-Teacher Relationship on a Sense of Belonging in State Secondary Education
The main research of the project will be to examine the impact that student-teacher relationship has (both positive and negative) on belonging and how these are influenced by factors such as the time period participants were in education, gender and age.  The project will also look at whether belonging and positive student-teacher relationships could be key to improving attendance in schools. 
Open to anyone who attended a UK state school.

Follow this link to become involved (5-10 mins): https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ezIqCxc17hn7l7o

 
 
 

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