Advancing our understanding
We incorporate psychological and neuroscientific approaches to the study of processes relevant to emotions. Our research is yielding health benefits across the lifespan, from infancy to old age.
We have internationally recognised strengths in development of emotion and psychopathology, treatment of psychopathology, emotion regulation, and the brain, bodily and genetic mechanisms of social cognition and emotional order and disorder.
With a focus on translational research, we are dedicated to advancing our understanding of the underlying causes and effective treatment of depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders and autism in children and younger adults, as well as neurodegeneration and wellbeing in older adults.
Researchers across the Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience division are strongly interconnected, with joint research grants and projects, co-supervision of PhD students funded by internal and external grants and the organisation of events and meetings such as the annual Reading Emotions symposia.
Our researchers’ expertise has also benefited wider society through the publication of books. These include Professor Lynne Murray’s The Psychology of Babies and Professor Shirley Reynolds and Dr Monika Parkinson's Am I Depressed And What Can I Do About It? , a self-help guide for teenagers which has been selected as part of the Books on Prescription scheme and which will be held in all libraries. Over 54,000 people have signed up to Professor Reynolds’ online course, Understanding Anxiety, Depression and CBT, since it was launched in May 2016 and the course was recently approved for distance-learning continuous professional development by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

