Dr Paul Richardson BSc, MSc, PhD, PgCert, FHEA
Principal Lecturer in Psychology
Summary
I am the Student Recruitment Lead for the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics. I am also Module Leader for 'Neuropsychology' (final year undergraduate) and for 'Fundamentals of Design & Statistics' (postgraduate). I am a Dissertation supervisor and also supervisor for three ongoing PhD projects investigating the phenomena of interoception in those with ASD (Helen Chaudhuri), use of OTC painkillers (Petra Examioliti) and the transition of FE students (Lewis Coates).
About
After first graduating with a degree in psychology, I was employed in the NHS for several years that gave me the opportunity to work with a wide range of client services; I developed a particular interest in working alongside those who developed or had acquired brain injuries. Once I decided to return to University, I honed this interest in neuropsychology with a specific focus in atypical child development via my MSc and PhD awards in the Psychology Department at Essex University. Working as a post-doctoral researcher at the Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit at the University of Manchester, I was involved with a fMRI project investigating the neural correlates of impulsivity and empathy in those with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). After 5 years in this role, I began to acquire an interest in teaching due to lecturing medical students, and joined Sheffield Hallam University in 2007. Since then I have held roles as course leader for the MSc Psychology and also the MSc Developmental Psychology, and was also the Postgraduate Programme Lead for all courses within PSP. Since 2015 I have held the position of Principal Lecturer, initially as academic work planner for psychology, and latterly as the student recruitment lead for all courses within the PSP portfolio, both at under- and postgraduate level.
My teaching duties are predominantly at post-graduate level and are closely aligned to my research interests (latterly in the detection of deception and malingered performance using eye tracking), and so primarily involve neuropsychology and neuroscience. Much to my constant amusement, I also find teaching research methods and statistics to be an extremely rewarding experience and have had published textbooks in these subject areas.
Principal Lecturer
Specialist area of interest:
- Malingering & Deception
- Dark Triad of Personality
Teaching
Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Subject Area:
Psychology
Courses Taught:
- BSc Psychology
- MSc Psychology
- MSc Developmental Psychology
- MSc Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience
Modules Taught:
- Psychology Practicals & Statistics
- Neuropsychology
- Fundamentals of Design & Statistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience Methods
- Research Design in Applied Developmental Psychology
- Psychology Research Project
- Research Dissertation
Publications
Journal articles
Gheorghes, T., Richardson, P., & Reidy, J. (2020). Local biases drive, but do not determine, the perception of illusory trajectories. Scientific Reports. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64837-0
Lethbridge, E., Richardson, P., Reidy, L., & Taroyan, N. (2017). Exploring the Relationship between Callous-Unemotional Traits, Empathy Processing and Affective Valence in a General Population. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 13 (1), 162-172. http://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i1.1179
Chaudhry, I.B., Hallak, J., Husain, N., Minhas, F., Stirling, J., Richardson, P., ... Deakin, B. (2012). Minocycline benefits negative symptoms in early schizophrenia : a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial in patients on standard treatment. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 26 (9), 1185-1193. http://doi.org/10.1177/0269881112444941
Callaghan, M.J., McKie, S., Richardson, P., & Oldham, J.A. (2012). Effects of patellar taping on brain activity during knee joint proprioception tests using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Physical Therapy, 92 (6), 821-830. http://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20110209
McKie, S., Richardson, P., Elliott, R., Völlm, B.A., Dolan, M.C., Williams, S.R., ... Deakin, J.F.W. (2011). Mirtazapine antagonises the subjective, hormonal and neuronal effects of m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) infusion: A pharmacological-challenge fMRI (phMRI) study. NeuroImage, 58 (2), 497-507. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.06.049
Völlm, B., Richardson, P., McKie, S., Reniers, R., Elliott, R., Anderson, I.M., ... Deakin, B. (2010). Neuronal correlates and serotonergic modulation of behavioural inhibition and reward in healthy and antisocial individuals. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 44 (3), 123-131. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2009.07.005
Saliba, A.J., Wragg, K., & Richardson, P. (2009). Sweet taste preference and personality traits using a white wine. Food Quality and Preference, 20 (8), 572-575. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2009.05.009
Völlm, B.A., Zhao, L., Richardson, P., Clark, L., Deakin, J.F.W., Williams, S., & Dolan, M.C. (2009). A voxel-based morphometric MRI study in men with borderline personality disorder: preliminary findings. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 19 (1), 64-72. http://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.716
Richardson, P., Williams, S.R., Hepenstall, S., Gregory, L., McKie, S., & Corrigan, F. (2009). A single-case fMRI Study EMDR treatment of a patient with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 3 (1), 10-23. http://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.3.1.10
Völlm, B., Richardson, P., McKie, S., Elliott, R., Dolan, M., & Deakin, B. (2007). Neuronal correlates of reward and loss in Cluster B personality disorders: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Psychiatry research, 156 (2), 151-167. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.04.008
Anderson, I.M., Del-Ben, C.M., Mckie, S., Richardson, P., Williams, S.R., Elliott, R., & Deakin, J.F.W. (2007). Citalopram modulation of neuronal responses to aversive face emotions: a functional MRI study. Neuroreport, 18 (13), 1351-1355. http://doi.org/10.1097/wnr.0b013e3282742115
Temple, C.M., & Richardson, P. (2006). Developmental amnesias: fractionation of developing memory systems. Cognitive neuropsychology, 23 (5), 762-788. http://doi.org/10.1080/02643290500538315
Vollm, B.A., Taylor, A.N.W., Richardson, P., Corcoran, R., Stirling, J., McKie, S., ... Elliott, R. (2006). Neuronal correlates of theory of mind and empathy: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study in a nonverbal task. NeuroImage, 29 (1), 90-98. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.07.022
Elliott, R., Völlm, B., Drury, A., McKie, S., Richardson, P., & Deakin, J.F.W. (2006). Co-operation with another player in a financially rewarded guessing game activates regions implicated in theory of mind. Social neuroscience, 1 (3-4), 385-395. http://doi.org/10.1080/17470910601041358
Vollm, B.A., Richardson, P., McKie, S., Elliott, R., Deakin, J.F.W., & Anderson, I.M. (2006). Serotonergic modulation of neuronal responses to behavioural inhibition and reinforcing stimuli: an fMRI study in healthy volunteers. European journal of neuroscience, 23 (2), 552-560. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04571.x
Temple, C.M., & Richardson, P. (2004). Developmental amnesia: a new pattern of dissociation with intact episodic memory. Neuropsychologia, 42 (6), 764-781. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.11.006
Völlm, B., Richardson, P., Stirling, J., Elliott, R., Dolan, M., Chaudhry, I., ... Deakin, B. (2004). Neurobiological substrates of antisocial and borderline personality disorder: preliminary results of a functional fMRI study. Criminal behaviour and mental health : CBMH, 14 (1), 39-54. http://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.559
Theses / Dissertations
Denniss, R.J. (2021). Micronutrient intervention effects on cognitive outcomes in post-acute traumatic brain injury. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Barker, L., Day, C., & Richardson, P. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00356
Lethbridge, E.M. (2015). Callous-unemotional trait modulation of the neurological processing of empathy and emotion. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Richardson, P., Reidy, L., & Taroyan, N.
Other activities
Other external responsibilities:
External Examiner for MSc Psychology (distance learning) at University of Northumbria
Reviewer for:
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Journal of European Psychology Students
- Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
- Social Behavior and Personality
- Medical Research Council
- Routledge & Psychology Press
- Sage Publications
- Epigeum, Oxford University Press
Postgraduate supervision
I have supervised the following PhD doctoral candidates:
Coates, L. (exp. 2024) Exploring the experiences of Sixth Form College Students. Supervised by Coleman, C., Richardson, P. & Macaskill, A.
Examilioti, P. (exp. 2022) Misuse of painkillers. Supervised by Lazuras, L., Ypsilanti, A. & Richardson, P.
Chaudhuri, H. (exp. 2022) Interoceptive sensation in autism and its relationship with anxiety and alexithymia. Supervised by Reidy, L., Reidy, J. & Richardson, P.
Dennis, R. (2021) Micronutrient Intervention Effects on Cognitive Outcomes in Post-Acute Traumatic Brain Injury. Supervised by Barker, L., Day, C. & Richardson, P.
Gheorghes, T.N. (2018). An investigation into perceived motion paths by means of the slalom illusion. Supervised by Reidy, J. & Richardson, P.
Lethbridge, E.M. (2015). Callous-unemotional trait modulation of the neurological processing of empathy and emotion. Supervised by Richardson, P., Reidy, L., & Taroyan, N.
Al-Ali, O.E. (2011). Police selection via psychological testing: A United Arab Emirates study. Supervised by Garner, I., Magadley, W. & Richardson, P.