Christopher Wilson obtained his PhD from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth in 2010 where he was awarded a scholarship for doctoral research by the Irish Research Council (IRCHSS). He is a chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society.

Christopher has taught on a range of modules at Teesside University across all levels of the psychology programme. Over the last several years he has taught research methods and analysis at Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral level. He supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research.

Christopher is a researcher within the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law at Teesside University, a member of the Mathematical, Statistical And Computing and Psychotherapy sections of the British Psychological Society. Christopher's Ph.D. work was on the experimental examination of anxiety processes and emotional regulation strategies from a behavioural perspective with Relational Frame Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as the theoretical foundation.

Current research interests:

• Visual perception and attention
• Attention to and perceptions of risk and related decision making
• Human factors in technology
• Behaviour in online environments
• Exploring the use of virtual environments as an experimental tool for examining cognitive and visual processes

Methodological expertise: Web-based experimental approaches, virtual reality, eyetracking, networking and computational modelling of behaviour.

2016: Electrical Safety First. Examining the motivations behind purchases of dangerous second-hand electrical goods.(Co-investigator)

2016: North Yorkshire County Council Children and Young People Services. Data Intelligence.

2011: Teesside University Research Fund Start-up Project Award. The effect of cognitive defusion on attentional biases towards negative stimuli in high-anxiety participants. 

2005: Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences. Awarded postgraduate studentship for doctoral research by the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences.

Christopher welcomes applications from prospective PhD students with interests in the areas of visual perception and attention, attention to and perceptions of risk and related decision making, human factors in technology, behaviour in online environments, exploring the use of virtual environments as an experimental tool for examining cognitive and visual processes.

Doctoral Completions:

Claire Brewis (2017). The challenges and opportunities of participation in roles and occupations for young adults with acquired brain injury and carers of young adults living in rural communities.

Brewis, C, van Wersch, A, McNamee, A, Wilson, C.J., (2015) Occupational patterning in reconstructing lives following acquired brain injury. University of Bournemouth: Occupational Science Europe Conference.

Brewis, C, van Wersch, A, McNamee, A, Wilson, C.J., (2015) Using photographs of everyday life with brain injury to produce narratives. Brighton: 4th International Visual Methods Conference.

Brewis, C, van Wersch, A, McNamee, A, Wilson, C.J., (2014) Photo-elicitation as a tool to enhance gathering narratives from people with brain injury. University of Huddersfield: Troubling Narratives; Identity Matters Conference.

Doctoral Supervision:

Shiny Vergehase: Online psychometrics: The design and validation of extensible system architecture

Julianne Kinch: The contribution of organic factors to impulsive aggression on patients with personality disorders

Jack Binks: The effect of motor imagery during action observation on motor learning

Binks J.A., Wilson C.J., van Schaik P, Eaves D.L. (2018) Motor imagery during action observation enhances sequence motor learning. Award for best student oral presentation: Research in Imagery and Observation Annual Meeting. Bielefeld University, Germany

Christopher acted as editor and reviewer for a number of journals such as PLoS One, Frontiers in Psychology, Vision, Interaction with Computers and Educational Psychology.

Christopher has acted as an invited assessor for the Irish Research Council.

Christopher consults and provides training on research design and development, data analysis and data intelligence. The goal is to help ogranisations to use research and analysis to turn data into usable intelligence.

Modules cover:

• Reviewing research evidence
• Research design and development
• Data collection methods
• Statistical analysis techniques
• Communicating and presenting research

Additionaly, he delivers training to external organisations on the use of R and SPSS statistical analysis software packages for:

• Descriptive analysis
• Inferential group analysis
• Correlation and regression analysis
• Forecasting (in R)
• Data visualisation (i.e. ggPlot in R)
• Interactive data visualisation and dashboards (i.e. RMarkdown, Shiny and FlexDashboard in R)

Christopher was previously e-Learning Coordinator with responsibility for the development and implementation of technology enhanced actions and development of policy related to the university’s Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Strategy in the school of Social Sciences and Law.

He has an interest in the use of technology in teaching, effective feedback mechanisms and research methods training.

Teaching and learning research examples:

WILSON,C.J., Soranzo, A. & Newberry, M. (June, 2014). Student experience and effectiveness of semi-automated, personalised feedback. Poster accepted at SHU Learning & Teaching Conference, UK.

WILSON, C.J. (July 2012). Developing interactive online learning materials to foster critical thinking skills. Poster accepted at the HEA Annual Conference, Manchester, U.K.