Dr. Wendy Paton graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2009 with a BSc (Hons 1st Class) in Psychology. She then completed the MSc Forensic Psychology at GCU. Building on research conducted for the MSc, Wendy completed a PhD at GCU under the supervision of Dr Stella Bain, Dr Lynsey Gozna and Professor Elisabeth Gilchrist. Wendy’s PhD examined individual and situational risk factors for laboratory-induced false confessions within non-forensic populations and self-reported false confessions within a clinical forensic population.

Wendy joined Teesside University in August 2018 as a Lecturer in Psychology (Forensic). Prior to joining the University, Wendy was a Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill University and has also taught at Glasgow Caledonian University and Heriot-Watt University. She has taught on a wide range of undergraduate modules at all levels, been module leader for undergraduate and postgraduate modules and has supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Wendy’s main research interests are individual and situational risk factors for false confessions. She is particularly interested in the effects of interviewer manner and questioning styles on false confessions and the ways in which cognitive processes may contribute to the decision to make a false confession.

Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society.

Module leader: Theoretical Approaches to Forensic Psychology

Wendy also teaches Assessment and Interventions in Forensic Practice and Applied Forensic Psychology.