Psychology

About our research

An overview of our world-leading research in psychology

REF 2021

Edinburgh Psychology, together with neuroscience, psychiatry, and clinical psychology, is a research unit whose overall quality of research1 is ranked 2nd in the UK and combined quality/breadth2 is ranked 3rd in the UK. Our vibrant research community focuses on brain and mind across the lifespan, with particular strengths in cognitive neurosciences, the psychology of individual differences, language and communication, and theoretical and applied work in social interaction and child development. Our research has influenced, among others, the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines for the assessment and management of motor neurone disease (MND), and developed the psychological theory of Interactive Alignment, which underpins methods for teaching English as a second language in China. The impact resulting from our research has been uniformly rated outstanding in terms of reach and significance.

  1. Quality Index (Research Professional).
  2. Research Power (Times Higher Education).

Useful links:

  • Psychology at Edinburgh brings together world-class researchers approaching the scientific study of mind and behaviour through a range of topics - from language development to dementia, personality to paranormal beliefs.
  • The department benefits from a vibrant postgraduate community and strong interdisciplinary links with colleagues in medicine, informatics, linguistics, education, biology, and public health.

Listen to our podcast to find out what psychology researchers and other academics at the School of PPLS have been researching:

Postdoctoral fellowships

And if you’re interested in applying for a postdoctoral fellowship in the department you can find more information here:

Research areas

Browse our research specialisms by theme

Research highlights

A selection of current and recent research projects in psychology

Research centres and units

Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre; Koestler Parapsychology Unit; Edinburgh Centre for Data, Culture & Society

Impact and public engagement

We produce world-class research with many applications relevant to individuals and society

Research seminars and reading groups

Regular meetings to discuss research, books, and papers

Labs and facilities

Access a wide range of world class equipment

Take part in research

Contribute to our research by taking part in an experiment

Research resources

Subject recruitment, questionnaires, testing labs, ethics

Research and ethics guidance

About submitting an application for research ethics approval

PPLS Academic visitors

We welcome applications from academic staff based in overseas institutions wishing to visit the School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences (PPLS)