Laura Shepherd
Biographic Data
| ID | 1471760 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Laura Shepherd |
| GIVEN NAMES | Laura |
| FAMILY NAME | Shepherd |
| SIGNATURE | SHEPHERD L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Northumbria University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0946-6336 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 127 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 23 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Fake Content, Harmful Emotions
Sexualised deepfakes involve using artificial intelligence to create fake sexually explicit material of an individual. Across three experimental studies, we tested the psychological impact of sexualised deepfakes on women. Studies 1 ( N = 65) and 2 ( N = 60) asked participants to rate their feelings of objectification and emotions towards being the victim-survivor of sexualised deepfakes, revenge pornography or a non-sexual control condition. In …
A mixed-methods study investigating the acceptability of an early acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention to aid adjustment to appearance changes after burns
Appearance concerns after burns start soon after injury. However, early psychological interventions to support individuals with their changed appearance are absent. This study investigated the acceptability of an early acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention delivered by a psychological therapist either in person or virtually to help individuals adjust to changes to their appearance after burns. As a secondary objective, the potentia…
The fear factor
Objectives While anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs can reduce vaccine intentions, longitudinal research shows that vaccine hesitancy can increase conspiracy beliefs. In three experiments (N = 949), we examined the effect of fear about a vaccine on vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs.Method and Measures In Studies 1a (N = 221) and 1b (N = 508), participants were exposed to high fear (vs low fear) about a (fictional) vaccine before …
It’s Not Fine Online
With the development of online communication, research is needed to understand the emotional and behavioural consequences of online sexual objectification. Across two studies, we assessed how the emotions that are experienced following sexual objectification online predict how people respond to such actions. Study 1 ( N = 512) measured the extent to which people who identified as female would feel a variety of emotions following a sexually object…
Determinants of routine cervical screening participation in underserved women
Consequences of arbitrary binning the midpoint category in survey data
Arbitrary placing cut-offs in data, i.e. binning, is recognised as poor statistical practice.We explore the consequences of using arbitrary cutoffs in two large datasets, the National Student Survey (2019 and 2022).These are nationwide surveys aimed at capturing student satisfaction amongst UK undergraduates.For these survey data, it is common to group the responses to the question on student satisfaction on a five point Likert scale into '% sati…
Assessing the influence of affective attitudes, demography and blood donor status on organ donor registration active decisions in opt-out systems
In contrast to opt-in systems, relatively little is known about what influences whether or not people register a decision about organ donation in opt-out systems. We address this gap in the literature. Participants ( N = 756) living in a country with opt-out consent (Wales, UK) provided information on demographics and blood donor status. Participants indicated whether they had opted-in or opted-out (i.e. active decision), or not registered a deci…
Do I Say or Let it Go? Emotions Predict How People Respond to Receiving Sexual Objectification at Work
Many people are reluctant to report sexual objectification at work. We tested whether emotions determine how people respond to sexual objectification at work. In Study 1 ( N = 159) women recalled a time that they had experienced sexual objectification at work. Participants then rated their emotions in this situation and how they responded. Anger positively and a shame-based emotion (rejection) negatively predicted taking action against the perpet…
Assessing the factors that influence the donation of a deceased family member's organs in an opt-out system for organ donation
The deceased's wishes were less likely to be followed when next-of-kin had negative beliefs towards donation. Developing large-scale campaigns to improve these beliefs in the general public should make people more likely to follow the deceased's wishes. As a result, these campaigns should improve the availability of donor organs
Assessing medical mistrust in organ donation across countries using item response theory
Although medical mistrust (MM) may be an impediment to public health interventions, no MM scale has been validated across countries and the assessment of MM has not been explored using item response theory, which allows generalisation beyond the sampled data. We aimed to determine the dimensionality of a brief MM measure across four countries through Mokken analysis and Graded Response Modelling. Analysis of 1468 participants from UK ( n = 1179),…
Subjective status and perceived legitimacy across countries
The relationships between subjective status and perceived legitimacy are important for understanding the extent to which people with low status are complicit in their oppression. We use novel data from 66 samples and 30 countries ( N = 12,788) and find that people with higher status see the social system as more legitimate than those with lower status, but there is variation across people and countries. The association between subjective status a…
From Gaze to Outrage
Numerous studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of sexual objectification on well-being. However, despite the rapid growth of the #MeToo movement, which has raised public awareness about sexual harassment, there has been much less research investigating the role of sexually objectifying behaviours in motivating people to try to tackle this issue through collective action (e.g., signing petitions, engaging in protests) and the process throu…
Responding to Sexual Objectification
Women may respond to being sexual objectified in different ways, such as confronting the perpetrator, ignoring the action, blaming oneself or considering the action as flattering. However, there has been little research looking at what predicts each of these different responses. The present research assessed the role of emotions in promoting and deterring different anticipated responses to sexual objectification. In both Studies 1 ( n = 189) and …
The role of threat, emotions, and prejudice in promoting collective action against immigrant groups
In two studies we assessed the role of distinctiveness threat, group‐based emotions (angst, fear, and anger), and prejudice on people's willingness to engage in collective action against immigrant groups. In Study 1 ( N = 222) White British participants were either informed that in the next 40 years the proportion of immigrants in the UK is unlikely to change (control condition) or that there will be more immigrants than White British people livi…
Queer International Relations
Questions of borders, boundaries and orders animate this ground-breaking book from Cynthia Weber; throughout, Weber draws attention to the ways in which knowledge is produced in, and about, both ‘international relations’ and ‘International Relations’ (IR), and the fidelity that is demanded (mostly implicitly) to conventional configurations of power, legitimacy and subjectivity. These rely on the shared fiction of meaningful boundaries and borders…
When do next-of-kin opt-in? Anticipated regret, affective attitudes and donating deceased family member's organs
This research assessed whether affective factors promote and prevent family members from donating their loved one's organs. Participants ( N = 191) imagined that a family member had died and that they had to decide whether or not to donate their organs and body parts for transplantation purposes. The least organs and body parts were donated when the deceased opposed donation. Moreover, participants who were not registered organ donors donated few…
Do affective attitudes predict organ donor registration? A prospective study
This study assessed whether people's affective attitudes predicted organ donor registration at a later time. People who were not registered as an organ donor prior to completing the study ( N = 150) first rated their affective attitudes towards organ donation. We then measured whether they clicked on a hyperlink to register as an organ donor. Believing that the body should be kept whole for burial (bodily integrity) was the only affective attitud…
The self‐regulatory role of anticipated group‐based shame and guilt in inhibiting in‐group favoritism
In three studies, we examined whether the anticipation of group‐based guilt and shame inhibits in‐group favoritism. In Studies 1 and 2, anticipated group‐based shame negatively predicted in‐group favoritism; in neither study did anticipated group‐based guilt uniquely predict in‐group favoritism. In Study 3, we orthogonally manipulated anticipated group‐based shame and guilt. Here, we found that the shame (but not the guilt) manipulation had a sig…
Increasing organ donation via anticipated regret (Inordar)
ISRCTN: ISRCTN92204897
This will bring shame on our nation’
In three studies we examined whether the anticipation of group-based guilt, shame and anger predicts the desire to undertake collective action against a proposed ingroup transgression. In Studies 1 (N = 179) and 2 (N = 186), the relation between appraising a proposed ingroup transgression as illegitimate and collective action was mediated (or partially mediated) by anticipated group-based shame and anger. In Study 3 (N = 128) participants with hi…
When does anticipating group-based shame lead to lower ingroup favoritism? The role of status and status stability
We feel, therefore we are
Building on intergroup emotion research, we test the idea that intergroup emotion influences self-categorization. We report two studies using minimal (Study 1) and natural (Study 2) groups in which we measured participants' emotional reactions to a group-relevant event before manipulating the emotional reactions of other ingroup members and outgroup members (anger vs. happiness in Study 1; anger vs. indifference in Study 2). Results supported the…
A User's Guide
In his preface to Security as Practice, Barry Buzan (the editor of the series of which this book is a part) suggests that “the book is set up as a useable text that should fill many an awkward gap in methodology courses” (p. xiiv). Part of the book's innovation in this regard stems from the way in which Lene Hansen uses what she calls the “‘case plus study’ [of the Bosnian war] ... as a medium for continued theoretical and methodological discussi…
Queer International Relations
Questions of borders, boundaries and orders animate this ground-breaking book from Cynthia Weber; throughout, Weber draws attention to the ways in which knowledge is produced in, and about, both ‘international relations’ and ‘International Relations’ (IR), and the fidelity that is demanded (mostly implicitly) to conventional configurations of power, legitimacy and subjectivity. These rely on the shared fiction of meaningful boundaries and borders…
This will bring shame on our nation’
In three studies we examined whether the anticipation of group-based guilt, shame and anger predicts the desire to undertake collective action against a proposed ingroup transgression. In Studies 1 (N = 179) and 2 (N = 186), the relation between appraising a proposed ingroup transgression as illegitimate and collective action was mediated (or partially mediated) by anticipated group-based shame and anger. In Study 3 (N = 128) participants with hi…
The role of threat, emotions, and prejudice in promoting collective action against immigrant groups
In two studies we assessed the role of distinctiveness threat, group‐based emotions (angst, fear, and anger), and prejudice on people's willingness to engage in collective action against immigrant groups. In Study 1 ( N = 222) White British participants were either informed that in the next 40 years the proportion of immigrants in the UK is unlikely to change (control condition) or that there will be more immigrants than White British people livi…
Subjective status and perceived legitimacy across countries
The relationships between subjective status and perceived legitimacy are important for understanding the extent to which people with low status are complicit in their oppression. We use novel data from 66 samples and 30 countries ( N = 12,788) and find that people with higher status see the social system as more legitimate than those with lower status, but there is variation across people and countries. The association between subjective status a…
Responding to Sexual Objectification
Women may respond to being sexual objectified in different ways, such as confronting the perpetrator, ignoring the action, blaming oneself or considering the action as flattering. However, there has been little research looking at what predicts each of these different responses. The present research assessed the role of emotions in promoting and deterring different anticipated responses to sexual objectification. In both Studies 1 ( n = 189) and …
Do affective attitudes predict organ donor registration? A prospective study
This study assessed whether people's affective attitudes predicted organ donor registration at a later time. People who were not registered as an organ donor prior to completing the study ( N = 150) first rated their affective attitudes towards organ donation. We then measured whether they clicked on a hyperlink to register as an organ donor. Believing that the body should be kept whole for burial (bodily integrity) was the only affective attitud…
When does anticipating group-based shame lead to lower ingroup favoritism? The role of status and status stability
From Gaze to Outrage
Numerous studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of sexual objectification on well-being. However, despite the rapid growth of the #MeToo movement, which has raised public awareness about sexual harassment, there has been much less research investigating the role of sexually objectifying behaviours in motivating people to try to tackle this issue through collective action (e.g., signing petitions, engaging in protests) and the process throu…
When do next-of-kin opt-in? Anticipated regret, affective attitudes and donating deceased family member's organs
This research assessed whether affective factors promote and prevent family members from donating their loved one's organs. Participants ( N = 191) imagined that a family member had died and that they had to decide whether or not to donate their organs and body parts for transplantation purposes. The least organs and body parts were donated when the deceased opposed donation. Moreover, participants who were not registered organ donors donated few…
The self‐regulatory role of anticipated group‐based shame and guilt in inhibiting in‐group favoritism
In three studies, we examined whether the anticipation of group‐based guilt and shame inhibits in‐group favoritism. In Studies 1 and 2, anticipated group‐based shame negatively predicted in‐group favoritism; in neither study did anticipated group‐based guilt uniquely predict in‐group favoritism. In Study 3, we orthogonally manipulated anticipated group‐based shame and guilt. Here, we found that the shame (but not the guilt) manipulation had a sig…
Assessing the factors that influence the donation of a deceased family member's organs in an opt-out system for organ donation
The deceased's wishes were less likely to be followed when next-of-kin had negative beliefs towards donation. Developing large-scale campaigns to improve these beliefs in the general public should make people more likely to follow the deceased's wishes. As a result, these campaigns should improve the availability of donor organs
Assessing medical mistrust in organ donation across countries using item response theory
Although medical mistrust (MM) may be an impediment to public health interventions, no MM scale has been validated across countries and the assessment of MM has not been explored using item response theory, which allows generalisation beyond the sampled data. We aimed to determine the dimensionality of a brief MM measure across four countries through Mokken analysis and Graded Response Modelling. Analysis of 1468 participants from UK ( n = 1179),…
A User's Guide
In his preface to Security as Practice, Barry Buzan (the editor of the series of which this book is a part) suggests that “the book is set up as a useable text that should fill many an awkward gap in methodology courses” (p. xiiv). Part of the book's innovation in this regard stems from the way in which Lene Hansen uses what she calls the “‘case plus study’ [of the Bosnian war] ... as a medium for continued theoretical and methodological discussi…
A User's Guide
In his preface to Security as Practice, Barry Buzan (the editor of the series of which this book is a part) suggests that “the book is set up as a useable text that should fill many an awkward gap in methodology courses” (p. xiiv). Part of the book's innovation in this regard stems from the way in which Lene Hansen uses what she calls the “‘case plus study’ [of the Bosnian war] ... as a medium for continued theoretical and methodological discussi…
We feel, therefore we are
Building on intergroup emotion research, we test the idea that intergroup emotion influences self-categorization. We report two studies using minimal (Study 1) and natural (Study 2) groups in which we measured participants' emotional reactions to a group-relevant event before manipulating the emotional reactions of other ingroup members and outgroup members (anger vs. happiness in Study 1; anger vs. indifference in Study 2). Results supported the…
Increasing organ donation via anticipated regret (Inordar)
ISRCTN: ISRCTN92204897
This will bring shame on our nation’
In three studies we examined whether the anticipation of group-based guilt, shame and anger predicts the desire to undertake collective action against a proposed ingroup transgression. In Studies 1 (N = 179) and 2 (N = 186), the relation between appraising a proposed ingroup transgression as illegitimate and collective action was mediated (or partially mediated) by anticipated group-based shame and anger. In Study 3 (N = 128) participants with hi…
When does anticipating group-based shame lead to lower ingroup favoritism? The role of status and status stability
The self‐regulatory role of anticipated group‐based shame and guilt in inhibiting in‐group favoritism
In three studies, we examined whether the anticipation of group‐based guilt and shame inhibits in‐group favoritism. In Studies 1 and 2, anticipated group‐based shame negatively predicted in‐group favoritism; in neither study did anticipated group‐based guilt uniquely predict in‐group favoritism. In Study 3, we orthogonally manipulated anticipated group‐based shame and guilt. Here, we found that the shame (but not the guilt) manipulation had a sig…
When do next-of-kin opt-in? Anticipated regret, affective attitudes and donating deceased family member's organs
This research assessed whether affective factors promote and prevent family members from donating their loved one's organs. Participants ( N = 191) imagined that a family member had died and that they had to decide whether or not to donate their organs and body parts for transplantation purposes. The least organs and body parts were donated when the deceased opposed donation. Moreover, participants who were not registered organ donors donated few…
Do affective attitudes predict organ donor registration? A prospective study
This study assessed whether people's affective attitudes predicted organ donor registration at a later time. People who were not registered as an organ donor prior to completing the study ( N = 150) first rated their affective attitudes towards organ donation. We then measured whether they clicked on a hyperlink to register as an organ donor. Believing that the body should be kept whole for burial (bodily integrity) was the only affective attitud…
Queer International Relations
Questions of borders, boundaries and orders animate this ground-breaking book from Cynthia Weber; throughout, Weber draws attention to the ways in which knowledge is produced in, and about, both ‘international relations’ and ‘International Relations’ (IR), and the fidelity that is demanded (mostly implicitly) to conventional configurations of power, legitimacy and subjectivity. These rely on the shared fiction of meaningful boundaries and borders…
Responding to Sexual Objectification
Women may respond to being sexual objectified in different ways, such as confronting the perpetrator, ignoring the action, blaming oneself or considering the action as flattering. However, there has been little research looking at what predicts each of these different responses. The present research assessed the role of emotions in promoting and deterring different anticipated responses to sexual objectification. In both Studies 1 ( n = 189) and …
The role of threat, emotions, and prejudice in promoting collective action against immigrant groups
In two studies we assessed the role of distinctiveness threat, group‐based emotions (angst, fear, and anger), and prejudice on people's willingness to engage in collective action against immigrant groups. In Study 1 ( N = 222) White British participants were either informed that in the next 40 years the proportion of immigrants in the UK is unlikely to change (control condition) or that there will be more immigrants than White British people livi…
From Gaze to Outrage
Numerous studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of sexual objectification on well-being. However, despite the rapid growth of the #MeToo movement, which has raised public awareness about sexual harassment, there has been much less research investigating the role of sexually objectifying behaviours in motivating people to try to tackle this issue through collective action (e.g., signing petitions, engaging in protests) and the process throu…
Subjective status and perceived legitimacy across countries
The relationships between subjective status and perceived legitimacy are important for understanding the extent to which people with low status are complicit in their oppression. We use novel data from 66 samples and 30 countries ( N = 12,788) and find that people with higher status see the social system as more legitimate than those with lower status, but there is variation across people and countries. The association between subjective status a…
Assessing medical mistrust in organ donation across countries using item response theory
Although medical mistrust (MM) may be an impediment to public health interventions, no MM scale has been validated across countries and the assessment of MM has not been explored using item response theory, which allows generalisation beyond the sampled data. We aimed to determine the dimensionality of a brief MM measure across four countries through Mokken analysis and Graded Response Modelling. Analysis of 1468 participants from UK ( n = 1179),…
Do I Say or Let it Go? Emotions Predict How People Respond to Receiving Sexual Objectification at Work
Many people are reluctant to report sexual objectification at work. We tested whether emotions determine how people respond to sexual objectification at work. In Study 1 ( N = 159) women recalled a time that they had experienced sexual objectification at work. Participants then rated their emotions in this situation and how they responded. Anger positively and a shame-based emotion (rejection) negatively predicted taking action against the perpet…
Assessing the factors that influence the donation of a deceased family member's organs in an opt-out system for organ donation
The deceased's wishes were less likely to be followed when next-of-kin had negative beliefs towards donation. Developing large-scale campaigns to improve these beliefs in the general public should make people more likely to follow the deceased's wishes. As a result, these campaigns should improve the availability of donor organs
Determinants of routine cervical screening participation in underserved women
Consequences of arbitrary binning the midpoint category in survey data
Arbitrary placing cut-offs in data, i.e. binning, is recognised as poor statistical practice.We explore the consequences of using arbitrary cutoffs in two large datasets, the National Student Survey (2019 and 2022).These are nationwide surveys aimed at capturing student satisfaction amongst UK undergraduates.For these survey data, it is common to group the responses to the question on student satisfaction on a five point Likert scale into '% sati…
Assessing the influence of affective attitudes, demography and blood donor status on organ donor registration active decisions in opt-out systems
In contrast to opt-in systems, relatively little is known about what influences whether or not people register a decision about organ donation in opt-out systems. We address this gap in the literature. Participants ( N = 756) living in a country with opt-out consent (Wales, UK) provided information on demographics and blood donor status. Participants indicated whether they had opted-in or opted-out (i.e. active decision), or not registered a deci…
The fear factor
Objectives While anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs can reduce vaccine intentions, longitudinal research shows that vaccine hesitancy can increase conspiracy beliefs. In three experiments (N = 949), we examined the effect of fear about a vaccine on vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs.Method and Measures In Studies 1a (N = 221) and 1b (N = 508), participants were exposed to high fear (vs low fear) about a (fictional) vaccine before …
It’s Not Fine Online
With the development of online communication, research is needed to understand the emotional and behavioural consequences of online sexual objectification. Across two studies, we assessed how the emotions that are experienced following sexual objectification online predict how people respond to such actions. Study 1 ( N = 512) measured the extent to which people who identified as female would feel a variety of emotions following a sexually object…
Fake Content, Harmful Emotions
Sexualised deepfakes involve using artificial intelligence to create fake sexually explicit material of an individual. Across three experimental studies, we tested the psychological impact of sexualised deepfakes on women. Studies 1 ( N = 65) and 2 ( N = 60) asked participants to rate their feelings of objectification and emotions towards being the victim-survivor of sexualised deepfakes, revenge pornography or a non-sexual control condition. In …
A mixed-methods study investigating the acceptability of an early acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention to aid adjustment to appearance changes after burns
Appearance concerns after burns start soon after injury. However, early psychological interventions to support individuals with their changed appearance are absent. This study investigated the acceptability of an early acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention delivered by a psychological therapist either in person or virtually to help individuals adjust to changes to their appearance after burns. As a secondary objective, the potentia…
Psychology (16 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Social Psychology (10 works) · Anger (9 works) · Political science (8 works) · Social and Intergroup Psychology (8 works) · Medicine (7 works) · Organ donation (6 works) · Transplantation (6 works) · Action (physics (5 works)