Professor Joanne Smith

About me:

Joanne Smith is the Head of Psychology and a Professor in the School of Psychology

Interests:

In the broadest sense, my research focuses on the ways in which social identity and group membership influences the way that we think, feel, and act, in relation to ourselves and in relation to other people.

My research interests can be divided into the following themes:

1. The impact of social identity factors and norms on the attitude-behaviour relationship. This research attempts to understand why people do not always ""practice what they preach"" and focuses on the role of norms in this process. In particular, my research focuses on the distinction between descriptive norms (what people do) and injunctive norms (what people approve of) and how these norms interact to influence behaviour. I have studied this topic in relation to political behaviour, environmental behaviour, health behaviour.

2. Using norms to change behaviour. Following on from my work on norms, I am also involved in research that looks at how the power of group norms can be harnessed to promote positive behaviours, particularly in the domain of sustainable behaviours. 

My work also has an interdisciplinary flavour, and I have conducted research looking at the social and behavioural science aspects of water conservation and how to engage consumers with smart meters, as well as work looking at reducing plastic pollution.

Career:

Joanne completed her undergraduate and postgraduate work at the University of Queensland. Her PhD examined when and why group members will conform to group norms and was supervised by Professors Debbie Terry and Mike Hogg. After graduation, Joanne worked at the University of Queensland as a postdoctoral research fellow, first on a funded project looking at the effects of subjective uncertainty (with Professors Hogg, Terry, and Robin Martin), then as a research fellow working for Professor Terry, and finally as an independent researcher. She has worked at the University of Exeter since 2007.