Dr Rebecca Webster
School of Psychology
Lecturer in Psychology
Full contact details
School of Psychology
Cathedral Court
1 Vicar Lane
ºù«Ӱҵ
S1 2LT
- Profile
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Following my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Durham University, I went to King’s College London to complete an MSc in Health Psychology. I stayed at King’s to complete my PhD on nocebo effects (the ‘evil twin’ of the better known placebo), and afterwards spent a number of years there as a postdoctoral researcher within the Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response. My research interests broadly encompass the area of Health Psychology, in particular placebo/nocebo effects, risk communication and health behaviour in the context of public health emergencies. In 2020 I moved back up north and joined the Psychology department at ºù«Ӱҵ.
- Qualifications
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- BSc (Hons) Psychology - Durham University
- MSc Health Psychology - King’s College London
- PhD Psychology - King’s College London
- Research interests
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- Placebo/nocebo effects - How can we enhance placebo and reduce nocebo effects in the context of medicines in a way that is ethical (i.e. without impacting informed consent)? And does this have implications for adherence?
- Risk communication - Improving communication of risks in patient information leaflets, the doctor-patient consultation, and the role of empathy.
- Health behaviour change - Understanding and improving engagement in health behaviours, e.g. screening, adherence, presenteeism
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- . PLoS ONE, 18(10).
- . BMC Psychology, 11.
- . Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 164.
- . PLOS ONE, 17(12).
- . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12).
- . British Medical Journal, 374.
- . Disaster Prevention and Management.
- . Drug Safety.
- . Public Health, 182, 163-169.
- . Health Expectations.
- . Eurosurveillance, 25(13).
- . The Lancet, 395(10227), 912-920.
- . BMC Public Health, 19(1).
- . European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 49(11).
- . Patient Education and Counseling, 102(3), 602-603.
- . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9.
- . Trials, 19(1).
- . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52(11), 920-929.
- . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(4), 775-781.
- . BMJ Open, 8(5).
- . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(2), 436-454.
- . Health Expectations, 20(6), 1411-1420.
- . Drug Safety, 40(8), 743-754.
- . Vaccine, 35(15), 1936-1945.
- . Health Psychology, 35(12), 1334-1355.
- Why do children attend school, engage in other activities, or socialise when they have symptoms of an infectious illness? A cross-sectional survey. BMJ Open.
- . Psychology, Health and Medicine.
- . European Journal of Health Psychology.
- Do Side Effects to the Primary COVID-19 Vaccine Reduce Intentions for a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster?. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
- What influences whether parents recognise COVID-19 symptoms, request a test and self-isolate: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE.
- . Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 1-3.
- Why did some parents not send their children back to school following school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey. BMJ Paediatrics Open.
- Measuring the success of blinding in placebo-controlled trials: should we be so quick to dismiss it?. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.
- Predicting expectations of side-effects for those which are warned versus not warned about in patient information leaflets. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
- When symptoms become side effects: Development of the Side Effect Attribution Scale (SEAS). Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
- TIDieR-Placebo: a guide and checklist for reporting placebo and sham controls. PLoS Medicine.
- Public responses to the Salisbury Novichok incident: A cross-sectional survey of anxiety, anger, uncertainty, perceived risk and avoidance behaviour in the local community. BMJ Open.
Chapters
All publications
Journal articles
- . Journal of Health Psychology.
- . PLoS ONE, 18(10).
- . BMC Psychology, 11.
- . Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 164.
- . PLOS ONE, 17(12).
- . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12).
- . British Medical Journal, 374.
- . Disaster Prevention and Management.
- . Drug Safety.
- . Public Health, 182, 163-169.
- . Health Expectations.
- . Eurosurveillance, 25(13).
- . The Lancet, 395(10227), 912-920.
- . BMC Public Health, 19(1).
- . European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 49(11).
- . Patient Education and Counseling, 102(3), 602-603.
- . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9.
- . Trials, 19(1).
- . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52(11), 920-929.
- . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(4), 775-781.
- . BMJ Open, 8(5).
- . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(2), 436-454.
- . Health Expectations, 20(6), 1411-1420.
- . Drug Safety, 40(8), 743-754.
- . Vaccine, 35(15), 1936-1945.
- . Health Psychology, 35(12), 1334-1355.
- Why do children attend school, engage in other activities, or socialise when they have symptoms of an infectious illness? A cross-sectional survey. BMJ Open.
- . Psychology, Health and Medicine.
- . European Journal of Health Psychology.
- Do Side Effects to the Primary COVID-19 Vaccine Reduce Intentions for a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster?. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
- What influences whether parents recognise COVID-19 symptoms, request a test and self-isolate: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE.
- . Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 1-3.
- Why did some parents not send their children back to school following school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey. BMJ Paediatrics Open.
- Measuring the success of blinding in placebo-controlled trials: should we be so quick to dismiss it?. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.
- Predicting expectations of side-effects for those which are warned versus not warned about in patient information leaflets. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
- When symptoms become side effects: Development of the Side Effect Attribution Scale (SEAS). Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
- . SSRN Electronic Journal.
- . SSRN Electronic Journal.
- . Database.
- TIDieR-Placebo: a guide and checklist for reporting placebo and sham controls. PLoS Medicine.
- Public responses to the Salisbury Novichok incident: A cross-sectional survey of anxiety, anger, uncertainty, perceived risk and avoidance behaviour in the local community. BMJ Open.
Chapters
- Quarantine, Lockdown, and Isolation in the COVID-19 Pandemic In Williams R, Kemp V, Porter K, Healing T & Drury J (Ed.), Major Incidents, Pandemics and Mental Health The Psychosocial Aspects of Health Emergencies, Incidents, Disasters and Disease Outbreaks
- , Service-Learning for Disaster Resilience (pp. 97-111). Routledge
Preprints
- Research group
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Current PhD students
- Lisa Woodland (King’s College London) - School children presenteeism
- Ismaila Yakubu (University of ºù«Ӱҵ) - Self-compassion and Perceived Self Control in the Relationship between Occupational Stressors, Adherence to Therapy and Well being of Employees with Diabetes in Nigeria
- Sonia Shpendi (University of ºù«Ӱҵ) - Cervical screening uptake in young women
- Grants
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- British Academy small research grant (2019). Exploring the best method of presenting side-effect information in patient information leaflets: a nationally representative survey of the English public. (£9,969.50)
- British Academy small research grant (2021). Discrimination in healthcare settings and the nocebo effect (£9,986.00)
- WHITE ROSE UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM (2021). Infectious illness presenteeism in the age of COVID-19 (£11,000)
- WUN Research Projects (2022). Getting back in touch: Emotional pathways to a post-pandemic world (£10,000)
- Teaching activities
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I teach on the following modules, on the Undergraduate Psychology degree:
- PSY1001 - Social Psychology I
- PSY2001 - Social Psychology II
- PSY346 – Dissertation projects
- PSY331 – Extended essay
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Chartered member of the British Psychological Society
- Editorial board member for the British Journal of Health Psychology
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- PhD Opportunities
I am not not accepting PhD applications/enquiries until March 2025.
We advertise PhD opportunities (Funded or Self-Funded) on
For further information, please see the department PhD Opportunities page.
Links