The University of Sheffield
Department of Psychology

Dr Thomas Webb BA, MSc, PhD

Thomas Webb

Address Room 2-43, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TP, UK
Tel: (+44) (0)114 22 26516
Email: T.Webb@sheffield.ac.uk

Research interests

I am a social psychologist, interested in self-regulation and behaviour change. Specifically, I am interested in how people achieve their goals and make changes to their behaviour.

The usual answer is that people need to be motivated. However, even medium-to-large changes in people's intentions seem to have only a small-to-medium effect on their behavior. In short, motivation is not enough. As a result, much of my research to date has investigated how the effects of motivation can be boosted by forming specific plans - known as "implementation intentions" - that link good opportunities to act with suitable responses to those opportunities.

Current research

In Summer 2011 I was awarded an ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant (£700k) to investigate the role of monitoring (and not monitoring) in goal striving. The project proposes that there is an 'ostrich problem' such that people bury their heads in the sand and fail to monitor the relation between their current behaviour and their desired behaviour.

I also co-lead (with Dr Chris Jones) the psychology node of a large (£7 million) ERDF grant called 'The Big Energy Upgrade'. Our part of the project investigates the behavioural aspects of household energy efficiency interventions.

Finally, I am involved in a grant funded by the John Templeton Foundation (£272k) titled 'Enacting virtue, controlling vice: Testing three strategies for overcoming unconscious influences and translating good intentions into action' (lead by Prof Paschal Sheeran), and a grant funded by the MRC National Prevention Research Initiative (£486k) titled 'Time to change! Using the transition from school to university to promote healthy lifestyle habits in young people' (lead by Prof Paul Norman).

Teaching and administrative duties

I am module organiser for PSY330: The Psychology of Goals and Goal Striving. I am also Learning and Teaching Development Champion and responsible for student evaluation of teaching. In addition, I am a member of the Psychology Teaching Committee and Ethics Sub-Committee.

Professional activities

I am Associate Editor at the European Journal of Social Psychology and on the Editorial Boards of the British Journal of Health Psychology, Psychology & Health, Health Psychology Review, and Motivation and Emotion

Postgraduate Students

Jessica Alleva
Kiera Bartlett
Spryros Christou-Champi
Glyn Hallam
Katie Hanson
Daria Hernadez-Ibar
Aimie Hope
Chris Maidment
Hashim Osman
Alex Scott

Current Postdocs

Yael Benn
Betty Chang
Tracy Epton
Ian Macdonald
Eleanor Miles
Fiona Scott
Benjamin Harkin

Links to other web profiles

Google Scholar
Academia.edu Profile
Social Psychology Network
Twitter
LinkedIn Profile
ResearchGate Profile
Microsoft Academic Search

Publications

A list of key publications can be found below.For a full list of publications please click here

Journal articles