PhD students
Meet our Psychology PhD students and explore their research topics.
To find out more about our PhD students, their Psychology research, and how to contact them, visit their individual profile pages via the links below.
![Profile image - Aaron Hissey.jpg Photo of Aaron Hissey](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1926026/Profile-image-Aaron-Hissey.jpg)
Aaron Hissey
The stability of maladaptive personality traits and their impact on others
![alana-obrien-tile.jpg Landscape photo of Alana](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1877372/alana-obrien-tile.jpg)
Alana Haenga-O'Brien
Exploring Rangatahi Māori Understandings of Wairuatanga and Hauora
![annabelle-wride Photo of PhD student, Annabelle Wride.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/annabelle-wride/Annabelle-Wride-3200x1800px.jpg/ls_large.jpg)
Annabelle Wride
Developing a Theory of Intimate Partner Aggression in Aotearoa-New Zealand
![Annalisa Hughes Website Tile Photo Annalisa Hughes Website Tile Photo](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0006/1811760/annalisa-hughes-tile.jpg)
Annalisa Hughes
Cultural Context and Crime: How should the sociocultural environment feature in psychological explanation and practice for forensic purposes?
![dryden-badenoch-tile Photo of PhD student Dryden Badenoch.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/dryden-badenoch/dryden-badenoch-tile.jpg/ls_large.jpg)
Dryden Badenoch
Improving Cognitive Assessment Post-Stroke
![elizabeth-mclean-tile.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0005/1979951/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Elizabeth McLean
The life experience of adolescent Māori females in the New Zealand criminal justice system.
![ethan-carter-tile-stockphoto.jpg link wire fence](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0011/1657325/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Ethan Carter
Conceptual issues with our current explanations of psychopathology and offence-related behaviours.
![gerard-janse-van-rensburg-tile.JPG PhD Candidate Gerard Janse van Rensburg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0005/1676120/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Gerard Janse van Rensburg
Understanding the nature of prejudice: A Multi-level Analysis of the Antecedents of Prejudice and Discrimination
![harry-dent-stockphoto-tile.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0005/1982597/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Harry Dent
Emotional processes in correctional rehabilitation: An enactive approach
![joanna-mete PhD Candidate Joanna Mete posing for a photo in front of green foliage](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0007/1748329/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Joanna Mete
Cognitive control mechanisms in anxiety
![jordan-payne-tile.jpg PhD candidate Jordan Payne](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/jordan-payne/jordan-payne-tile.jpg/ls_medium.jpg)
Jordan Payne
Mechanisms of Psychological Distress in Rural New Zealand.
![john-vega-guerra-tile Photo of PhD student, John Vega Guerra](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/juan-pablo-john-vega/john-vega-guerra-tile.jpg/ls_medium.jpg)
Juan Pablo (John) Vega
What's his deal? Understanding Social Deviance and Norm Breaking in Intra-group Settings
![justin-murphy-tile-stockphoto.jpg brain with electrical storm](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0009/1693440/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Justin Murphy
Does mindful attention impact processing of emotional stimuli?
![kate-witt-tile.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0006/1980051/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Kate Witt
The role of the dopamine D1 receptor in the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia.
![konstantina-vasileva-tile.jpg PhD Candidate Konstantina Vasileva looking into the camera. The image is taken in The Hub on Kelburn Campus.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0003/1450902/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Konstantina Vasileva
Imagery is more than meets the eye: a new look at mental imagery processing in working memory
![kylie-sutcliffe-tile-stockphoto.jpg white and green sneakers worn by someone sitting with their feet on the lawn, close up of the feet](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1656559/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Kylie Sutcliffe
Scalable approaches to improving access to psychological therapies among high school students in Aotearoa New Zealand
![larissa-rocha-tile.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1982404/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Larissa Rocha
Investigating the acute and long-term effects of psilocybin in serotonin transporter knock-out and wild type female rats. // Effects of Psilocybin in Female Rat
![laura-kranz.jpg PhD Candidate Laura Kranz posing for a photo in front of green foliage](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1748332/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Laura Kranz
The role of cognition and emotion in science communication
![laurel-keats-casual photo of PhD student Laurel Keats](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/laurel-keats/laurel-keats.jpg/ls_large.jpg)
Laurel Keats
Autobiographical memory and young people's depressive symptoms across time
![lee-bravestone-tile.jpg PhD candidate Lee Bravestone](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/lee-bravestone/lee-bravestone-tile.jpg/ls_medium.jpg)
Lee Bravestone
Queering Ambivalent Sexism: Developing a new, more inclusive sexist ideology measurement
![linda-fatialofa-tile.JPG PhD Candidate Linda Fatialofa in front of a Samoan cloth.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1683973/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Linda Fatialofa
A Preliminary Descriptive Model for Youth Offending
![manjuparna-raychaudhuri-tile.jpg PhD Candidate Manjuparnha Raychaudurhi](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0011/1985483/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Manjuparna Raychaudhuri
Trajectory profiles of youth engaging in repeat offending
![mei-jing-lin.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1926242/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Mei-Jing Lin
Adults Automatic Imitation and Theory of Mind Processing
![MIchaela Dresel Web Tile MIchaela Dresel Web Tile](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0016/1812301/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Michaela Dresel
Social cognitive development in infants
![natasha-knack-tile-stockphoto.jpg side profile of a head with cogs floating above, and clouds float above that](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1975490/natasha-knack-tile-stockphoto.jpg)
Natasha Knack
Causal mechanisms underlying the effect of sexual arousal on sexual decision making
![nicky-duff-tile.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0011/1980362/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Nicky Duff
The role of autobiographical memory in problem solving.
![nuzha-saleem-tile.JPG PhD Candidate Nuzha Saleem, in a pink headscarf and white shirt standing infront of foliage on campus](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0011/1665713/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Nuzha Saleem
The effect of identity and belonging on resilience in ethnic minority youth.
![olivia-nop-tile photo of PhD student, Olivia Nop](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/psyc/research/phd-students/olivia-nop/olivia-nop-tile.jpg)
Olivia Nop
Sexism and victim blaming in sexual assault in religious communities
![ririwai-fox-tile.jpg on location photo of PhD Candidate Ririwai Fox](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1408355/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Ririwai Fox
The role of Māori cultural embeddedness in the formation and/or reshaping of personal identity across the life-span.
![roisin-whelan-tile.jpg PhD candidate Roisin Whelan](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0011/988292/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Roisin Whelan
Exploring the autobiographical memories of young people who offend
![taylor-winter-tile.jpg Talylor Winter photo](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1783909/taylor-winter-tile.jpg)
Taylor Winter
Investigating how the gut microbiome signals the brain to facilitate emotion regulation.
![tyler-ritchie-tile.jpg](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0005/1982417/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Tyler Ritchie
Indigenous perspectives on multiculturalism.