Dr Ellie Ratcliffe: Environmental Psychology

Goldsmiths Psychology welcomes Dr Ellie Ratcliffe, University of Surrey, who will talk on the subject of Understanding people in context through environmental psychology.

Abstract: The physical environment is implicated in almost everything that people do, making environmental psychology - the study of people in transaction with their physical surroundings - highly relevant to society. With roots in 1970s study of ‘architectural psychology', today’s environmental psychology contributes to diverse areas of public life such as health promotion, environmental design, behaviour change, and (with increasing urgency) responses to global issues such as climate change. Recent discourse in the field has highlighted the importance of critical and pluralistic approaches to environmental psychology, including attention to the context(s) of environmental experiences; knowledge production beyond positivist epistemologies; and use of varied research methods. In this talk I will focus on the importance of considering people in their individual, social, and cultural contexts, so that we might move towards an environmental psychology that is more inclusive and representative of wider communities. I will present examples from my mixed-methods research on soundscapes, favourite places, and urban greening, and suggest some ways in which environmental psychology can contribute further to important societal issues.

Bio: Dr. Eleanor (Ellie) Ratcliffe is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Psychology at University of Surrey. Ellie’s research focuses on connections between the physical environment and human wellbeing, and especially the role of nature and place attachment in supporting positive psychological outcomes. Ellie is programme lead for MSc Environmental Psychology at University of Surrey and a Board member of the International Association of People-Environment Studies (IAPS). She completed her BSc (Hons) Psychology (2010) and MSc Research Methods in Psychology (2011) at Goldsmiths, working under the supervision of Prof. Jonny Freeman.

Please join us in person if you can. Or click here to join the lecture on Teams.

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