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Dr Gini Harrison

Profile summary

  • Central Academic Staff
  • Senior Lecturer
  • Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
  • School of Psychology & Counselling
  • Psychology
  • gini.harrison

Research interests

I am an applied cognitive researcher working across various different domains.  Most of this work is carried out within two broad areas: clinical psychology, and forensic and criminal justice work.

My clinical work focuses broadly on wellbeing, and is concerned with the measurement, manifestation and treatment of stress, anxiety and depression. I work with different cohorts who often experience elevated levels of stress due to the context they are in, in particular women in the perinatal period, and those occupationally exposed to stressful situations (such as emergency responders). As part of this work, I am involved in research into the implementation and effectiveness of eHealth tools to promote mental health and support wellbeing. 

Beyond this, I am also interested in the ill-health effects of exposure to neurotoxic compounds (particularly organophosphates) in terms of general cognitive deficits and mood disorder.  

My more forensic research examines how well people perform as witnesses (i.e. in terms of face recognition). I am particularly interested in how we become experts in face recognition, how this changes with age, and what cognitive and neural mechanisms and/or social behaviours may underlie this expertise. Of additional interest to me is how social interest and exposure to certain groups of people may affect our ability to recognise them.  I also carry out work examining police attitudes towards line-up procedures and investigating potential barriers to implementing more evidence-based policing.

I am a member of the following research groups: Forensic Psychology Research Group, Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative (HERC), Centre for Police Research and Learning, OU Mental Health Research Group

Teaching interests

I have been part of the presentation teams for the following modules:

  • Investigating Psychology 1 (DE100)
  • Investigating Psychology 2 (DE200)
  • Investigating Psychology 3 (DE300)
  • Exploring psychology (DSE212)
  • Cognitive psychology (DD303)
  • Advanced experimental design and analysis (D841)
  • Research methods dissertation in social science (D845)

I have also played a key role in the production of the following modules:

  • Investigating Psychology 1 (DE100)
  • Investigating Psychology 2 (DE200)
  • Investigating Psychology 3 (DE300)

I am also responsible for overseeing the Research Methods teaching across the entire Psychology qualification. 

Impact and engagement

I have developed a number of OpenLearn resources, including:

Getting Started with SPSS

Stress and Anxiety in the Digital Age

Managing Digital-Related Stress

I am also currently developing an eHealth resource to help support women experiencing perinatal anxiety.

Research groups

NameTypeParent Unit
Applied Cognitive Psychology Research GroupGroupFaculty of Social Sciences

Publications

Online cognitive behaviour therapy for maternal antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression in routine care (2023-10-01)
Mahoney, Alison; Shiner, Christine T.; Grierson, Ashlee B.; Sharrock, Maria J.; Loughnan, Siobhan A.; Harrison, Virginia and Millard, Michael
Journal of Affective Disorders, 338 (pp. 121-128)

Repetitive negative thinking in the perinatal period and its relationship with anxiety and depression (2022-08-15)
Moulds, Michelle L; Bisby, Madelyne A; Black, Melissa J; Jones, Katie; Harrison, Virginia; Hirsch, Colette R and Newby, Jill M
Journal of Affective Disorders, 311 (pp. 446-462)

Perceived social support and prenatal wellbeing; The mediating effects of loneliness and repetitive negative thinking on anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic (2022-04-29)
Harrison, Virginia; Moulds, Michelle and Jones, Katie
Women and Birth, 35(3) (pp. 232-241)

Support from friends moderates the relationship between repetitive negative thinking and postnatal wellbeing during COVID-19 (2022)
Harrison, Virginia; Moulds, Michelle L. and Jones, Katie
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 40(5) (pp. 516-531)

The mental health and wellbeing of spouses, partners and children of emergency responders: A systematic review (2022)
Sharp, Marie-Louise; Solomon, Noa; Harrison, Virginia; Gribble, Rachael; Cramm, Heidi; Pike, Graham and Fear, Nicola T.
PLOS ONE, 17, Article e0269659(6)

A qualitative analysis of feelings and experiences associated with perinatal distress during the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)
Jones, Katie; Harrison, Virginia; Moulds, Michelle L. and Lazard, Lisa
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22, Article 572(1)

Eyewitness identification procedures: Do researchers and practitioners share the same goals? (2021-03)
Pike, Graham; Havard, Catriona; Harrison, Gini and Ness, Hayley
International Journal of Police Science & Management, 23(1) (pp. 17-28)

From witness to web sleuth: Does citizen enquiry using social media affect formal eyewitness identification procedures? (2021)
Havard, C.; Strathie, A.; Pike, G.; Walkington, Z.; Ness, H. and Harrison, V.
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology

Are You In or Are You Out? The Importance of Group Saliency in Own-Group Biases in Face Recognition (2020)
Harrison, Virginia; Hole, G. and Habibi, Ruth
Perception, 49(6) (pp. 672-687)

Supporting perinatal anxiety in the digital age; a qualitative exploration of stressors and support strategies (2020)
Harrison, Virginia; Moore, Donna and Lazard, Lisa
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20, Article 363(1)

Entitlement to Tell on Police Facebook Sites (2019-05-01)
Walkington, Zoe; Pike, Graham; Strathie, Ailsa; Havard, Catriona; Harrison, Virginia and Ness, Hayley
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 22(5) (pp. 355-357)

Advice for Health Care Professionals and Users: An Evaluation of Websites for Perinatal Anxiety (2018-12-20)
Moore, Donna and Harrison, Virginia
JMIR Mental Health, 5, Article e11464(4)

Are you talking to me? How identity is constructed on police-owned Facebook sites (2018-10)
Walkington, Zoe; Pike, Graham; Strathie, Ailsa; Havard, Catriona; Ness, Hayley and Harrison, Virginia
Narrative Inquiry, 28(2) (pp. 280-300)

Anxiety and depression following cumulative low-level exposure to organophosphate pesticides (2016-11)
Harrison, Virginia and Mackenzie Ross, Sarah
Environmental Research, 151 (pp. 528-536)

What’s your poison? Neurobehavioural consequences of exposure to industrial, agricultural and environmental chemicals (2016-01-21)
Mackenzie Ross, Sarah and Harrison, Virginia
Cortex, 74 (pp. 353-357)

An emerging concern: Toxic fumes in airplane cabins (2016-01)
Harrison, Virginia and Mackenzie Ross, Sarah J.
Cortex, 74 (pp. 297-302)

Reflections on the process of using systematic review techniques to evaluate the literature regarding the neurotoxicity of low level exposure to organophosphate pesticides (2015-07-31)
Mackenzie Ross, Sarah; McManus, Chris; Harrison, Virginia and Mason, Oliver
Environment International, 92-93 (pp. 569-573)

Effects of mental health self-efficacy on outcomes of a mobile phone and web intervention for mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety and stress: secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. (2014-09-26)
Clarke, Janine; Proudfoot, Judith; Birch, Mary Rose; Whitton, Alexis E.; Parker, Gordon; Manicavasagar, Vijaya; Harrison, Virginia; Christensen, Helen and Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan
BMC Psychiatry, 14, Article 272(1)

Impact of a mobile phone and web program on symptom and functional outcomes for people with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety and stress: a randomised controlled trial. (2013-11-18)
Proudfoot, Judith; Clarke, Janine; Birch, Mary-Rose; Whitton, Alexis; Parker, Gordon; Manicavasagar, Vijaya; Harrison, Virginia; Christensen, Helen and Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan
BMC Psychiatry, 13(1) (pp. 312-324)

Neurobehavioral problems following low-level exposure to organophosphate pesticides: a systematic and meta-analytic review (2013-01)
Mackenzie-Ross, Sarah; McManus, I. C.; Harrison, Virginia and Mason, Oliver
Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 43(1) (pp. 21-44)

Cognitive function following reported exposure to contaminated air on commercial aircraft: methodological considerations for future researchers (2011-12-30)
Mackenzie Ross, Sarah; Harrison, Virginia; Madeley, Laura; Davis, Kavus; Abraham-Smith, Kelly; Hughes, Tessa and Mason, Oliver
Journal of Biological Physics and Chemistry, 11(4) (pp. 180-191)

Mobile mental health: review of the emerging field and proof of concept study (2011-12)
Harrison, Virginia; Proudfoot, Judith; Wee, Pang Ping; Parker, Gordon; Hadzi Pavlovic, Dusan and Manicavasagar, Vijaya
Journal of Mental Health, 20(6) (pp. 509-524)

Neuropsychological and psychiatric functioning in sheep farmers exposed to low levels of organophosphate pesticides (2010-07)
Mackenzie Ross, Sarah Jane; Brewin, Chris Ray; Curran, Helen Valerie; Furlong, Clement Eugene; Abraham-Smith, Kelly Michelle and Harrison, Virginia
Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 32(4) (pp. 452-459)

Evidence for a contact-based explanation of the own-age bias in face recognition (2009)
Harrison, Virginia and Hole, Graham J.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16(2) (pp. 264-269)

Cognitive impairment following exposure to organophosphate pesticides: a pilot study (2007)
Mackenzie Ross, S.; Clark, J.; Harrison, Virginia and Abraham, K.
Journal of Occupational Health & Safety-Australia & New Zealand, 23(2) (pp. 133-142)

SPSS for Psychologists: And Everybody Else (2020-11-01)
Harrison, Virginia and Kemp, Richard
ISBN : 1352009943 | Publisher : Macmillan Education UK | Published : London

Organophosphates II. Neurobehavioural Problems Following Low-Level Exposure: Methodological Considerations for Future Research (2020)
Mackenzie Ross, S. J. and Harrison, V.
In: D’Mello, J. P. F. ed. A Handbook of Environmental Toxicology: Human Disorders and Ecotoxicology (pp. 261-281)
ISBN : 9781786394675 | Publisher : CAB International | Published : Wallingford

Emergency Responders Mental Health & Wellbeing Project (2020)
Sharp, Marie-Louise; Harrison, Virginia; Soloman, Noa; King, Helen; Fear, Nicola and Pike, Graham
In : Emergency Responders Research Symposium: Mental Health & Wellbeing (30 Jan 2020, London)

Exploring charity sector wellbeing support for police (2019-09-10)
King, Helen; Harrison, Virginia and Pike, Graham
In : 2019 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference: A civil society for the future: setting the agenda for the voluntary sector and volunteering research in the 2020s (10-11 Sep 2019, Aston University, Birmingham, UK)

Supporting perinatal anxiety in the digital age: an exploration of stressors and support (2019)
Harrison, Virginia and Moore, Donna
In : The Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology: SRIP (5-6 Sep 2019, London)

The use of Facebook in creating police identity (2018-03-01)
Walkington, Zoe; Pike, Graham; Strathie, Ailsa; Havard, Catriona; Ness, Hayley and Harrison, Virginia
In : 2018 Conference of the Society of Evidence Based Policing (1-2 Mar 2018)

Can Social Categorisation Elicit Own-Group Biases in Face Recognition (2018)
Harrison, Virginia and Hole, Graham
In : British Psychological Society Cognitive Section Conference (29-31 Aug 2018, Liverpool)

What’s so ‘super’ about super recognisers? (2016)
Harrison, Virginia; Ness, Hayley and Skelton, Faye
In : European Association of Psychology and Law Conference (EAPL 2016) (5-8 Jul 2016, Toulouse, France)

Police perceptions of eyewitness evidence and research (2015)
Harrison, Virginia; Pike, Graham; Havard, Catriona and Ness, Hayley
In : European Association of Psychology and Law Conference (EAPL 2015) (4-7 Aug 2015, Nuremberg, Germany)

Revisiting a social-cognitive explanation of own-group biases in face recognition (2014)
Harrison, Virginia; Hole, Graham and Habibi, Ruth
In : British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Cognitive Section (3-5 Sep 2014, Nottingham Trent University, UK)

myCompass: mobile phones as a monitoring and management tool for mood and anxiety problems (2010)
Harrison, Virginia; Proudfoot, Judy; Parker, Gordon; Manicavasagar, Vijaya and Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan
In : Australian Society for Psychiatric Research Conference (5-8 Dec 2010, Sydney, Australia)

Expertise and the own-age bias in face recognition: Evidence from an inversion study (2008)
Harrison, Virginia and Hole, Graham
In : 5th Annual Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision (Jul 2008, Brisbane, Australia)

Evidence for a contact based explanation of the own-age bias in face recognition (2007)
Harrison, Virginia and Hole, Graham
In : British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Cognitive Section (Aug 2007, Aberdeen, UK)

Expertise and the Own-Age Bias in Face Recognition (2011-06)
Harrison, Virginia
PhD thesis University of Sussex

Assessing the mental health and wellbeing of the Emergency Responder community in the UK (2020-06)
Sharp, Marie-Louise; Harrison, Virginia; Solomon, Noa; Fear, Nicola; King, Helen and Pike, Graham
Open University and Kings College London, London.

A glimpse into the realm of police wellbeing charities (2020-01)
King, Helen; Harrison, Virginia and Pike, Graham
The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.