Psychologists for Peace

Peace Research Award

The Award is made annually to a student enrolled in an accredited fourth year psychology program or Masters by coursework psychology program who has conducted a research project on a peace-related topic.

For details on the award, including eligibility, value of the award, selection criteria and nomination process click here.

 

Previous Peace Research Award Winners

2022

Emily Haines

“Their Win Is Our Loss”: Examining Whether Framing Utopian Thinking and Collective Narcissism Influence Support for Racial Equality

Honours thesis - Flinders University

(further details to come)

 

2021

Kimberley Bates

Immigrants' Willingness to Report Victimisation to Police: The Importance of Procedural Justice, Police Effectiveness and Trust in Police

Honours thesis - Griffith University (supervisor Professor Kristina Murphy)

Kimberley’s Honours thesis title was: ‘Immigrants’ willingness to report victimisation to police’. Her project was ambitious and involved two studies: Study 1 used survey data collected from ethnic minority immigrants who had experienced criminal victimisation in Australia. The study explored the link between how police were perceived to treat immigrant victims in Australia and victims’ subsequent willingness to trust and report their victimisation to police. Findings showed that when police were perceived as more respectful, displayed empathy, and were neutral in their dealings with victims this had a strong positive effect on victims’ willingness to trust police and report their victimisation. Study 2 involved interviewing victim support workers about how they believed police could work more harmoniously with immigrants who had experienced victimisation. Again, relationship-building and respect were highlighted as crucial to this goal.

 

2020

Erin Geary

Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Social Connectedness and Learning Community Predict Self-Determined Needs and Course Satisfaction?

Masters thesis - Monash University (supervisor Dr Kelly-Ann Allen)

 

2019

Ariane Virgona

A comparison of the impacts of cultural ideologies on personal wellbeing: An Australian study of polyculturalism

Honours thesis - La Trobe University (supervisor Professor Emiko Kashima)

In contrast to a multicultural conceptualisation of cultural groups as separate and independent entities having fixed attributes, polyculturalism assumes cultural groups to have flexible boundaries and shared attributes as they interact and influence each other over time. 

Ariane's study looked at how the cultural ideologies of multiculturalism, colourblindness and polyculturalism impacted psychological wellbeing in an Australian sample. Results found that polyculturalism was the only ideology to be significantly associated with wellbeing outcomes through increased empathy for other cultural groups and increased quality of contact. Additionally, polyculturalism was associated with decreased clarity in one’s cultural identity. These findings indicate that polyculturalism potentially has both positive and negative implications for endorsers' psychological wellbeing and this warrants further investigation. Ariane is continuing this research currently in a PhD at La Trobe University. 

For further elaboration on these concepts, please see Ariane's interview on SBS Filipino Radio: https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/audio/an-inclusive-australia-looking-into-polyculturalism

 

2018

Michael Dare

Social Groups and Superordinate Identification: Preserving Pro-sociality in the Face of Inequality

Honours thesis - University of Queensland (supervisor Professor Jolanda Jetten)

 

2017

Award rested

 

2016

Maddison Norton

Community Understandings of humanitarian entrants: An investigation of Coffs Harbour

Honours thesis - Southern Cross University (supervisor Dr Gail Moloney)

 

2015

Emma Mabin

The Effects of Mitigating Information and Ruminative versus Empathic Group Discussions of Aggression

Honours thesis - University of New South Wales (supervisor Professor Tom Denson)

 

Fatima Azam

Predictors of Approach/Avoidance of Diversity in Non-Muslims: A Hijab Stall Field Test

Honours thesis - University of Newcastle (supervisor Dr Stefania Paolini) 

 

2014

Alison Clarke

Sacred Devotion through Social Interaction: Group-based Values and Psychological Pathways to Political Activism and Radicalism

Honours thesis - Murdoch University (supervisor Dr Emma Thomas)

 

Benjamin Low

Being ‘Here First” Determines “What’s Fair” for Immigrants

Honours thesis - University of Queensland (supervisor Professor Matthew Hornsey)

 

2013

Alissa Badcock

The Role of Rumination in the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Forgiveness: A Trait and State-Level Investigation

Honours thesis - La Trobe University (supervisor Professor Eleanor Wertheim)

 

2012

Alexia Naef

Visual Markers and Social perceptions of religious groups

Postgraduate Diploma thesis - Southern Cross University (supervisor Dr Gail Moloney)

 

2011

Lisa Yu

The Dark Side of Self-control: Can Self-control Training Decrease and Increase Aggressive Behaviour?

Honours thesis - University of New South Wales (supervisor Dr Tom Denson)

 

2010

Miriam Capper

Practicing Self-Control Decreases Reactive Aggression in Aggressive Individuals

Honours thesis - University of New South Wales (supervisor Dr Tom Denson)

 

Rishani Panawennage

Intergroup Forgiveness after the Prolonged Conflict in a Sri Lankan Sample

Honours thesis - La Trobe University (supervisor Professor Eleanor Wertheim)

 

2009

Joanne Frare

Patriotism or Nationalism: Investigating Australian National Identity and Flag Display Behaviour

Honours thesis - Southern Cross University (supervisor Dr Gail Moloney)

 

Tim Howle

The Differential Impact of Ethnic Threat and Ecological Threat on Ethnocentrism and Prejudice

Honours thesis - Australia National University (supervisor Dr. Boris Bizumic)

 

2008

Irene Giaprakis

The contribution of emotional intelligence and its components in the prediction of forgiveness

Honours thesis - La Trobe University (supervisor Professor Eleanor Wertheim)

 

2007

Award rested

 

2006

Peggy Koutsos

Paths to interpersonal forgiveness: The role of personality, dispositional forgiveness and situational forgiveness

Postgraduate Diploma thesis - La Trobe University (supervisor Professor Eleanor Wertheim)

 

2005

Luisa Rossi

The Relationship between Language Skills and Outcomes of the PATHS Curriculum

University of Western Australia 

 

2004

Award rested

 

2003

Andreia Azevedo

Adolescents’ value orientations and preferred strategies for resolving disagreements involving different student groups

Honours thesis - La Trobe University

 

2002

Helena Culbertson

Ashley Carl

 

2001

Jackie Bornstein

University of Melbourne

 

Anne Matuszek

University of Tasmania

 

2000

Elizabeth Le Clercq

 

1999

Andrew Hamilton

University of Melbourne

 

Albert Dinelli

 

1998

Michelle Fleming

Michael Virgen

 

1997

Adina Kotler

Tamara Noy

Heather Siddons

Brianna Harrison

Janet Ruffles

 

1996

Therese Meallin

Michelle Versluys

 

1995

Tony Pastore

Lana Strogonow

Kimberley’s Honours thesis title was: ‘Immigrants’ willingness to report victimisation to police’. Her project was ambitious and involved two studies: Study 1 used survey data collected from ethnic minority immigrants who had experienced criminal victimisation in Australia. The study explored the link between how police were perceived to treat immigrant victims in Australia and victims’ subsequent willingness to trust and report their victimisation to police. Findings showed that when police were perceived as more respectful, displayed empathy, and were neutral in their dealings with victims this had a strong positive effect on victims’ willingness to trust police and report their victimisation. Study 2 involved interviewing victim support workers about how they believed police could work more harmoniously with immigrants who had experienced victimisation. Again, relationship-building and respect were highlighted as crucial to this goal.