海角黑料

School of Psychology
 

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Alexa Spence

Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Science

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Research Summary

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Spence's research experience includes time spent within both the academic and public sectors and has been involved with research within social, economic, and environmental psychology. Her primary area of expertise is within social cognition and risk and she has professional memberships of the British Psychological Society, the European Association of Social Psychologists, the European Social Cognition Network, the National Energy Research Network and the Society for Risk Analysis. She is also a member of the UK Energy Research Centre.

She completed her doctorate at the 海角黑料 on the topic of perceptions and behaviour relating to genetically modified (GM) food. Her postdoctoral experience comprises several posts based both at the 海角黑料 and Cardiff University and has focused on applying social psychological theory to current topical risk issues. In particular she has been involved in research on climate change and energy issues, examining related public perceptions, issues of acceptance, and behaviour.

She currently works across Psychology and Horizon Digital Economy Research where she brings her social and environmental theoretical backgrounds to new digital technology innovations, in particular energy display development and smart grid understandings. Notably Alexa leads a large 5 year project titled that examines how to encourage cooperation in reducing energy use in the workplace, and is involved with a range of projects examining public perceptions of energy systems and technologies, and climate change.

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Current Funding:

- SWITCH: Smart Wireless Integrated Technology Control in Homes. March 2012 - December 2012.(E.On) .

- . September 2012 - August 2017 (RCUK: Digital Economy)

- Information Geology. The 'Lifelong' in the Lifelong Contextual Footprint: A Bridging the Gaps Event. Jan 2012-Dec 2012. (RCUK).

- . Sep 2011 - Sep 2013 (UKERC)

- Jan 2011 - Jan 2013. (UKERC),

Selected Publications

  • DEMSKI, C., BUTLER, C., PARKHILL, K., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N. F., 2015. Global Environmental Change. 87, 665-672
  • BUTLER, C., DEMSKI, C., PARKHILL, K., PIDGEON, N. and SPENCE, A., 2015. Energy Policy. 87, 665-672
  • GOULDEN, M. and SPENCE, A., 2015. Energy Policy. 280-287
  • SPENCE, A., DEMSKI, C., BUTLER, C., PARKHILL, K. and PIDGEON, N. F., 2015. Public perceptions of demand side management and a smarter energy future. Nature Climate Change. 5, 550-554

Past Research

Previous Funding

- Psychology of Sustainability Networking Grant Jan 2009 - Jan 2010 (BPS)

- Public perceptions of climate change and energy futures in Britain. Oct 2008 - Oct 2010 (ESRC)

- Theoretical integration of the affect heuristic and implicit attitudes: implications for implicit social cognition, risk perception and acceptability of societal concerns (ESRC)

- Attitudes and Behaviour towards genetically modified food. Oct 2003 - Sep 2006 (ESRC/NERC)

  • DEMSKI, C., CAPSTICK, S., PIDGEON, N., SPOSATO, R. G. and SPENCE, A., 2017. Climatic Change. 140(2), 149-164
  • DEMSKI, C., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N., 2017. Nature Energy. 2, 17027
  • SKATOVA, A.,, SPENCE, A.,, LEYGUE, C., and FERGUSON, E, 2017. Scientific Reports. 7, 6709
  • SKATOVA, ANYA, SPENCE, ALEXA, LEYGUE, CAROLINE and FERGUSON, EAMONN, 2017. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 7,
  • LEYGUE, C., FERGUSON, E. and SPENCE, A., 2017. 53, 50-62
  • DEMSKI, C., EVENSEN, D., PIDGEON, N. and SPENCE, A., 2017. Energy Policy. 110, 404-409
  • SPENCE, A., COSTANZA, E., BANKS, N., GOULDEN, M., BEDWELL, B., LEYGUE, C., YANG, R. and MCAULEY, D., 2017. C-tech: Creating the Energy for Change Final Report
  • STADDON, S., CYCIL, C., GOULDEN, M., LEYGUE, C. and SPENCE, A., 2016. Energy Research and Social Science. 17, 30-51
  • GOULDEN, M. and SPENCE, A., 2015. Energy Policy. 280-287
  • BUTLER, C., DEMSKI, C., PARKHILL, K., PIDGEON, N. and SPENCE, A., 2015. Energy Policy. 87, 665-672
  • CAPSTICK, S. B., DEMSKI, C.C., SPOSATO, R., PIDGEON, N. F., SPENCE, A. and CORNER, A., 2015. Public perceptions of climate change in Britain following the winter 2013/2014 flooding.: Understanding Risk Research Group Working Paper 15-01
  • SPENCE, A., DEMSKI, C., BUTLER, C., PARKHILL, K. and PIDGEON, N. F., 2015. Public perceptions of demand side management and a smarter energy future. Nature Climate Change. 5, 550-554
  • DEMSKI, C., BUTLER, C., PARKHILL, K., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N. F., 2015. Global Environmental Change. 87, 665-672
  • XENIAS, D., AXON, C., WHITMARSH, L., CONNOR, P., BALTA-MARSH, N. and SPENCE, A., 2015. UK Smart Grid development: an expert assessment of the benefits, pitfalls and functions Renewable Energy. 81(89-102),
  • TOWNSEND, E., SPENCE, A. and KNOWLES, S., 2014. Journal of Risk Research. 17, 299-315
  • SPENCE, A., LEYGUE, C., BEDWELL, B. and O'MALLEY, C., 2014. Engaging with energy reduction: Does a climate change frame have the potential for achieving broader sustainable behaviour? Journal of Environmental Psychology. 38, 17-28
  • BALTA-OZKAN, N., WATSON, T., CONNOR, P., AXON, C., WHITMARSH, L., DAVIDSON, R., SPENCE, A., XENIAS, D., CIPCIGAN, L. and TAYLOR, G., 2014. UKERC, UK..
  • GOULDEN, M., BEDWELL, B., RENNICK-EGGLESTONE, S., RODDEN, T. and SPENCE, A., 2014. Smart Grids, Smart users? The Role of the User in Demand Side Management Energy Research & Social Science. 2, 21-29 (In Press.)
  • PIDGEON, N., DEMSKI, C., BUTLER, C., PARKHILL, K. and SPENCE, A., 2014. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (In Press.)
  • GOULDEN, M., BEDWELL, B. and SPENCE, A., 2014. Nature Climate Change. 4, 649-650
  • BEDWELL, BEN, LEYGUE, CAROLINE, GOULDEN, MURRAY, MCAULEY, DEREK, COLLEY, JAMES, FERGUSON, EAMONN, BANKS, NICK and SPENCE, ALEXA, 2014. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management. 26(10), 1196-1211
  • LEYGUE, C., FERGUSON, E., SKATOVA, A. and SPENCE, A., 2014. Energy sharing and energy feedback: Affective and behavioural reactions to communal energy displays Frontiers in Energy Research, section Energy Systems and Policy.. 29
  • TOWNSEND, E., SPENCE, A. and KNOWLES, S., 2014. Journal of Risk Research. 17, 299-315
  • PARKHILL, K., DEMSKI, C., BUTLER, C., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N., 2013. Contribution to DECC Evidence for the National Grid's Low-Cost Scenario Development
  • DEMSKI, C., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N., 2013.
  • SPENCE, A., POORTINGA, W. and PIDGEON, N., 2012. Risk Analysis. 32(6), 957-972
  • KELLER, C, BOSTROM, A, KUTTSCHREUTER, M, SAVADORI, L and SPENCE, A. AND WHITE, M., 2012. Journal of Risk Research. 15(3), 237-256
  • PIDGEON, N., CORNER, A., PARKHILL, K., SPENCE, A., BUTLER, C. and POORTINGA, W., 2012. Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 370(1974), 4176-4196
  • FLEMING, P., TOWNSEND, E., VAN HILTEN, J. A., SPENCE, A. and FERGUSON, E., 2012. Journal of Risk Research. 15(7), 857-873
  • DEMSKI, C., PARKHILL, K., BUTLER, C., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N., 2012. Public engagement and the my2050 tool - Transforming the UK Energy System: Public Values, Attitudes and acceptability.: UKERC Briefing Note II
  • POORTINGA, W., SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N., 2012. Energy Policy. 48, 812-819
  • SPENCE, A., POORTINGA, W., BUTLER, C. and PIDGEON, N.F., 2011. Nature Climate Change. 3(2), 46-49
  • CORNER, A., SPENCE, A., POORTINGA, W., DEMSKI, C., PIDGEON, N. and VENABLES, D., 2011. Energy Policy. 39(9), 4823-4833
  • RESER, J. P, PIDGEON, N, SPENCE, A, BRADLEY, G. A and GLENDON, I. ELLUL, M., 2011.
  • POORTINGA, W., SPENCE, A., WHITMARSH, L., CAPSTICK, S. and PIDGEON, N.F., 2011. Global Environmental Change. 21(3), 1015-1024
  • SPENCE, A, VENABLES, D, PIDGEON, N and POORTINGA, W. AND DEMSKI, C., 2010.
  • SPENCE, A, POORTINGA, W., PIDGEON, N. and LORENZONI, I, 2010. Energy and Environment. 21(5), 385-407
  • SPENCE, A. and PIDGEON, N., 2010. Global Environmental Change. 20(4), 656-667
  • FERGUSON, E., SPENCE, A., TOWNSEND, E., PROWSE, C., PALMER, J., FLEMING, P. and VAN HILTEN, J.A., 2009. Transfusion. 49(8), 1637-1648
  • SPENCE, A, PIDGEON, N. and UZZELL, D., 2009. The Psychologist. 21, 108-111
  • SPENCE, A and PIDGEON, N., 2009. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development. 51, 9-18
  • FERGUSON, E., PROWSE, C., TOWNSEND, E., SPENCE, A., VAN HILTEN, J.A. and LOWE, K., 2008. Journal of Internal Medicine. 263(3), 244-255
  • SPENCE, A. and TOWNSEND, E., 2008. Cognition and Emotion. 22(1), 83-93
  • SPENCE, A. and TOWNSEND, E., 2007. British Journal of Social Psychology. 46(2), 437-457
  • SPENCE, A. and TOWNSEND, E., 2006. Appetite. 46(1), 67-74
  • SPENCE, A. and TOWNSEND, E., 2006. Risk Analysis. VOL 26(NUMBER 3), 657-670
  • SPENCE, A., 2005. Using implicit tasks in attitude research: A review and a guide Social Psychological Review. 7, 2-17

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