Role
Dr Richard Steel is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences.
Career overview
Richard completed his first degree in Psychology at the University of Derby, graduating with First Class BSc (Hons) and receiving the BPS undergraduate award for academic excellence. He subsequently obtained an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology with Distinction from Loughborough University, before completing his doctoral research at Loughborough.
Research areas
Richard’s research interests lie in the psychophysiology of health and well-being. His research has investigated motivational and self-regulatory processes that underpin healthy behaviour, our ability to cope with stress, and the associations with biological processes such as immune. Functioning. Dr Steel is also leading a longitudinal programme of research examining the effect that wearable fitness technology including smartwatches have on motivation, self-regulation, healthy behaviour and human flourishing.
Richard is keen to supervise PhD candidates on projects incorporating smartwatch use and physiological markers in psychological research, particularly in the areas of sport, exercise, sleep and health. He is also interested in investigating the mechanisms by which smartwatches instigate health behaviour change and potential maladaptive effects.
Richard is the module leader for Biological Psychology and Sport and Exercise Psychology.