Profile
Laura Joyner
My CV
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Education:
- Newstead Wood School (1999-2006)
- Ravensbourne College of Art and Design (2006-7)
- University of Westminster (2007-11) – BA (Hons) Fashion Design
- University of East London (2019-20) – MSc Psychology
- University of Westminster (2020-Present) – PhD Psychology
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Qualifications:
- GCSEs – Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Language, English Literature, Spanish, RS, IT, DT, Art & Design, Music
- A / AS-Levels – Fine Art, Product Design, Maths, Music
- Foundation Diploma in Art & Design
- BA(Hons) Fashion Design
- Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing
- MSc Psychology
- PhD Psychology (Current)
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Work History:
After my BA I worked in Public Relations for about 7 years. It was a super interesting, fast paced job where I was always juggling a couple of projects at any one time. This actually really helped me prepare for research and a PhD, even if it was completely unrelated! I also saw my industry transform with the growth of social media which gave me the chance to learn about how it works and some of the challenges it creates.
Around the time I started thinking about changing my career I did an Introduction to Psychology short course. A year later I went back to university to get my MSc Psychology and then started my PhD in 2020.
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Current Job:
Doctoral Researcher & Part-Time Visiting Lecturer
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Employer:
University of Westminster
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About Me:
Hi, I’m Laura! I’m in the final stages of my PhD 📚 and also work as a Visiting Lecturer 👩🏻🏫at the University of Westminster. My first degree was in design ✍️ and then I worked with the press 🗞️ and social media marketing 🤳, before retraining in psychology 🧠. I also have specific learning differences and love finding digital tools to help support me doing my work 👩🏻💻
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Read more
Hi, I’m Laura!
I’m currently based at the University of Westminster, where I’m going to be submitting my PhD thesis in a few months (a 3-year research project looking at why social media users spread misinformation). I also teach undergraduate and postgraduate students here (mostly social psychology and research methods).
I didn’t always study Psychology though. After 6th form I took the Art Foundation course and then did a degree in Fashion Design. I then worked in PR and social media marketing for Fashion and Retail for 7 years. When I first started working most of our work was ‘print’ based (like newspapers and magazines you get in the shops), and the social media accounts I ran were very basic. Things changed very quickly during this time, and I found it fascinating to think about how things like social media and websites might impact how humans consume information and behave.
I ended up taking an Introduction to Psychology short course, which really opened my eyes to the subject. I decided I wanted a career change, and returned to university to take my MSc in Psychology (and subsequently, went on to start my PhD!).
A couple of months into my PhD I was also tested for specific learning differences. Discovering this about myself let me think about how I best work and learn, and helped me to stop comparing my progression to others. I also love finding new digital tools to help me manage and plan my work
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My pronouns are:
She / her
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My Work:
My research looks at why people spread false information on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. I teach subjects like social psychology, cyberpsychology, and research methods.
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Read more
My PhD research is looking at why people might spread false or misleading information on social media. I’ve carried out 5 studies on this (and also a related study during my MSc) which have looked at the effect of social identity cues within content on how people choose to interact with the post (e.g. do they ‘like’ it, comment on it, or even report it). I also look at how this influences their moral judgements – as in how ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ they feel it would be to spread the content.
I also teach subjects like Social Psychology, Cyberpsychology, and Research Methods. I love teaching, and it also helps to make my week a little more structured!
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My Typical Day:
I try to get to university for 10am, say hello to the other PhD students I share an office with and then I think about what I need to do that day. Every day is so different, but at the moment I’m mostly writing and teaching, before heading home around 6pm.
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I usually get to university for 10am, will catch up with the other PhD students I share an office with and then have a think about what I need to do that day. I try to keep a structured schedule as every day is so different – a PhD involves a lot of time management and planning, so organisation is quite important! But plenty of days don’t go to plan, so it’s good to be flexible!!
At the moment my main priority is writing my ‘general discussion’ for my thesis. That’s a chapter dedicated to summarising the findings from all of your studies (I have 5 in my thesis) and discussing what the implications of them are. Mine is going to be about 8000 words, and i’m aiming to write it all this month (so wish me luck!!). Alongside writing, I also teach a couple of times a week and looking for my first post-PhD job. There’s a lot going on, but I still try to leave the office around 6pm
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Misinformation-tackling psychologist
What did you want to be after you left school?
A classical musician or a fashion designer
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Mostly in PE (I am terrible at sport!)
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Kylie Minogue
What's your favourite food?
Pasta 🍝
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To be able to pause time, go on an around the world trip and one day have a dog (named Steve)
Tell us a joke.
What do you call a cheese that’s not yours? Nacho cheese!
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