Welcome...

dr. S.J. Watson (Steven)

Assistant Professor

About Me

I am interested in communicative aspects of investigations, and what this can reveal about the psychological mechanisms that underpin the behaviour of investigators, suspects and witnesses. My research covers legal and security contexts broadly, but with a particular interest in cybercrime and intimate partner violence.

I am also interested in research synthesis, meta-analysis and improving scientific practice, and engage in pedogeological research.

Expertise

Medicine & Life Sciences
Androgens
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Hand
Interviews
Meta-Analysis
Sex Characteristics
Systematic Reviews
Social Sciences
Influencing Behavior

Research

I am interested in a number of different influences on applied decision making, especially within security and legal contexts. I embrace methodological diversity and my research uses quantitative, qualitative and research synthesis methods.

My primary research areas are police-civilian interactions (e.g. investigative interviews, human intelligence gathering and crisis negotiation), cybercrime, and intimate partner violence. I also conduct research into improving psychological research methods (e.g. via open science) and teaching, with a particular focus on promoting inclusivity.

I believe that applied research requires triangulation between the laboratory and field research and I particularly enjoy working with practitioners and the police. I am always welcome to approaches from academic and non-academic partners of diverse backgrounds to discuss whether we can help solve problems together.



Publications

Recent
Hudepohl, B. , & Watson, S. J. (2023). Experts but not lay people adjust guilt beliefs after mock interviews with innocent suspects. Abstract from Annual Conference of the International Intelligence Interviewing Research Group, iIIRG 2023, Virtual.
Moffett, L., Oxburgh, G., Dresser, P., Gabbert, F. , & Watson, S. J. (2022). Keeping our wits about us: introducing a bespoke informant interview model for covert human intelligence source (CHIS) interactions. Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/18335330.2022.2153614
Watson, S. J., Luther, K. , Taylor, P. J., Bracksieker, A-L., & Jackson, J. (2022). The influence strategies of interviewees suspected of controlling or coercive behavior. Psychology, crime & law. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2022.2144853
Watson, S. J. (2021). The influencing behaviours of suspects during investigative interviews. Abstract from Onderzoek bij, voor en door de Politie, Netherlands.

UT Research Information System

Google Scholar Link

Education

I am coordinator for the PCRS Master track.

I also coordinate the MSc course Psychology and Crime, and teach an introduction to R within the Advanced Research Methods course. The materials for this R course are available to everyone via the Open Science Framework here: https://osf.io/3bmgz/ 

I also use DataCamp to help teach part of this R course: https://www.datacamp.com/.

I jointly coordinate the Pre-Master Research Practical course and give lectures in the Psychology of Safety module at BSc level.

I also supervise project students during Module 7 (Research Methods), and supervise a number of BSc and MSc students each year.

I have also delivered teaching at the Dutch Police Academy on the Investigations course, and give occasional guest lectures to HBOs.

I am a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.

Affiliated Study Programmes

Bachelor

Master

Courses Academic Year  2023/2024

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.
 

Courses Academic Year  2022/2023

Contact Details

Visiting Address

University of Twente
Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Cubicus (building no. 41), room C237
De Zul 10
7522NJ  Enschede
The Netherlands

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Mailing Address

University of Twente
Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Cubicus  C237
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands