dr. S.J. Watson (Steven)

Assistant Professor
BMS-HIB-PCRS
Cubicus C237
s.j.watson@utwente.nl
+31534898022
Business card

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

  • Psychology

    • Research
    • Interviews
    • Behavior
    • Meta-Analysis
    • Systematic Literature Review
    • Humans
    • Deception
    • Practitioners

Organisations

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

2024
Perceptions of the freezing response of male and female rape victims, and the moderating role of rape myth beliefsJournal of Criminal Psychology. Ostermann, J. C. & Watson, S. J.https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-01-2024-0002Perceptions of the Freezing Response of Male and Female Rape Victims, and an examination of the Moderating Role of Rape Myth Beliefs. PsyArXiv. Ostermann, J. C. & Watson, S. J.https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/65jfc
2023
Eye spy a lie: An eye-tracking study into gaze behaviour and receiving lies. Slijkhuis, P. J. H., Watson, S. J., Stel, M. & Giebels, E.How do consumers determine the veracity of online consumer reviews. Walther, M., Watson, S. J., Boden, A. & Stel, M.How multiple interviews and interview framing influence the development and maintenance of rapportPsychology, crime & law (E-pub ahead of print/First online). Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Taylor, P. J. & Luther, K.https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2023.2265527Experts but not lay people adjust guilt beliefs after mock interviews with innocent suspects. Hudepohl, B. & Watson, S. J.A systematic literature review about the consumers’ side of fake review detection – Which cues do consumers use to determine the veracity of online user reviews?Computers in human behavior reports, 10, Article 100278. Walther, M., Jakobi, T., Watson, S. J. & Stevens, G.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100278Keeping our wits about us: introducing a bespoke informant interview model for covert human intelligence source (CHIS) interactionsJournal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 18(3), 333-352 (E-pub ahead of print/First online). Moffett, L., Oxburgh, G., Dresser, P., Gabbert, F. & Watson, S. J.https://doi.org/10.1080/18335330.2022.2153614
2022
The influence strategies of interviewees suspected of controlling or coercive behaviorPsychology, crime & law (E-pub ahead of print/First online). Watson, S. J., Luther, K., Taylor, P. J., Bracksieker, A.-L. & Jackson, J.https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2022.2144853Examining the Effects of Evidence Disclosure Timing and Strength on Information Inconsistencies and Provision within Investigative Interviews. PsyArXiv. Polman, S., Luther, K., de Almeida, H., Eggers, J. & Watson, S. J.https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/nmbr9

Research profiles

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 programs

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

Address

Visiting address

University of Twente

Cubicus (building no. 41), room C237
De Zul 10
7522 NJ Enschede
Netherlands

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Organisations

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