Dr Nicola Buckland

Department of Psychology

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Departmental Postgraduate Tutor

Photo of Nicola Buckland
Profile picture of Photo of Nicola Buckland
n.buckland@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 6508

Full contact details

Dr Nicola Buckland
Department of Psychology
Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences (ICOSS)
219 Portobello
Sheffield
S1 4DP
Qualifications
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching for Learning in Higher Education (University of Sheffield)

  • PhD Psychology (University of Leeds)

  • BSc Psychology with American Studies (University of Sussex)

Research interests

My research investigates drivers of behaviour, and ways to increase engagement in healthy and sustainable behaviours. My main research areas are in the psychology of eating behaviour and weight management, including dietary and psychological strategies for appetite control, weight management and weight stigma. I am also interested in and have led research projects investigating ways to encourage environmentally sustainable behaviours, such as reducing dietary meat intake and encouraging sustainable waste behaviours. I am currently leading the behavioural workstream of an industry-academic consortium on compostable packaging (funded by UKRI Innovate UK). Furthermore, a main theme of my research is investigating individual variability – understanding the psychological characteristics which contribute to why some individuals are more or less likely to engage in health or pro-environmental behaviours, and the implications of this for individually-tailored interventions.

My research career began with a BSc in Psychology from the University of Sussex. During this time, I undertook research positions at Arizona State University’s Health and Ageing Laboratory and Conditioned Feeding Laboratory which inspired my interest in human appetite research. I subsequently obtained my PhD from the University of Leeds in 2013 which examined the impact of environmental prompts on snack and meal intake. I then spent three years as a post-doctoral researcher in the Human Appetite and Research Unit at the University of Leeds conducting a clinical trial which investigated the effects of energy density on appetite control and weight loss. Following my post-doctoral positions, in 2017 I joined the University of Sheffield as a lecturer in Psychology.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Preprints

Research group

Social and Behavioural Change

PhD students

Current:

  • Ankita Sehrawat with Dr Chantelle Wood. Topic: weight stigma and health behaviours.
  • Luthfi Dahriyanto with Dr Harriet Baird and Dr Rebecca Webster. Topic: understanding and encouraging pro-environmental behaviours in the UK and Indonesia.
  • Bixuan Yan with Dr Sam Caton, 2021-2024. Topic: meal timing and weight management

Completed:

  • Sundus Mahdi with Prof. James Chilcott, 2018-2023. Topic: Public health interventions to reduce sugar intake
  • Vibhuti Patel with Prof. Helen Kennedy, 2018-2023. Grantham Centre Scholar. Topic: social influences and meat intake
  • Zhuozhuo Hu with Dr Chantelle Wood, 2019-2022. Topic: self-objectification
  • Denisa Genes with Dr Fuschia Sirois, 2018-2022. Topic: Strategies for weight loss maintenance
  • Laura von Nordheim with Dr Mark Blades and Dr Caroline Oates. Topic: healthy food adverts for children.
Grants
  • Improving research cultures around career development for Postgraduate Researchers. University of Sheffield internal funding via Research England, £14,857 (October – July 2024)
  • Exploring barriers and enablers to recruiting community-based participants to psychological studies. University of Sheffield internal funding via Research England, £8252 (February – July 2023)
  • UKRI Innovate UK, Capturing and Processing Compostable Packaging - Behaviour Change Interventions, £264,843 (May 2022 – April 2024)        
  • White Rose Collaboration Fund, £10,997 (Jan 2020-2021)
  • Cancer Research UK, BUPA Foundation Fund Innovation grant, £20,000 (2016-2019)
  • N8 Industry Innovation grant, £2,300 (2015)
Teaching activities

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (since 2020). I supervise MSc Research Projects in Psychology and I teach on the following modules as part of the undergraduate Psychology degree:

  • PSY1001 and PSY2001 Social Psychology I & II (Module Organiser between 2019-2023)
  • PSY331 Extended Essay in Psychology
  • PSY335 Health Psychology
  • PSY346 Research Project in Psychology
  • PSY31002 Psychology of Eating Behaviour and Weight Management (Module Organiser)
Professional activities and memberships

Professional Activities

The Association for the Study of Obesity and lead for the ASO Yorkshire network (see here)

British Feeding and Drinking Group

Society for the Study of Ingestive Behaviour

Public Engagement and Collaborations

I am keen to share my research with the public. For example, I have previously worked with theatre makers as part of the Festival of the Mind 2020, to produce a show that communicated issues related to body image and weight stigma (see podcast and see show here).  My research has also regularly featured in the press since 2013.

I am also keen to work with cross disciplinary academics, industry, local authorities, practitioners and providers, health professionals, community groups and patient groups so please get in touch with me if you are interested in working with me.

Office Hours
  • During term time, students can book a meeting with me in the ICOSS Building by selecting an appointment slot here: https://tinyurl.com/y6wrra4y
  • Please allow at least 24-hours’ notice when booking an appointment. If my office hours clash with your teaching timetable, please email me directly to make an alternative appointment (n.buckland@sheffield.ac.uk).