Dr Carissa Sharp

• PhD, Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Cambridge, 2013
• MTS, Christianity and Society, Harvard Divinity School, 2008
• BA (Hons), Psychology and Religious Studies, University of Oregon, 2006

I am a psychologist of religion, primarily focusing on people’s perceptions of the relationship between science and religion and how people think about God. 

I have previously held positions as University of Oregon, Coventry University, and most recently Newman University, where I was associate director of the Centre for Science, Knowledge, and Belief in Society. I am currently co-investigator of the “Science and Religion: Exploring the Spectrum Global Perspectives" project, and co-principal investigator of the "International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society" project .

I am happy to supervise topics within the psychology of religion, including:

Perceptions of the relationship between science and religion
Social identities and intergroup relations, particularly relating to religion, nonreligion, and/or science
Stereotyping and prejudice
How people think about God (God representations)
The complexity of people’s religious ideas and/or identities

Within the psychology of religion, my research tends to focus on two broad areas.  The first is investigating perceptions of the relationship between science and religion from a social and experimental psychology perspective.  This has involved examining the roles of belief systems and social identities relating to religion, nonreligion, and science.  Additionally, my research investigates social cognition (how we think about the self and others), particularly focusing on how people think about God.  This research has implications for outcomes such as intergroup relations, stereotyping, prejudice, and mental health.