Dr Tracey Elder

Professional biography

I am a Staff Tutor and Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology and Counselling, co-managing the Associate Lecturer team in the South East.  I started tutoring with the Open University in 2008.

I am currently co-chair of D110, our entry level module in Psychology.

I completed my degree and PhD at Keele University before working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Kent. I then returned to Keele as a Lecturer in Social Psychology. More recently, I was the Head of Curriculum for Psychology at AQA, which is the largest exam board for AS/A-level psychology.  In this role I supported teachers across the country and also worked with relevant stakeholders including the BPS and several universities.

Research interests

My research interests are in two distinct areas.  Firstly, I am interested in social identity theory and how this may dictate what we are, or are not, permitted to say about our group and others.  My second separate strand of research is in Educational Psychology, primarily looking at assessment and attainment.  My research has been published in several peer reviewed journal articles (see publications).

Teaching interests

My teaching experience is broad.  In addition to teaching undergraduate and postgraduate psychology, I have also taught IB and AS/A-level psychology.  I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Impact and engagement

Publications

Morris, A. & Elder, T. (2024). How to use psychological research. Sage.

Betts, L.R. & Elder T.J. (2012). The role of social identity threat in determining intergroup trust. In B.R Curtis (Eds.), Psychology of trust. Nova, pp. 53-74.

Betts, L.R., Bostock, S.J., Elder, T.J., & Trueman, M. (2012). Encouraging good writing practice in first-year Psychology students: An intervention using Turnitin.  Psychology Teaching Review, Vol.18, (2), 74-81.

Fox, C.L., Elder, T.J., Gater, J., & Johnson, E. (2010).  The association between adolescents’ beliefs in a just world and their attitudes to victims of bullying.  British Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 183-198.

Betts, L.R., Elder, T.J., Hartley, J., & Trueman, M. (2009).  Does correction for guessing reduce students’ performance on multiple-choice examinations? Yes? No? Sometimes?  Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 34, 1-5.

Betts, L.R., Elder, T.J., Hartley, J., & Blurton, A. (2009).  Predicting university performance in Psychology: The role of previous performance and discipline specific knowledge. Education Studies, 34, 543-556.

Sutton, R.M., Douglas, K.M., Wilkin, K.J., Elder. T.J., Cole, J.M., & Stathi, S. (2008). Justice for whom, exactly?  Beliefs in justice for the self and various others.  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 528-541.

Elder, T.J., & Betts, L.R. (March, 2007). Inspirational, thought-provoking, innovative: The New Lecturers’ Forum scores again.  The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network Newsletter, 41, 11.

Sutton, R. M., Douglas, K. M., Elder, T. J., & Tarrant, M. (2007). Social identity and social convention in responses to criticisms of groups. In Y. Kashima, K. Fiedler and P. Freytag (Eds.), Stereotype dynamics: Language-based approaches to stereotype formation, maintenance, and transformation (pp. 345-372). New York: Laurence Erlbaum.

Elder, T.J., Douglas, K.M., & Sutton, R.M. (2006). Perceptions of social influence when messages favour "us" versus "them": A closer look at the social distance effect. European Journal of Social Psychology, 36, 353-365.

Sutton, R.M., Elder, T.J., & Douglas, K.M. (2006). Reactions to internal and external criticism of outgroups: Social convention in the intergroup sensitivity effect. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 563-575.

Elder, T.J., Sutton, R.M., & Douglas, K.M. (2005). Keeping it to ourselves: Effects of audience size and composition on reactions to criticisms of the ingroup. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 8, 231-244.