About

I am a Senior Lecturer in Psychology in the School of Psychology at the University of Derby. I was previously a Lecturer in Psychology at the University between 2021 - 2023. Before that, I was working as a Lecturer in Psychology at Staffordshire University between 2019 - 2021.

Previously, I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Chester between 2012 – 2015. I was then awarded a postgraduate scholarship and completed my Masters in Family and Child Psychology at the University of Chester between 2015 – 2016. In 2016, I was awarded a PhD scholarship at Nottingham Trent University where I completed my PhD titled ‘How teachers and young people perceive and respond to cyberbullying in the school environment.'

Teaching responsibilities

I contribute to a range of modules across both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. In particular, my main teaching responsibilities centre on social and developmental psychology. I am also involved in teaching cyberpsychology and take a research-informed approach to my teaching responsibilities. 

Research interests

My main research interests lie within the area of social developmental psychology. In particular, my work focuses on the perceptions and experiences of cyberbullying, face-to-face bullying, and bystander intervention. One current area of research explores how teachers and young people perceive and respond to cyberbullying in the school environment. A second strand of research also examines how young people perceive personal and situational factors in bullying, and how this may impact their bystander intervention.

Previously, I have also been involved in projects exploring children’s online safety and anti-bullying interventions. 

Membership of professional bodies

• Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society 
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy 

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) in Psychology (First Class) - University of Chester 
• MSc in Family and Child Psychology (Distinction) - University of Chester 
• PhD in Social/Developmental Psychology - Nottingham Trent University 

Recent conferences

Since 2017, I have presented my research at eight international and ten national conferences. I have presented at the World Anti-Bullying Forum in Dublin, Sweden, and North Carolina, and the International Family Violence and Child Victimization conference in Boston, USA. Nationally, I have presented at conferences in Nottingham, Birmingham, London, and Edinburgh. I have also been invited to a number of invited talks. My presentations focus on my research looking at cyberbullying, bystander behaviour, online safety, and anti-bullying interventions. 

In the media

I have press experience involving the British Psychological Society, Bullying UK, Family Lives, and have provided guidance to the Welsh Government for anti-bullying policies. I also have press experience with national and international news outlets.

Recent publications

Books:

• Macaulay, P. J.R., & Tan, L. M. (Eds.). (2023). Applied Psychology Readings: Selected Papers from the Singapore Conference on Applied Psychology 2022. Springer Nature

Journal articles:

• Marx, H., Boulton, M. J., & Macaulay, P. J.R. (2023). Predicting adolescents’ intentions to support victims of bullying from expected reactions of friends versus peers. International Journal of Developmental Science, 17(1-3), 67-80
• Boulton, M. J., & Macaulay, P. J.R. (2023). Testing the social validity of the CATZ cross-age teaching zone anti-bullying intervention among school students. Research Papers in Education. 1-21
• Boulton, M. J., & Macaulay, P. J.R. (2023). Does authentic self‐esteem buffer the negative effects of bullying victimization on social anxiety and classroom concentration? Evidence from a short‐term longitudinal study with early adolescents. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(2), 500-512
• Boulton, M. J., Macaulay, P. J.R., Atherton, S., Boulton, L., Colebourne, T., Davies, M., ... & Turner, C. (2023). Promoting Junior School Students’ Anti-bullying Beliefs with the CATZ Cross-age Teaching Zone Intervention. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 5, 38-51
• Ayub, R., & Macaulay, P. J.R. (2023). Perceptions from the British Pakistani Muslim community towards mental health. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 26(2), 166-181
• Boulton, M. J., & Macaulay, P. J. (2022). Parenting about challenges and adolescents’ social anxiety, disrupted classroom concentration, and resilience knowledge: The mediating role of authentic self-esteem. Families, Systems, & Health, 40(3), 332-342
• Macaulay, P. J.R., Betts, L. R., Stiller, J., & Kellezi, B. (2022). Bystander responses to cyberbullying: The role of perceived severity, publicity, anonymity, type of cyberbullying, and victim response. Computers in Human Behavior, 107238
• Macaulay, P. J.R., Betts, L. R., Stiller, J., & Kellezi, B. (2021). ‘The more public it is, the more severe it is’: teachers’ perceptions on the roles of publicity and severity in cyberbullying. Research Papers in Education, 36(6), 726-753
• Macaulay, P.J.R., Boulton, M. J., Betts, L. R., Boulton, L., Camerone, E., Down, J., ... & Kirkham, R. (2020). Subjective versus objective knowledge of online safety/dangers as predictors of children’s perceived online safety and attitudes towards e-safety education in the United Kingdom. Journal of Children and Media, 14(3), 376-395
• Macaulay, P.J.R., Betts, L. R., Stiller, J., & Kellezi, B. (2020). “It’s so fluid, it’s developing all the time”: pre-service teachers’ perceptions and understanding of cyberbullying in the school environment. Educational Studies, 46(5), 590-606
• Macaulay, P.J.R., Boulton, M. J., & Betts, L. R. (2019). Comparing early adolescents’ positive bystander responses to cyberbullying and traditional bullying: the impact of severity and gender. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 4(3), 253-261
• Macaulay, P.J.R., Betts, L. R., Stiller, J., & Kellezi, B. (2018). Perceptions and responses towards cyberbullying: a systematic review of teachers in the education system. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 43, 1-12
• Boulton, M. J., Boulton, L., Camerone, E., Down, J., Hughes, J., Macaulay, P.J.R., & Sanders, J. (2016). Enhancing primary school children's knowledge of online safety and risks with the CATZ Cooperative Cross-Age Teaching Intervention: results from a pilot study. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(10), 609-614

Book chapters:

• Macaulay, P. J.R, Steer, O. L., & Betts, L. R. (2024). Bystander intervention to cyberbullying on social media. In Benson, V., ed. Handbook of Social Media Use Online Relationships, Security, Privacy, and Society Volume 2 (pp. 73-99). Academic Press
• Macaulay, P. J.R, & Betts, L. R. (2023). Cyberbullying in school: The role of teachers. In Leung, A.N.M., Chan, K.K.S., Ng, C.S.M., & Lee, J.C.-K. (Eds.). Cyberbullying and Values Education: Implications for Family and School Education (1st ed.). Routledge
• Hickman, E., & Macaulay, P.J.R. (2023). Perceptions and Understanding of Digital Self-Harm: A Qualitative Analysis of Mental Health Practitioners and Parents of Adolescents. In: Macaulay, P., Tan, LM. (eds) Applied Psychology Readings. SCAP 2022. Springer, Singapore
• Macaulay, P.J.R., Betts, L. R., Stiller, J., & Kellezi, B. (2022). An introduction to cyberbullying. In Moustafa, A. A., ed. Cybersecurity and Cognitive Science (pp. 197-213). Academic Press
• Steer, O. L., Macaulay, P.J.R, & Betts, L. R. (2021). Understanding child and adolescent cyberbullying. In Wright, M., Schiamberg. L., eds., Child and Adolescent Online Risk Exposure: An Ecological Perspective, 69
• Macaulay, P.J.R., Steer, O. L., & Betts, L. R. (2020). Factors leading to cyber victimization. In Emerging Cyber Threats and Cognitive Vulnerabilities (pp. 1-25). Academic Press
• Buglass, S., Harkin, L., Macaulay, P.J.R., Vinter, L.P, Daly, R., (2019). How psychology became a science. In: Banyard, P., Dillon, G., Norman, C., Winder, B., eds., Essential psychology. 3rd ed. Sage: London

The Conversation:

• Macaulay, P.J.R (2020). We don’t know the true extent of cyberbullying–and children need help in dealing with it. The Conversation