Psychology

Open Polytechnic employs a wide range of learning and teaching experts who provide academic and learning support to our distance learners.

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    • 

      Bronwyn Murdoch

      Academic Staff Member - Social Health and Wellbeing and Psychology

      Open Polytechnic

      Read more about Bronwyn Murdoch

      Role at Open Polytechnic

      I am an Academic Staff Member in the Bachelor of Social Health and Wellbeing programme. My speciality area is mental health and addiction. I also teach in the Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology). I particularly enjoy supporting both social health and wellbeing and psychology students while they are on their Practicum.

      Education

      • Bachelor of Alcohol and Drug Studies – Weltec
      • Bachelor of Arts Graduate Diploma Psychology – Victoria University
      • Post Graduate Diploma Rehabilitation – Massey University
      • Post Graduate Diploma Social Services Supervision – Massey University

      Current Study – MA Health Science (Rehabilitation) – Massey University

      Work experience

      • Registered dapaanz Addiction Practitioner
      • Accredited dapaanz Clinical Supervisor
      • OP - Learning Design and Development – Content Creator
      • OP - Academic staff member
    • 

      Dr Charlotte Kay

      Academic Staff Member - Psychology

      Open Polytechnic

      Read more about Dr Charlotte Kay

      I am an Academic Staff Member in Psychology. The ability to teach and share my love of psychology with students has been one of my most rewarding pursuits.

      Education

      PhD in Psychology - Victoria University of Wellington
      BSc Honours Degree - Victoria University of Wellington
      BSc Degree - Victoria University of Wellington

      Work Experience

      I began tutoring in psychology in 2002 at Victoria University of Wellington and I have also lectured and taught in various psychology papers at Victoria University. I started working for the Open Polytechnic in 2010 as a marker for various Psychology papers and I have filled in for a number of lecturers while they were on leave. I became a permanent staff member for the Open Polytechnic in 2018.

      Research interests

      My research interests include behaviour analysis and the effects of drugs on learning and cognition.

      Previous publications

      • Harper, D.N., Kay, C., & Hunt, M. (2013). Prior MDMA exposure inhibits learning and produces both tolerance and sensitization in the radial-arm maze. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 105, 34-40.
      • Harper, D.N., Kay, C., & Hunt, M. (2011). Acute MDMA exposure causes reference memory impairments in the radial arm maze with rats. The Open Addiction Journal, 4, 24-25.
      • Kay, C, Harper, D.N., & Hunt, M. (2011). The effects of binge MDMA on acquisition and reversal learning in a radial arm maze task. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 95(4), 473-483.
      • Kay, C, Harper, D.N., & Hunt, M. (2010). Differential effects of MDMA and scopolamine on working versus reference memory in the radial arm maze task. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 93(2), 151-156.
    • 

      Dr Lincoln Hely

      Academic Staff Member - Psychology

      Open Polytechnic

      Read more about Dr Lincoln Hely

      Role at Open Polytechnic

      I am an Academic Staff Member in Psychology.

      Education

      I have a Masters and PhD in behavioural pharmacology and behaviour analysis, including a Bachelor of Science and Honours degree majoring in Psychology from Victoria University of Wellington. 

      Experience

      I have worked as a lecturer, teaching assistant and tutor, teaching psychology at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

      Research background and interests

      My research interests are centred on examining the processes that lead to the development of addictions as well as the environmental stimuli and mechanisms related to the perseveration of addictive behaviours. Of particular interest is using mathematical models to quantify the addictiveness of drugs of abuse and examining structural characteristics of slot machines that can lead to gambling addiction.

    • 

      Dr Natilene Bowker

      Academic Staff Member - Psychology

      Open Polytechnic

      Read more about Dr Natilene Bowker

      Education

      I have a BA majoring in linguistics and psychology, and an Honours, Masters and Ph.D. in psychology.

      Experience

      I have worked as a psychology tutor at Massey and Victoria Universities. I have also worked as a learning co-ordinator and senior writing consultant within a university student learning centre.

      Research interests

      Cyberpsychology, which looks at how the online environment is influencing people’s interactions, is my primary research area.

      Publications

      Bowker, N. (2010). Understanding barriers to online experience for people with physical and sensory disabilities using discursive social psychology. Universal Access in the Information Society, 9, 121-136.

      Bowker, N., & Tuffin, K. (2009). Using the online medium for discursive research about people with disabilities. In N. Fielding (Ed.), Interviewing II (Vol. 1, pp. 255-271).  London: Sage.

      Bowker, N. (2008). Participating in the world (wide web): Social connections for people with disabilities. In S. Holland & F. Attwood (Eds.), Remote relationships in a small world (pp. 98-116). New York: Peter Lang.

      Bowker, N.I., & Liu, J.H. (2001). Are women occupying positions of power on-line?: Demographics of chat room operators. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 4(5), 631-644.

    • 

      Elle Henderson

      Academic Staff Member - Psychology

      Open Polytechnic

      Read more about Elle Henderson

      Role at Open Polytechnic

       I am an Academic Staff Member and course facilitator in Psychology.

      Education

      I completed my PhD in discursive psychology from Victoria University of Wellington in 2021. 

      Work experience

      My research uses conversation analysis to investigate how people manage issues around neurodiversity, sexuality, and gender in everyday social interaction. Previous to joining the Open Polytechnic I was a Teaching Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington.

      Research and publications

      Research interests include:

      • Conversation analysis
      • Sexuality and gender
      • Neurodiversity
      • Autism
      • Borderline Personality Disorder
      • Transgender Health

      Publications include:

      Henderson, G. (2021). Deontics at bedtime: A case study of participants’ resources in a directive trajectory involving a mother and her autistic child. Research on Children and Social Interaction, 4(2), 168–191. https://journal.equinoxpub.com/RCSI/article/view/12412
      

      Henderson, G. E. . (2021). Autistic children’s explanations of their own behavior: Evidence of other-attentiveness. Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders, 10(2), 99–124. https://journal.equinoxpub.com/JIRCD/article/view/20363
      

       

    • 

      Justine McPherson

      Academic Staff Member - Psychology

      Open Polytechnic

      Read more about Justine McPherson

      I am an Academic Staff Member in Psychology. I teach a range of Psychology courses and support learners on their journey through these courses and their associated qualification(s). 

      Education

      I completed my BA (Hons) at Otago University followed by a Masters in Psychology and Diploma in Clinical Psychology at Canterbury.

      Work experience

      I initially specialised in Correctional Psychology before branching out to work in various Government Departments and private organisations. I commenced working for the Open Polytechnic in 2012.

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