SHOUTS: Social, Hospitality, and Outreach Scheme

Demystifying psychology

We strongly believe that it is important for university departments to foster stronger connections between academia and society. Our departmental mission is to help society foster an Understanding of our Place in the World and thereby directly promote public understanding of psychology.

We all know that the scientific discipline of psychology deals with topics that are directly relevant to everyday life—from work on relationships, communication, mental health, decision-making, learning, development, health or memory – Psychology at Essex covers a vast range of important topics that affect us all.

Join us and learn how to communicate research clearly and accessibly to the public. Help us demystify complex concepts and counteract misconceptions by ensuring that valuable psychological findings reach a wider audience, including policymakers, educators, healthcare professionals, and the general public. This targeted dissemination increases the real-world impact of our work and thereby has the chance to influence practices in education, therapy, public policy, and beyond. For instance, communicating evidence-based insights from our Babylab or child development research can shape parenting practices or educational approaches.

Psychology at Essex produces cutting-edge work that addresses pressing societal challenges and you can help us provide the public with accurate, research-based evidence. In an age where misinformation is widespread, clear communication coming from our researchers is vital. Our work will help educate the public and contribute to a more scientifically informed society.

By highlighting studies on research topics from Essex, including education, cognitive biases, social justice, or (mental) health, we can demonstrate how psychology work directly benefits individuals and society. Engaging with local communities through science communication can build bridges between academia and the public. Get involved, expand your network, and gain hands-on experience that will set you apart as a well-rounded candidate!

The SHOUTS Scheme

We are recruiting current students in our department to take part in the SHOUTs scheme. You do not need any previous events or social media experience, just a passion for outreach in psychology.

Throughout the academic term you could help organise and advertise events such as public talks, contribute ideas and content to our social media accounts, or join in with outreach activities to show schoolchildren how psychology works, and why it is important.

By taking part in the scheme you will develop additional skills in organisation, attention to detail, and communication to varied audiences, and gain experience that you can discuss in applications and job interviews.

Applying

We are currently accepting applications from students in our Department of Psychology.

You can apply each term to join our team by sending us a short CV and motivation letter to psy-marketing@essex.ac.uk.

The current application deadline is Friday 18 October at 12:00pm.

We hope to welcome you soon!