My research is within the area of health psychology and public health. I am interested in understanding the behavioural and psychological aspects of infection prevention and control, with a focus on behaviour change (e.g. in relation to vaccination uptake). I am also interested in how personality factors influence health behaviours and outcomes, and the ways in which we can use personality science to inform our design of behaviour change interventions.

I am currently Head of School for Psychological Sciences and Health. I joined the School in January 2017, having previously worked in the Psychology group at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) for nine years. I completed my PhD in Health Psychology and MSc in Psychological Research Methods at the University of Stirling and undergraduate Psychology degree at the University of Glasgow.

My research is within the area of health psychology and public health. I am interested in understanding the behavioural and psychological aspects of infection prevention and control, with a focus on behaviour change (e.g. in relation to vaccination uptake). I am also interested in how personality factors influence health behaviours and outcomes, and the ways in which we can use personality science to inform our design of behaviour change interventions.

I have recently been Principal Investigator on three Chief Scientist Office funded projects. One examining the positive changes that people experienced through the Covid-19 lockdown, and two projects on vaccination behaviour. I am also a Co-investigator on projects funded by the AHRC and NIHR. 

Grant income:

2023-2025   £267, 779 awarded to McParland, J., Wainwright, E., Demou, E., Kidd, L., Williams, L (CI)., Flowers, P., Abaraogu, U., Elders, A., Rich, B., & Walker-Bone, K. Behaviour change techniques and theoretical mechanisms within psychological interventions seeking to improve work outcomes among individuals with chronic pain: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. NIHR. 

2022    £14, 759 awarded to Williams, L (PI)., & Allen, D. People, plastics and behaviour change: Development of an interdisciplinary network. NERC Discipline Hopping.           

2022-2024   £280k awareded to Sorrell, T., Bernecker, S... Williams, L (CI). Moral obligation, epistemology and public health: the case of vaccine hesitancy. Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) – German Research Foundation (GRF).  

2020   £18,025 awarded to Megiddo, I., Morton, A., & Williams, L (CI). (2020). Covid-19 vaccine delivery barriers in LMICs. GCRF Covid-19 Response Fund 

2020   £88,972 awarded to Williams, L (PI), Grealy, M., Fleming, L., Janssen, X., Kirk, A., & Flowers, P. (2020). Has social distancing made us healthier? Adoption, maintenance and sharing of positive changes. Chief Scientist Office Rapid Research in Covid-19 Programme.

2020   £25,000 awarded to Williams, L (PI)., Brown Nicholls, L., Cogan, N., Rasmussen, S., & Young, D. (2019). Improving older adults’ vaccination uptake: are existing measures of vaccine hesitancy valid and reliable for older people?  Chief Scientist Office Catalytic Grant.

2019 - 2020   £190,806 awarded to L. Williams (PI), S. Rasmussen, N.Cogan., & D. Young. Psychological barriers and drivers to seasonal influenza uptake in those with chronic respiratory disease: A mixed methods study. Chief Scientist Office.

2018 -2019    £15,504 awarded to J. McParland, L. Kidd, L. Williams (CI)., & P. Flowers. A scoping review to ascertain the parameters for an evidence synthesis of interventions seeking to improve work and wellbeing outcomes among employees with chronic pain. Chief Scientist Office Catalytic Grant. 

I am the class leader for the 4th year Health Psychology class, and I also teach the personality lectures within the 3rd year Individual Differences class. I also supervise dissertation students on the UG Psychology degree and MSc Clinical Health Psychology.

• Public health psychology
• Health behaviour change
• Vaccination behaviour & vaccine hesitancy
• Psychological aspects of infection prevention and control
• Personality and health