Staff Profile
Dr Ruth Knight
Lecturer
I joined the Department of Psychology as a Lecturer in Summer 2022, after finishing my postdoctoral role as part of the Converge Evaluation Project at the university. Before this I completed my PhD in Psychology at the University of York, where I also gained an MPsych in Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. For my PhD, I explored risk factors for the development of disordered eating, looking specifically at these experiences in the LGBTQ+ community. My current research considers the mental health experiences of minoritized communities using mixed methods approaches.
- School – School of Education, Language and Psychology
- Email – r.knight1@yorksj.ac.uk
Teaching
I teach across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules broadly related to mental health and social psychology. I also supervise students in projects in my research area, and those focussed on issues in mental health more generally.
I teach on the following:
Courses:
- BSc Psychology
- MRes Psychology
- MSc Psychology of Child and Adolescent Development
Modules:
- PSY6024M - Critical Approaches to Mental Health
- PSY4001M - Exploring Social Psychology
- PSY5007M - MRes Thesis
- PSY6001M - Dissertation
- PSY4007M - Personality and Individual Differences
Research
My research focuses on the mental health experiences of minoritized and marginalised communities, such as the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities. I use both qualitative and quantitative approaches, and coproduction plays a key role in how I approach research in general.
Publications and Conferences
Journal Publications
Knight, R., Carey, M., Jenkinson, P., & Preston, C. (2022). The impact of sexual orientation on how men experience disordered eating and drive for muscularity. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 1-23.
Carey, M., Knight, R., & Preston, C. (2019). Distinct neural response to visual perspective and body size in the extrastriate body area. Behavioural brain research, 372, 112063.
Carey, M., Kupeli, N., Knight, R., Troop, N. A., Jenkinson, P. M., & Preston, C. (2019). Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q): Norms and psychometric properties in UK females and males. Psychological assessment, 31(7), 839.
Other publications
Knight, R. (2019) How summer increases the pressures of body image. The York Mix.
Knight, R. (2018) Male eating disorders. Attitude
Conference Presentations
Talks
BACP Research Conference 2022: Workshop delivered “Using creative research methods with your own clients”
CERT York St. John University 2021: Invited talk delivered “How can we use quantitative methods to ask questions in mental health research?”
BPS Sexualities Division Conference 2021: Talk delivered “How does sexuality influence disordered eating and drive for muscularity in men?”
3rd International Conference on Pluralistic Counselling 2020 (cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic): Talk accepted “Exploring the treatment of eating disorders from a pluralistic perspective”
Pint of Science 2018: Talk in Marginalised Communities theme “A sensory experience of eating disorders”
Poster Presentations
International Conference of Eating Disorders Conference 2022: Poster presentation “An exploration of the influence of gender and sexuality on disordered eating thoughts and behaviours and drive for muscularity.”
Appearance Matters Conference 2021: Poster presentation “What is the impact of context and perspective of fitspiration on disordered eating?”
EPS Manchester 2019: “Are selfies more attractive? The influence of visual angle on aesthetic body evaluations and implications for eating disorder vulnerability.”
