Our people

Dr Joel Anderson

Senior Lecturer, Senior Research Fellow
Psychology - National School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Institute for Positive Psychology and Education

Areas of expertise: psychology (social psychology); lgbtqa+ research; sexuality; prejudice; asylum seekers; refugees

Phone: 03 9952 3112

Email: Joel.anderson@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU Melbourne Campus

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3649-2003

I am a social psychologist whose research interests largely involve minority groups and revolve around inter-group processes and how they typically manifest in a range of anti-social ways, including prejudice, stigma, discrimination, sexual objectification, and interpersonal dehumanization.

I have attracted close to AUD$1,000,000 in funding to support my research.

My research largely focusses topics that impact LGBTQA+ individuals and communities (including other non-cisgender and non-heterosexual individuals).

• I am in the final stages of a fellowship working with survivors of conversion practices - this research explores the nature and scope of conversion practices in Australia, and focusses on the impacts of experiencing conversion practices and ideology.
• I am about to commence a fellowship exploring internalised sexual prejudice (e.g., internalised homophobia, internalised bi phobia). This project will explore the risk factors for, and consequences of, internalised prejudices.
• I am commencing a project on resilience for individuals and groups within the LGBTQA+ community. This will focus on the internal (coping strategies) and external (support systems) resilience factors employed by individuals and groups in this community, with a focus on how they differ from factors used by cisgender-heterosexual individuals.

I also conduct research with people who have been (or are) asylum seekers and refugees, and immigrants more broadly. The foci in this research is about experiences of prejudice, acculturation, and engagement with education in Australia

I conduct research on sexuality and sexualisation process, including the sexualised treatment of minority groups (including women), sexualised online behaviours, and sexualised drug use,

Finally, I am interested in the social psychology of religion. In particular, socio-cognitive religious processes are typically explored using correlational research, however I prefer to use religious priming methods to causally assess relationships between social psychological constructs and religion-factors.

I am a mixed-methods researchers. I conduct:

• meta-analytics research (including meta-analyses and systematic reviews),
• experimental and cross-sectional quantitative research, and research using qualitative techniques.

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Select publications

FUNDED COMMUNITY REPORTS

• Baker, S., Anderson, J., Burke, R., de Fazio, T., Due, C., Hartley, L., Molla, T., Morison, C., Mude, W., Naidoo, L., & Sidhu, R. (2022). COVID-19 online learning landscapes and CALDMR students: Opportunities
• and challenges. Funded by the National Centre for Equity in Higher Education. https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Baker_UNSW_FINAL.pdf
• Worrell, S., Waling, A., Anderson, J., Fairchild, J., Lyons, A., & Pepping, C. (2021): Lean on Me: Exploring Suicide Prevention and Mental Health-Related Peer Support in Melbourne's LGBTQ Communities. La Trobe. Report. https://doi.org/10.26181/60ac728cdb7ef

PUBLICATIONS - PEER-REVIEWED

• Falls, T., & Anderson, J. (2022). Attitudes towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia: a systematic review, Australian Journal of Psychology, 74, 1, http://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2022.2039043
• Power, J., Jones, T., Jones, T., Despott, N., Pallotta-Chiarolli, M., & Anderson, J. (2022, in press). Better understanding of the scope and nature of LGBTQA+ religious conversion practices will support recovery. Medical Journal of Australia.
• Gerace, A., Rigney, G., & Anderson, J. (2022). Predicting attitudes towards easing COVID-19 restrictions in the United States of America: The role of health concerns, demographic, political, and individual difference factors. PloS one, 17(2), e0263128. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263128
• Baker, S., Anderson, J., Burke, R., De Fazio, T., Due, C., Hartley, L., ... & Sidhu, R. (2022). Equitable teaching for cultural and linguistic diversity: exploring the possibilities for engaged pedagogy in post-COVID-19 higher education. Educational Review, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.2015293
• Worrell, S., Waling, A., Anderson, J., Lyons, A., Pepping, C. A., & Bourne, A. (2022). The Nature and Impact of Informal Mental Health Support in an LGBTQ Context: Exploring Peer Roles and Their Challenges. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00681-9
• Power, J., Moor, L., Anderson, J., Waling, A., James, A., Shackleton, N., ... & Lim, M. (2022). Traversing TechSex: benefits and risks in digitally mediated sex and relationships. Sexual Health. https://doi.org/10.1071/SH21220
• Koc, Y., Akkurt, B., Aksu, A., Dogan, Z., Sengul, D., & Anderson, J. (2022). Missing the good old days or connecting to the globe: Investigating outgroup attitudes through collective nostalgia and global identification. In Examining Complex Intergroup Relations: Through the Lens of Turkey.
• Deslandes, C., Kaufmann, L. M., & Anderson, J. (2022). A systematic and integrative review of qualitative research exploring experiences of acculturation and education among African-born migrants. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 86, 240-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.12.007
• Anderson, J., Kiernan, E., & Koc, Y. (2021). The protective role of identity integration against internalized sexual prejudice for religious gay men. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000452
• Politi, E., Lüders, A., Sankaran, S., Anderson, J., Van Assche, J., Spiritus-Beerden, E., Roblain, A., Phalet, K., Derluyn, I., Verelst, A., & Green, E. G. T. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on the majority population, ethno-racial minorities, and immigrants: A systematic literature review on threat appraisals from an inter-group perspective. European Psychologist, 26(4), 298-309. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000460
• Hinton, J. D., de la Piedad Garcia, X., Kaufmann, L. M., Koc, Y., & Anderson, J. (2021). A systematic and meta-analytic review of identity centrality among LGBTQ groups: An assessment of psychosocial correlates. The Journal of Sex Research, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1967849
• Jones, T., Power, J., Hill, A. O., Despott, N., Carman, M., Jones, T. W., Anderson, J., & Bourne, A. (2021). Religious conversion practices and LGBTQA+ youth. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-021-00615-5
• Koc, Y., Helin, S., Garner, A., & Anderson, J. R. (2021). Societal Acceptance Increases Muslim-Gay Identity Integration for Highly Religious Individuals… But only when the Ingroup Status is Stable. Self and Identity. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2021.1927821
• Lyons, A., Rasmussen, M. L., Anderson, J. R., & Gray, E. (2021). Counting gender and sexual identity in the Australian Census. Australian Population Studies.
• Cowling, M., & Anderson, J. R. (2021, in press). Teacher Perceptions of the Barriers and Facilitators of Education Amongst Chin Refugees in Malaysia: A Qualitative Analysis. Asian American Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000224
• Jonason, P. K., Talbot, D., & Anderson, J. R. (2021, in press). Whether What People Drink and Where they Drink Informs Us About Their Personality. Psychological Topics, 30, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.31820/pt.30.1
• Dredge, R., & Anderson, J.R. (2021, in press). The qualitative exploration of social competencies and incompetencies on mobile dating applications. Personal Relationships. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12378
• Anderson, J. R., Ashford, L. J., Prakash, P., & Gerace, A. (2021). The role of religion in explaining the relationship between sexual prejudice and the rejection of marriage equality. Psychology & Sexuality, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2021.1900346
• Bosson, J. K., Jurek, P., Vandello, J. A., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Olech, M., Besta, T., ... Anderson, J.R. ... & Van Laar, C. (2021). Psychometric properties and correlates of precarious manhood beliefs in 62 nations. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 52(3), 231-258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022121997997
• Cutroni, L., & Anderson, J.R. (2021). Lady Injustice: The Moderating Effect of Ambivalent Sexism in a Mock Case of Intimate Partner Homicide. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 48(3), 373-390. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854820967704
• Lyons, A., Anderson, J. R., Rasmussen, M. L., & Gray, E. (2020). Toward making Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations Count in Australia. Australian Population Studies, 4, 14-29. https://doi.org/10.37970/aps.v4i2.69
• Smith, P. B., Easterbrook, M. J., Koc, Y., Lun, V. M. C., Papastylianou, D., Grigoryan, L.,... Anderson, J. ... & Chobthamkit, P. (2020). Is an emphasis on dignity, honor and face more an attribute of individuals or of cultural groups?. Cross-Cultural Research, 1069397120979571. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397120979571
• Anderson, J. R., & Koc, Y. (2020). Identity Integration as a Protective Factor against Guilt and Shame for Religious Gay Men. The Journal of Sex Research, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1767026
• Anderson, J. R., Campbell, M., & Koc, Y. (2020). A qualitative exploration of the impact of the marriage equality debate on same-sex attracted Australians and their allies. Australian Psychologist. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12473
• Smith, P. B., Easterbrook, M. J., Al-Selim, H., Lun, V. M. C., Koc, Y., Gul, P., ... Anderson, J.R.,… & Hassan, B. (2020). Sex Differences in Self-Construal and in Depressive Symptoms: Predictors of Cross-National Variation. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 51(7-8), 616-635. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022120939655
• Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Besta, T., Bosson, J. K., Jurek, P., Vandello, J. A., Best, D. L., ... Anderson, J.R.,… & Sobiecki, J. Country-level and Individual-level Predictors of Men's Support for Gender Equality in 42 Countries. European Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2696
• Russell, D., Anderson, J., Riggs, D., Ullman, J., & Higgins, D. (2020). Gender diversity and safety climate perceptions in schools and other youth-serving organisations. Children and Youth Services Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105334
• Donati Beech, O., Kaufmann, L., & Anderson, J. R. (2020). A Systematic Literature Review Exploring Objectification and Motherhood. Psychology of Women Quarterly, https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684320949810
• Martz, J., Romero, V., & Anderson, J. R. (2020). Facilitators and barriers of empowerment in family and domestic housing models: A systematic literature review. Australian Psychologist, https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12454
• Valsecchi, G., Iacoviello, V., Berent, J., Anderson, J. R., Borinca, I., & Falomir-Pichastor, J. M. (2020). Gay-gender expression and attitudes toward gay people: The moderating role of perceived men's feminization. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000452
• Iacoviello, V., Valsecchi, G., Berent, J., Anderson, J.R., & Falomir-Pichastor, J. M. (2020). Heterosexual men's attitudes towards homosexuality and ingroup distinctiveness: The roles of perceived men's feminization. Psychology and Sexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2019.1675749
• Moor, L., Kapelles, T., Koc, Y., & Anderson, J. R. (2019). Predicting explicit and implicit attitudes towards gay men using the dual process model of prejudice and the dark tetrad. Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.06.029
• Hartley, L., Anderson, J. R., & Pedersen, A. (2019). Prejudice, false beliefs, and predicting support for refugee policies. Journal of Refugee Studies, 32, 562-582. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fey048
• Sheikh, M. & Anderson, J. R. (2019). A qualitative exploration. Of the tertiary education experiences of refugee and asylum seekers in Australia. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 24, 346-369. https://doi.org/10.1080/10824669.2019.1657867
• Cowling, M., Anderson, J. R., & Ferguson, R. (2019). Prejudice-relevant Correlates of Attitudes towards Refugees: A Meta-analysis. Journal of Refugee Studies, 32, 502-524. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fey062
• Falomir-Pichastor, J. M., Berent, J., & Anderson, J. R. (2019). Mens' feminization and sexual prejudice. Sex Roles. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0985-6
• Dryden, C., & Anderson, J. R. (2019). The dark triad, trait-based self-objectification, and body image concerns in young women. Personality and Individual Differences, 145, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.03.015
• Moor, L. & Anderson, J. R. (2019). A Systematic Literature Review of the Relationship between Dark Personality Traits and Antisocial Online Behaviours. Personality and Individual Differences, 144, 40-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.02.027
• Carrotte, E., & Anderson, J. R. (2019). Risk factor or protective feature? The role of grandiose and hypersensitive narcissism in. explaining the relationship between self-objectification and body image concerns. Sex Roles, 80, 458-468. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0948-y
• Cowling, M. & Anderson, J. R. (2019). The role of Christianity and Islam in explaining prejudice against asylum seekers: Evidence from Malaysia. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 29, 128-145. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2019.1567242
• Deslandes, C. & Anderson, J. R. (2019). Religion and prejudice towards immigrants and refugees: A meta-analysis. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 29, 128-145. https://doi.org/10.1080/1058619.2019.1570814
• Hinton, J., Koc, Y. & Anderson, J. R. (2019). Exploring the relationship between gay men's self- and meta-stereotype endorsement with well-being and self-worth. Psychology and Sexuality, 10, 169-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2019.1577013
• Anderson, J. R. (2019). The moderating role of socially desirable responding in implicit-explicit attitudes toward asylum seekers. International Journal of Psychology, 54, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12439
• Campbell, M., Hinton, J. D. & Anderson, J. R. (2019). A systematic review of the relationship between religion and attitudes towards transgender and gender-variant people. The International Journal of Transgenderism, 20, 21-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/15532739.2018.1545149
• Koc, Y. & Anderson, J. R. (2018). Vicarious contact reduces negative attitudes towards Syrian Refugees. Journal of Social Issues, 74, 790-811. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12299
• Anderson, J. R., Holland, E., Heldreth, C., & Johnson, S. P. (2018). Revisiting the Jezebel Stereotype: The impact of target race on sexual objectification. Psychology of Women Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684318791543
• Anderson, J. R. (2018). The Prejudice against Asylum Seekers Scale: Presenting the Psychometric Properties of a New Measure of Classical and Conditional Attitudes. Journal of Social Psychology, 158, 694-710. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2017.1404958
• Carrotte, E. & Anderson, J. R. (2018). A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Trait Self-Objectification and Personality Traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 132, 20-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.05.015
• Sheikh, M., & Anderson, J. R. (2018). Acculturation patterns and education for refugees and asylum seekers: A systematic literature review. Learning and Individual Differences, 67, 22-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.07.003
• Anderson, J. R., & Guan, Y. (2018). Implicit Acculturation and the Academic Adjustment of Chinese Student Sojourners in Australia. Australian Psychologist, 53, 444-453. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12332
• Anderson, J. R., Holland, E., Koc, Y., & Haslam, N. (2018). iObjectify: Exploring self- and other-objectification of men on Grindr, a geosocial networking application designed for men who have sex with men. European Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684318791543
• Anderson, J. R., & Cheers, C. (2018). Does the dark triad predict prejudice?: The role of Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism in explaining negativity toward asylum seekers. Australian Psychologist, 53, 271-281-191. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12283
• Anderson, J. R., Koc, Y., & Falomir-Pichastor, J. M. (2018). The English version of the Attitudes Towards Homosexuality Scale. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 77, 117-126. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000210
• Anderson, J. R. (2018). Implicit and explicit attitudes toward asylum seekers: Demographic and ideological correlates. Australian Psychologist, 53, 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12229
• Anderson, J. R., & Ferguson, R. (2018). Demographic and ideological correlates of negative attitudes toward asylum seekers: A meta-analytic review. Australian Journal of Psychology, 70, 18-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12162
• Carnaghi, A., Anderson, J. R., & Bianchi, M. (2018). On the Origin of Beliefs about the Sexual Orientation and Gender-role Development of Children Raised by Gay-male and Heterosexual Parents: An Italian Study. Men and Masculinities. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X18775462
• Anderson, J. R., Georgantis, C., & Kapelles, T. (2017). Predicting support for marriage equality in Australia. Australian Journal of Psychology, 69, 256-262. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12164
• Anderson, J. R., Guan, Y., & Koc, Y. (2016). The academic adjustment scale: Measuring the adjustment of permanent resident or sojourner students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 54, 68-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.07.006
• Anderson, J. (2016). Student engagement and the Learning Incentive Program: Evidence and applications. Sensoria: A Journal of Mind, Brain & Culture, 12(1), 28-37.
• Anderson, J. R., Stuart, A., & Rossen, I. (2015). Not all negative: Macro justice principles predict positive attitudes towards asylum seekers in Australia. Australian Journal of Psychology, 67, 207-213. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12085
• Anderson, J. R., & Koc, Y. (2015). Exploring patterns of explicit and implicit anti-gay attitudes in Muslims and Atheists. European Journal of Social Psychology, 45, 687-701. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2126
• Kaufmann, L. M., Williams, B. J., Hosking, W., Anderson, J. R., & Pedder, D. (2015). Identifying as in, out, or sexually inexperienced: Perception of sex-related personal disclosures. Sensoria: A journal of Mind, Brain, and Culture, 12, 41-19. https://doi.org/10.7790/sa.v11i1.411
• Anderson, J. R., & Holland, E. (2015a). The legacy of medicalising 'homosexuality': A discussion on the historical effects of non-heterosexual diagnostic classifications. Sensoria: A journal of Mind, Brain, and Culture, 12, 4-15. https://doi.org/10.7790/sa.v11i1.405
• Anderson, J. R., & Holland, E. (2015b). Special edition on sexual orientation and gender: Editorial. Sensoria: A journal of Mind, Brain, and Culture, 12, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.7790/sa.v11i1.416
• Anderson, J. R. (2015). The social psychology of religion: Using scientific methodologies to understand religion. In B. Mohan (Ed.), Constructions of Social Psychology. Baton Rouge, CA: inScience Press.
• Anderson, J. R., & Antalíková, R. (2014). Framing (implicitly) matters: The role of religion in attitudes toward immigrants and Muslims in Denmark. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 55, 593-600. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12161

Projects

• Project: Understanding Internalised Sexual Prejudice (2022)($420,000) - Awarded by Australian Research Council
• Project: Suicide, mental health, alcohol and other drug use and homelessness (2022)($147,380) - Awarded by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
• Project: Consequences of Internalised Sexual Prejudice (2021) ($5,000) - Awarded by Associate Dean Research (Internal Faculty Grant)
• Project: Understandings of LGBTQ+ Conversion Practices in Multicultural Populations (2021) ($20,000) - Awarded by Pride Foundation Australia
• Project: LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicidality (2020) ($149,943) - Awarded by North-Western Melbourne Primary Health Network
• Project: Refugee and Asylum Seeker education during COVID19 (2020) ($36,800) - Awarded by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education
• Faculty Research Project Grant: Understanding Threat and Racism during COVID-19 (2020) ($7,453) - Awarded by the Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty Research Project Grant: The Effects of Cyberbullying on LGBTIQ+ youth (2019) ($4,978) - Awarded by the Faculty of Health Sciences
• Project: Does human attribute less brain attributions to nearly extinct animals? (2019) ($2,432) - Awarded by Victoria Zoos

Accolades and Awards

• DECRA 2023 - Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2022)
  Awarded by the Australian Research Council
• SASP Early Career Researcher Award (2021)
  Awarded by the Society of Australian Social Psychologists
• ISPP Early Career Scholar Award (2021)
  Awarded by the International Society of Political Psychology (Early Career Committee)
• ARP Emerging Scholar and Diversity Award (2020)
  Awarded by the Association for Research in Personality
• ACU Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2014)
  Awarded by the Faculty of Health Sciences
• SASP Outstanding Postgraduate Research Award (runner up) (2014)
  Awarded by the Society of Australian Social Psychologists
• 3MT - The Three Minute Thesis Competition (University finalist and runner up) (2013)
  Awarded by Professor Patrick Haven, Dean of Research, Australian Catholic University

Appointments and Affiliations

Current Appointments

• Senior Lecturer; Psychology - National School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
• Senior Research Fellow - Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
• Senior Research Fellow - Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (La Trobe University)
• Human Research Ethics Committee Member - Australia Institute for Family Studies

Former Appointments

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow - University of Geneva, Switzerland
• Research Fellow - Centre for Ethical Leadership, University of Melbourne, Australia
• Sessional Lecturer - Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
• Psychometrics Consultant - Psychpress, Melbourne, Australia

Affiliations

• Society for Australasian Social Psychology
• European Association of Social Psychologists
• Australian Psychological Society
• International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology