BIOGRAPHY

Sheina Orbell has a BSc from Birmingham and a PhD from Queen’s University Belfast. After completing her PhD she worked for three years at Dundee University before being awarded an MRC Fellowship for four years. During these four years she worked at St Andrews University and Sheffield University. In 1996 she took up a lectureship and in 1998 a senior lectureship at Sheffield University before coming to Essex in 2000.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Her research is in social psychological theory and the applications of social psychology to health related behaviour. Her work combines experimental social psychology with large scale funded projects in health psychology.

Social psychology of attitudes, decision-making, intention-behaviour relations and self-regulation. Volitional strategies and habit. Recent studies concern social-cognitive variables which govern the translation of intentions into action amongst individuals motivated to act.

Social psychological aspects of preventive health behaviour with particular reference to sexual health and screening uptake. This work focuses on determinants of health related behaviour, including theoretical accounts of motivation to perform protective behaviours and volitional processes relating to the translation of intentions into action. She has conducted two major projects concerning social psychological aspects of cervical cancer prevention which address psychological determinants of uptake of cervical screening and treatment and has recently been awarded funding to investigate psychological determinants of colorectal cancer screening uptake.

Social psychological aspects of the physical health and health care of older people with particular reference to informal support. Longitudinal field studies in this area have addressed theoretical analyses of distress and motivation to provide informal support and variables predicting functional behaviour in older people following hospitalisation.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Orbell, S. & Verplanken, B. (2010). The automatic component of habit in health behavior: Habit as cue-contingent automaticity. Health Psychology, 29, 374-383.

Morison, L. A., Cozzolino, P. J., & Orbell, S. (2010). Temporal perspective and parental intention to accept the Human Papillomavirus vaccination for their daughter. British Journal of Health Psychology, 15, 151-165.

Techer, L., Campbell, C., Weller, D., Orbell, S., Szepura, A., Gumber, A. (2009) Strategies to improve uptake of colorectal cancer screening in South Asian and lower income groups- a qualitative study. Psychooncology, 18, 310-311.

Orbell, S., Lidierth, P., Henderson, C.J., Geeraert, N., Uller, C., Uskul, A.K., Kyriakaki, M. (2009). Social cognitive beliefs, alcohol and tobacco use: A prospective community study of change following a ban on smoking in public places. Health Psychology, 28, 753-761.

Henderson, C.J., Orbell, S. & Hagger, M. (2009). Illness schema activation and attentional bias to coping procedures. Health Psychology, 28, 101-107.

Orbell, S., O'Sullivan, I., Parker, R., Steele, B., Campbell, C. & Weller, D. (2008). Illness representations and coping following an abnormal colorectal cancer screening result. Social Science and Medicine, 67,1465-1474.

Orbell, S. & Kyriakaki, M. (2008) Temporal framing and persuasion to adopt preventive health behavior: Moderating effects of individual differences in consideration of future consequences on sunscreen use. Health Psychology, 27, 770-779.

Balasubramani, L., Orbell, S., Hagger, M., Brown, V., Tidy, J. (2008) Can default rates in colposcopy really be reduced? British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 115, 403-408.

Henderson, C.J., Hagger, M., Orbell, S. (2007) Does priming a specific illness schema result in an attentional information-processing bias for specific illnesses? Health Psychology, 26, 165-173.

Balasubramani, L., Orbell, S., Hagger, M., Brown, V & Tidy, J. (2007). Do women with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia prefer a see and treat option in colposcopy? British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 114, 39-45.

Orbell, S. (2007).Motivational models and volitional processes in the promotion of health behaviors. In D.C. Park & L.L.Liu (Eds.) Medical adherence and aging.(pp. 169-200) Washington: American Psychological Association.

Rickett, B., Orbell, S. & Sheeran, P. (2006) Social cognitive determinants of hoist usage among health care workers. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 11, 182-196.

Hagger, M.S. & Orbell, S. (2006) Illness representations and emotion in people with abnormal screening results. Psychology and Health, 21, 183-209.

Orbell, S., Hagger, M., Brown, V. & Tidy, J. (2006). Comparing two theories of health behavior: A prospective study of noncompletion of treatment following cervical cancer screening. Health Psychology, 25, 604-615.

Orbell, S. & Hagger, M. (2006). “When no means no": Can reactance augment the theory of planned behavior? Health Psychology, 25, 586-594.

Orbell, S. & Hagger, M. (2006). Temporal framing and the decision to take part in Type 2 diabetes screening: Effects of individual differences in consideration of future consequences on persuasion. Health Psychology, 25,537-548.

Hagger, M. & Orbell, S. (2005). A confirmatory factor analysis of the revised illness perception questionnaire (IPQR) in a cervical screening context. Psychology & Health, 20, 161-173. (download pdf)

Orbell, S., Perugini, M.& Rakow, T. (2004). Individual differences in sensitivity to health communications: Consideration of future consequences. Health Psychology 23, 388-396.

Orbell, S., Hagger, M., Brown, V. & Tidy, J. (2004). Appraisal theory and emotional sequelae of first visit to colposcopy amongst women with abnormal cervical smears. British Journal of Health Psychology, 9, 533-556. (download pdf)

Orbell, S. (2004). Intention-behaviour relations: A self-regulation perspective. In Haddock, G., & Maio, G. R. O. (Eds.). Contemporary perspectives on the psychology of attitudes. London: Psychology Press.

O'Sullivan, I., Orbell, S., Rakow, T. & Parker, R. (2004). Prospective research in health service settings: Psychology, science and the 'Hawthorne effect'. Journal of Health Psychology, 9, 355-359.

O'Sullivan, I. & Orbell, S. (2004). Self-sampling to reduce mortality from colorectal cancer: A qualitative exploration of the decision to complete a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT). Journal of Medical Screening, 11, 16-22.

Hagger, M. & Orbell, S. (2003). A meta analytic review of the common-sense model of illness representations. Psychology and Health, 18, 141-184. (download pdf)

Orbell, S. (2003) Personality systems interactions theory and the theory of planned behaviour: Evidence that self-regulatory volitional components enhance enactment of studying behaviour. British Journal of Social Psychology, 42, 95-112.

Norman, P., Sheeran, P., Orbell, S. (2003) Does action versus state orientation moderate the intention 'behavior relation'.  Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33, 1-19.

Verplanken, B. & Orbell, S. (2003). Reflections on past behavior: A self-report index of habit strength. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 33,1313-1330.

Milne, S.E., Orbell, S. & Sheeran, P. (2002). Combining motivational and volitional interventions to promote exercise participation: Protection motivation theory and implementation intentions. British Journal of Health Psychology, 7, 163-184.

McKee, K., Orbell, S., Austin, C., Bettridge, R., Liddle, J., Morgan, K., Radley, K. (2002) Fear of falling, falls efficacy and health outcomes in older people following hip fracture. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24, 327-333.

Orbell, S., Blair, C., Sherlock, K., & Conner, M. (2001). The theory of planned behavior and ecstacy use: Roles for habit and perceived control over taking versus obtaining substances. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 31, 31-47.

Orbell, S., Johnston, M., Espley, A., Rowley, D. (2001) Self-efficacy, goal importance and disability following hospitalization: A prospective study British Journal of Health Psychology, 6, 25-40.

Hagger, M., Chatzisarantis, N., Biddle, S., Orbell, S. (2001). Antecedants of children?s physical activity intentions and behaviour: Predictive validity and longitudinal effects. Psychology and Health, 16, 391-407.

Orbell, S. Sheeran, P. (2000). Motivational and volitional processes in action initiation: A field study of implementation intentions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30, 780-797.

Milne, S., Sheeran, P., Orbell, S. (2000) Prediction and intervention in health related behaviour: A meta-analytic review of Protection-Motivation Theory. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30, 106-143.

Rapaport, P. & Orbell, S. (2000). Augmenting the theory of planned behaviour: Motivation to provide practical assistance and emotional support to parents. Psychology and Health, 15, 309-324.

Sheeran, P. and Orbell, S. (2000). Self-schemas and the theory of planned behaviour. European Journal of Social Psychology. 30, 533-550.

Sheeran, P. & Orbell, S. (2000). Using implementation intentions to increase attendance for cervical cancer screening. Health Psychology, 19, 283-289.

Orbell, S. ( 1999). The role of social-cognitive research in informal care.Journal of Health Psychology, 4, 41-44.

Sheeran, P. and Orbell, S. (1999). Implementation intentions and repeated behaviours: Enhancing the predictive validity of the theory of planned behaviour. European Journal of Social Psychology 29, 349-369.

Sheeran, P., Norman, P., Orbell, S. (1999). Evidence that intentions based on attitudes better predict behaviour than intentions based on subjective norms. European Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 403-406.

Sheeran, P., Abraham, C. and Orbell, S. (1999). Psychosocial correlates of heterosexual condom use: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 90-132.

Cowley, M., Orbell, S. (1999). Towards a psychology of service use in informal care: Social and psychological determinants of service need and uptake amongst carers of learning disabled adults. Psychology and Health, 14, 217-239.

Sheeran, P., Orbell, S., Trafimow, D. (1999). Does the temporal stability of behavioral intentions moderate intention-behavior and past behavior-future behavior relations? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 721-730.

Street, H., Sheeran, P. & Orbell, S. (1999). Conceptualising depression: An integration of twenty-seven theories. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 6, 175-193.

Sheeran, P. and Orbell, S. (1999). Augmenting the theory of planned behaviour: Roles for anticipated regret and descriptive norms. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 29, 2107-2142.

McKee, K., Orbell, S. and Radley, K. (1999). Predicting perceived recovered activity in older people after a fall. Disability and Rehabilitation, 21, 555-562.

Hodgkins, S. and Orbell, S. (1998) Does Protection-Motivation Theory Predict Behaviour? A longitudinal test and exploration of the role of previous behaviour. Psychology and Health, 13, 237-250.

Orbell, S. and Sheeran, P. (1998) 'Inclined abstainers': A problem for predicting health behaviour. British Journal of Social Psychology 37, 151-166.

Sheeran, P. and Orbell, S. (1998) Does intention predict condom use? A meta analysis and test of four moderators. British Journal of Social Psychology 37, 231-250.

Orbell, S., Johnston, M., Rowley, D., Espley, A., Davey, P. (1998) Cognitive representations of illness and functional and affective adjustment following surgery for osteoarthritis. Social Science and Medicine, 47, 93-102.

Orbell, S. Rowley, D., Johnston, M., Espley, A. (1998) Health benefits of joint replacement surgery for patients with osteoarthritis: prospective evaluation using independent assessments in Scotland. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health,
52, 564-570.

Orbell, S. and Sheeran, P. (1998) Regulation of behaviour in pursuit of health goals. Psychology and Health, 13, 753.

Abraham, S, Sheeran, P. Orbell, S. (1998) Can social cognition models contribute to the effectiveness of HIV-preventive health promotion? A review of the literature and a reply to Joffe (1996;1997) and Fife-Schaw (1997) British Journal of Medical Psychology, 71, 297-310.

Conner, M., Sherlock, K., Orbell, S. (1998) Psychosocial determinants of ecstacy use in young people in the UK. British Journal of Health Psychology, 3, 295-317.

Agar, S., Moniz-Cook, E., Orbell, S., Elston, C. and Wang, M. (1997) Measuring the outcome of psychosocial intervention for family caregivers of dementia sufferers: A factor analytic study. Ageing and Mental Health, 1,2, 166-175.

Orbell, S, Hodgkins, S., Sheeran, P. (1997) Implementation intentions and the Theory of Planned Behavior Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 9,953-962.

Orbell, S. (1996) Cognition and affect after cervical screening: The role of test outcome and personal moral obligation in subsequent attendance. Social Science and Medicine, 43, 1237-1243.

Johnston, G. Orbell, S., Crombie, I., Robertson, A., Kenicer, M. (1996) Women's preferences for cervical screening: Who, when and where. Health Education Journal, 55, 84-91.

Orbell, S., Crombie, I., Johnston, G.(1996) Social cognition and social structure in the prediction of cervical screening uptake. British Journal of Health Psychology, 1, 35-50.

Orbell, S. (1996) Informal care in social context: A social psychological analysis of participation, impact and intervention in care of the elderly. Psychology and Health (International Review Issue, eds; Maes, Johnston, M., Leventhal, H.) 11, 155-178.

Sheeran, P. and Orbell, S. (1996) How confidently can we infer health beliefs from questionnaire responses? Psychology and Health, 11, 273-290.

Orbell, S., Crombie, I., Robertson, A., Johnston, G., Kenicer, M. (1995) Evaluating the effectiveness of a screening campaign: Who is missed by 80% cervical screening coverage? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 88, 389-394.

Sheeran, P., Abrams, D., Orbell, S. (1995) Unemployment, self-esteem and psychological wellbeing: A social comparison theory approach. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 17 (1&2), 65-82.

Crombie, I., Orbell, S., Robertson, A., Johnston, G., Kenicer, M. ( 1995) Womens' experiences at cervical screening. Scottish Medical Journal, 40, 3, 81-83.

Crombie, I., Orbell, S., Johnston, G., Robertson, A., Kenicer, M. (1994) Cervical screening: the optimum visit plan for contacting users and non-users in Scotland. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 48, 586-589.

Florey, C.du V., Yule, B., Fogg, A., Napier, A., Orbell, S. Cushieri, A. (1994) A randomized controlled trial of immediate discharge of surgical paients to general practice. Journal of Public Health Medicine, 16, 4, 455-464.

Orbell, S.and Gillies, B. (1993) What's stressful about caring? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 23, 4, 272-290.

Orbell, S. and Sheeran, P.(1993) Health Psychology and uptake of preventive health services: A review of thirty years' research on cervical screening. Psychology and Health, 8, 417-433.

Orbell, S., Hopkins, N. and Gillies, B. (1993) Measuring the impact of informal caring. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 3, 149-163.

Orbell, S. and Abraham, C. (1993) Behavioural Sciences and the real world: a report of a community interview scheme for medical undergraduates. Medical Education, 23, 1-11.

Orbell, S. and Gillies, B.(1993) Factors associated with informal carers' preference not to be involved in caring. Irish Journal of Psychology, 14, 1, 99-109.

Orbell, S. and Hopkins, N. (1993) Integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on informal caring. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 3, 225-230.

Orbell, S. and Hopkins, N. (1993) Conceptual and methodological issues in care research. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 3, 231-232.

Robertson, A., Orbell, S., Johnston, G., Crombie, I., Kenicer, M. (1993) A study of non-users of the cervical screening programme. Cytopathology, 4, 1, 3.

Orbell, S., Trew, K., and McWhirter, L. (1990) Mental illness in Northern Ireland; a comparison with Scotland and England. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 25, 165-169.

Orbell, S.(1990) Report of a workshop for researchers in Community Care. Health Bulletin, 48, 259-263.