Harry Farmer

Dr Harry Farmer BSc, MSc, FHEA, PhD

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Harry Farmer has been a Senior Lecturer in Psychology in the School of Human Sciences at the University of Greenwich since 2021.

Harry obtained a BSc Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Bristol and then an MSc in Psychological Research from the University of Oxford before completing his PhD in Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London in 2014.Harry worked as a Research Associate in Social Neuroscience at UCL's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience between 2014 and 2018 and as a Research Associate in Virtual Reality at the University of Bath between 2017 and 2020. He joined the University of Greenwich in 2020.

Harry's research interests centre on the relationship self-representation at both the conceptual and bodily levels and social cognition. To study this he uses a range of methods including virtual reality, neuroimaging, computational modelling, and psychophysics. Harry currently leads the Brain and Behaviour module and is Admissions Lead for Psychology.

Posts previously held

  • Jan 2020 - Present University of Bath as Associate Researcher
  • June 2018 - Present University College London as Associate Researcher
  • Oct 2017 - Jan 2020 University of Bath as Research Associate in Virtual Reality
  • Jan 2014 - Mar 2018 University College London as Research Associate in Social Neuroscience
  • Feb 2012 - Mar 2014 Royal Holloway at University of London as Visiting Lecturer
  • 2009 - July 2010 City and Hackney Mind as Research and Special Projects Officer.

Psychology

Allied health professions, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy

Responsibilities within the university
  • Admissions Lead for Psychology
  • Module Leader on the Brain and Behaviour Module
  • Lecturer on the Evolutionary Psychology, Introduction to Psychology and Foundations of Psychological Science Modules
  • Seminar leader on Personality and Individual Differences Module.

Recognition
  • External Examiner at Kings College London
  • Review Editor Frontiers in Virtual Reality
  • Member of the Experimental Psychology Society
  • Member of the Psychological Accelerator Project
  • Consultant in Virtual Presence at Typeone Creative Technology.

Research / Scholarly interests

Harry's research focuses on the relationship between the self and social cognition and encompasses a wide range of methodological techniques including conceptual analysis, psycho-physics, physiological recording, neuro-imaging and virtual reality. He is particularly interested in how the plasticity of self-representation at both the bodily and conceptual level can be used to modulate social attitudes including prejudice, the computational basis of learning about self/other similarity and the relationship between depersonalisation/derealisation and social cognition.

Key funded projects

  • 2021, Experimental Psychology Society: Computational Basis of Preference Similarity Learning. Principal Investigator
  • 2021, British Academy: In Another’s Skin: How Embodiment and Context Affect Gender Stereotypes. Principal Investigator
  • 2017, Bial Foundation: Estranged from oneself, estranged from the others: Investigating the effect of depersonalisation on self-other mirroring. Co-Investigator.

Recent publications

Article

Higgins, Sarah , Alcock, Stephanie, Aveiro, Bianca De, Daniels, William , Farmer, Harry , Besharati, Sahba (2024), Perspective matters: a systematic review of immersive virtual reality to reduce racial prejudice. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Virtual Reality, 28: 125 (3) . pp. 1-21 ISSN: 1359-4338 (Print), 1434-9957 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-024-01024-w).

Farmer, Harry , Skoulikari, E., Bevan, Chris, Gray, S. , Cater, Kirsten , Stanton Fraser, Danae (2024), Using narrative 360° video as a tool to promote breast self-examination. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Virtual Reality, 28: 34 . pp. 1-16 ISSN: 1359-4338 (Print), 1434-9957 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-023-00918-5).

Farmer, Harry and , (2023), Reducing dehumanisation through virtual reality: prospects and pitfalls. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 52: 101283 . pp. 1-7 ISSN: 2352-1546 (Print), 2352-1554 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2023.101283).

Conway III, Lucian Gideon , Woodard, Shailee R., Zubrod, Alivia, Tiburcio, Marcela , Martínez-Vélez, Nora Angelica , Sorgente, Angela , Lanz, Margherita , Serido, Joyce , Vosylis, Rimantas , Fonseca, Gabriela (2022), How culturally unique are pandemic effects? Evaluating cultural similarities and differences in effects of age, biological sex, and political beliefs on COVID impacts. Frontiers Media. In: , , , . Frontiers Media, Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 937211 . pp. 1-17 1664-1078 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.937211).

Richie-Halford, Adam , Cieslak, Matthew, Ai, Lei, Caffarra, Sendy , Covitz, Sydney , Franco, Alexandre R. , Karipidis, Iliana I. , Kruper, John , Milham, Michael , Avelar-Pereira, Bárbara (2022), An analysis-ready and quality controlled resource for pediatric brain white-matter research. Nature Research. In: , , , . Nature Research, Scientific Data, 9: 616 . pp. 1-27 2052-4463 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01695-7).

Ciaunica, Anna , Pienkos, Elizabeth, Nakul, Estelle, Madeira, Luis , Farmer, Harry (2022), Exploration of self- and world-experiences in depersonalization traits. Routledge. In: , , , . Routledge, Philosophical Psychology ISSN: 0951-5089 (Print), 1465-394X (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2022.2056009).

Van Bavel, Jey J. , Cichocka, Aleskandra, Capraro, Valerio, Sjåstad, Hallgeir , Nezlek, John B. , Pavlović, Tomislav , Alfano, Mark , Gelfand, Michele J. , Azevedo, Flavio , Birtel, Michele (2022), National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature Research. In: , , , . Nature Research, Nature Communications, 13: 517 2041-1723 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27668-9).

Harjunen, Ville Johannes , Sjö, Petja, Ahmed, Imtiaj, Saarinen, Aino , Farmer, Harry , Salminen, Mikko , Järvelä, Simo , Ruonala, Antti , Jacucci, Giulio , Ravaja, Niklas (2021), Increasing self–other similarity modulates ethnic bias in sensorimotor resonance to others’ pain. Oxford University Press. In: , , , . Oxford University Press, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 17 (7) . pp. 673-682 ISSN: 1749-5016 (Print), 1749-5024 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsab113).

Farmer, Harry , Bevan, C., Green, D., Rose, M. , Cater, K. , Stanton Fraser, D. (2021), Did you see what I saw?: Comparing attentional synchrony during 360° video viewing in head mounted display and tablets.. American Psychological Association (APA). In: , , , . American Psychological Association (APA), Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 27 (2) . pp. 324-337 ISSN: 1076-898X (Print), 1939-2192 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000332).

Green, David Philip , Rose, Mandy, Bevan, Chris, Farmer, Harry , Cater, Kirsten , Fraser, Danaë Stanton (2021), ‘You wouldn’t get that from watching TV!’: exploring audience responses to virtual reality non-fiction in the home. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 27 (3) . pp. 805-829 ISSN: 1354-8565 (Print), 1748-7382 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856520979966).

Ciaunica, Anna , Charlton, Jane, Farmer, Harry (2021), When the window cracks: transparency and the fractured self in depersonalisation. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 20 (1) . pp. 1-19 ISSN: 1568-7759 (Print), 1572-8676 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11097-020-09677-z).

Farmer, Harry , Mahmood, Raqeeb, Gregory, Samantha E.A., Tishina, Polina , Hamilton, Antonia F. de C. (2020), Dynamic emotional expressions do not modulate responses to gestures. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Acta Psychologica, 212: 103226 ISSN: 0001-6918 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103226).

Farmer, Harry , Cataldo, Antonio, Adel, Nagela, Wignall, Emma , Gallese, Vittorio , Deroy, Ophelia , Hamilton, Antonia , Ciaunica, Anna (2020), The detached self: investigating the effect of depersonalisation on self-bias in the visual remapping of touch. Brill Academic Publishers. In: , , , . Brill Academic Publishers, Multisensory Research, 34 (4) . pp. 365-386 ISSN: 2213-4794 (Print), 2213-4808 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/22134808-bja10038).

Farmer, H. , Hewstone, M., Spiegler, O., Morse, H. , Saifullah, A. , Pan, X. , Fell, B. , Charlesford, J. , Terbeck, S. (2020), Positive intergroup contact modulates fusiform gyrus activity to black and white faces. Nature Research. In: , , , . Nature Research, Scientific Reports, 10: 2700 2045-2322 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-59633-9).

Farmer, Harry , Hertz, Uri, Hamilton, Antonia F de C (2019), The neural basis of shared preference learning. Oxford University Press. In: , , , . Oxford University Press, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 14 (10) . pp. 1061-1072 ISSN: 1749-5016 (Print), 1749-5024 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsz076).

Forbes, Paul AG , Suddell, Steph F, Farmer, Harry, Logeswaran, Yanakan , Hamilton, Antonia F de C (2018), The way others move can influence what we choose. SAGE. In: , , , . SAGE, Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 72 (7) . pp. 1756-1770 ISSN: 1747-0218 (Print), 1747-0226 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747021818808461).

Farmer, Harry , Ciaunica, Anna, Hamilton, Antonia F. de C. (2018), The functions of imitative behaviour in humans. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Mind & Language, 33 (4) . pp. 378-396 ISSN: 0268-1064 (Print), 1468-0017 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/mila.12189).

Hall, Braeden , Schmidt, Kathleen, Wagge, Jordan, Lewis, Savannah , Weissgerber, Sophia , Kiunke, Felix , Pfuhl, Gerit , Stieger, Stefan , Tran, Ultrich , Barzykowski, Krystian (2018), Registered replication report: a large multilab cross-cultural conceptual replication of Turri, Buckwalter, and Blouw (2015). SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science 2515-2459 (Online) (doi: ).

Farmer, Harry and , Maiser, Lara (2017), Putting ourselves in another’s skin: using the plasticity of self-perception to enhance empathy and decrease prejudice. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Social Justice Research, 30 (4) . pp. 323-354 ISSN: 0885-7466 (Print), 1573-6725 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-017-0294-1).

Dignath, David , Lotze-Hermes, Paul, Farmer, Harry, Pfister, Roland (2017), Contingency and contiguity of imitative behaviour affect social affiliation. Springer. In: , , , . Springer, Psychological Research, 82 (4) . pp. 819-831 ISSN: 0340-0727 (Print), 1430-2772 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00426-017-0854-x).

Farmer, Harry , Apps, Matthew, Tsakiris, Manos (2016), Reputation in an economic game modulates premotor cortex activity during action observation. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, European Journal of Neuroscience, 44 (5) . pp. 2191-2201 ISSN: 0953-816X (Print), 1460-9568 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ejn.13327).

Farmer, Harry , Carr, Evan W., Svartdal, Marita, Winkielman, Piotr , Hamilton, Antonia F. de C. (2016), Status and power do not modulate automatic imitation of intransitive hand movements. Public Library of Science. In: , , , . Public Library of Science, PLoS ONE, 11: e0151835 (4) 1932-6203 (Online) (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0151835).

Möttönen, Riikka , Farmer, Harry, Watkins, Kate E. (2016), Neural basis of understanding communicative actions: changes associated with knowing the actor’s intention and the meanings of the actions. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Neuropsychologia, 81 . pp. 230-237 ISSN: 0028-3932 (Print), (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.01.002).

Book section

Wicher, Paula , Farmer, Harry, Hamilton, Antonia (2024), Cognitive mechanisms of being imitated. Springer International Publishing. In: , , In: Oliver Genschow, Emiel Cracco (eds.), Automatic Imitation. Springer International Publishing, (2024th edition) . ISBN: 9783031626333; 3031626338 (doi: ).

Conference proceedings

Farmer, Harry , Bevan, Chris, Green, David P., Rose, Mandy , Cater, Kirsten , Stanton-Fraser, Danaë (2019), Did you see what I saw?: Comparing user synchrony when watching 360° video in HMD Vs flat screen. IEEE. In: 2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR), , Osaka, Japan , 2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR). IEEE, . pp. 916-917 . ISBN: 9781728113784ISSN: 2642-5246 (Print), 2642-5254 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/VR.2019.8797968).

Bevan, Chris , Green, David Philip, Farmer, Harry, Rose, Mandy , Cater, Kirsten , Stanton Fraser, Danaë , Brown, Helen (2019), Behind the curtain of the "Ultimate Empathy Machine". ACM. In: , , , Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI '19. ACM, . pp. 1-12 . ISBN: 9781450359702 (doi: httpS://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300736).

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