Psychology and Counselling Research Centre

Open Psychology Research Centre

The Open Psychology Research Centre is the research centre of the School of Psychology & Counselling at The Open University. The Centre represents a progressive approach to psychological research, theory and practice that is tightly connected with other social sciences and humanities disciplines. It champions creative, critical and credible psychological research that makes a difference to real social issues, that informs practice, and that inspires a positive vision for living together fairly, equitably and imaginatively. Our engaged research also feeds into scholarship for teaching at the OU.

I want the world to recognise with me the open door of every consciousness.
Frantz Fanon

The dream is the small hidden door ... which opens to that cosmic night ... long before there was conscious ego ...
Carl Jung

When we are open to new possibilities, we find them. Be open and sceptical of everything.
Todd Kashdan

Let us keep our minds open ... [but not] so open that your brains fall out! There are still things ... which are true and things which are false.
Walter Kotschnig

To pass freely through open doors, it is necessary to respect the fact that they have solid frames.
Robert Musil

Zealous conviction is a dangerous substitute for an open mind.
Elizabeth Loftus

Often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Helen Keller

WATCH: How Research Shaped NICE Depression Treatment Guidelines and impacted care
7th January 2025
In this talk, Dr Felicitas Rost will discuss the stakeholder campaign she initiated and led. She will begin by briefly summarizing the initial methodological issues, outline how stakeholders’ knowledge and expertise was used to advise NICE on necessary changes, and describe how these were received and addressed.
Social Psychology Professor is among the team of editors behind the special edition of ‘Human Affairs’
7th October 2024
Professor Paul Stenner is among the team of editors behind the special edition of the journal Human Affairs, about revolutionary philosopher A.N. Whitehead's theories and their relevance to psychology and the social sciences today.
Fully Funded PhD Opportunities in Psychology on Gendered Violence Against Women on Social Media
1st October 2024
The Centre for Protecting Women Online invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship based in Psychology. The proposal is expected to address the topic of an online gendered violence against women and girls on Social Media.

The application deadline has now passed.