Jo Kenrick

Jo Kenrick BA, BSc, MSc, PGCert, PhD

Lecturer, Psychology

Jo joined the University of Greenwich in May 2022.

Her research applies cognitive psychology to the forensic area with a specific focus on deceptive skill and cognitive theories of general expertise. Using both quantiative and qualitative methods to answer questions like: what makes someone a good liar? Can deceptive skills be trained like other abilities? She also researches the dark tetrad of personalities and their relationship to social cognition.

From Skeptics in the Pub to the House of Lords, Jo is also passionately involved in public outreach with the aim of ending torture and coercive interview practices. She frequently delivers public lectures, film screenings and interactive events to inform people of how ineffective and counterproductive it is and how humane information elicitation alternatives exist.

Posts held previously:

  • 2020 – 2022  Teaching Fellow, Goldsmiths College, University of London
  • 2017 – 2020   Associate Lecturer, Goldsmiths College, University of London
  • 2012 – 2021   Associate Tutor and Lecturer, Birkbeck College, University of London

Psychology

Responsibilities within the university
  • Personal Tutorial and New Arrivals Lead for Psychology undergraduate students at levels 4, 5 and 6.
  • Module lead for Criminal Minds (MSc Forensic Psychology, Level 7)
  • Module lead for Psychology and the Criminal Justice System (MSc Forensic Psychology, Level 7)

Recognition
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • Reviewer for journals e.g., Applied Cognitive Psychology and government programmes e.g., High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group
  • Member of Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (SARMAC), International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG) and Forensic Cognition Research Group (FCRG)

Research / Scholarly interests

Jo’s research focuses on applied cognition, specifically the cognitive and metacognitive differences in high performing individuals. Especially those highly skilled at anti-social behaviour such as deception and manipulation. She is particularly interested in ‘Prolific liars’ (studies show that 5% of the population are responsible for over 50% of all lies told) and what they can teach us about the role of practice in deceptive performance.

Other research interests include:

  • Investigative interview
  • Perceptions of deception in law enforcement context e.g., language disorders and cultural differences
  • The dark tetrad of personality (sub-clinical narcissism, Machiavellianism, sadism, and psychopathy

Key funded projects

  • 2019 – Goldsmiths College, Winner of Warden’s Public Engagement Award for “Top of the Cops – Murder on the Dancefloor” immersive science theatre even

Recent publications