Dr Andrew Simpson
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Email
asimpson@essex.ac.uk -
Location
4.702, Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
Andrew SImpson's original undergraduate degree was in genetics from the University of Sheffield, and he obtained a PhD in molecular biology from Queens' College, Cambridge in 1990. He worked in London for seven years at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (now DEFR) as a science advisor and administrator. This included work on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ('Mad Cow Disease') and agricultural biotechnology ('Frankenstein Foods'). At the same time, Andrew studied for a BSc in Psychology at Birkbeck College, London. He then trained to be a primary school teacher before returning to academia. Andrew worked as a Research Assistant at London Guildhall University and then as a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. While at Birmingham, Andrew started a part-time PhD in cognitive development, which he completed in 2005. He later also lectured part-time at London Metropolitan University, before joining the academic staff at the 糖心Vlog in 2008. Andrew married Susan Roper in 1998, and they have two daughters - Ruby and Matilda.
Qualifications
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BSc in Genetics, University of Sheffield (1986).
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PhD on 'The role of High Mobility Group protein HMG2a in Chromatin Struture', Queens' College, Cambridge (1990).
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BSc in Psychology, Birkbeck College, London (1998).
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PhD on 'Investigating the factors that determine the inhibitory demands of developmental tasks', University of Birmingham (2005).
Research and professional activities
Research interests
The emergence of inhibitory control in children. Inhibitory control is the capacity to regulate our thoughts, behaviour and emotions, and so take charge of our own lives.
I study the early development of inhibitory control. Inhibitory control is the ability to alter familiar patterns of thinking and behavior, as well as to resist temptation. As an adult, for example, you can use inhibitory control when deciding to take a new approach to dealing with a difficult member of your family, or when resisting the temptation to eat food which you think is unhealthy. Inhibitory control is crucial to the way that we take charge of our own lives. It is one of the most valued human abilities. In Western cultures, most of us want to be in control of our lives, even if what we would do with that control differs for each of us. Psychologists have been studying Inhibitory control, in its various forms, for about 50 years. It is clear from this research that inhibitory control is very useful. Adults with good inhibitory control have lives that are happier, more successful and fulfilled. For children too, good inhibitory control brings benefits. For example, good inhibitory control is actually more important than intelligence when it comes to doing well at school. I am studying how inhibitory control emerges. We know that it improves across the whole of childhood from infancy to adolescence, although there is usually a big leap-forward at the end of the 鈥榯errible twos鈥�. I am trying to understand what it is that actually changes when inhibitory control improves. Is it like a 鈥榟and鈥� in the mind that comes down and stops thinking, or is it more of a coping strategy that we use to face life鈥檚 challenges. I am also really interested in what determines the need for inhibitory control, and in how children can be helped when their inhibitory control fails.
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Developmental Psychology (PS406)
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Psychopathology (PS504)
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Thinking Green: Introduction to the Psychology of Pro-environmental Behaviour (PS517)
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Advanced Developmental Psychology (PS931)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 18/6/2024
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 28/11/2023
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 21/12/2020
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 24/4/2020
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 21/11/2019
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 3/5/2019
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 29/1/2018
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 4/7/2016
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 13/5/2015
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 20/1/2015
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/4/2014
Publications
Journal articles (44)
Simpson, A., Lipscombe, S. and Carroll, DJ., (2022). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 220, 105431-105431
Holmboe, K., Larkman, C., de Klerk, C., Simpson, A., Bell, MA., Patton, L., Christodoulou, C. and Dvergsdal, H., (2021). . PLoS One. 16 (12), e0260695-e0260695
Carroll, DJ., Blakey, E. and Simpson, A., (2021). . Child Development. 92 (6), 2205-2212
Sun, Q., Geeraert, N. and Simpson, A., (2020). . Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 49 (2), 520-533
Kostyrka鈥怉llchorne, K., Cooper, NR., Simpson, A. and Sonuga鈥怋arke, EJS., (2020). . Acta Paediatrica. 109 (12), 2648-2655
Simpson, A., Al Ruwaili, R., Jolley, R., Leonard, H., Geeraert, N. and Riggs, KJ., (2019). . Child Development. 90 (3), 911-923
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, NR. and Simpson, A., (2019). . Cognitive Development. 49, 94-104
Simpson, A. and Carroll, DJ., (2019). . Child Development. 90 (5), 1459-1473
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, NR., Kennett, S., Nestler, S. and Simpson, A., (2019). . Developmental Neuropsychology. 44 (4), 385-396
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Holland, A., Cooper, NR., Ahamed, W., Marrow, RK. and Simpson, A., (2019). . Trends in Neuroscience and Education. 17, 100114-100114
Atkinson, MA., Simpson, AA. and Cole, GG., (2018). . Psychonomic Bulletin and Review. 25 (5), 1585-1605
Simpson, A. and Carroll, DJ., (2018). . Cognition. 170, 270-279
Holland, AK., Hyde, G., Riggs, KJ. and Simpson, A., (2018). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 170, 57-71
Atkinson, MA., Millett, AC., Doneva, SP., Simpson, A. and Cole, GG., (2018). How social is social inhibition of return?. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics. 80 (8), 1892-1903
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, NR. and Simpson, A., (2017). . Acta Paediatrica. 106 (4), 654-662
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, NR., Gossmann, AM., Banks, KJ. and Simpson, A., (2017). . Acta Paediatrica. 106 (5), 831-836
Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Cooper, NR. and Simpson, A., (2017). . Developmental Review. 44, 19-58
Whitaker, LR., Simpson, A. and Roberson, D., (2017). . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 47 (8), 2628-2634
Simpson, A., Upson, M. and Carroll, DJ., (2017). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 162, 18-30
Cox, S., Chandler, C., Simpson, A. and Riggs, K., (2016). . Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 166, 21-25
Holland, AK., Mather, E., Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2016). . Frontiers in Psychology. 7
Riggs, KJ., Mather, E., Hyde, G. and Simpson, A., (2015). . Cognitive Science
Holland, A., Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2015). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 134, 1-11
Atkinson, M., Simpson, A., Skarratt, PA. and Cole, G., (2014). . Acta Psychologica. 150, 85-93
Simpson, A., Carroll, DJ. and Riggs, KJ., (2014). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 118, 127-133
Simpson, A. and Carroll, DJ., (2014). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 121, 1-11
Simpson, A., Cooper, NR., Gillmeister, H. and Riggs, KJ., (2013). . Cognition. 128 (2), 103-112
Cooper, NR., Simpson, A., Till, A., Simmons, K. and Puzzo, I., (2013). . Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 7 (159), 159-
Riggs, KJ., Jolley, RP. and Simpson, A., (2013). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 114 (4), 537-542
Simpson, A., Riggs, KJ., Beck, S., Gorniak, S., Wu, Y. and Abbott, D., (2012). . Developmental Science. 15 (1), 62-73
Simpson, A. and Riggs, K., (2011). . Developmental Psychology. 47 (3), 834-840
Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2011). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 109 (4), 512-524
Riggs, KJ., Simpson, A. and Potts, T., (2011). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 108 (4), 802-809
Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2009). . Infant and Child Development. 18 (1), 21-35
Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2007). . Developmental Psychology. 43 (2), 417-428
Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2006). . Journal of experimental child psychology. 94 (1), 18-26
Riggs, KJ., McTaggart, J., Simpson, A. and Freeman, RPJ., (2006). . Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 95 (1), 18-26
Apperly, IA., Riggs, KJ., Simpson, A., Chiavarino, C. and Samson, D., (2006). . Psychological science. 17 (10), 841-844
Riggs, KJ., Ferrand, L., Lancelin, D., Fryziel, L., Dumur, G. and Simpson, A., (2006). . Psychological science. 17 (4), 271-272
Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2005). . Developmental Science. 8 (4), 360-371
Riggs, KJ. and Simpson, A., (2005). . Developmental Science. 8 (3), F27-F30
Leeson, VC., Simpson, A., McKenna, PJ. and Laws, KR., (2005). . Schizophrenia research. 74 (1), 61-67
Simpson, A. and Riggs, KJ., (2005). . British Journal of Developmental Psychology. 23 (3), 471-486
Simpson, A., Riggs, KJ. and Simon, M., (2004). . Journal of experimental child psychology. 87 (2), 155-170
