Prof Chris McVittie
Professor of Social Psychology
Telephone: +44 (0)131 474 0000
Email: cmcvittie@qmu.ac.uk
Online publications available at QMU eResearch site

Research Interests
- discourse, conversation, and the social psychology of communication
- the negotiation of threatened identities in context
- communications, discourse and identities in the determination of health outcomes
Professional Membership
and Activities
- Associate Fellow, British Psychological Society
- International Affiliate, American Psychological Association
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Member of BPS Social Psychology Section
- Member of BPS Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section
- Member of the BPS Division for Teachers and Researchers in Psychology
- Chartered Health Psychologist (member of BPS Division of Health Psychology)
Authored Book
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2011). Identities in context: Individuals and Discourse in Action. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell (link available here)
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2008). Social Psychology and Discourse. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell (link available here.)
Book Chapter
Tiliopoulos, N. & McVittie, C. (2007). MMR, immunisation and parental decisions: a systematic review of behavioural preditors. In F. Anagnostopoulos & E. Karademas (eds.) Special issues in health psychology (pp. 3-22). Athens: Livani.
Selected Publications
In press
McKinlay, A., McVittie, C . & Cowan, S. (in press). How expert psychiatrists formulate criticisms of cinematic portrayals of psychiatry in front of a lay audience. Text & Talk.
McKinlay, A., McVittie, C . & Sambaraju, R. (2012, in press). ‘This is ordinary behaviour’: Categorization and culpability in Hamas leaders' accounts of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. British Journal of Social Psychology.
McVittie, C . & McKinlay, A. (in press). Discourse analysis in English-speaking countries. Bulletin de Psychologie.
2011
Hepworth, J., Robertson, A. R., Jhunjhunwala, A., Jarvis, G. C., & McVittie, C . (2011). Cancer-related psychosocial research: What are the perspectives of cancer care centre users on participation? Supportive Care in Cancer, 19 , 1029–1035.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C . (2011). ‘This is jist my life noo’: Marriage, children and choice in a Scottish fishing community. Discourse & Society, 22(2) , 175-189.
McVittie, C ., McKinlay, A. & Sambaraju, R. (2011, in press). Social psychology, religion and inter-group relations: Hamas leaders’ media talk about their vision for the future. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology .
McVittie, C ., Sambaraju, R. & McKinlay, A. (2011). ‘There will only be lots of chit-chat': How Hamas leaders and media interviewers handle controversial topics. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 44, 92-105.
2010
Guise, J., McVittie, C . & McKinlay, A. (2010). A discourse analytic study of ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) sufferers’ experiences of interactions with doctors. Journal of Health Psychology, 15(3) , 426-435.
McKinlay, A., Cowan, S., McVittie, C . & Ion, R. (2010). Student nurses’ gender-based accounts of men in nursing. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 345-349.
McKinlay, A., McVittie, C . & Della Sala, S. (2010). Imaging the future: does a qualitative analysis add to the picture? Journal of Neuropsychology, 4 , 1-13.
McKinlay, A., McVittie, C ., Reiter, E., Freer, Y., Sykes, C. & Logie, R. (2010). Design issues for socially intelligent user-interfaces: a discourse analysis of a data-to-text system for summarizing clinical data. Methods of Information in Medicine, 49 , 379-387.
McVittie, C . & McKinlay, A. (2010). Help-seeking in context: masculine and feminine identities in relation to men’s health issues. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5 , 239-243.
Tiliopoulos, N. & McVittie, C . (2010). Aspects of identity in a British Christian sample. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 13(7-8), 707-719.
2009
Goodall, K., Magill, M. & McVittie, C . (2009). Birth choice following primary caesarean section: Mothers’ perceptions of the influence of health professionals on decision-making. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 27(1), 4-14.
McVittie, C . & Goodall, K. (2009). Harry, Paul and the Filipino maid: racial and sexual abuse in local contexts. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(5), 651-654.
McVittie, C., Goodall, K. & Barr, Y. (2009). "I've learned so much": befrienders' experiences of befriending minority ethnic young people. Journal of Intercultural Communication (ISSN 1404-1634), 21. (available here)
McVittie, C ., Goodall, K. & McFarlane, S. (2009). ‘Your cuts are just as important as anyone else’s’: individuals’ online discussions of self-injury. Health Psychology Update, 18(2) , 3-7.
2008
McVittie, C. , Goodall, K. & McKinlay, A. (2008). Resisting having learning disabilities by managing relative abilities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36 , 256-262.
McVittie, C. , McKinlay, A. & Widdicombe, S. (2008). Organizational knowledge and discourse of diversity in employment. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 21, 348-366.
McVittie, C ., McKinlay, A. & Widdicombe, S. (2008). Passive and active non-employment: age, employment and the identities of older non-working people. Journal of Aging Studies, 22(3), 248-255.
McVittie, C ., Schilling, B. & Hepworth, J. (2008). The Select Committee Report on Obesity (2004): The challenge for public health policy of parents' views of their children's eating. Critical Public Health, 18, 33-40.
2007
McGill, M. & McVittie, C. (2007). Support, information and identity: online discussions of male breast cancer patients. Health Psychology Update, 16(3), 8-12.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2007). Locals, incomers and intra-national migration: Place-identities and a Scottish island . British Journal of Social Psychology, 46(1), 171-90.
McVittie, C . & Tiliopoulos, N. (2007). When 2 – 3 % really matters: the (un)importance of religion in psychotherapy. Mental Health, Religion & Culture.10(5), 515-526.
2006
Goodall, K., McVittie, C. & Snowdon, E. (2006). Successful outcomes or psychological losses? Young people’s experiences of leaving residential care. Health Psychology Update, 15(3), 41-45.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2006). Using topic control to avoid the gainsaying of troublesome evaluations . Discourse Studies, 8(6), 797-815.
McVittie, C. (2006). Critical Health Psychology, pluralism and dilemmas: the importance of being critical. Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 373-377.
McVittie, C., Harris, L. & Tiliopoulos, N. (2006). “I intend to donate but . . .”: non-donors’ views of blood donation in the UK. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 11, 1-6 .
McVittie, C. & Willock, J. (2006). ‘You can’t fight windmills’: how older men do health, ill-health and masculinities. Qualitative Health Research, 16(6), 788-801.
2005
Gellatly, J., McVittie, C. & Tiliopoulos, N. (2005). Predicting parents’ decisions on MMR immunisation: a mixed method investigation. Family Practice, 22, 658-662.
McVittie, C. , Cavers, D. & Hepworth, J. (2005). Femininity, mental weakness and difference: male students account for anorexia nervosa in men. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 53(5-6), 413-418.
Temple , M. & McVittie, C. (2005). Ethical and practical issues in using visual methodologies: The legacy of research-originating visual products. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 2(3), 227-239.
2004
Hendry, F. & McVittie, C. (2004). Is quality of life a healthy concept?: Measuring and understanding life experiences of older people. Qualitative Health Research, 14(7), 961-975.
2003
McVittie, C. , McKinlay, A. & Widdicombe, S. (2003). Committed to (un)equal opportunities?: ‘New ageism’ and the older worker. British Journal of Social Psychology, 42(4), 595-612.
2001
McVittie, C. (2001). Narrating socially problematic identities: some therapeutic implications. Counselling in Scotland, October 2001, 4-5.
Conference papers
2011
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C . (2011, July). European migration and prejudice against incomers . Paper presented at the meeting of the 12th European Congress of Psychology, Istanbul, Turkey.
McVittie, C ., McKinlay, A., Della Sala, S. & MacPherson, S. (2011, July). Negotiating knowledge, credibility and confabulations in neuropsychological settings. Paper presented at the meeting of the 12th European Congress of Psychology, Istanbul, Turkey.
2010
McKinlay, A., Cowan, S., McVittie, C . & Ion, R. (2010, April). Student nurses' gender-based accounts of men in nursing . Paper presented at the inaugural meeting of the World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance, Antalya, Turkey.
McVittie, C ., McKinlay, A., Della Sala, S. & Herhaus, J. (2010, August). Meeting Mr Churchill’s dog: Confabulations and everyday stories . Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Qualitative Methods in Psychology (QMiP) Section Conference, Nottingham, UK.
Sambaraju, R., McVittie, C . & McKinlay, A. (2010, September). “Well, I owe a lot of people an apology”: Discursive analysis of Tiger Woods’ media interviews . Paper presented at the ‘“Celebrity news”, an oxymoron?’ Conference, Geneva, Switzerland.
Wilson, S., Goodall, K. & McVittie, C . (2010, September). Sceptical believers . Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Qualitative Methods in Psychology (QMiP) Section Conference, Nottingham, UK.
2009
McVittie, C ., Hepworth, J. & Goodall, K. (2009, July). Gender identities and health: how partners construct masculinities and femininities in relation to older men. In C. McVittie & A. McKinlay (Chairs), Discourses of health and illness. Symposium presented at the 6th Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sambaraju, R., McVittie, C. , McKinlay, A., Reiter, E. & Logie, R. (2009, September). Talking about babies: The complexity of narrative in a neonatal intensive care unit . Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Sheffield, UK.
Sambaraju, R., McVittie, C., McKinlay, A., Reiter, E. & Logie, R. (2009, September). Talking about babies: The complexity of narrative in a neonatal intensive care unit. Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Sheffield, UK.
McVittie, C., Hepworth, J. & Goodall, K. (2009, July). Gender identities and health: how partners construct masculinities and femininities in relation to older men. In C. McVittie & A. McKinlay (Chairs), Discourses of health and illness. Symposium presented at the 6th Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
2008
McVittie, C. & McKinlay, A. (2008, September). The inequality of inclusion: discourse of diversity in employment. Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Qualitative Methods in Psychology (QMiP) Section Inaugural Conference, Leeds, UK.
2007
McKinlay, A., Della Sala, S. & McVittie, C. (2007, September). Remembering the future: Exploring links between discursive psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Canterbury, UK.
McVittie, C., McKinlay, A. & Cowan, S. (2007, September). Age and accountability: prejudice and the (non-)employment of older people. Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Canterbury, UK.
2006
Fox, L. & McVittie, C. (2006, September). Integrated divisions? Bullying, conflict and group identities in Northern Ireland schools. Poster presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Birmingham, UK
McVittie, C., McKinlay, A. & Cowan, S. (2006, September). Football, jokes and prejudice: current sectarianism in Scotland. Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Birmingham, UK
2005
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2005, August). How incomers construct themselves as not ‘local’: A case study of a Scottish island. In J. Abell (Chair), Negotiating national identity: An exploration of England and Englishness post-devolution. Symposium held at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Edinburgh, UK .
Hanif, S., Hepworth, J. & McVittie, C. (2005, March). Fear, ambivalence, and uncertainty: an exploratory study of type 2 diabetes self-management by South Asian women living in Scotland. Paper presented at the 4 th Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Sheffield, UK.
McVittie, C. & McKinlay, A. (2005, March). ‘A normal person like me and yourself’: the discursive management of ‘others’ in doing normality. Paper presented at the 4 th Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Sheffield, UK.
2004
Gellatly, J.L., McVittie, C. & Tiliopoulos, N. (2004). To vaccinate or not to vaccinate: three predictors of parents’ decisions on MMR immunisation. [Abstract]. Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 13(1), 68.
McVittie, C., McKinlay, A., Busby, M. & Bostock, L. (2004). Using ‘others’ to do normality: How individuals avoid the ascription of having ‘learning disabilities’. In A. McKinlay (Chair), Interviews and the excluded: How interviews provide a context for constructions of the ‘other’. [Abstract]. Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 13(2), 100.
McVittie C. & Willock J. (2004, November). Older men talking about health and illness. Paper presented at the meeting of the BPS Scottish Branch Annual Conference, Pitlochry, UK.
McVittie, C. & Willock, J. (2004, September). Constructing the self: older men’s use of epistemology in negotiating health. Paper presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Consciousness and Experiential Section Annual Conference, Oxford, UK.
Schilling, B., Hepworth, J. & McVittie, C. (2004). Being a good mother: an IPA analysis of mothers’ food choices for their children. [Abstract]. Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 13(1), 72.
Tiliopoulos, N. & McVittie, C. (2004). Relevant to few, routine or incompatible: marginalising religious beliefs in psychotherapy. [Abstract]. Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 13(2), 117.
2003
McVittie, C. & McKinlay, A. (2003). Identities of the older unemployed: marginalisation versus non-marginalisation. In A. McKinlay (Chair), Threatened identities and discourse symposium. [Abstract]. Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 12(2), 134.
McKinlay, A., McVittie, C. & Dunnett, A. (2003). Doing ‘gendered talk’: How women incorporate sexist talk in constructing a sense of self. [Abstract].Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 11(2), 213.
2001
McVittie, C. & McKinlay, A. (2001). When equal opportunities are unequal: justifying the marginalisation of older workers. [Abstract].Proceedings of The British Psychological Society, 9(1), 84.
1999
McVittie, C. (1999, September). "Experienced and reliable but.": age discrimination in action. Poster session presented at the meeting of The British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference Lancaster, UK.
Invited symposium
McVittie, C. & McKinlay, A. (2009, July). Discourse of health and illness. Symposium conducted at the 6th Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Invited talks
Elliott, I., Goodall, K., McVittie, C. & Trejnowska, A. (2010) Young workers’ experiences of abuse in public-facing jobs . Invited talk given to STUC Congress, 19th April 2010, Dundee.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2010). Discourse and identities . Invited talk given to The University of Edinburgh Linguistic Circle, 14 October 2010, Edinburgh.
McVittie, C. (2010). Can Critical Health Psychology ‘make a difference’? Invited paper given to the Hui meeting of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, 15 September 2010, Milton Keynes.
McVittie, C . & McKinlay, A. (2010, April). Help-seeking in context: masculine and feminine identities in relation to men’s health issues. Invited talk given at the inaugural meeting of the World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance, Antalya, Turkey.
McVittie, C ., McKinlay, A. & Sambaraju, R. (2010). 'No one would have called Charles de Gaulle a terrorist': Hamas leaders' constructions of group relations in Gaza . Invited talk given to Glasgow Caledonian University Department of Psychology, 29 September 2010, Glasgow.
McVittie, C ., Hepworth, J. & Goodall, K. (2009, July). Gender identities and health: how partners construct masculinities and femininities in relation to older men. In C. McVittie & A. McKinlay (Chairs), Discourses of health and illness. Symposium presented at the 6th Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
McKinlay, A., McVittie, C., Della Sala, S. & Sambaraju, R. (2009). When narrative fails: verbal reports in clinical neuropsychology. Invited talk given to the University of Aberdeen Natural Language Generation Group, 12 March 2009, Aberdeen.
McVittie, C. & McKinlay, A. (2009, February). Religion, the secular and the everyday. In T. Fitzgerald (Chair) Religion and its constructions. Symposium held at the University of Stirling, UK.
McVittie, C., McKinlay, A. & Sambaraju, R. (2009, June). Islam, secular society and the people: Hamas leaders’ media talk about their vision for the future. In T. Stack (Chair) What are the consequences of particular religious-secular distinctions? Symposium to be held at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2008). Doing research in healthcare domains: A practical guide. Invited talk given to the Scottish Arts Therapies Research Network, 21 November 2008, Edinburgh.
McKinlay, A., Della Sala, S. & McVittie, C. (2008). Remembering the future: Exploring links between discursive psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Invited talk given to The University of Edinburgh Human Cognitive Neuroscience Group, 8 February, 2008.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2008). Discourse and identity: Fishing tales. Invited talk given to The University of Edinburgh Psychology Department, 21 January 2008.
Other publications
McVittie, C ., Goodall, K., Elliott, I. & Trejnowska, A. (2010). Young workers’ experiences of abuse in public-facing jobs. Glasgow: NHS Health Scotland.
(available here)
McVittie, C ., O’May, F. & Trejnowska, A. (2010). A review and evaluation of Lothian Hibernian Disability Football 2009-2010: A partnership project between Hibernian Community Foundation and Lothian Special Olympics. Edinburgh: Queen Margaret University.
Hendry, F. & McVittie, C. (2005). Measures and understandings: the authors’ reply. Qualitative Health Research, 15(7), 999-1000.
McVittie, C., Tiliopoulos, N. & Gellatly, J. (2004). Responding to parental concerns on MMR safety: will the genie go back in the bottle?BMJ 2004;328:483. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/328/7438/483-a#52322
McVittie, C., Tiliopoulos, N. & Gellatly, J. (2004). Predicting parents’ decisions on vaccination. BMJ, 328/7430/51. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/328/7430/51#46887
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. (2003) Social exclusion and social inclusion across the globe: The role of communication-based solutions. London: Orange plc.
Temple , M. & McVittie, C. (1997). Not drowning but waving: an action research study of the mental health needs of local people in Wester Hailes 1996-7. Edinburgh: Stairway / Wester Hailes Partnership.
Grants Awarded
McVittie, C ., O’May, F. & Goodall, K. Evaluation of Outward Bound Metro Trust Project. The Robertson Trust. £8000. January 2011 – December 2011.
McVittie, C ., O’May, F. & Trejnowska, A. Evaluation of Lothian Hibernian Disability Football Project. Scottish Funding Council Innovation Scheme. £5000. April 2010 – July 2010.
McVittie, C. , Goodall, K. & Elliott, I. YWEAVE: Workplace violence – Young workers’ experiences. NHS Health Scotland / Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives. £13000. January 2010 – March 2010.
McVittie, C . Applying discursive approaches within human cognitive neuroscience.QMU Research Investment Fund. £1220. 2009-2010.
McVittie, C., Goodall, K. & McKinlay, A. Inclusion and adversity. PhD award for Rahul Sambaraju. SORSAS (Scottish Overseas Research Student Award Scheme). £17550 approx.. 2009-2012.
Valentine, J., Causevic, S., Dean, J., Mastrominico, B., McVittie, C., & Schulz, S. Methodological Innovations in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. QMU Multidisciplinary Research Development Fund. £1000. March 2009 – September 2009.
Law, J., Brennan, C., Kroll, T., McVittie, C., Reid, M. & Wilkinson, H. Better together: Scotland’s patient experience programme. Scottish Government. October 2008. Approved contractors.
McVittie, C. ‘New’ sectarianism in Scotland: an exploratory study. QMU Small Project Fund. £1477. March 2006 – December 2006.
Willock, J. & McVittie, C. An investigation of help-seeking behaviour in older men. QMU Small Project Fund. £1482. March 2004 – December 2004.
McKinlay, A. & McVittie, C. Social exclusion and social inclusion across the globe: The role of communication-based solutions. Orange plc. £56,928. June 2002 – June 2003.
Santoro, R., McKinlay, A., Hirrsch, B.E., et al. ARICON (Standardised assessment of readiness and interoperability for co-operation in new product development in virtual organisations). EU Framework 5 Growth Programme. €2,396,680. January 2002-December 2005.
McVittie, C. ‘The ‘age’ of diversity and equal opportunities in employment: New discrimination against older workers’ Kerr-Fry Fund. £12000. October 1998– September 2000.
Temple , M. & McVittie, C. Not drowning but waving: an action research study of the mental health needs of local people in Wester Hailes 1996-7. Stairway / Wester Hailes Partnership. £3250. March 1996– September 1997.

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