Dr Gavin Sullivan

Biography

I completed a BSc(Hons) First Class in Psychology, a BA in Philosophy and a PhD at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. For my PhD I chose to complete a theoretical thesis which examined the notion of reflexivity (self-referentiality) in psychology. Depending on the perspective adopted, reflexivity is either a virtue when it encourages critical reflection, creativity and metatheoretical investigation or a vice that prohibits objective exploration and encourages a pernicious relativity. The approach used the later philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and explored the issue in two parts: The first part explored the implications of reflexivity in psychology, while the second part examined the implications for understanding pride (SEE BELOW FOR ARTICLES). The thesis was passed in 2000 with one comment being that the work was the equivalent of two PhDs in the United States.

I left New Zealand at the end of 1996 and worked as a research assistant at Macquarie University Centre for Higher Education and Professional Development before working as a forensic psychology research assistant in Cumberland Hospital, Western Sydney Area Health Service. After this I worked with Professor Russell Meares at Westmead Hospital to develop a manual to be used in the training and treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. For two years before moving to Monash I lectured part-time at the University of Western Sydney on interventions in criminal justice practice and counselling. I also established a part-time private practice as a Critical Incident Stress Debriefer and an Employee Assistance Program counsellor.

Since moving to Monash in July 2002 I have focused on qualitative research projects, theoretical and philosophical psychology research and multi-method investigations of pride as a self-reflective, self-conscious or self-referential emotion. This last topic has become increasingly important as indicated by several conceptual and empirical papers. A successful application for an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship on the topic of “The significance of pride for self and culture” resulted in a period of leave for an 18 month research stay at the Free University Berlin until February 2008. Feel free to contact me with regard to research, supervision, grant, thesis examination, media, special journal edition or conference presentation possibilities.

Professional Activities

Australian Psychological Society Member, International Society for Theoretical Psychology (ISTP) member, International Society for Research on Emotion (ISRE) member, Registered Psychologist and psychology supervisor in Victoria
Ad Hoc reviewer for journals: Australian Psychologist, Individual and Personality Differences, Clinical Psychology, International Journal of Critical Psychology
PhD and masters theses examiner

Research Interests

Emotions, self-conscious emotion and pride – survey-based, experimental, observational/naturalistic, content analysis, qualitative and cultural-historical research
Theoretical psychology – survey based research of psychologists and qualitative interviews with theoreticians on contemporary issues
Mindfulness treatments and interventions – first year medical students, single-case research, qualitative analysis of recovery from recurrent depression
Counselling and psychotherapy – single case designs, combined qualitative and quantitative methodologies (i.e,. sequential), and RCT studies
Qualitative research methods applied to any topic – e.g,, gambling experiences, high-risk pregnancy
Borderline Personality Disorder treatment comparisons and process research

Potential Student Projects

Honours and postgraduate diploma topics
Quantitative and qualitative research on pride and its extremes
Quantitative and qualitative research on selfconscious emotions
Neurophysiological research on pride
Quantitative and qualitative research on national pride
Quantitative and experimental studies of pride and appraisal
The role of theoretical psychology training in psychology
Epistemological beliefs in undergraduate students
Qualitative projects (e.g., the psychological effects of achilles tendon rupture and features of recovery)
Theoretical essay topics
Any topic considered for Theoretical Issues elective in 2010 (please contact me beforehand with possible topics)

Postgraduate Research Projects

Self-reflective, self-evaluative, self-conscious emotion research (see methods above)
Mindfulness training in medical students (and possibly students in other disciplines)
Projects combining qualitative and quantitative research methods
Qualitative research methods – Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), Grounded Theory, Discourse Analysis
Self-conscious emotions in gifted children
The development of self-conscious emotions
Research projects inspired by Vygotsky’s psychological framework (e.g., connections between speech forms and self-conscious emotions)
The experience and expression of pride – experimental, qualitative and naturalistic research

PhD
Maria Damianova (part-time) - Main supervisor 50%
Sanya Rushdi (full-time) - Associate supervisor 50%
Melodee Faulkner (part-time) - Main supervisor 50%
Ruth Ballardie (full-time) - Main supervisor 50%
Anna Thomas (full-time) - Associate supervisor 25%
Lydia Windisch (full-time) - Associate supervisor 25%
Peter Meister (part-time) - Associate supervisor 25%
Zheljana Peric (part-time) - Associate supervisor 40%
DPsych
Andrea Quah (completed) - Associate supervisor 25%
Masters (Health and Organisational)
Alemka Russell (completed) - Main supervisor
Guy Drerup (completed) - Main supervisor
Hong Lay (completed) - Main supervisor
Honours
Remy Lindner (completed) - Main supervisor
Steve de Lisle (completed) - Main supervisor
Eli Gerschman (completed) - Main supervisor
Susan Moir (completed) - Main supervisor
Maggie Hall (completed) - Main supervisor
Merran Watt (completed) - Main supervisor
Postgraduate Diploma
Barbara Bennison (completed) - Main supervisor
George Racz (completed) - Main supervisor
Alison Ng (completed) - Main supervisor

Collaborations

Professor Manfred Zaumseil (Akademie für Interkulterelle Supervision, Weiterbildung, & Forschung – Coping with helping: Post-earthquake collective and individual consequences of aid and development activities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Prof. Graham Meadows – Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) investigation
Anne Silberreisen – The needs and experiences of Chinese International Students
Dr. Craig Hassed – Mindfulness and medical students

Grant Support

2008

Chief Investigator C on Thyssen Foundation Grant Approximate value $260,000
Gerda Henkel Foundation grant for research on the relationship between Wittgenstein’s philosophy and psychology Approximate value $40,000

2007

DEST Endeavour Fellowship to conduct research in Indonesia in October 2008 Approximate value $25,000

2006

Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship The significance of pride for self and culture Approximate value $90,000
NHMRC Grant, Associate Investigator 3 on $883,775 grant to examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for preventing major depressive disorder in subjects at very high risk

2003

Chief Investigator D on NHMRC Strategic Research Development Group application to investigate the effects of a 20 week version of long-term Interpersonal Psychotherapy on patients with borderline personality disorder.

2000

UWS Nepean Seed Grant researching forensic patients’ accounts of risk $3000

Awards and Scholarships
Exceptional Achievement Award by Medical Faculty of Monash University in 2004

Publications

Hassed, C., De Lisle, S., & Sullivan, G. B., & Pier, C. (2008). Enhancing the health of medical students: an outcome study on the Monash undergraduate mindfulness and ESSENCE lifestyle program. Advances in Health Sciences Education. Accepted for publication.

Thomas, A., Sullivan, G. B., & Allen, F. A. (2008). Theoretical Model of EGM problem gambling: More than a cognitive escape. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Accepted for publication.

Sullivan, G. B. (2008). What is the status of theoretical psychology in Australia and New Zealand? A qualitative investigation of contemporary teaching and research issues. Australian Psychologist, 43(1), 61-73.

Sullivan, G. B. (2007). A critical psychology of pride. International Journal of Critical Psychology, 21, 166-189.

Sullivan, G. B. (2007). Wittgenstein and the grammar of pride: The relevance of philosophy to studies of selfconscious emotions. New Ideas in Psychology, 25, 233-252.

Fedszyn, I., & Sullivan, G. B. (2007). An ethical re-evaluation of contemporary treatments for anorexia nervosa: Is an aspirational stance possible in practice? Australian Psychologist, 42, 3, 198-211.

Sullivan, G. B. (2005). Forensic patients’ accounts of risk: The case for qualitative research within a sociocultural framework. Australian Psychologist, 40, 1, 31-44.

Sullivan, G.B. (2005). Fright Club?! A critique of contemporary anxiety treatment programs. International Journal of Critical Psychology, 14, 8-30.

Sullivan, G. B., & Strongman, K. T. (2003). Vacillating and mixed emotions: Exploration of a conceptual-discursive perspective through examples of pride. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 33, 2, 201-224.

Sullivan, G.B. (2002). Reflexivity and subjectivity in qualitative research: The utility of a Wittgensteinian framework. Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 3(3). [Date of access: Month, Day, Year].

Sullivan, G.B. (2000). Millennial musings: A personal commentary on the diverse pathways, contrasting voices and future directions of critical psychology. International Journal of Critical Psychology, 1, 165-168.

Marshall, S., Adams, M., Cameron, A. & Sullivan, G. (2000). Academics’ perceptions of their professional development needs related to leadership and management: What can we learn? The International Journal for Academic Development, 5, 1, 42-53.