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. I also completed supervised experience to become a Registered Psychology in New South Wales in 1999. 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” has resulted in a period of leave for 1 year and a 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, International Journal of Critical Psychology
• PhD and masters theses examiner

Research Interests

• Emotions, self-conscious emotion and pride – 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, environmental behaviours
• Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes – possible single-case studies
• 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 2009 (please contact me beforehand with possible topics)

Postgraduate Research Projects

• Self-reflective, self-evaluative, self-conscious emotion research
• Mindfulness training in medical students (and possibly psychology students)
• 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

DPsych

Masters (Health and Organisational)

Honours

Postgraduate Diploma

Collaborations

• 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

2006
Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship
The significance of pride for self and culture
Approximate value $50,000

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

• Travel Grant awarded by Monash University to attend International Society for Theoretical Psychology and International Critical Psychology conferences in South Africa in 2005
• Exceptional Achievement Award by Medical Faculty of Monash University in 2004.
• Travel Grant awarded by Monash University to attend International Society for Theoretical Psychology Conference in 2003.
• Awarded Greater Parramatta Mental Health Service/Sandoz Scholarship in May 2001 to attend international psychology conference.
• Awarded Roper Scholarship for Doctoral study by the University of Canterbury

Publications

Books

Sullivan, G. B. (In preparation). Wittgenstein's Philosophy and Psychology. A History of Relevance and Limits. Kluwer Press.

Sullivan, G. B. (In preparation). The personal and cultural significance of pride.

Sullivan, G. B. (In preparation). Conversational Model Psychotherapy: An introduction to theory and practice.

Journal Articles - Published

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.

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.

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., & 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. (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.

Fedszyn, I., & Sullivan, G. B. (Accepted). A critical account of anorexia treatments: Australian Psychologist.

Sullivan, G. B. (Accepted). Wittgenstein and the grammar of pride. New Ideas in Psychology.

Sullivan, G. B. (Under review). What is the status of theoretical psychology in Australasia?

Sullivan, G. B. (Under review). A critical psychology of pride.

Full list of Publications