Dr Richard Philpot

Senior Lecturer

Profile

I conduct research at the intersection of psychology, criminology, law and technology around how groups coordinate in public emergencies and during criminal events (e.g., in public assaults, mass evacuations, suspected terror attacks). My research further evaluates the psychology of emergency services' interaoperability, and how police behaviour impacts public confidence in policing.

Throughout this research, I explore the unfolding dynamics of real-life group behaviour using digital data sources—including public CCTV footage, bodyworn camera footage, app data and agent-based modelling.

In addition to academic publications, I have produced reports and delivered presentations for government and industry partners, including: the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the Department for Transport (DfT), Transport for London (TfL), the West Midlands Police (WMP), the Danish Crime Prevention Council, Exeter City Council, and the Movia Transport Agency.

My research has had direct societal impact, having been applied in national agency recommendations (Danish Crime Prevention Council, DfT) and covered by prominent science magazines (e.g., New Scientist, Discover Magazine, Psychology Today) and news outlets (e.g., Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Times, Daily Mail).

Taken together, these findings contribute to theoretical understandings of human cooperation and coordination, public behaviour, and social processes in the digital age.

  • Security Lancaster
  • Security Lancaster (Behavioural Science)
  • Security Lancaster (Policing)
  • Security Lancaster (Policy, Law and Ethics)