Dr Rebecca Webster

School of Psychology

Lecturer in Psychology

Photo of Rebecca K Webster
Profile picture of Photo of Rebecca K Webster
r.k.webster@Sheffield.ac.uk
Cathedral Court

Full contact details

Dr Rebecca Webster
School of Psychology
Cathedral Court
1 Vicar Lane
Sheffield
S1 2LT
Profile

Following my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Durham University, I went to King’s College London to  complete an MSc in Health Psychology. I stayed at King’s to complete my PhD on nocebo effects (the ‘evil twin’ of the better known placebo), and afterwards spent a number of years there as a postdoctoral researcher within the Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response. My research interests broadly encompass the area of Health Psychology, in particular placebo/nocebo effects, risk communication and health behaviour in the context of public health emergencies. In 2020 I moved back up north and joined the Psychology department at Sheffield.

Qualifications
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology - Durham University
  • MSc Health Psychology - King’s College London
  • PhD Psychology - King’s College London
Research interests

- Placebo/nocebo effects - How can we enhance placebo and reduce nocebo effects in the context of medicines in a way that is ethical (i.e. without impacting informed consent)? And does this have implications for adherence?

- Risk communication - Improving communication of risks in patient information leaflets, the doctor-patient consultation, and the role of empathy.

- Health behaviour change - Understanding and improving engagement in health behaviours, e.g. screening, adherence, presenteeism

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • De Brochowski V, Rubin GJ & Webster RK (2024) . Psychology, Health and Medicine, 29(4), 809-821.
  • Woodland L, Smith L, Webster R, Amlôt R & Rubin J (2023) . BMJ Open, 13(11).
  • Woodland L, Smith L, Brooks S, Webster R, Amlôt R, Rubin A & Rubin GJ (2023) . PLoS ONE, 18(10).
  • Woodland L, Brooks S, Webster R, Amlôt R & Rubin GJ (2023) . BMC Psychology, 11.
  • Saadi A, Mahmood A, Sweeney J & Webster RK (2023) . European Journal of Health Psychology, 30(3).
  • Clemens KS, Faasse K, Tan W, Colagiuri B, Colloca L, Webster R, Vase L, Jason E & Geers AL (2023) . Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 164.
  • Woodland L, Hodson A, Webster RK, Amlôt R, Smith LE & Rubin GJ (2022) . PLOS ONE, 17(12).
  • Woodland L, Hodson A, Webster RK, Amlôt R, Smith LE & Rubin J (2022) . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12).
  • Geers A, Clemens K, Colagiuri B, Jason E, Colloca L, Webster R, Vase L, Seig M & Faasse K (2022) . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 56(8), 761-768.
  • Woodland L, Mowbray F, Smith L, Webster R, Amlot R & Rubin GJ (2022) . PLoS ONE, 17(2).
  • Geers AL, Clemens KS, Faasse K, Colagiuri B, Webster R, Vase L, Sieg M, Jason E & Colloca L (2022) . Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 91(2), 136-138.
  • Woodland L, Smith L, Webster R, Richard A, Rubin A, Wessely S & Rubin GJ (2021) . BMJ Paediatrics Open, 5(1).
  • Howick J, Webster R, Knottnerus JA & Moher D (2021) . British Medical Journal, 374.
  • Webster R & Rubin GJ (2021) . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 55(12), 1253-1261.
  • Webster R, Bishop F, Collins G, Evers A, Hoffmann T, Knottnerus A, Lamb S, Macdonald H, Madigan C, Napadow V , Price A et al (2021) . Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 135, 176-181.
  • MacKrill K, Webster R, Rubin GJ, Witthöft M, Silvester C, Emad Y & Petrie K (2021) . Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 141.
  • Patel S, Webster R, Greenberg N, Weston D & Brooks S (2020) . Disaster Prevention and Management, 29(4), 445-455.
  • Webster R & Rubin GJ (2020) . Drug Safety, 43(10), 1011-1022.
  • Rubin GJ, Webster R, Amlot R, Carter H, Weston D & Wessely S (2020) . BMJ Open, 10.
  • Howick J, Webster R, Rees J, Macdonald H, Turner R, Price A, Evers A, Bishop F, Collins G, Bokelmann K , Hopewell S et al (2020) . PLoS Medicine, 17(9).
  • Smith L, Webster R & Rubin J (2020) . Health Expectations, 23(4), 731-758.
  • Webster RK, Brooks SK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S & Rubin GJ (2020) . Public Health, 182, 163-169.
  • Brooks SK, Smith LE, Webster RK, Weston D, Woodland L, Hall I & Rubin GJ (2020) . Eurosurveillance, 25(13).
  • Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Greenberg N & Rubin GJ (2020) . The Lancet, 395(10227), 912-920.
  • Webster RK, Liu R, Karimullina K, Hall I, Amlôt R & Rubin GJ (2019) . BMC Public Health, 19(1).
  • Webster RK, Howick J, Hoffmann T, Macdonald H, Collins GS, Rees JL, Napadow V, Madigan C, Price A, Lamb SE , Bishop FL et al (2019) . European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 49(11).
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2019) . Patient Education and Counseling, 102(3), 602-603.
  • Webster RK & Rubin GJ (2019) . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9.
  • Howick J, Webster R, Kirby N & Hood K (2018) . Trials, 19(1).
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2018) . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52(11), 920-929.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2018) . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(4), 775-781.
  • Rubin GJ, Webster R, Rubin AN, Amlot R, Grey N & Greenberg N (2018) . BMJ Open, 8(5).
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2018) . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(2), 436-454.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2017) . Health Expectations, 20(6), 1411-1420.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2017) . Drug Safety, 40(8), 743-754.
  • Smith LE, Webster RK, Weinman J, Amlôt R, Yiend J & Rubin GJ (2017) . Vaccine, 35(15), 1936-1945.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2016) . Health Psychology, 35(12), 1334-1355.

Book chapters

  • Patel SS, Webster R, Brenner RM & Brooks SK (2022) , Service-Learning for Disaster Resilience (pp. 97-111). Routledge

All publications

Journal articles

  • Shpendi S, Norman P, Gibson-Miller J & Webster R (2025) . British Journal of Health Psychology, 30(3).
  • Reid L & Webster RK (2025) . Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 57(2), 133-137.
  • Webster RK & Iyer A (2025) . Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities.
  • Shpendi S, Norman P, Gibson-Miller J & Webster R (2025) . Women's Health, 21.
  • Shpendi S, Norman P, Gibson-Miller J & Webster RK (2024) . Journal of Health Psychology, 30(9), 2340-2353.
  • De Brochowski V, Rubin GJ & Webster RK (2024) . Psychology, Health and Medicine, 29(4), 809-821.
  • Woodland L, Smith L, Webster R, Amlôt R & Rubin J (2023) . BMJ Open, 13(11).
  • Woodland L, Smith L, Brooks S, Webster R, Amlôt R, Rubin A & Rubin GJ (2023) . PLoS ONE, 18(10).
  • Woodland L, Brooks S, Webster R, Amlôt R & Rubin GJ (2023) . BMC Psychology, 11.
  • Saadi A, Mahmood A, Sweeney J & Webster RK (2023) . European Journal of Health Psychology, 30(3).
  • Clemens KS, Faasse K, Tan W, Colagiuri B, Colloca L, Webster R, Vase L, Jason E & Geers AL (2023) . Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 164.
  • Woodland L, Hodson A, Webster RK, Amlôt R, Smith LE & Rubin GJ (2022) . PLOS ONE, 17(12).
  • Woodland L, Hodson A, Webster RK, Amlôt R, Smith LE & Rubin J (2022) . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12).
  • Geers A, Clemens K, Colagiuri B, Jason E, Colloca L, Webster R, Vase L, Seig M & Faasse K (2022) . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 56(8), 761-768.
  • Woodland L, Mowbray F, Smith L, Webster R, Amlot R & Rubin GJ (2022) . PLoS ONE, 17(2).
  • Geers AL, Clemens KS, Faasse K, Colagiuri B, Webster R, Vase L, Sieg M, Jason E & Colloca L (2022) . Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 91(2), 136-138.
  • Woodland L, Smith L, Webster R, Richard A, Rubin A, Wessely S & Rubin GJ (2021) . BMJ Paediatrics Open, 5(1).
  • Howick J, Webster R, Knottnerus JA & Moher D (2021) . British Medical Journal, 374.
  • Webster R & Rubin GJ (2021) . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 55(12), 1253-1261.
  • Webster R, Bishop F, Collins G, Evers A, Hoffmann T, Knottnerus A, Lamb S, Macdonald H, Madigan C, Napadow V , Price A et al (2021) . Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 135, 176-181.
  • MacKrill K, Webster R, Rubin GJ, Witthöft M, Silvester C, Emad Y & Petrie K (2021) . Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 141.
  • Patel S, Webster R, Greenberg N, Weston D & Brooks S (2020) . Disaster Prevention and Management, 29(4), 445-455.
  • Webster R & Rubin GJ (2020) . Drug Safety, 43(10), 1011-1022.
  • Rubin GJ, Webster R, Amlot R, Carter H, Weston D & Wessely S (2020) . BMJ Open, 10.
  • Howick J, Webster R, Rees J, Macdonald H, Turner R, Price A, Evers A, Bishop F, Collins G, Bokelmann K , Hopewell S et al (2020) . PLoS Medicine, 17(9).
  • Smith L, Webster R & Rubin J (2020) . Health Expectations, 23(4), 731-758.
  • Webster RK, Brooks SK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S & Rubin GJ (2020) . Public Health, 182, 163-169.
  • Brooks SK, Smith LE, Webster RK, Weston D, Woodland L, Hall I & Rubin GJ (2020) . Eurosurveillance, 25(13).
  • Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Greenberg N & Rubin GJ (2020) . The Lancet, 395(10227), 912-920.
  • Webster RK, Liu R, Karimullina K, Hall I, Amlôt R & Rubin GJ (2019) . BMC Public Health, 19(1).
  • Webster RK, Howick J, Hoffmann T, Macdonald H, Collins GS, Rees JL, Napadow V, Madigan C, Price A, Lamb SE , Bishop FL et al (2019) . European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 49(11).
  • Brown P, Tan A-C, El-Esawi MA, Liehr T, Blanck O, Gladue DP, Almeida GMF, Cernava T, Sorzano CO, Yeung AWK , Engel MS et al (2019) . Database - The Journal of Biological Databases and Curation.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2019) . Patient Education and Counseling, 102(3), 602-603.
  • Webster RK & Rubin GJ (2019) . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9.
  • Howick J, Webster R, Kirby N & Hood K (2018) . Trials, 19(1).
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2018) . Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52(11), 920-929.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2018) . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(4), 775-781.
  • Rubin GJ, Webster R, Rubin AN, Amlot R, Grey N & Greenberg N (2018) . BMJ Open, 8(5).
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2018) . British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(2), 436-454.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2017) . Health Expectations, 20(6), 1411-1420.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2017) . Drug Safety, 40(8), 743-754.
  • Smith LE, Webster RK, Weinman J, Amlôt R, Yiend J & Rubin GJ (2017) . Vaccine, 35(15), 1936-1945.
  • Webster RK, Weinman J & Rubin GJ (2016) . Health Psychology, 35(12), 1334-1355.
  • Woodland L, Smith LE, Amlot R, Rubin A, Webster RK, Wessely S & Rubin GJ () . SSRN Electronic Journal.
  • Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Greenberg N & Rubin GJ () . SSRN Electronic Journal.

Book chapters

  • Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L & Greenberg N (2024) , Major Incidents, Pandemics and Mental Health (pp. 241-246). Cambridge University Press
  • Patel SS, Webster R, Brenner RM & Brooks SK (2022) , Service-Learning for Disaster Resilience (pp. 97-111). Routledge

Preprints

  • Webster RK, Brooks SK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S & Rubin GJ (2020) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Brooks SK, Smith LE, Webster RK, Weston D, Woodland L, Hall I & Rubin GJ (2020) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Research group

Current PhD students

  • Lisa Woodland (King’s College London) - School children presenteeism
  • Ismaila Yakubu (University of Sheffield) - Self-compassion and Perceived Self Control in the Relationship between Occupational Stressors, Adherence to Therapy and Well being of Employees with Diabetes in Nigeria
  • Sonia Shpendi (University of Sheffield) - Cervical screening uptake in young women
Grants
  • British Academy small research grant (2019). Exploring the best method of presenting side-effect information in patient information leaflets: a nationally representative survey of the English public. (£9,969.50)
  • British Academy small research grant (2021). Discrimination in healthcare settings and the nocebo effect (£9,986.00)
  • WHITE ROSE UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM (2021). Infectious illness presenteeism in the age of COVID-19 (£11,000)
  • WUN Research Projects (2022). Getting back in touch: Emotional pathways to a post-pandemic world (£10,000)
Teaching activities

I teach on the following modules, on the Undergraduate Psychology degree:

  • PSY1001 - Social Psychology I
  • PSY2001 - Social Psychology II
  • PSY346 – Dissertation projects
  • PSY331 – Extended essay
Professional activities and memberships
  • Chartered member of the British Psychological Society
  • Editorial board member for the British Journal of Health Psychology
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
PhD Opportunities

I am not not accepting PhD applications/enquiries until March 2025.

We advertise PhD opportunities (Funded or Self-Funded) on 

For further information, please see the department PhD Opportunities page.

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