Prof Richard Shepherd
BSc( Cardiff), MA(Cantab), PhD(Southampton) CPsychol, FBPsS, FRSM
Professor of Psychology
Co-director of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre
Summary biography
Richard Shepherd obtained degrees in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and in Psychology from Cardiff and Southampton. He was a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey and then worked at the Institute of Food Research from 1982 to 1998, initially in Norwich and then in Reading, before joining the University of Surrey as a Reader. He has carried out research on a range of issues related to the factors influencing food choice. In particular this has involved the development and application of social cognition models to food choice issues and the exploration of the factors influencing dietary change. He has also conducted research on the perception of risk and risk communication particularly in relation to food issues. He has published widely in all of these areas of research, including editing two books. He has directed research funded by BBSRC, ESRC, MAFF, FSA, Wellcome Trust and industry, in addition to several collaborative European projects funded by the EU. He is a Chartered Health Psychologist, a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. Richard sits on the Food Standards Agency Social Science Research Committee, sits on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Social Science Expert Advisory Group and is an FSANZ Fellow.
Research Interests
Richard Shepherd's research is primarily concerned with understanding the reasons for people's choice of foods. This research can be broken down into three main areas:
- the development and application of social psychological models of attitudes and beliefs to food choice
- dietary change
- risk perception and risk communication concerning foods
Food Choice
The development and application to food choice of the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The work has included:
- perceived behavioural control - separating aspects of "control" and "difficulty"
- perceived behavioural control related to self-efficacy
- self-identity - seeing oneself as environmentally concerned or health conscious
- moral obligation - important for genetically modified foods and where people have responsibilities for others' foods
- attitude ambivalence
- emotional or affective factors in food choice
- values - derived from personal construct theory laddering
Dietary Change
Understanding how to influence dietary change rather than explain current dietary behaviour. The work has included:
- extensions of the TPB - perceived need
- optimistic bias or unrealistic optimism
- the "stages of change" or Transtheoretical model applied to dietary behaviour
Risk Perception and Risk Communication
Examination of the perception of risks associated with foods and communication concerning risks. The work has included:
- use of the psychometric paradigm to uncover the dimensions underlying food risk perceptions
- development of individualised methods for attribute elicitation
- Elaboration Likelihood Model and Social Judgement Theory applied to food risk communication
- attitudes towards the genetic modification of foods
- trust in sources of risk information
- uncertainty and risk communication
- attitudes towards genomics
- attitudes towards regulation of biomedical research
Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre
Richard Shepherd is Co-director (along with Dr Monique Raats) of the Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre. This is a multidisciplinary Centre which brings together skills and expertise from across the University of Surrey, in order to address research questions on food, consumer behaviour and health. In addition to academic staff the Centre also employs several Research Fellows.
Principal Teaching Areas
Richard Shepherd is a Chartered Health Psychologist. He teaches on the Health Psychology MSc course, including dissertation supervision, in addition to some undergraduate teaching. He also supervises several PhD students.
Areas of student supervision
Current and recent PhD thesis topics have included:
- The factors affecting food choice in adolescents
- Food poisoning and other food hazards: risk perceptions and implications for risk communication
- The influence of implicit memory on consumer choice
- Promoting a reduction in the consumption of dietary fat: the role of perceived behavioural control, self-efficacy and dietary information
- Consumer perception, preference and purchase
- The application of the Transtheoretical Model to dietary behaviour
- Factors influencing dietary risk perception as it relates to food choice (joint supervision at Robert Gordon University)
- Memory for liking of foods
- Tailored interventions in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- The role of risk in the health behaviours of military personnel in the United Kingdom armed forces
- The psychosocial factors, especially self-efficacy, relevant to breastfeeding initiation and duration in young mothers
Professional Activities Professional Society Membership
Association for Consumer Research
British Psychological Society (Fellow and Chartered Health Psychologist)
British Sociological Association, Sociology of Food Group
European Association of Experimental Social Psychology
European Health Psychology Society
Nutrition Society
Royal Society of Medicine (Fellow)
Society of Chemical Industry
Society for Risk Analysis
Refereeing for Academic Journals
Recent refereeing has included:
Appetite
British Food Journal
British Journal of Health Psychology
British Journal of Social Psychology
British Journal of Psychology
Ecology of Food and Nutrition
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
European Journal of Personality
European Journal of Social Psychology
Food Quality and Preference
International Journal of Obesity
Journal of Adolescence
Journal of Agricultural Economics
Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Journal of Consumer Policy
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Journal of Risk Research
Nutrition Research Reviews
Psychology and Health
Public Health Nutrition
Risk Analysis
Research Grants and Contracts (from 2000)
- Food Standards Agency
'Communication partnerships: effects of consensus, disagreements and expertise'
2 years from 1 April 2000. - ESRC
'Attitudes to genomics'
27 months from 1 November 2002. - European Union
'Consumer decision making on organic products'
CONDOR'
3 years from 1 January 2003. - European Union
'Choosing foods, eating meals: sustaining independence and quality of life in old age'
SENIOR FOOD-QOL
3 years from 1 January 2003 - Food Standards Agency
'Involving low income consumers in policy making: developing consultation methods and improving participation levels'
15 months from October 2002. - Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research
'Communicating uncertainty: mobile telecommunication health risks'
2 years from January 2004. - Rural Economy and Land Use Programme
‘Managing food chain risks’
RELU-RISK
3 years from February 2005 - European Union
‘ Diet, obesity and genes'
DiOGenes
4 years from January 2005 - European Union
‘ European Food Information Resource Network'
EuroFIR
5 years from January 2005 - European Union
‘ Exploiting bioactivity of European cereal grains for improved nutrition and health benefits'
HEALTHGRAIN
5 years from June 2005 - Wellcome Trust
‘ A qualitative study of public attitudes towards the governance of biomedical research '
8 months from February 2006 - European Union
‘Harmonising nutrient recommendations across Europe with special focus on vulnerable groups and consumer understanding'
EURRECA
4 years from January 2007 - Wellcome Trust
Web based engagement: a feasibility study
6 months from November 2007 - European Union
Effect of diet on the mental performance of children
NUTRIMENTHE
5 years from August 2008 - European Union
Food labelling to advance better education for life
FLABEL
3 years from August 2008 - Food Standards Agency
FSA nutrition signpost labelling
1 year from November 2007 - NERC
BAMRA: Bayesian approaches to microbial risk assessment (extension)
6 months from May 2008
Key Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
Anderson, A.S., Campbell, D.M. & Shepherd, R. (1995). The influence of dietary advice on nutrient intake during pregnancy. British Journal of Nutrition, 73, 163-177.
Dennison, C.M. & Shepherd, R. (1995). Adolescent food choice: an application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 8, 9-23.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1995). Genetic engineering and food: what determines consumer acceptance? British Food Journal, 97 (8), 31-36.
Frewer, L.J. & Shepherd, R. (1995). Ethical concerns and risk perceptions associated with different applications of genetic engineering: interrelationships with the perceived need for regulation of the technology. Agriculture and Human Values, 12 (1), 48-57.
Raats, M.M., Shepherd, R. & Sparks, P. (1995). Including moral dimensions of choice within the structure of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 25, 484-494.
Sparks, P., Shepherd, R., Wieringa, N. & Zimmermanns, N. (1995). Perceived behavioural control, unrealistic optimism and dietary change: an exploratory study. Appetite, 24, 243-255.
Sparks, P., Shepherd, R. & Frewer, L.J. (1995). Assessing and structuring attitudes toward the use of gene technology in food production: the role of perceived ethical obligation. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 16, 267-285.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C., Hedderley, D. & Shepherd, R. (1996). What determines trust in information about food-related risks? Underlying psychological constructs. Risk Analysis, 16, 473-486.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1996). The influence of realistic product exposure on attitudes towards genetic engineering of foods. Food Quality and Preference, 7, 61-67.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1996). Effective communication about genetic engineering and food. British Food Journal, 98 (4/5), 48-52.
Raats, M.M., & Shepherd R. (1996). Developing a subject-derived terminology to describe perceptions of chemicals in foods. Risk Analysis, 16, 133-146.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C., Hedderley, D. & Shepherd, R. (1997). Consumer attitudes towards different food-processing technologies used in cheese production - the mediating influence of consumer benefit. Food Quality and Preference, 8, 271-280.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C., Hedderley, D. & Shepherd, R. (1997). The Elaboration Likelihood Model and communication about food risks. Risk Analysis, 17, 759-770.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1997). Public concerns in the United Kingdom about general and specific applications of genetic engineering: risk, benefit, and ethics. Science, Technology and Human Values, 22, 98-124.
Frewer, L.J., Hedderley, D., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1997). "Objection" mapping in determining group and individual concern regarding genetic engineering. Agriculture and Human Values, 14, 67-79.
Guerrero, L., Gelabert, J., Guardia, M.D., Gou, P., Arnau, J., Shepherd, R. & Sparks, P. (1997). Consumer attitude towards low salt meat products (in Spanish). Food Science and Technology International, 4, 263-275.
Sparks, P., Guthrie, C.A. & Shepherd, R. (1997). The dimensional structure of the perceived behavioral control construct. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 418-438.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C., Hedderley, D. & Shepherd, R. (1998). Methodological approaches to assessing risk perceptions associated with food-related hazards. Risk Analysis, 18, 95-102.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1998). Understanding public attitudes to technology. Journal of Risk Research, 1, 221-235.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C. & Shepherd, R. (1998). The influence of initial attitudes on responses to communication about genetic engineering in food production. Agriculture and Human Values, 15, 15-30.
Povey, R., Conner, M., James, R., Sparks, P. & Shepherd, R. (1998). Interpretations of healthy and unhealthy eating and implications for dietary change. Health Education Research, 13, 171-183.
Frewer, L.J., Howard, C., Hedderley, D. & Shepherd, R. (1999). Reactions to information about genetic engineering: impact of source characteristics, perceived personal relevance, and persuasiveness. Public Understanding of Science, 8, 35-50.
Hunt, S., Frewer, L.J. & Shepherd, R. (1999). Public trust in sources of information about radiation risks in the UK. Journal of Risk Research, 2, 167-180.
Povey, R., Conner, M., Sparks, P., James, R. & Shepherd, R. (1999). A critical examination of the application of the Transtheoretical Model's stages of change to dietary behaviours. Health Education Research, 14, 641-651.
Povey, R., Conner, M., Sparks, P., James, R. & Shepherd, R. (1999). The theory of planned behaviour and healthy eating: examining additive and moderating effects of social influence variables. Psychology and Health, 15, 1-16.
Raats, M.M., Sparks, P., Geekie, M.A. & Shepherd, R. (1999). The effects of providing personalized dietary feedback: a semi-computerized approach. Patient Education and Counseling, 37, 177-189.
Povey, R., Conner, M., Sparks, P., James, R. & Shepherd, R. (2000). Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to two dietary behaviours: roles of perceived control and self-efficacy. British Journal of Health Psychology, 5, 121-139.
Sparks, P., James, R., Conner, M., Shepherd, R. & Povey, R. (2001). Ambivalence about health-related behaviours: an exploration in the domain of food choice. British Journal of Health Psychology, 6, 53-68.
Conner, M., Sparks, P., Povey, R., James, R., Shepherd, R., & Armitage, C. J. (2002). Moderator effects of attitudinal ambivalence on attitude-behaviour relationships. European Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 705-718.
Sparks, P. & Shepherd, R. (2002). The role of moral judgments within expectancy-value-based attitude-behavior models. Ethics and Behavior, 12, 299-321.
Conner, M., Povey, R., Sparks, P., James, R., & Shepherd, R. (2003). Moderating role of attitude ambivalence within the theory of planned behaviour. British Journal of Social Psychology, 42, 75-94.
Hurling, R. & Shepherd, R. (2003). Eating with your eyes: the effect of appearance on expectations of liking. Appetite, 41, 167-174.
Shepherd, R. , Magnusson, M. K. & Sjoden, P. O. (2005). Determinants of consumer behavior related to organic foods. Ambio, 34, 352-359.
Appleton, K.M., Gentry, R.C. & Shepherd, R. (2006). Evidence of a role for conditioning in the development of liking for flavours in humans in everyday life. Physiology and Behavior, 87, 478-486.
Appleton, K. M., Gentry, R. C. & Shepherd, R. (2006). Evidence of a role for conditioning in the development of liking for flavours in humans in everyday life. Physiology and Behavior, 87, 478-486.
Dean, M., Arvola, A., Vassallo, M., Lahteenmaki, L., Raats, M. M., Saba, A. & Shepherd, R. (2006). Comparison of elicitation methods for moral and affective beliefs in the theory of planned behaviour. Appetite, 47, 244-252.
Shepherd, R., Barker, G., French, S., Hart, A., Maule, J. & Cassidy, A. (2006). Managing food chain risks: integrating technical and stakeholder perspectives on uncertainty. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 57, 311-327.
Arvola, A., Lahteenmaki, L., Dean, M., Vassallo, M., Winkelmann, M., Claupein, E., Saba, A. & Shepherd, R. (2007). Consumers' beliefs about whole and refined grain products in UK, Italy and Finland. Journal of Cereal Science, 46, 197-206.
Barnett, J., Timotijevic, L., Shepherd, R. & Senior, V. (2007). Public responses to precautionary information from the Department of Health (UK) about possible health risks from mobile phones. Health Policy , 82, 240-250.
Dean, M., Raats, M. M., Shepherd, R., Arvola, A., Lahteenmaki, L., Saba, A., Vassallo, M., Claupein, E. & Winkelmann, M. (2007). Consumer perceptions and expectations for healthy cereal products. Journal of Cereal Science, 46, 188-196.
Dean, M. & Shepherd, R. (2007). Effects of information from sources in consensus on perceptions of genetically modified food. Food Quality and Preference, 18, 460-469.
Lawrence, J. M., Devlin, E., Macaskil, S., Kelly, M., Chinouya, M., Raats, M., Barton, K. L., Wrieden, W. L. & Shepherd, R. (2007). Factors that affect the food choices made by girls and young women, from minority ethnic groups, living in the UK. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 20, 311-319.
Shepherd, R., Barnett, J., Cooper, H., Coyle, A., Moran-Ellis, J., Senior, V. & Walton, C. (2007). Towards an understanding of British public attitudes concerning human cloning. Social Science & Medicine, 65, 377-392.
Arvola, A., Vassallo, M., Dean, M., Lampila, P., Saba, A., Lahteenmaki, L. & Shepherd, R. (2008). Predicting intentions to purchase organic food: The role of affective and moral attitudes in the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Appetite, 50, 443-454.
Bailey, J., Clark, M. & Shepherd, R. (2008). Duration of breastfeeding by young women: psychological influences. British Journal of Midwifery, 16 (3), 172-178.
Barnett, J., Timotijevic, L., Vassallo, M. & Shepherd, R. (2008). Precautionary advice about mobile phones: public understandings and intended responses. Journal of Risk Research, 11, 525-540.
Dean, M., Raats, M. M. & Shepherd, R. (2008). Moral concerns and consumer choice of fresh and processed organic foods. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38, 2088-2107.
Shepherd, R. (2008). Involving the public and stakeholders in the evaluation of food risks. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 19, 234-239.
Timotijevic, L., Barnett, J., Shepherd, R. & Senior, V. (in press). Factors influencing self-report of mobile phone use: the role of response prompt, time reference and mobile phone use in recall. Applied Cognitive Psychology.
Vassallo, M., Saba, A., Arvola, A., Dean, M., Messina, F., Winkelmann, M., Claupein, E., Lahteenmaki, L. & Shepherd, R. (in press). Willingness to use functional breads: Applying the Health Belief Model across four European countries. Appetite.
Books - Edited
Shepherd, R. (1989). Handbook of the Psychophysiology of Human Eating. Chichester: Wiley
Shepherd, R. & Raats, M. M. (2006). The Psychology of Food Choice. Oxfordshire: CABI Publishing.
Book Chapters and Unrefereed
Shepherd, R. (1993). Sensory evaluation - Sensory characteristics of human foods. In: R. Macrae, R. K. Robinson, & M. J. Sadler (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition, pp. 4023-4027. London: Academic Press.
Shepherd, R. & Sparks, P. (1994). Modelling food choice. In: H. J. H. MacFie & D. M. H. Thomson (Eds.), Measurement of Food Preferences, pp. 202-226. London: Blackie Academic and Professional.
Shepherd, R. & Raats, M.M. (1996). Attitudes and beliefs in food habits. In: H. L. Meiselman & H. J. H. MacFie (Eds.), Food Choice, Acceptance and Consumption, pp. 346-364. London: Blackie Academic and Professional.
Shepherd, R., & Frewer, L.J. (1997). Risk communication. In: D. R. Tennant (Ed.), Food Chemical Risk Analysis, pp. 399-417. London: Chapman and Hall.
Shepherd, R. (1997). The psychology of food choice: the influence of attitudes and flavour perception. In: F. A. Tomas-Barberan & R. J. Robins (Eds.), Phytochemistry of Fruit and Vegetables, pp. 157-172. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Conner, M., Povey, R., Sparks, P., James, R., & Shepherd, R. (1998). Understanding dietary choice and dietary change: contributions from social psychology. In A.Murcott (Ed.), The Nation's Diet: The Social Science of Food Choice ( Harlow: Adison Wesley.
Frewer, L.J. & Shepherd, R. (1998). Consumer perceptions of modern food biotechnology. In: S. Roller & S. Harlander (Eds.), Genetic Modification in the Food Industry, pp. 27-46. London: Blackie Academic and Professional.
Shepherd, R. & Mela, D.J. (1998). Factors influencing food choice. In: M. J. Sadler, J. J. Strain, & B. Caballero (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition, London: Academic Press.
Shepherd, R. (1999). Social determinants of food choice. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 58, 807-812.
Shepherd, R. (2001). Does taste determine consumption? Understanding the psychology of food choice. In L.J. Frewer, E. Risvik, & H. N. J. Schifferstein (Eds.), Food, People and Society: A European Perspective of Consumers' Food Choices, pp. 117-130. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
Shepherd, R. (2002). Resistance to changes in diet. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 61, 267-272.
Sturgis, P., Cooper, H., Fife-Schaw, C. & Shepherd, R. (2004). Genomic society: emerging public opinion. In A.Park, J. Curtice, K. Thomson, C. Bromley, & M. Philips (Eds.), British Social Attitudes: The 21st Report, pp. 119-145. London: Sage.
Shepherd, R. (2005). Influences on food choice and dietary behavior. In I. Elmadfa (Ed.), Diet Diversification and Health Promotion, pp. 36-43. Basel: Karger.
Barnett, J., Timotijevic, L., Shepherd, R., Senior, V. & Vincent, J. (2006). Understanding of the precautionary principle: 'no smoke without fire' or better safe than sorry? In C.del Pozo, D. Papameletiou, P.M. Wiedemann, & P. Ravazzani (Eds.), Risk Perception and Risk Communication: Tools, Experiences and Strategies in Electromagnetic Fields Exposure (pp. 123-127). Brussels: European Commission.
Shepherd, R. (2006). Allergy between the ears? In L.J.W.J. Gilissen, H.J. Wichers, H.F. J. Savelkoul & R.J. Bogers (Eds.), Allergy Matters: New Approaches to Allergy Prevention and Management (pp. 153-161). Wageningen: Frontis.
Shepherd, R. (2006). The use of the stages of change model with dietary behaviours. In R. Shepherd & M. M. Raats (Eds.), The Psychology of Food Choice (pp. 345-356). Wallingford: CABI.
Armstrong, V., Barnett, J., Cooper, H., Monkman, M., Moran-Ellis, J. & Shepherd, R. (2007). Public Attitudes to Governance: A qualitative study in a deliberative context. London: The Wellcome Trust.
Published Report [2.8mb]
Bailey, J. & Shepherd, R. (2007). An intervention to improve adolescents' views on breastfeeding. Health Psychology Update, 16 (4), 53-61.
Dean, M., Raats, M. M. & Shepherd, R. (2007). Consumers and functional cereal products. In B.R. Hamaker (Ed.), Technology of Functional Cereal Products (pp 3-22). Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing.
McConnon, A., Raats, M. M., Shepherd, R., & Ogden, J. (2007). Weight control practices and behaviours in an overweight sample - Results from the DiOGenes study. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 51, 61.
Shepherd, R. (2007). Commentary on Shepherd & Towler (1992) Nutrition knowledge, attitudes and fat intake: application of the theory of reasoned action. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics; 5, 387-397. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 20, 170.
Shepherd, R. (2007). Consumer attitudes towards healthy cereal products. In P. Weegels, C. Courtin, M. Silvestri, & A. Arrachid (Eds.), C&E Spring Meeting 2007 Proceedings ( St Paul, MN: AACC International.
Shepherd, R. (2007). Review of Lynn Frewer and Hans van Trijp (Eds) Understanding Consumers of Food Products. Food Science and Technology, 21 (4), 55.
Poutanen, K., Shepherd, R., Shewry, P., Delcour, J. A., Bjorck, I., & van der Kamp, J. W. (2008). Beyond whole grain: the European HEALTHGRAIN project aims at healthier cereal foods. Cereal Foods World, 53 (1), 32-35.
