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
Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences (ICOSS)

Full contact details

Dr Rebecca Webster
School of Psychology
Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences (ICOSS)
219 Portobello
Sheffield
S1 4DP
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 51²è¹Ý¶ù.

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.
  • Yakubu I, Sirois F & Webster R () A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of Workplace Stress, Treatment Adherence, and Well-Being among Employees with Type 2 Diabetes in Nigeria. Journal of Health Psychology.
  • 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

  • Kiley R, Webster R, Sehrawat A & Sherman SM (2026) , JMIR Publications Inc..
  • 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.
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 currently accepting PhD applications/enquiries

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

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

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