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Dr Mark Ord


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Lecturer in Psychology

I joined University of Sunderland in 2018 after graduating from Northumbria University. My PhD focused on how social judgments of men can impact women's mate choice. Consequently, my primary interests are around attractiveness, how mate choice occurs, and how evolution has shaped human behaviour.

Teaching and supervision

I teach the following modules:

Level 7:

  • The Psychology of Sexual Behaviour
  • Cradle to Grave: Developmental, Evolutionary, and Individual Differences


Level 6:

  • Evolutionary Psychology, Human Nature, and Culture
  • Male Psychology
  • Dark Personality


Level 5:

    • Meet the Relatives: Animal Psychology and Evolutionary Psychology  
    • Cradle To Grave: Developmental, Evolutionary, and Individual Differences


Level 4:

  • Genes to Mind


    Level 3:

    • Big Issues in Psychology

      I also supervise MSc and BSc dissertation students and am a personal academic tutor for first and third-year students.

Research interests for potential research students

My primary interests centre around the application of evolutionary theory to psychology. This includes research relating to attraction and mate selection, competition within and between males and females, group dynamics, and how this interacts with online dating and social media. 

I am also interested in male psychology with a particular focus on how attractiveness interacts with aspects of male psychology. For example, my current research focus is on how variability in attractiveness impacts male life outcomes and men who are involuntarily celibate.

Research

My PhD thesis:
"The Bio-Social Correlates of Women's Mate Choice Copying"

The thesis investigated whether pairing men's faces with women of varying attractiveness could impact judgments of men's attractiveness. 

Current research activities:
My current research focus is on men who are involuntarily celibate. Much is unknown about these men – this project aims to address the lack of objective research on these individuals. 

Publications: 
Moss, M., & Ord, M. (2019). Life “in the Pink”. Brief Administration of BOOST Oxygen Beauty® Elevates Blood Oxygen Saturation and Enhances Facial Skin Colour. Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications9(3), 263-274.

Last updated 10 October 2024