Dr Alistair Harvey
Faculties, departments and locations
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology
- Email:
- [email protected]
About
I joined the Department of Psychology at Kingston University in August 2025, where I teach cognitive psychology and research methods, and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate empirical projects. I also coordinate the PS7000 MSc Psychology Dissertation module.
I previously spent eight years as Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Portsmouth. Prior to that I held academic positions at Western Carolina University, University of North Georgia, and the University of South Carolina Upstate in the USA, and a Senior Lecturer post at the University of Winchester, UK.
My research interests are in the fields of experimental psychology and behavioural psychopharmacology, with a primary focus on the influence of acute alcohol intoxication on spatial attention during face processing, audio-visual perception and eyewitness memory. I am also interested in theories of attention, memory and executive functioning, along with the effects of auditory distraction (including tinnitus) on cognition.
Qualifications
- PhD Experimental Psychology (Human Memory)
- MSc Research Methods in Psychology
- BSc (Hons) Psychology
- Post-Graduate Certificate in Education
- Certificate of Higher Education in Audiology
Domains
BSc teaching
- PS4008 Approaches & Professional Skills in Psychology
- PS5001 Psychology Research Methods 2 (Lab)
- PS5003 Brain, Behaviour & Cognition
- PS6000 BSc (Hons) Research Project
- PS6016 Psychology of Investigations & Cyber-Behaviour
MSc teaching
- PS7000 MSc Psychology Dissertation (Module Leader)
- PS7004 Cognition & Biological Psychology
PhD supervision
- Jeordie Shenton, School of Psychology, Sport & Health Sciences, University of Portsmouth
Publications
Harvey, A. J., Bayless, S. J., Abbott, F., Jack, D., Cisowski, K. & Kelleher, H. (2025). The influence of acute alcohol intoxication and hair visibility on delayed face recall. Memory, 9, 1-13.
Harvey, A. J., White, C., Madelin, K. & Morrison, E. (2024). Impaired face symmetry detection under alcohol, but no “beer goggles” effect. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 38, 268-279.
Porter, C., Morrison, E., Harvey, A. J., & Taylor, R. (2023). Complications and consistency: investigating the asymmetric information management ‘AIM’ technique with follow-up statements. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1-23. Psychology, Crime & Law, 31, 41–63.
Harvey, A. J. & Bayless, S. J. (2022). Review of: "How low working memory demands and reduced anticipatory attentional gating contribute to impaired inhibition during acute alcohol intoxication". Qeios. doi:10.32388/01T7DQ.
Bayless, S. J., Harvey, A. J., & Keating, S. (2022). Effects of alcohol and task difficulty on visual tracking and inattentional blindness. Psychopharmacology, 239, 2605-2617.
Harvey, A. J. & Beaman, C. P. (2021). Acute alcohol intoxication and the cocktail party effect: Would “mocktails” help or hinder? Psychopharmacology, 238, 3083-3093.
Harvey, A. J. & Sekulla, A. (2021). Evidence of alcohol induced weapon focus on eyewitness memory. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 35, 1263-1272.
Harvey, A. J. & Seedhouse, M. (2021). The influence of alcohol and cognitive capacity on visual number judgements. Perception, 50, 39-51.
Harvey, A. J., Shrimpton, B., Azzopardi, Z., O’Grady, K., Hicks, E., Hirst, E. & Atkinson-Cox, K. (2020). The influence of alcohol and weapon presence on eyewitness memory and confidence. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 34, 489-503.
Harvey, A. J. & Tomlinson, D. A. (2020). Alcohol myopia and the distracting effects of hair in face recognition. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 34, 237-244.
Stafford, L. D., Sekulla, A., Morrison, E., Fleischman, D. S. & Harvey, A. J. (2020). Alcohol and disgust: An intimate relationship. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 206, 107780.
Bayless, S. J., Harvey, A. J., Kneller, W. & Frowd, C. (2018). Do intoxicated witnesses produce poor facial composite images? Psychopharmacology, 235, 2991-3003.
Harvey, A. J., Bayless, S. J. & Hyams, G. (2018). Alcohol increases inattentional blindness when cognitive resources are not consumed by ongoing task demands. Psychopharmacology, 253, 309-315.
Bayless, S. J. & Harvey, A. J. (2017). Testing alcohol myopia theory: Examining the simultaneous effects of alcohol intoxication on central and peripheral attention. Perception, 46, 90-99.
Kneller, W. & Harvey, A. J. (2016). Lineup identification accuracy: The effects of alcohol, target presence, confidence ratings and response time. The European Journal of Psychology Applied to Legal Context, 8, 11-18.
Harvey, A. J. (2016). When alcohol narrows the field of focal attention. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 69, 669-677.
Harvey, A. J. (2014). Some effects of alcohol and eye movements on cross-race face learning. Memory, 22, 1126-1138.
Harvey, A. J., Kneller, W., & Campbell, A. (2013). The effects of alcohol intoxication on attention and memory for visual scenes. Memory, 21, 969-980.
Harvey, A. J., Kneller, W., & Campbell, A. (2013). The elusive effects of alcohol intoxication on visual attention and eyewitness memory. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 27, 617-624.
Van Duuren, M. & Harvey A. J. (2010). A Computer-Based Approach to Statistics Teaching and Assessment in Psychology. In: P. Bidgood, N. Hunt & F. Jolliffe (Eds), Assessment Methods in Statistical Education: An International Perspective. Chichester, UK: Wiley.
Harvey, A. J. (2010). The merits of a general numeracy test as a predictor of undergraduate statistics performance. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 8, 16-22.
Harvey, A. J. (2008). Scale-invariant and locally-distinctive memory: The SIMPLE approach. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 12, 83-86.
Harvey, A. J., & Beaman, C. P. (2007). Input and output modality effects in immediate serial recall. Memory, 15, 693-700.
Beaman, C. P. & Harvey, A. J. (2005). Access to online resources: A case study. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 5, 47-51.
Conferences
Harvey, A. J., White, C. & Morrison, E. (2022). Judgments of facial attractiveness and symmetry under alcohol: Evidence of a perceptual “beer goggles” effect. Society for Applied Research in Memory & Cognition (SARMAC, Regional Meeting), University of Portsmouth. UK.
Porter, C., Harvey, A. J., Taylor, R. & Harvey, A. (2022). Developing the “Asymmetric Information Management” (AIM) technique. Poster presented at the Behavioural and Social Sciences in Security Conference, Lancaster University, UK.
Harvey, A. J. & Beaman, C. P. (2020). Acute alcohol intoxication and the cocktail party problem. Talking About Research in Memory & Cognition (TARMAC) Virtual Conference, University of Birmingham, UK.
Kneller, W., & Harvey, A. (2019). Line-up identification accuracy: The effects of alcohol, target presence, confidence ratings and response time. Vulnerable Witness Professional Development Conference, University of Winchester, UK.
Bayless, S. J. & Harvey, A. J. (2019). Alcohol and the description of faces from memory. Presented at the Vulnerable Witnesses Professional Development Conference, University of Winchester, UK.
Harvey, A.J. (2019). Does alcohol intoxication intensify weapon focus? Invited talk at the Centre for Forensic and Investigative Psychology, University of Winchester, UK.
Haugh, S., Ricketts, N, McLean, A., Harvey, A. & Arbisi, P. (2016). Mapping cognitive impairment in depression and anxiety using the RDoC model. Poster presented at the 50th Annual Convention for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT), New York City, NY, USA.
Bayless, S., Harvey, A. J., Kneller, W. & Frowd, C. (2015). Investigating the effect of alcohol intoxication on face composite construction. Presented at the 32nd BPS Cognitive Psychology Section Annual Conference, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Kneller, W., & Harvey, A. J. (2015). Post-dicting identification accuracy of intoxicated witnesses. Association of Psychological Science Annual Convention, New York City, NY, USA.
Harvey, A. J. (2015). The effects of alcohol intoxication on visual attention and memory. Invited talk at Department of Psychology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA.
Harvey, A. J. (2013). The effects of alcohol intoxication on visual attention and memory. Invited talk at Department of Psychological Science, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA, USA.
Kneller, W., & Harvey, A. J. (2011). The effects of alcohol on eyewitness identification performance. Presented at SARMAC IX, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York City, NY, USA.
Kneller, W., & Harvey. A. J. (2011). Alcohol intoxication and its effects on eyewitness identification performance. Presented at the BPS Annual Conference, Glasgow, UK.
Harvey, A. J. & Kneller, W. (2010). The effects of alcohol on visual attention and eyewitness memory. Presented at the 27th BPS Cognitive Psychology Section Annual Conference. Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Kneller, W. & Harvey, A. J. (2010). Alcohol intoxication and its effects on eyewitness identification performance. Presented at the 20th Conference of the European Association of Psychology and Law, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Harvey, A. J. (2009). Category specific recency effects in free recall. Invited talk at the Annual Research and Knowledge Exchange Symposium, University of Winchester, UK.
Harvey, A. J. (2008). Category-specific recency effects in immediate and delayed free recall. Presented at the 25th BPS Cognitive Section Annual Conference. University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Harvey, A. J. (2008). The merits of a general numeracy test as a predictor of statistics exam performance. Presented at the PLAT2008 Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Harvey, A. J. (2005). Capturing the multiple recency effect. Invited talk at Department of Psychology Seminar Series, University of Reading, UK.
Harvey, A. J. & Beaman, C. P. (2004). Output factors and the modality effect in immediate recall. Presented at the BPS Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group Annual Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.
Harvey, A. J. & Beaman, C. P. (2004). Output factors and the modality effect in free recall. Presented at the 2nd International Conference on Working Memory, University of Kyoto, Japan.
Module Leader: PS7000 MSc Psychology Dissertation