Telephone: 020 7911 5000 Ext: 2017
Email: Buchant@wmin.ac.uk

Research Interests

Human behaviour, self-disclosure and self-presentation 'on the Internet'; online research methodology; psychological assessment; use of technology in teaching and learning.

General Information

Tom Buchanan graduated in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen where he also did his PhD. He joined the University of Westminster in 1999, where he is now Reader in Psychology.

After early work on media violence and aggression, most of his research since the mid 1990s has revolved around how people behave 'on the Internet', and what the Internet has to offer for psychologists (an area that has become known as 'cyberpsychology').

Much of his work has been methodological in nature, focusing on web-based psychological measurement, validity of online research techniques, and ethics of online data collection. Other projects have generally involved application of these techniques to substantive topics including online self-disclosure, self-presentation, privacy concern, effects of recreational drug use and nutritional supplements. His current focus is generally on how people present themselves in various online spaces, factors affecting how they engage with online technologies, and potential influences of online stimuli on our behaviour.

His teaching is mainly in the areas of individual differences and social psychology and the Internet. He has a long-standing interest in the use of student-centred approaches to learning, especially when supported by Internet technology

Tom's personal home page and links to current projects can be found here.

Recent publications include:

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Heffernan, T., Ling, J., & Scholey, A. (2011). ‘Ecstasy use, by itself, does not result in residual neurotoxicity’ - a powerful argument? Addiction, 106(7), 1269-1270.

Scholey, A. B., Owen, L., Gates, J., Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Ling, J. et al. (2011). Is MDMA Present in Hair Samples Consistent with Reported Ecstasy Use? Open Addiction Journal, 4, 50-51.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A. B., Heffernan, T. M., & Ling, J. (2011). Prospective Memory: The Influence of Ecstasy, Cannabis and Nicotine Use and the WWW. Open Addiction Journal, 4, 44-45.

Scholey, A. B., Owen, L., Gates, J., Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Ling, J. et al. (2011). Hair MDMA Samples Are Consistent with Reported Ecstasy Use: Findings from a Study Investigating Effects of Ecstasy on Mood and Memory. Neuropsychobiology, 63(1), 15-21.

Buchanan, T., & Williams, J. E. (2010). Ethical issues in psychological research on the Internet. In: S. D. Gosling & J. A. Johnson, (Eds.), Advanced Methods for Conducting Online Behavioral Research (pp. 255-271). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Whitty, M.T., & Buchanan, T. (2010). What¹s in a Screen Name? Attractiveness of Different Types of Screen Names Used by Online Daters. International Journal of Internet Science, 5(1), 5-19.

Buchanan, T., Heffernan, T.M., Parrott, A.C., Ling, J., Rodgers, J., & Scholey A.B. (2010). A Short Self-Report Measure of Problems with Executive Function Suitable for Administraction via the Internet. Behavior Research Methods, 42(3), 709-714

Joinson, A. N., Reips, U.-D., Buchanan, T., & Schofield, C. B. P. (2010). Privacy, Trust, and Self-Disclosure Online. Human-Computer Interaction, 25(1), 1 - 24.

Whitty, M.T., & Buchanan, T. (2009). Looking for Love in so many Places: Characteristics of Online Daters and Speed Daters.Interpersona, 3 (Suppl.2), 63-86

Kennedy, D.O., Jackson, P.A., Elliot, J.M., Scholey, A.B., Tiplady, B., Buchanan, T., Haskell, C.F. (2009) Cognitive and mood effects of 8 weeks supplementation with 400 mg or 1000 mg of omega-3 essential fatty acid in healthy children aged 10 to 12 years. Nutritional Neuroscience, 12(2), 48-56.

Swami, V., Buchanan, T., Furnham, A., & Tovee, M. J. (2008). Five-factor personality correlates of perceptions of women's body sizes. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(7), 697-699.

Haskell, C., F., Scholey, A., B., Jackson, P., A., Elliott, J., M., Defeyter, M., A., Greer, J. et al. (2008). Cognitive and mood effects in healthy children during 12 weeks' supplementation with multi-vitamin/minerals. British Journal of Nutrition, 100(05), 1086-1096.

Joinson, A. N., Paine, C., Buchanan, T., & Reips, U.-D. (2008). Measuring self-disclosure online: Blurring and non-response to sensitive items in web-based surveys. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(5), 2158-2171.

Paine, C.B., Reips, U-D., Stieger, S., Joinson, A.N. and Buchanan, T. (2007).  Internet users' perceptions of 'privacy concerns' and 'privacy actions'. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 65, 526-536.

Buchanan, T., Joinson, A.N., Paine, C.B., & Reips, U-R. (2007). Looking for medical information on the Internet: Self-disclosure, privacy and trust. He@lth Information and the Internet, 48, 8-9.

Buchanan, T., Paine, C.B, Joinson, A.N. and Reips, U-D. (2007). Development of measures of online privacy concern and protection for use on the Internet. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 58, 157-165.

Buchanan, T. (2007) Personality testing on the Internet: What we know, and what we do not. In Joinson, A.N., McKenna, K., Postmes, T. and Reips, U.-D. (Eds.). Oxford Handbook of Internet Psychology (pp. 447-459). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Parrott, A. C., Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Ling, J., Heffernan, T. M., & Scholey, A. B. (2006). Dancing hot on Ecstasy: physical activity and thermal comfort ratings are associated with the memory and other psychobiological problems reported by recreational MDMA users. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 21, 285-298.

Joinson, A.N, Paine, C.B., Buchanan, T. and Reips, U-D. (2006). Watching me, watching you: Privacy attitudes and reactions to identity card implementation scenarios in the United Kingdom. Journal of Information Science, 32, 334-343.

McCue, P., Buchanan, T. and Martin, C.R. (2006). Screening for psychological distress using internet administration of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome. British Journal of Clinical Psychology,45, 483-498.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Pearson, C., Parrott, A. C.,  Ling, J., Heffernan, T. M., Scholey, A. B. (2006). Differential experiences of the psychobiological sequelae of ecstasy use:  quantitative and qualitative data from an internet study. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20, 437-446.

Buchanan, T.,  Ali, T., Heffernan, T. M., Ling, J., Parrott, A. C., Rodgers, J., & Scholey, A. B.(2005). Non-equivalence of online and paper-and-pencil psychological tests: The case of the Prospective Memory Questionnaire. Behavior Research Methods, 37, 148-154. 

Furnham, A., & Buchanan, T. (2005). Personality, Gender and Self Perceived Intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 543-555.

Buchanan, T., Johnson, J. A., & Goldberg, L. (2005). Implementing a Five-Factor  personality inventory for use on the Internet. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 21, 115-127.

Heffernan, T. M., Ling, J., Parrott, A. C., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A. B., & Rodgers, J. A. (2005). Self-rated everyday and prospective memory abilities of cigarette smokers and non-smokers: A web-based study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 78, 235-241.

Parrot, A.C., Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T., & Ling, J. (2004). The reality of psychomotor problems, and the possibility of Parkinson's Disorder, in some recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users: a rejoinder to Sumnall et al. Psychopharmacology, 171, 231-233.

Scholey, A. B., Parrott, A.C., Buchanan, T., Heffernan, T., Ling, J., & Rodgers, J. (2004). Increased intensity of Ecstasy and polydrug usage in the more experienced recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users: a WWW study. Addictive Behaviours, 29, 743-752.

Barak, A., & Buchanan, T. (2004). Internet-based psychological testing and assessment. In R. Krause, G. Stricker, & J. Zack (Eds.). Online counseling: a handbook for mental health professionals (pp. 217-239). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., Parrott, A.C. (2003). Patterns of drug use and the influence of gender on self reports of memory ability in ecstasy users: A web based study. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 17, 389-396.

Buchanan, T. (2003). Internet based questionnaire assessment: Appropriate use in clinical contexts. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 32, 100-109.

Ling, J., Heffernan, T.M., Buchanan, T., Rodgers, J., Scholey, A.B., Parrott, A.C. (2003). Effects of alcohol on subjective ratings of prospective memory and everyday memory deficits. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 6, 970-974.

McCue, P., Martin, C. R., Buchanan, T., Rodgers, J., & Scholey, A. B. (2003). An investigation into the psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 8,

Parrott, A.C., Buchanan, T., Heffernan, T.M., Scholey, A., Ling, J., Rodgers, J. (2003). Parkinson's disorder, psychomotor problems and dopaminergic neurotoxicity in recreational ecstasy/MDMA users. Psychopharmacology, 167, 449-450.

Smith, J.L., & Buchanan, T. (2002). Self-monitoring: An elaboration of the concept based on Internet-mediated data. Social Psychological Review, 4, 14-24.    

Parrot, A.C., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Rodgers, J. (2002). Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 17, 309-312. 

Buchanan, T. (2002). Online assessment: Desirable or dangerous? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33, 148-154.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Parrott, A. (2001). Differential effects of Ecstasy and cannabis on self-reports of memory ability: a web-based study. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 16, 619-625. 

Buchanan, T. (2001). Online Personality Assessment. In U.-D. Reips & M. Bosnjak (Eds.). Dimensions of Internet Science (pp. 57-74). Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers.

Joinson, A., & Buchanan, T. (2001). Doing educational research on the Internet. In C. R. Wolfe (Ed.). Learning and Teaching on the World Wide Web (pp. 221-242). San Diego: Academic Press.

Buchanan, T. (2000). Potential of the Internet for Personality Research. In M. Birnbaum (Ed.). Psychological Experiments on the Internet (pp.121-140). San Diego: Academic Press.

Buchanan, T. (2000). Internet Research: Self-monitoring and judgments of attractiveness. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments & Computers, 32, 521-527.   

Buchanan, T. (2000). The efficacy of a World-Wide Web mediated formative assessment. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 16, 193-200.  

Buchanan, T. & Smith, J. L. (1999). Using the Internet for psychological research: Personality testing on the World-Wide Web. British Journal of Psychology, 90, 125-144.  

Buchanan, T. & Smith, J. L. (1999). Research on the Internet: Validation of a World-Wide Web mediated personality scale. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 31, 565-571.  

Buchanan, T. (1999). Does the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist (revised) Hostility subscale measure hostility? Aggressive Behavior, 25, 179-184.  

Buchanan, T. (1998). Using the World Wide Web for formative assessment. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 27, 425-439. 71-79.

Conferences:

Rodgers J, Soar K., Buchanan T., Pearson, C., Parrott A.C., Ling J., Heffernan T.,  & Scholey A.B. (2008, June). Health Beliefs in a sample of ecstasy (MDMA) users. Paper presented at Club Health Conference. Ibiza, Spain, June 25th 2008.

Whitty, M., & Buchanan, T. (2008, April).What’s in a ‘screen’ name? The kind of screen names online daters find attractive. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Dublin, Eire, April 4th 2008.

Joinson, A.N., Paine, C.B., Buchanan, T., & Reips, U-R. (in press). Privacy, Trust and Self-Disclosure to Web-based Surveys. Proceedings of the Association of Survey Computing International Conference, Southampton, September 11-12, 2007.

Reips, U.-D., Buchanan, T, & Joinson, A. N. (2007, September).  Basic research on privacy, self-disclosure and trust on the Internet. 10th Congress of the Swiss Society of Psychology: Differences, Diversity and Change. Zurich, Switzerland, September 13th 2007.

Whitty, M., & Buchanan, T. (2007, October). Personality Characteristics of online daters. Paper presented at  Internet Research 8.0: Let’s Play. 8th Association of Internet Researchers Conference. Vancouver, Canada, 18th October 2007.

Whitty, M., & Buchanan, T. (2007, March). Spoiled for matchmaking choices: Characteristics of online dating and speed daters. Poster session presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, York, March 21st 2007.

Paine, C.B., Joinson, A. N., Reips, U-D. & Buchanan, T. (2006, September) .Privacy, Trust, Disclosure and the Internet. Paper presented at The Association of Internet Researchers (AOIR). Internet Research 7.0: Internet Convergences, Brisbane, Australia, September 2006.

Joinson, A.N., Paine, C.B., Reips, U-R., & Buchanan, T. (2006, May). Privacy and Trust: The role of situational and dispositional variables in online disclosure. Paper presented at Pervasive 2006: The 4th International Conference on Pervasive Computing, Dublin, May 2006.

Joinson, A.N., Paine, C.B., Buchanan, T. and Reips, U-D. (2006, April) Measuring Internet Privacy Attitudes and Behavior: A multi-dimensional approach. Workshop paper (‘Privacy Methodologies’) at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), Montréal, Canada, April 2006.

Paine, C.B., Joinson, A. N., Buchanan, T. & Reips, U-D. (2006, April). Privacy and Self-Disclosure Online. Work in Progress paper presented at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), Montréal, Canada, April 2006, pp. 1187-1192.

Buchanan, T. (2006, March). Collecting psychological data on the Internet. Workshop session presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Cardiff, UK. 

Buchanan, T. (2005, November). Equivalence of Internet-administered and traditional personality tests: What experimental evidence shows. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology, Toronto, Canada, 10th November 2005.

Buchanan, T. (2005, September). Personality testing on the Internet: Knowns and Unknowns. Paper presented at the 8th European Conference on Psychological Assessment, Budapest, Hungary, 1st September 2005.

Paine, C.B., Joinson, A.N., Buchanan, T. and Reips, U-D. (2005). Privacy and self-disclosure online: Implications for web based surveys. Paper presented at the ESF Workshop on Internet survey methodology, September 2005, Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Parrott, A., Rodgers J, Buchanan T, Ling J, Heffernan T, Scholey, A.B., (2005, July). “Recreational MDMA and prospective memory: The interactive relationship with feeling hot and dancing when on Ecstasy. Paper presented at Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology annual conference (July, St Johns).

Parrott AC, Rodgers J, Buchanan T, Ling J, Heffernan T, Scholey AB, (2005, July). Prospective memory problems in recreational MDMA users:  Relationship to dancing and feeling hot when on Ecstasy. Paper presented at British Association for Psychopharmacology annual conference (July, Harrogate)

Buchanan, T. (2005, March). Effects of Internet administration and supervision on responses to psychological inventories. Poster session presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Manchester, UK.

Buchanan, T. (2005, March). Psychological measurement on the Internet. Workshop presented at General Online Research ’05, Zurich, Switzerland.

Buchanan, T., & Joinson, A. N. (2004, April). Does self disclosure mediate differences between Internet and traditional psychological test scores? Poster presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, 15th April 2004, London, UK.

Buchanan, T., & Joinson, A. N. (2004, March). Are online-offline differences in personality test scores due to increased self-disclosure? Paper presented at German Online Research `04, Duisburg, Germany, 30th March 2004.

Frick, A., Neuhaus, C., & Buchanan, T. (2004, March). Quitting online studies: Effects of design elements and personality on dropout and nonresponse. Poster presented at German Online Research `04, Duisburg, Germany, 31st March 2004.

McCue, P., Martin, C., Buchanan, T., Rodgers, J., & Scholey, A. (2003, March). Is the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale reliable in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Poster presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, 15th March 2003, Bournemouth, UK.

Buchanan, T. (2003, March). Internet mediated psychological psychological assessment: Problems with use of normative data. Poster presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, 13th March 2003, Bournemouth, UK.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A., Heffernan, T. M., Ling, J., & Parrott, A. (2003, March). Self-reports of neuropsychological performance of polydrug users assessed using the worldwide web. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, 13th March 2003, Bournemouth, UK.

Heffernan, T. M., Ling, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A., Rodgers, J., & Parrott, A. (2003, March). Neuropsychological effects of alcohol. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference, 13th March 2003, Bournemouth, UK.

Buchanan, T., Joinson, A. N., & Ali, T. (2002, October). Development of a behavioural measure of self-disclosure for use in online research. Paper presented at German Online Research `02, Hohenheim, Germany.

Buchanan, T., Ali, T., Heffernan, T. M., Jing, J., Parrott, A., Rodgers, J., & Scholey, A.B. (2002, October). Psychometric properties of online self-report memory questionnaires: The EMQ and PMQ. Poster presented at German Online Research `02, Hohenheim, Germany, 10th October 2002

Ling, J., Heffernan, T.M., Scholey, A.B., Buchanan, T., Rodgers, J., & Parrott, A. (2002, April). Subjective ratings of prospective and everyday memory: A comparison of cannabis-only, ecstasy-only and drug-free controls. Poster presented at Psychopharmacology of Cannabis and Ecstasy: A joint meeting held by the Czech Neuropsychopharmacological Society and the British Association for Psychopharmacology. Brno, Czech Republic.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Parrott, A.C. (2002, April). Self-reports of memory ability in recreational users of "ecstasy" and cannabis: A web-based study. Poster presented at Psychopharmacology of Cannabis and Ecstasy: A joint meeting held by the Czech Neuropsychopharmacological Society and the British Association for Psychopharmacology. Brno, Czech Republic.

Parrott, A.C., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Rodgers, J. (2002, April) Ecstasy / MDMA related problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users. Poster presented at Psychopharmacology of Cannabis and Ecstasy: A joint meeting held by the Czech Neuropsychopharmacological Society and the British Association for Psychopharmacology. Brno, Czech Republic.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Parrot, A. (2002, March). A web-based study into self-reports of memory ability in recreational drug users. Poster presented at The British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Blackpool, UK.

Buchanan, T., Ali, T., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., Parrot, A., Rodgers, J., & Scholey, A.B. (2001, November). Online Research on 'Difficult' Topics: MDMA, Memory and Methodology. Paper presented at Psychology and the Internet: A European Perspective, Farnborough, UK.

Buchanan, T., & Reips, U.-D. (2001, November).Technological Biases in Online Research: Personality and Demographic Correlates of Macintosh and Javascript use. Poster presented at Psychology and the Internet: A European Perspective, Farnborough, UK.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Parrott, A. (2001, September). A web-based study of self-reports of memory ability in recreational users of "ecstasy". Paper presented at British Psychological Society Psychobiology Section Annual Scientific Meeting, Langdale, UK.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Parrott, A. (2001, July) A web-based study into self-reports of memory ability in recreational users of ‘ecstasy’. Poster presented at British Association for Psychopharmacology Summer Meeting, Harrogate, UK.

McCue, P., Scholey, A.B., Buchanan, T., & Rodgers, J. (2001, July). Self-reports of memory ability amongst individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A web-based study. Poster presented at the British Association for Psychopharmacology Summer Meeting, Harrogate, UK.

Rodgers, J., Buchanan, T., Scholey, A.B., Heffernan, T.M., Ling, J., & Parrott, A. (2001, June). Self-reports of memory ability in recreational users of ‘ecstasy’: A web-based study. Poster presented at the Joint meeting of the British Association for Psychopharmacology and the Canadian College of Neuropsychopharmacology and the Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology, Banff, Canada.

Buchanan, T., & Reips, U.-D. (2001, May). Platform-dependent biases in online research: Do Mac users really think different? Paper presented at German Online Research '01, Gottingen, Germany.

Buchanan, T., Goldberg, L.R., & Johnson, J.A. (1999, November). WWW personality assessment: Evaluation of an online Five Factor Inventory. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology, Los Angeles, CA.

Buchanan, T. (1999, October).Online personality assessment: Equivalence of traditional and WWW personality measures. Paper presented at German Online Research '99, Nuremberg, Germany.

Buchanan, T. (1999, September). WWW Research: Does it work?. Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Lancaster, UK.

Buchanan, T. (1998, November). The efficacy of a World-Wide Web mediated formative assessment. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology, Dallas, Texas.

Buchanan, T. (1998, November). Internet research: Self-monitoring and judgements of attractiveness. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology, Dallas, Texas.

Buchanan, T. (1998, September). Detection of Aggressive Priming. Poster session presented at the British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Canterbury, UK.

Smith, J.L.S, & Buchanan, T. (1998, September). Self-Monitoring: A concept for all paradigms? Paper presented at the British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Canterbury, UK.

Buchanan, T. & Smith, J. L. (1998). Doing research on the net: WWW mediated personality testing (abstract). In A. Trapp, N. Hammond & C. Manning (Eds.), CiP98 Conference Proceedings (p.23). York: CTI Centre for Psychology.