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Dr Katy Tapper

Reader in Psychology

School of Arts and Social Sciences Department of Psychology

Contact details

Address

Dr Katy Tapper D437, Rhind Building
City, University of London
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom

About

Overview

Dr Katy Tapper joined City, University of London as a Senior Lecturer in Psychology in June 2012. Previously she held positions at Swansea, Cardiff and Bangor Universities.

You can follow her on Twitter @katytapper where she tweets about psychology, health and health promotion. You can also learn more about her research at www.katytapper.com

Research

Dr Tapper's main research interests are in health behaviour and behaviour change, with a particular emphasis on healthy eating and weight loss. She has been involved in the development and evaluation of a wide range of health interventions for both adults and children. Recently she has been exploring the use of digital technologies to influence lifestyles and habits. These applied projects are informed by her more experimental work aimed at identifying and understanding variables that influence health-related behaviours. You can find out more about Dr Tapper's research at www.katy.tapper.com

Research Grants

1. Tapper, K. Mindfulness, attentional control and healthy eating. National Institute for Social Care and Health Research, Doctoral Studentship. £59,990. January 2011-December 2013.
2. Simpson, S.A., Shaw, C., Duncan, D., Cohen, D., Tapper, K., Hill, A., Hood, K., Owen-Jones, E., Blake, C., Rollnick, S., Elwyn, G. & Williams, S. Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults (WILMA). National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment. £980,576, September 2010 – March 2014.
3. Tapper, K., Maio, G., Haddock, G., Lewis, M. Lifestyle Change: Values and Volition. Economic and Social Research Council. £424,491. September 2009 – August 2013.
4. Tapper, K. & Pothos, E.M. Thinking about food: Effects on food-related attentional bias. The Nuffield Foundation. £7,366. March 2009 – August 2010.
5. Moore, L., Murphy, S., Lyons, R., Tapper, K. & Benton, D. Free School Breakfast Initiative Data Augmentation and Analysis. Medical Research Council (National Prevention Research Initiative). May 2009 – April 2011, £281,304.
6. Tapper, K., Lawrence, A. & Pothos, E.M. Development and comparison of measures of food-related attentional bias. Welsh Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. April 2007 – June 2007, £2,965.
7. Tapper, K., Shaw, C. & Moore, L. Development and piloting of an acceptance-based intervention for overweight and obese women. Welsh Office of Research and Development. March 2006 – August 2007, £72,908.
8. Pothos, E.M. & Tapper, K. Does pre-occupation with body shape / food lead to overeating? Welsh Office of Research and Development. February 2006 – January 2008, £67,139.
9. Tapper, K. & Pothos, E.M. Effects of two ideation strategies on children’s ability to delay gratification. Nuffield Foundation. January 2006 – September 2006, £7,187.
10. Moore, L., Tapper, K. & Murphy, S. Evaluation of Free School Breakfasts Initiative. National Assembly for Wales. September 2004 – August 2007, £496,181.
11. Lowe, C.F., Horne, P.J. & Tapper, K. Trials of the Food Dude Healthy Eating Programme in Ireland. Bord Glas. June 2002 – January 2004, £146,801.
12. Lowe, C.F., Horne, P.J. & Tapper, K. A pilot study of the Food Dude Healthy Eating Programme in Ireland. Fyffes. May 2002 – August 2003, £22,805.

Publications

Publications by category

Book

  1. Tapper, K. (2021). Health Psychology and Behaviour Change From Science to Practice. Red Globe Press. ISBN 978-1-137-57948-5.

Conference papers and proceedings (2)

  1. Tapper, K., Jiga-Boy, G.M., Maio, G.R. and Haddock, G. (2013). Development and assessment of the HealthValues Healthy Eating Programme: an exploratory study.
  2. Brunstrom, J., Rogers, P., Pothos, E., Tapper, K. and Caltri, R. (2008). Estimating Everyday Portion Size Using a 'Method of Constant Stimuli'.

Internet publication

  1. Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Schmid, P., Holford, D.L., Finn, A., Leask, J. … Vraga, E.K. (2021). The Covid-19 Vaccine Communication Handbook.

Journal articles (57)

  1. Bogosian, A., Hurt, C.S., Hindle, J.V., McCracken, L.M., Vasconcelos e Sa, D.A., Axell, S. … Cubi-Molla, P. (2022). Acceptability and Feasibility of a Mindfulness Intervention Delivered via Videoconferencing for People With Parkinson’s. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 35(1), pp. 155–167. doi:10.1177/0891988720988901.
  2. Farrar, S.T., Plagnol, A.C. and Tapper, K. (2022). The effect of priming on food choice: A field and laboratory study. Appetite, 168, pp. 105749–105749. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105749.
  3. Wilson, E., Senior, V. and Tapper, K. (2021). The effect of visualisation and mindfulness-based decentering on chocolate craving. Appetite, 164, pp. 105278–105278. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105278.
  4. Pothos, E.M., Lewandowsky, S., Basieva, I., Barque-Duran, A., Tapper, K. and Khrennikov, A. (2021). Information overload for (bounded) rational agents. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 288(1944), pp. 20202957–20202957. doi:10.1098/rspb.2020.2957.
  5. Farrar, S.T., Yarrow, K. and Tapper, K. (2020). The Effect of Mindfulness on Cognitive Reflection and Reasoning. Mindfulness, 11(9), pp. 2150–2160. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01429-z.
  6. Tapper, K. and Seguias, L. (2020). The effects of mindful eating on food consumption over a half-day period. Appetite, 145, pp. 104495–104495. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2019.104495.
  7. George, M.K., Bogosian, A. and Tapper, K. (2019). The effect of implementation intentions on use of dental chewing gum. Health Psychology Open, 6(1), pp. 205510291985717–205510291985717. doi:10.1177/2055102919857176.
  8. Tapper, K. and Turner, A. (2018). The effect of a mindfulness-based decentering strategy on chocolate craving. Appetite, 130, pp. 157–162. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2018.08.011.
  9. Tapper, K. and Ahmed, Z. (2018). A Mindfulness-Based Decentering Technique Increases the Cognitive Accessibility of Health and Weight Loss Related Goals. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00587.
  10. Tapper, K. (2017). Mindfulness and craving: effects and mechanisms. Clinical Psychology Review, 59, pp. 101–117. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2017.11.003.
  11. Seguias, L. and Tapper, K. (2017). The Effect of Mindful Eating on Subsequent Intake of a High Calorie Snack. Appetite, 121, pp. 93–100. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.10.041.
  12. Hunt, X., Nespola, A., Tapper, K. and Kagee, A. (2017). Sensitivity to reward and punishment: Associations with fat and sugar intake among South African students. South African Journal of Psychology, 47(2), pp. 222–232. doi:10.1177/0081246316667329.
  13. Tapper, K. (2017). Children respond to food restriction by increasing food consumption. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 40(e129). doi:10.1017/S0140525X16001540.
  14. Tapper, K. (2017). Can mindfulness influence weight management related eating behaviors? If so, how? CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW, 53, pp. 122–134. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2017.03.003.
  15. Jenkins, K.T., Benton, D., Tapper, K., Murphy, S. and Moore, L. (2015). A cross-sectional observational study of the nutritional intake of UK primary school children from deprived and non-deprived backgrounds: implications for school breakfast schemes. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1). doi:10.1186/s12966-015-0238-9.
  16. Simpson, S.A., McNamara, R., Shaw, C., Kelson, M., Moriarty, Y., Randell, E. … Hood, K. (2015). A feasibility randomised controlled trial of a motivational interviewing-based intervention for weight loss maintenance in adults. Health Technology Assessment, 19(50), pp. 1–378. doi:10.3310/hta19500.
  17. Tapper, K., Baker, L., Jiga-Boy, G., Haddock, G. and Maio, G.R. (2015). Sensitivity to reward and punishment: Associations with diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Personality and Individual Differences, 72, pp. 79–84. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2014.08.025.
  18. Tapper, K., Jiga-Boy, G., Maio, G.R., Haddock, G. and Lewis, M. (2014). Development and preliminary evaluation of an internet-based healthy eating program: randomized controlled trial. Journal of medical Internet research, 16(10). doi:10.2196/jmir.3534.
  19. Jenkins, K.T. and Tapper, K. (2014). Resisting chocolate temptation using a brief mindfulness strategy. Br J Health Psychol, 19(3), pp. 509–522. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12050.
  20. Cleobury, L. and Tapper, K. (2014). Reasons for eating 'unhealthy' snacks in overweight and obese males and females. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 27(4), pp. 333–341. doi:10.1111/jhn.12169.
  21. Murphy, S., Moore, G., Tapper, K., Lynch, R., Clarke, R., Raisanen, L. … Moore, L. (2011). Free healthy breakfasts in primary schools: A cluster randomised controlled trial of a policy intervention in Wales, UK. Public Health Nutrition, 14(2), pp. 219–226. doi:10.1017/S1368980010001886.
  22. Tapper, K., Pothos, E.M. and Lawrence, A.D. (2010). Feast Your Eyes: Hunger and Trait Reward Drive Predict Attentional Bias for Food Cues. Emotion, 10(6), pp. 949–954. doi:10.1037/a0020305.
  23. Calitri, R., Pothos, E.M., Tapper, K., Brunstrom, J.M. and Rogers, P.J. (2010). Cognitive biases to healthy and unhealthy food words predict change in BMI. Obesity, 18(12), pp. 2282–2287. doi:10.1038/oby.2010.78.
  24. Pothos, E.M. and Tapper, K. (2010). Inducing a Stroop Effect. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24(7), pp. 1021–1033. doi:10.1002/acp.1603.
  25. Moore, S.N., Murphy, S., Tapper, K. and Moore, L. (2010). The social, physical and temporal characteristics of primary school dining halls and their implications for children's eating behaviours. Health Education, 110(5), pp. 399–411. doi:10.1108/09654281011068540.
  26. Moore, S., Murphy, S., Tapper, K. and Moore, L. (2010). From policy to plate: Barriers to implementing healthy eating policies in primary schools in Wales. , 94(3), pp. 239–245.
  27. Moore, S.N., Tapper, K. and Murphy, S. (2010). Feeding strategies used by primary school meal staff and their impact on children's eating. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 23(1), pp. 78–84. doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.2009.01009.x.
  28. Moore, S.N., Tapper, K. and Murphy, S. (2010). Feeding goals sought by mothers of 3-5-year-old children. British Journal of Health Psychology, 15(1), pp. 185–196. doi:10.1348/135910709X447668.
  29. Moore, S.N., Tapper, K. and Murphy, S. (2010). Feeding goals sought by mothers of 3-5-year-old children. Br J Health Psychol, 15(Pt 1), pp. 185–196. doi:10.1348/135910709X447668.
  30. Kosnes, L., Pothos, E.M. and Tapper, K. (2010). Increased affective influence: Situational complexity or deliberation time? American Journal of Psychology, 123(1), pp. 29–38. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.1.0029.
  31. Tapper, K. and Pothos, E.M. (2010). Development and validation of a Food Preoccupation Questionnaire. Eating Behaviors, 11(1), pp. 45–53. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2009.09.003.
  32. Pothos, E.M., Calitri, R., Tapper, K., Brunstrom, J.M. and Rogers, P.J. (2009). Comparing measures of cognitive bias relating to eating behaviour. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23(7), pp. 936–952. doi:10.1002/acp.1506.
  33. Pothos, E.M., Tapper, K. and Calitri, R. (2009). Cognitive and behavioral correlates of BMI among male and female undergraduate students. Appetite, 52(3), pp. 797–800. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2009.03.002.
  34. Tapper, K., Shaw, C., Ilsley, J., Hill, A.J., Bond, F.W. and Moore, L. (2009). Exploratory randomised controlled trial of a mindfulness-based weight loss intervention for women. Appetite, 52(2), pp. 396–404. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2008.11.012.
  35. Horne, P.J., Hardman, C.A., Lowe, C.F., Tapper, K., Le Noury, J., Madden, P. … Doody, M. (2009). Increasing parental provision and children's consumption of lunchbox fruit and vegetables in Ireland: The Food Dudes intervention. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63(5), pp. 613–618. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2008.34.
  36. Moore, G.F., Tapper, K., Moore, L. and Murphy, S. (2008). Cognitive, behavioral, and social factors are associated with bias in dietary questionnaire self-reports by schoolchildren aged 9 to 11 years. J Am Diet Assoc, 108(11), pp. 1865–1873. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.08.012.
  37. Moore, L. and Tapper, K. (2008). The impact of school fruit tuck shops and school food policies on children's fruit consumption: A cluster randomised trial of schools in deprived areas. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 62(10), pp. 926–931. doi:10.1136/jech.2007.070953.
  38. Tapper, K. (2008). Book Review: Deirdre Barrett Waistland. The (R)evolutionary Science Behind Our Weight and Fitness Crisis. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007, 320 pp. $24.95 (hbk.); ISBN: 978-0-393-06216-8. Journal of Health Psychology, 13(7), pp. 968–969. doi:10.1177/13591053080130071505.
  39. Tapper, K., Pothos, E.M., Fadardi, J.S. and Ziori, E. (2008). Restraint, disinhibition and food-related processing bias. Appetite, 51(2), pp. 335–338. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2008.03.006.
  40. Brunstrom, J.M., Rogers, P.J., Pothos, E.M., Calitri, R. and Tapper, K. (2008). Estimating everyday portion size using a 'method of constant stimuli': In a student sample, portion size is predicted by gender, dietary behaviour, and hunger, but not BMI. Appetite, 51(2), pp. 296–301. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2008.03.005.
  41. Tapper, K., Murphy, S., Lynch, R., Clark, R., Moore, G.F. and Moore, L. (2008). Development of a scale to measure 9-11-year-olds' attitudes towards breakfast. Eur J Clin Nutr, 62(4), pp. 511–518. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602735.
  42. Moore, L., Moore, G.F., Tapper, K., Lynch, R., Desousa, C., Hale, J. … Murphy, S. (2007). Free breakfasts in schools: Design and conduct of a cluster randomised controlled trial of the Primary School Free Breakfast Initiative in Wales [ISRCTN18336527]. BMC Public Health, 7. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-7-258.
  43. Moore, S.N., Tapper, K. and Murphy, S. (2007). Feeding strategies used by mothers of 3-5-year-old children. Appetite, 49(3), pp. 704–707. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2007.07.009.
  44. Moore, G.F., Tapper, K., Murphy, S., Lynch, R., Raisanen, L., Pimm, C. … Moore, L. (2007). Associations between deprivation, attitudes towards eating breakfast and breakfast eating behaviours in 9-11-year-olds. Public Health Nutr, 10(6), pp. 582–589. doi:10.1017/S1368980007699558.
  45. Tapper, K., Murphy, S., Moore, L., Lynch, R. and Clark, R. (2007). Evaluating the free school breakfast initiative in Wales: Methodological issues. British Food Journal, 109(3), pp. 206–215. doi:10.1108/00070700710732538.
  46. Moore, G.F., Tapper, K., Murphy, S., Clark, R., Lynch, R. and Moore, L. (2007). Validation of a self-completion measure of breakfast foods, snacks and fruits and vegetables consumed by 9- to 11-year-old schoolchildren. Eur J Clin Nutr, 61(3), pp. 420–430. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602531.
  47. Lowe, C.F., Horne, P.J., Hardman, C.A. and Tapper, K. (2006). A peer-modeling and rewards-based intervention is effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Preventive Medicine, 43(4), p. 351. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.04.013.
  48. Tapper, K. (2006). Predation versus competition and the importance of manipulable causes. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 29(3), pp. 243–244. doi:10.1017/S0140525X06439054.
  49. Tapper, K. (2005). Motivating operations in appetite research. Appetite, 45(2), pp. 95–107. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2005.05.002.
  50. Moore, L., Tapper, K., Dennehy, A. and Cooper, A. (2005). Development and testing of a computerised 24-h recall questionnaire measuring fruit and snack consumption among 9-11 year olds. Eur J Clin Nutr, 59(7), pp. 809–816. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602146.
  51. Tapper, K. and Boulton, M.J. (2005). Victim and peer group responses to different forms of aggression among primary school children. Aggressive Behavior, 31(3), pp. 238–253. doi:10.1002/ab.20080.
  52. Horne, P.J., Tapper, K., Lowe, C.F., Hardman, C.A., Jackson, M.C. and Woolner, J. (2004). Increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption: A peer-modelling and rewards-based intervention. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 58(12), pp. 1649–1660. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602024.
  53. Tapper, K. and Boulton, M.J. (2004). Sex differences in levels of physical, verbal, and indirect aggression amongst primary school children and their associations with beliefs about aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 30(2), pp. 123–145. doi:10.1002/ab.20010.
  54. Lowe, C.F., Horne, P.J., Tapper, K., Bowdery, M. and Egerton, C. (2004). Effects of a peer modelling and rewards-based intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in children. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 58(3), pp. 510–522. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601838.
  55. Tapper, K., Horne, P.J. and Lowe, C.F. (2003). The food dudes to the rescue! Psychologist, 16(1), pp. 18–21.
  56. Tapper, K. and Boulton, M.J. (2002). Studying Aggression in School Children: The Use of a Wireless Microphone and Micro-Video Camera. Aggressive Behavior, 28(5), pp. 356–365. doi:10.1002/ab.80009.
  57. Tapper, K. and Boulton, M. (2000). Social representations of physical, verbal, and indirect aggression in children: Sex and age differences. Aggressive Behavior, 26(6), pp. 442–454. doi:10.1002/1098-2337(200011)26:63.0.CO;2-C.