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My team and I are interested in socially relevant psychological signals, from perception (e.g., of bodily signals, faces), to cognition (e.g., decision-making, mentalising, creativity), and behaviour (e.g., masking, pro-environmental). We are especially interested in how these processes operate in neurodivergent people and thereby aim to improve understanding of mental health conditions.

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I teach undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Applied Psychology.

 

I have restricted interests in the K&A towpath, Epicureanism, Bergamo, and my beautiful son Cass.

Dr Punit Shah 

BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA
Associate Professor

 

+(44)7428153837

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p.shah (at) bath.ac.uk

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Papers

Papers

* Joint Contribution

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Livingston, L. A., Hargitai, L. D., & Shah, P. (in press). The Double Empathy Problem: A derivation chain analysis and cautionary note. Psychological Review.

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Jones, C. R. G., Livingston, L. A., Fretwell, C., Uljarevic, M., Carrington, S., Shah, P., Leekam, S. (in press). Measuring self and informant perspectives of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs): Psychometric evaluation of the Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-3 (RBQ-3) in adult clinical practice and research settings. Molecular Autism.

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Waldren. L.H., Livingston, L. A., Clutterbuck, R. A., Walton, E., Callan, M. J., & Shah, P. (accepted). The importance of using an optimal cut-off value for the 10-Item Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ10). Psychological Assessment.

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Leung, Y. N. F., Livingston, L. A., Mason, D., & Shah, P. (in press). Quantifying the contribution of specific autistic traits to quality of life in autistic adults. Neurodiversity.

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Callan, M. J., Sutton, R. M.,...Shah, P.,...Skylark, W. J (under revision). Personal relative deprivation and locus of control. Journal of Personality.

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Layinka, O. Hargitai, L. D., Shah, P., Waldren, L. H., Leung, Y. N. F. (2024). Five interdisciplinary tensions and opportunities in neurodiversity research. eLife.

Mears, K., Cooper, K., Shah, P., Rai, D., & Ashwin, C. (in press).
A systematic review of gender dysphoria measures in autistic samplesArchives of Sexual Behavior. 

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Shah, P. & Holmes, J. (2024). Neurodiversity: Towards an interdisciplinary approach. Neurodiversity.

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Waldren, L. H., Leung, Y. N. F., Hargitai, L. D., Burgoyne, A. P., Licerald, V. R. T., Livingston, L. A., Shah, P. (2024). Unpacking the overlap between Autism and ADHD in adults: A multi-method approach. Cortex

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Leung, Y. N. F., Shah, P., Mason, D., & Livingston, L. A. (2023). Re-examining the association between the age of learning one is autistic and adult outcomes. Autism.

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Clutterbuck, R. A., Callan, M. J., & Shah, P. (2023). Socio-demographic and political predictors of theory of mind in adulthood. PLoS One

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Livingston, L. A., Shah, P., & Happé, F. G. E. (2023). Linearly integrating speed and accuracy to measure individual differences in theory of mind: Evidence from autistic and neurotypical adults. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

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Taylor, E. C., Livingston, L. A., Clutterbuck, R. A., Callan, M. J., & Shah, P. (2023). Psychological strengths and wellbeing: Strengths use predicts quality of life, wellbeing and mental health in autism. Autism

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Hargitai, L. D., Livingston, L. A., Waldren, L. H., Robinson, R., Jarrold, C., & Shah, P. (2023). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder traits are more predictive of internalising problems than autistic traits. Scientific Reports.

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Nørkær, E.,, Guðbjörnsdóttir, E., Roest, S. B., Shah, P., Gerlach, C., & Starrfelt, R. (2023). The Danish version of the 20-item prosopagnosia index (PI20): Translation, validation and the link to face perception. Brain Sciences.

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Waldren, L. H., Livingston, L. A., & Shah, P. (accepted). Is there an optimal self-report measure to investigate autism-related sex differences? Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

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Player, L. K., Prosser, A. M. B., Thorman, D., Tirion, A., Whitmarsh, L., Kurz, T.*, & Shah, P* (2023). Quantifying the importance of socio-demographic, travel-related, and psychological predictors of low emission zone acceptability. Journal of Environmental Psychology.

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Taylor, E. C., Farmer, G. D., Livingston, L. A., Callan, M. J.*, & Shah, P*. (2022). Rethinking fast and slow processing in autism. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

 

Livingston, L. A., Waldren, L. H, Walton, E., & Shah, P. (2022). Emotion processing differences mediate the link between sex and autism spectrum disorder traits in young adulthood. JCPP Advances.

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Waldren, L. H., Livingston, L. A., Leung, Y. N. F., & Shah, P. (2022). Using network analysis to improve understanding and utility of the 10-item autism-spectrum quotient (AQ10). Experimental Results.

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Waldren. L.H., Livingston, L. A., Clutterbuck, R. A., Callan, M. J., Walton, E., & Shah, P. (2022, preprint). Using incorrect cut-off values in autism screening tools: the consequences for psychological science.

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Clutterbuck, R. A., Livingston, L. A., & Shah, P. (2022). The Four-Item Mentalising Index (FIMI) is a valid, reliable, and practical way to assess mentalising: Reply to Murphy et al. (2022). Psychological Assessment.

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Hobbs, C., Shah, P., & Button, K. (2022). Is depression associated with reduced optimistic belief updating? Royal Society Open Science.

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Burton, J., Harris, A. J. L., Shah, P., & Hahn, U. (2022). Optimism where there is none: Asymmetric belief updating observed with valence-neutral life events. Cognition.

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Taylor, E. C., Livingston, L. A., Callan, M. J., Hanel, P. H. P., & Shah, P. (2021). Do autistic traits predict pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, and climate change belief? Journal of Environmental Psychology.

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White, R., Livingston, L. A., Taylor, E. C., Close, S. A., Shah, P.*, Callan, M. J.* (2022). Understanding the contributions

of trait autism and anxiety to extreme demand avoidance in adulthood. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Waldren, L. H., Clutterbuck, R. A, Shah, P. (2021). Erroneous NICE guidance on autism screening. The Lancet Psychiatry.

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Clutterbuck, R. A.*, Shah, P.*, Leung, H. S, Callan, M. J., Gjersoe, N., Livingston, L. A. (2021). Anthropomorphic tendencies in autism: A conceptual replication and extension of White and Remington (2019) and preliminary development of a novel anthropomorphism measure. Autism.

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Livingston, L. A.*, Shah, P.*, White, S., & Happé, F. (2021). Further developing the Frith-Happé animations: A quicker, more objective, and web-based test of theory of mind for autistic and non-autistic adultsAutism Research.

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Taylor, E. C., Livingston, L. A., Callan, M. J., Ashwin, C., & Shah, P. (2021). Autonomic dysfunction in autism: The roles of anxiety, depression, and stress. Autism

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Clutterbuck, R. A., Callan, M. J., Taylor, E. C., Livingston, L. A., & Shah, P. (2021). Development and validation of the four-item mentalising index (FIMI). Psychological Assessment. [Online Questionnaire][Downloadable Questionnaire].

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Livingston, L. A., Kumarendran, S., & Shah, P. (2021). Compensation. Cortex.

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Shand, A. J.*, Close, S. A. D.*, & Shah, P. (2020). Greater autism knowledge and contact with autistic people are independently associated with favourable attitudes towards autistic people. Experimental Results.

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Taylor, E.C., Clutterbuck, R. A., Player, L., Shah, P., & Callan, M. J. (2020). The role of karmic beliefs in immanent justice reasoningPsychology of Religion and Spirituality.

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Hanel, P. H. P. & Shah, P. (2020). Simplifying the measurement of attitudes towards autistic people. Experimental Results

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Livingston, L. A., Ashwin, C., & Shah, P. (2020). Electronic communication in autism spectrum conditions. Molecular Autism.

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Taylor, E. C, Livingston, L. A., Clutterbuck, R. A., & Shah, P. (2020). Psychometric concerns with the 10-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ10) as a measure of trait autism in the general population. Experimental Results.

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Livingston, L. A., Shah, P., Milner, V., & Happé (2020). Quantifying compensatory strategies in adults with and without diagnosed autism. Molecular Autism.

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​Taylor, E. C., Livingston, L. A., Callan, M. J., & Shah, P.  (2019). Divergent contributions of autistic traits to social psychological knowledge. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Livingston, L. A., Shah, P., & Happé, F. (2019). Compensatory strategies below the behavioural surface in autism. The Lancet Psychiatry.

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Shah, P*., Livingston, L. A.*, Callan, M. J., & Player, L. (2019). Trait autism is a better predictor of empathy than alexithymia. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Livingston, L.A., Carr, B., & Shah, P. (2019). Recent advances and new directions in measuring theory of mind in autistic adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Livingston, L.A., Shah, P., & Happé, F. (2018). Compensation in autism is not consistent with social motivation theory. Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

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Ventura, P., Livingston, L. A., & Shah, P. (2018). Adults have moderate-to-good insight into their face recognition ability: Further validation of the 20-item prosopagnosia index (PI20) in a portuguese sampleQuarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

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Livingston, L. A. & Shah, P.  (2017). People with and without prosopagnosia have insight into their face recognition abilityQuarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

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Shah, P, Catmur, C., & Bird, G. (2017). From heart to mind: Linking interoception, emotion, and theory of mindCortex.

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Shah, P, Catmur, C., & Bird, G. (2016). Emotional decision-making in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The roles of interoception and alexithymiaMolecular Autism.

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Shah, P., Harris, A. J. L, Bird, G., Catmur, C., & Hahn, U. (2016). A pessimistic view of optimistic belief updating. Cognitive Psychology.

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Shah, P. (2016). Book review: Interoception - the eighth sensory systemJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Shah, P., Hall, R., Catmur, C., & Bird, G. (2016). Alexithymia, not autism, is associated with impaired interoceptionCortex

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Shah, P., Bird, G., & Cook, R. (2016). Face processing in autism spectrum disorder: Reduced integration of cross-feature dynamicsCortex.

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Shah, P. (2016). Identification, diagnosis and treatment of developmental prosopagnosiaThe British Journal of Psychiatry.

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Shah,P., Sowden, S., Gaule, A., Catmur, C., & Bird, G., (2015). The twenty-item prosopagnosia index: Relationship to the Glasgow Face Matching TestRoyal Society Open Science[Download Questionnaire] 

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Shah, P., Gaule, A., Sowden, S., Bird, G., & Cook, R. (2015). The twenty-item prosopagnosia index (PI20): A self-report instrument for identifying developmental prosopagnosiaRoyal Society Open Science

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Shah, P., Happé, F., Sowden, S., Cook, R., & Bird, G. (2015). Orienting towards face-like stimuli in early childhoodChild Development.

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Shah, P. & Sowden, S. (2015). Insights into social perception in autismThe Journal of Neuroscience.

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Shah, P., Gaule, A., Gaigg, S., Bird, G., & Cook, R. (2015). Probing short-term face memory in developmental prosopagnosiaCortex.

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Sowden, S., & Shah, P. (2014). Self-other control: a candidate mechanism for social cognitive functionFrontiers in Human Neuroscience.

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Santiesteban, I., Shah, P., White, S., Bird, G., & Heyes, C. (2014). Mentalizing or submentalizing in a communication task? Evidence from autism and a camera control. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

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Cook, R.*, Brewer, R.*, Shah, P.*, & Bird, G. (2014). Intact facial adaptation in autistic adultsAutism Research.

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Shah, P., Gaule, A., Bird, G., & Cook, R. (2013). Robust orienting to protofacial stimuli in autismCurrent Biology. Commentary by Johnson (2014).

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Harris, A. J. L, Shah, P., Catmur, C., Bird, G., &  Hahn, U. (2013). Autism, optimism and positive events: Evidence against a general optimistic bias. In M. Knauff, M. Pauen, N. Sebanz, & I. Wachsmuth (Eds.). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

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Cage, E., Pellicano, E., Shah, P., & Bird, G. (2013). Reputation management: Evidence for intact ability but reduced propensity in adults with autismAutism Research.

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Cook, R.*, Brewer, R.*, Shah, P., & Bird, G. (2013). Alexithymia, not autism, predicts poor recognition of emotional facial expressionsPsychological Science.

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Shah, P. (2012). Toward a neurobiology of unrealistic optimismFrontiers in Psychology.

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Media

Media

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Science Communication

Shah, P., Happe, F., & Bird, G. (2014) The social brain' and its disorders. Brain Awareness Day, King's College, London.

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Shah, P. (2014). BSA/EPS Prize Talk: A pessimistic view of optimistic belief updating. British Science Festival, Birmingham.

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Shah, P. (2015). Big Picture Prize: A baby’s view of the protofaceThe Psychologist.


Shah, P. (2016). Guide to... you and your baby: Babies love facesThe Psychologist.

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Shah, P. (2016). People with autism make more logical decisions. Scientific American.

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Shah, P. (2017). Reality in the face of optimism. Wellcome Collection - When Species Meet: Hope, Wellcome Collection, London.

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Livingston, L. A. & Shah, P. (2017). How coping mechanisms allow autistic people to manage their condition. The Conversation.

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Shah, P. (2018). Face processing and social situations. The Psychologist.

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Taylor, E., Livingston, L. A., & Shah, P. (2019). Autism is linked to lower levels of empathy – but that may not be a bad thing. The Conversation.

 

Livingston, L.A., Happé, F., Shah, P. (2019). How autism can be hidden from society using psychological strategies. The Conversation.

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Livingston, L.A., Happé, F., Shah, P. (2019). How autistic people use compensatory strategies to cope with daily life. Spectrum.

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Shah, P. (2019). Has 'mental health' awareness gone too far? TedXBath.

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Clutterbuck, R., Taylor, E., & Shah, P. (2020). Are autistic personality tests reliable? The Conversation.

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Shah, P. (2020). Staff Spotlight on... Punit Shah, Senior Lecturer, Psychology.

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Clutterbuck, R., Livingston, L. A., Callan, M. J., & Shah (2021). The science of ‘mind-reading’: our new test reveals how well we understand others. The Conversation.

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Waldren, L., Clutterbuck, R., & Shah, P. (2021). Mistake discovered in autism guidelines – many could have missed a diagnosis. The Conversation.

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Shah, P. (2022). The underclass psychologist. The Psychologist.

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Shah, P., Hargitai, L. D., & Livingston, L. A. (2022). Elon Musk: how being autistic may make him think differentlyThe Conversation.

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Hargitai, L., Livingston, L. A., Shah, P. (2023). ADHD more strongly linked to anxiety and depression compared to autism. The Conversation.

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Hargitai, L., Livingston, L. A., Shah, P. (2023). Do we have more empathy for people who are similar to us? New research suggests it’s not that simple. The Conversation.

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Team

Current Team

FL

Florence Leung (BSc Bristol, MSc York, PhD Reading) - Post-doc - challenging behaviours in autistic children

Lucy_Waldren_edited

Lucy Waldren (MSci York) - ESRC PhD Student - Advancing measurement of autism

Luca Hargitai

Luca Hargitai (BA Oxon, MSc Bath) - ESRC PhD Student - Improving concetualisation and measurement of ADHD traits

Jola

Jola Layinka (BSc Exeter, MSc Cardiff) - Adaptive Strengths in Neurodevelopmental Conditions

AJS

Alanna Shand - Research Assistant - Attitudes to Autism

I welcome interest from students/ fellows interested in (social) cognition, autism, neurodevelopmental conditions and, more generally, experimental psychology and mental health. I am also happy to support undergraduate and masters students who are interested in a research rotation. Please send your cv and an email request to p.shah@bath.ac.uk. 

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