Dr Laura Ferris
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for the Business and Economics of Health
Researcher biography
Dr Laura Ferris is a Senior Lecturer in Management and Clinical Psychologist at the UQ Business School. Her research investigates pain, suffering and other intense human experiences, drawing on organisational, clinical, and social psychological approaches. Dr Ferris and her team use integrative mixed methods to examine group formation and cohesion, ostracism, conformity, risk-taking, intergroup threat perception, and broader social identity processes in organisational settings. Her interdisciplinary work is informed by a background in public service, law and justice policy, and multiagency crisis response. Dr Ferris also maintains a private practice in clinical psychology.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Law, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Postgraduate Diploma, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Masters (Research), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Publications
Book Chapters
Ferris, Laura and Hornsey, Matthew (2026). Vaccine Demand: Theory and Evidence on Psychological and Social Drivers. Socio-Technological Relationships in Vaccine Systems. (pp. 193-213) Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-8349-2_9
Ferris, Laura J. (2019). Hurt feelings: physical pain, social exclusion, and the psychology of pain overlap. Current Directions in Ostracism, Social Exclusion and Rejection Research. (pp. 100-119) edited by Selma Rudert, Rainer Greifeneder and Kipling Williams. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781351255912
Journal Articles
Paterson, Estrella, Way, Kïrsten A., Paterson, Neil A.B. and Ferris, Laura J. (2026). Occupational stress in anaesthetists: a narrative review of psychosocial risk management using a human factors systems approach. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 137 (2), 579-590. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2026.04.037
Ferris, Laura J., Cruwys, Tegan, Young, Tarli, Bastian, Brock and Jetten, Jolanda (2026). Benign masochism in the wild: pleasure predicts social identification at aversive mass gatherings. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 21 (4), 709-719. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2025.2512810
Hamer, Katarzyna, Penczek, Marta, Marcinkowska, Karolina, Nowak, Bartek, Branowska, Katarzyna, Sparkman, David, Loy, Laura S., Baran, Maria, Okvitawanli, Ayu, Gkinopoulos, Theofilos, Hackett, Justin D., Bertin, Paul, Carmona, Margarida, Guerra, Rita, Wlodarczyk, Anna, Akello, Grace, Albarello, Flavia, Ashraf, Mujeeba, Bednarowicz, Maja, Beixiang, Liang, Benningstad, Nora, Bierwiaczonek, Kinga, Bornman, Elirea, Bosak, Janine, Darkwah, Ernest, Delouvee, Sylvain, Eder, Stephanie J., Enea, Violeta, Espinosa, Augustin ... Yemelyanova, Yelena (2026). Beyond WEIRD societies: global social identifications across 45 countries and their socio-cultural and economic predictors. Political Psychology, 47 (3) e70134. doi: 10.1111/pops.70134
Ferris, Laura J., Hawke, Philip, Knight, Emma, Burton, Nicola W. and Keating, Shelley E. (2026). Physical activity to reduce cardiometabolic risk in veterans and their families: protocol for an interdisciplinary investigation with toolkit co-design. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7 1716823, 1-8. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1716823
Ferris, Laura J., Kang, Jemima, Rathbone, Joanne A., Cruwys, Tegan, Stevens, Mark, Donaldson, Jessica L., Ranse, Jamie and Barlow, Fiona Kate (2025). Vaccine uptake and adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions at a youth mass gathering event: a longitudinal field cohort study. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 65 102853, 102853. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102853
Foran, Aoife-Marie, Cruwys, Tegan, Rathbone, Joanne A., Ferris, Laura J., Jetten, Jolanda, McMahon, Grace, Manunta, Efisio, Whelan, Éadaoin and Muldoon, Orla T. (2025). Multiple group membership and trust protect against distress in the context of unwanted sexual experiences at a youth mass gathering. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 41 (5-6), 8862605251318278-1036. doi: 10.1177/08862605251318278
Hornsey, Matthew J., Tyson, Courtney, Ferris, Laura J., Crimston, Charlie R., Faulkner, Callum and Barlow, Fiona Kate (2025). The cosmic calendar: being reminded of the vastness of time can improve wellbeing. Journal of Positive Psychology, 21 (2), 1-12. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2025.2481039
Knight, Emma B., O’Quinn, Richard, Young, Tarli, Brienza, Justin P. and Ferris, Laura J. (2024). Scoping review of veterans’ disclosure of mental health concerns or medical conditions in the workplace and other settings: study protocol. BMJ Open, 14 (12) e083574, e083574. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083574
Ferris, Laura J., Ludlow, Kristiana, Walker, Nicole, Georgiou, Andrew, Henry, Julie D., Lopez Silva, Claudia, Ha, Diep H., Stormon, Nicole, Walsh, Laurence J., Ivanovski, Saso, Sexton, Christopher, Silveira Schuch, Helena, Tuffaha, Haitham, Zamora, Angelique, Pritchard, Lyndal and Do, Loc G. (2024). Modified Oral Health Assessment Tool (M-OHAT) for residential aged care: A co-design protocol. Healthcare, 12 (19) 1953, 1-10. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12191953
Ferris, Laura J., Hornsey, Matthew J., Morosoli, José J., Milfont, Taciano L. and Barlow, Fiona Kate (2024). A 30-nation investigation of lay heritability beliefs. Public Understanding of Science, 33 (8), 940-960. doi: 10.1177/09636625241245030
Rathbone, Joanne A., Cruwys, Tegan, Stevens, Mark, Ferris, Laura J. and Reynolds, Katherine J. (2023). The reciprocal relationship between social identity and adherence to group norms. British Journal of Social Psychology, 62 (3), 1346-1362. doi: 10.1111/bjso.12635
Beckwith, D., Ferris, L.J., Cruwys, T., Hutton, A., Hertelendy, A. and Ranse, J. (2023). Psychosocial interventions and strategies to support young people at mass gathering events: a scoping review. Public Health, 220, 187-195. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.05.006
Ferris, Laura J., Cruwys, Tegan, Rathbone, Joanne A., Stevens, Mark and Jiang, Yawei (2023). Managing youth leisure mass gatherings: a coordinated service response for ‘Safer Schoolies’. Leisure Studies, 42 (5), 769-787. doi: 10.1080/02614367.2022.2143877
Paterson, E., Paterson, N. A. B. and Ferris, L. J. (2022). Mental health and well‐being of anaesthetists during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a scoping review. Anaesthesia, 78 (2), 197-206. doi: 10.1111/anae.15879
Rathbone, Joanne A, Stevens, Mark, Cruwys, Tegan and Ferris, Laura J (2022). COVID-safe behaviour before, during and after a youth mass gathering event: a longitudinal cohort study. BMJ Open, 12 (7) e058239, 1-9. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058239
Neuhaus, Maike, Young, Tarli, Ferris, Laura J., Grimmel, Charlotte L. M. and Reid, Natasha (2022). A narrative review of peer-led positive psychology interventions: current evidence, potential, and future directions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (13) 8065, 1-15. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19138065
Stevens, Mark, Cruwys, Tegan, Rathbone, Joanne A., Ferris, Laura and Graupensperger, Scott (2021). Predicting substance use at a youth mass gathering event: The role of norms and the importance of their source. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 82 (3), 320-329. doi: 10.15288/jsad.2021.82.320
Bastian, B., Jetten, J. and Ferris, L. J. (2021). Corrigendum: Pain as social glue: shared pain increases cooperation. Psychological Science, 32 (4), 631-631. doi: 10.1177/09567976211004119
Cruwys, Tegan, Greenaway, Katharine H., Ferris, Laura J., Rathbone, Joanne A., Saeri, Alexander K., Williams, Elyse, Parker, Stacey L., Chang, Melissa X-L., Croft, Nicholas, Bingley, William and Grace, Laura (2020). When trust goes wrong: a social identity model of risk taking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 120 (1), 57-83. doi: 10.1037/pspi0000243
Meurk, Carla, Wittenhagen, Lisa, Steele, Megan L., Ferris, Laura, Edwards, Bronwen, Bosley, Emma and Heffernan, Ed (2020). Examining the use of police and ambulance data in suicide research: a systematic scoping review of data linkage studies. Crisis, 42 (5), 1-11. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000739
Ferris, Laura J., Jetten, Jolanda, Hornsey, Matthew J. and Bastian, Brock (2019). Feeling hurt: revisiting the relationship between social and physical pain. Review of General Psychology, 23 (3), 320-335. doi: 10.1177/1089268019857936
Cruwys, Tegan, Saeri, Alexander K., Radke, Helena R. M., Walter, Zoe C., Crimston, Charlie and Ferris, Laura J. (2019). Risk and protective factors for mental health at a youth mass gathering. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28 (2), 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1163-7
Ferris, Laura J., Radke, Helena R. M., Walter, Zoe C. and Crimston, Charlie R. (2019). Divide and conquer? Identity, threat, and moral justification of violence at the G20. Australian Journal of Psychology, 71 (3) ajpy.12249, 312-321. doi: 10.1111/ajpy.12249
Ferris, Laura J., Jetten, Jolanda, Molenberghs, Pascal, Bastian, Brock and Karnadewi, Fika (2016). Increased pain communication following multiple group memberships salience leads to a relative reduction in pain-related brain activity. PLoS One, 11 (9) e0163117, e0163117. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163117
Ferris, Laura J., Jetten, Jolanda, Johnstone, Melissa, Girdham, Elise, Parsell, Cameron and Walter, Zoe C. (2016). The Florence Nightingale effect: Organizational identification explains the peculiar link between others' suffering and workplace functioning in the homelessness sector. Frontiers in Psychology, 7 (JAN) 16, 16.1-16.15. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00016
Bastian, Brock, Jetten, Jolanda and Ferris, Laura J. (2014). Pain as social glue: shared pain increases cooperation. Psychological Science, 25 (11), 2079-2085. doi: 10.1177/0956797614545886
Conference Papers
Ludlow, Kristiana, Ferris, Laura, Walker, Nicole, See, Lydia, Zamora, Angelique, Pritchard, Lyndal, Silveira Schuch, Helena, Ha, Diep Hong, Stormon, Nicole, Walsh, Laurence J., Lopez Silva, Claudia, Sexton, Christopher, McNamara, Steven, Fung, Cheuk Kee C., Brodie, Alison, Henry, Julie, Nangle, Matthew, Georgiou, Andrew, Ivanovski, Saso, Tuffaha, Haitham, Ramsey, Sarah, Head, Tamatha and Do, Loc Giang (2025). Co-designing M-OHAT: Modified Oral Health Assessment Tool for Age Care. International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, Barcelona, Spain, 25-28 June 2025.
See, Lydia, Ludlow, Kristiana, Ha, Diep, Fung, Cheuk-Kee, Walsh, Laurence J., Pritchard, Lyndal, Zamora, Angelique, McNamara, Steven, Silveira Schuch, Helena, Lopez Silva, Claudia, Stormon, Nicole, Ferris, Laura, Walker, Nicole, Sexton, Christopher, Henry, Julie, Georgiou, Andrew, Nangle, Matthew, Ivanovski, Saso, Tuffaha, Haitham, Ramsey, Sarah, Head, Tamatha and Do, Loc (2025). Multi-disciplinary clinical collaboration in modifying the Oral Health Assessment Tool. International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, Barcelona, Spain, 25-28 June 2025.
Zhang, Mingzhe, Ferris, Laura J., Yue, Lin and Xu, Miao (2024). Emotionally guided symbolic music generation using diffusion models: the AGE-DM approach. MMAsia '24, Auckland, New Zealand, 3 - 6 December 2024. New York, NY, United States: ACM. doi: 10.1145/3696409.3700289
Meurk, Carla, Ferris, Laura J., Wittenhagen, L., Davidson, F., Steele, M., Waterson, E., Bosley, E., Edwards, B. and Heffernan, E. (2020). Partners in Prevention: Understanding and enhancing first responses to suicide crisis situations - Context and methods. TheMHS, Brisbane, Queensland, 27-30 August . Australia: TheMHS Learning Network.
Data Collection
Do, Loc, Ludlow, Kristiana, Walker, Nicole, Ferris, Laura, Ha, Diep, Schuch, Helena Silveira, Lopez Silva, Claudia Patricia, Stormon, Nicole, Walsh, Laurence J, Fung, Cheuk Candy, Khan, Sadaf Aiman, Le, Thu, McNamara, Steven, Pritchard, Lyndal, See, Lydia, Zamora, Angelique, Georgiou, Andrew, Henry, Julie, Ivanovski, Saso, Nangle, Matthew, Christopher Sexton, Tuffaha, Haitham, Head, Tamantha, Ramsey, Sarah, Couper, Erin and Wood, Leanne (2025). Interdisciplinary Co-designed Modified Oral Health Assessment Tool (M-OHAT). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/64d7b35
Newspaper Article
Research Reports
Rathbone, J.A., Cruwys, T., Donaldson, J.L., Ferris, L.J. and Stevens, M. (2022). The psychology of Schoolies 2021: Seventh annual report on risk taking, wellbeing, and social connections among school leavers. The Australian National University.
Cruwys, T., Rathbone, J.A., Ferris, L.J. and Stevens, M. (2021). The psychology of Schoolies 2020: Sixth annual report on risk taking, wellbeing, and social connetions among school leavers. The Australian National University.
Cruwys, T., Rathbone, J.A., Ferris, L.J. and Stevens, M. (2020). The psychology of Schoolies 2019: Fifth annual report on risk taking, wellbeing and social connections in attendees of Schoolies. The Australian National University.
Cruwys, T., Rathbone, J.A. and Ferris, L.J. (2019). The Psychology of Schoolies 2018: Fourth annual report on risk taking, wellbeing, and social connections in attendees of Schoolies. The Australian National University: Social Identity and Groups Network (SIGN).
Cruwys, T., Williams, E. and Ferris, L.J. (2018). The psychology of Schoolies 2017: Third annual report of risk taking, wellbeing and social connections in attendees of Schoolies. The Australian National University: Social Identity and Groups Network (SIGN).
Ferris, L. J., Radke, H. R. M., Walter, Z. C. and Crimston, C. R. (2016). Understanding 'Schoolies': Psychosocial Report on Schoolies 2015. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.
Theses
Ferris, Laura Jane (2018). Feeling hurt: advances in the social psychology of pain. PhD Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2018.347
Ferris, Laura J. (2014). Taking the Hard Road, or Walking Alongside: Dealing With Client Suffering in the Homelessness Sector. Honours Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland.