Chris Pawson

Staff profile

Reader in Anthrozoology

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Career Overview

I began working in the field of psychologically-informed interventions with the UK Home Office in 2000 before completing a PhD and postgraduate qualification in Clinical and Community Psychology. Having worked as a Principal Lecturer and Director of Learning and Teaching in London, I then relocated to Bristol in 2014 to take up a post as Head of Psychology and Associate Head of the Department for Health and Social Sciences.


As a psychologist, I am interested in a range of animal behaviours and have always been particularly interested in what we can learn about humans from observing non-human animals. I am particularly interested in how knowledge of both human and non-human animal behaviour can be integrated and applied to solve challenges such as human-wildlife conflict. My anthrozoological research interests also include exploration of various ways in which our interactions with nature and other animals can support human mental health, well-being and education.

Teaching and supervision

Anthrozoology (MRes/MSc)

  • Human-Animal Bond
  • Masters Dissertation Supervision

Human-Animal Interaction (BSc)

  • Psychology for Anthrozoology
  • Applied Psychology for Anthrozoology
  • Animals in Society
  • Human Behaviour Change for Animals

Research interests

I conduct research in the field of animal behaviour and cognition, and human-animal interactions. My research involves the application of psychological and ethological frameworks to a wide range of applied issues concerning human well-being and animal welfare, including human-wildlife conflict and conservation challenges.

Current PhD Students:
- Ms Natalie Powdrill-Wells - Companion Animal Welfare: Application of the Integrated Behaviour Model to Understand and Change Owner Behaviour.

- Ms Georgia Oaten - Exploring the interplay between zoo visitors and animal wellbeing

- Mr Joe Goodenough - Mental Health and Wellbeing in Dairy Farmers: Risk Factors, Challenges and Opportunities.

- Ms Rebecca Whitefield - Communities, conservation and commodities: Investigating wildlife value orientations (WVOs) of ground-level stakeholders sharing resources in a safari tourism hotspot.

Animal degrees

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