Michael Pluess

Michael Pluess is Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Surrey's School of Psychology within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. He serves as Programme Director for the MSc Psychology (Conversion) programme and founded the Environmental Sensitivity Research Group. His expertise spans differential susceptibility theory, gene-environment interactions, and resilience in humanitarian contexts.

Education:

• BSc Psychology, University of Basel (2005)
• MSc Clinical Psychology, University of Basel (2007)
• PhD Psychology, University of Basel (2009)

Research focuses on three primary areas: individual differences in Environmental Sensitivity, Positive Development interventions for psychological well-being, and Mental Health/Resilience in humanitarian crises. His work integrates genetic, physiological, and behavioral approaches to understand developmental plasticity across the lifespan.

Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on longitudinal studies and randomized trials examining sensitivity phenotypes across diverse populations. Recent work emphasizes refugee mental health interventions, epigenetic markers of trauma, and cross-cultural validation of sensitivity measures.

Current PhD supervision includes Tom Falkenstein (Queen Mary University), Jenni Kähkönen, and Yuanyuan Huang. Leads multiple international research consortia including the BIOPATH study on Syrian refugee children and development of telephone-delivered psychological interventions in humanitarian settings.

Research affiliations include Associate Academic at Queen Mary University's Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology and membership in the British Psychological Society.