معرفی
David Stewart Barron is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) and serves as Director of Research and Enterprise for the Malaysian campus. He previously held roles as Deputy Director and Reader at Perdana University’s Centre for Psychological Medicine, and as a Psychology Technician and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster. His academic background includes a BA (Hons.) and MRes from the University of Strathclyde, and a PhD from the University of Westminster.
- Director of Research and Enterprise: Oversees all research activities, accreditation, and global collaborations across HWUM’s 5 programs. Manages B2B partnerships, upskilling initiatives, and short courses.
- Associate Professor: Teaches research methods and supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students in psychology.
Research Interests
David’s expertise centers on individual differences, conspiracy theories, and body image. He has pioneered cross-cultural studies on psychological scales, including the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), demonstrating their measurement invariance across 65 nations. He also explores the intersection of nature exposure, self-compassion, and positive body image. His work emphasizes global mental health and psychometric rigor in non-Western contexts.
Grants & Projects
- Malaysian Medical Association Foundation (2020): RM2,500 for studying misinformation diffusion during the pandemic.
- Malaysian Medical Association Foundation (2020): RM3,272 to measure gratitude in Malaysia.
- POSCO TJ Park Foundation (2018): $9,420 for inter-ethnic understanding via cinema activities.
- University of Westminster (2015): £1,500 examining schizotypal traits in British and Trinidadian adults.
Labs & Collaborations
Leads international collaborations on cross-cultural psychology, including studies in Malaysia, Romania, Spain, and the Philippines. His work features large-scale global datasets and emphasizes methodological innovation in psychological measurement.
