Helgi Clayton McClure

Helgi Clayton McClure serves as a Lecturer at York St John University within the School of Education, Language and Psychology. He joined the faculty in summer 2023 following the completion of his PhD at York St John University (2018-2022) and a postdoctoral position at the University of Hull (2022-2023).

Dr. McClure's research program spans several interconnected domains of cognitive and educational psychology:

• The cognitive mechanisms underlying spontaneous future thought
• Cognitive and motivational factors influencing student performance and wellbeing
• The nature and function of future-oriented emotions
• The role of perceived control in health behavior adoption

His scholarly contributions reveal a consistent focus on how future thinking shapes present behavior, motivation, and emotional experiences. McClure's work bridges theoretical cognitive psychology with practical applications in educational settings and health behavior change, particularly examining how mental simulations of future events can influence current decision-making and goal pursuit.

As an educator, Dr. McClure teaches across multiple levels of the Psychology program, including Cognition (Year 1), Social Psychology (Year 2), Advanced Research Methods (Year 2), and Research Paper/Dissertation (Year 3). He also works with Foundation Year students and leads the SI-PASS peer mentoring scheme. His professional engagements include membership in the Experimental Psychology Society and the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, along with public outreach activities through initiatives like Pint of Science and the York Festival of Ideas.

Dr. McClure collaborates with multidisciplinary partners to extend his research insights into practical applications for achieving health goals, such as weight loss and treatment adherence. His laboratory work focuses on the cognitive mechanisms of future thinking and their implications for educational practice and wellbeing.