Classification & Attribution Lab 

About

The UCD Classification & Attribution Lab was established by Dr Cliódhna O’Connor in 2020. The lab forms a hub for research exploring the social and psychological processes through which we classify individuals into social categories and attribute causal explanations for those groups’ characteristics. For an up-to-date list of members, publications and activities, visit the lab website.

The Classification & Attribution Lab comprises a growing network of faculty, postgraduate students and research assistants. While we take a primarily social psychological approach to advance our research agenda, many of our projects rely on interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues worldwide. Our research has been funded by a range of national and international bodies, including the European Commission Horizon 2020, Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland, and the Faraday Institute at St Edmund’s College, Cambridge.

The Classification & Attribution Lab maintains two parallel research streams, characterised by the following overarching concerns:

1. How are individuals classified into social categories, and what are the implications of these categories for people’s lives? Our team is particularly interested in how classifications that originate in scientific or medical definitions evolve into meaningful social categories that affect people’s identities, self-concepts and interpersonal relations. For example, much of our research explores how receiving a psychiatric diagnosis shapes a person’s identity, and the social responses they might encounter when they disclose that diagnosis to others.
2. How do people develop causal explanations for a group’s traits or behaviour, and what are the social consequences of these attributions? Our lab is especially concerned with the dynamics of ‘biological essentialism’ – i.e. the tendency to attribute a group’s characteristic traits to inherent biological causes, rather than contextual, environmental or cultural influences. Our research has particularly focused on how neuroscientific explanations of group differences, when recruited in public discourse, can reinforce stereotypes related to gender, sexual orientation and mental illness.

To study these complex issues, we use a diverse array of quantitative and qualitative methods, including experiments, surveys, interviews, media analysis and systematic reviews. A cross-section of some of this research is available below.

Selected Projects

Public Understandings of Trauma

Investigators: Dr Cliódhna O’Connor, Prof Helene Joffe, Julienne Debono, Cliodhna Cadogan

Trauma is an increasingly prominent construct in contemporary culture, invoked across diverse contexts of policy, practice, and public discourse. This project explores how the concept of trauma is understood across media and lay thinking, and the personal and social repercussions these meanings may have.

Key References:

Huggard, L., & O’Connor, C. (2025). Public endorsement of social explanations for mental illness: an investigation of demographic predictors and links to stigma. Current Psychology, 44(6), 4180-4194. (opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07487-7

Huggard, L., & O’Connor, C. (2023). How does the public understand the causes of mental disorders? An analysis of Irish news media before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 18(4), e0284095. (opens in a new window)((opens in a new window)opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284095 

Social Attributions for Mental Illness

Investigators: Dr Leigh Huggard, Dr Cliódhna O’Connor, 
Funder: Irish Research Council

While considerable social psychological literature investigates the implications of attributing mental illness to biological causes, much less research explores how social factors are invoked in explaining mental illness. This project explores the range of social factors that feature in lay explanations for diverse mental illness, and their consequences for stigma and attitudes to help-seeking.

Key References:

Huggard, L., & O’Connor, C. (2025). Public endorsement of social explanations for mental illness: an investigation of demographic predictors and links to stigma. Current Psychology, 44(6), 4180-4194. (opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07487-7

Huggard, L., & O’Connor, C. (2023). How does the public understand the causes of mental disorders? An analysis of Irish news media before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 18(4), e0284095. (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284095 

Experiences of Receiving an Autism Diagnosis in Adulthood

Investigators: Dr Cliódhna O’Connor,Prof Suzanne Guerin, Juwayriyah Nayyar, Maria Downey
Funder: UCD ADVANCE

Increasing numbers of people are receiving diagnoses of autism as adults, yet very little research has explored how this affects people's lives. This research explores lived experiences of adult autism assessment and the knock-on effects for self-concept, identity and stigma.

Key References:

Downey, M., Nayyar, J., Guerin, S., & O'Connor, C. (2025). When expectation meets experience: A qualitative analysis of serial interviews with adults before and after autism assessment. Autism. (opens in a new window)((opens in a new window)opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613251384436 

Nayyar, J., Stapleton, A., Guerin, S., & O'Connor, C. (2025). Exploring lived experiences of receiving an autism diagnosis in adulthood: A systematic review. Autism in Adulthood, 7(1), 1-12. (opens in a new window)((opens in a new window)opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2023.0152 

O’Connor, C., & Downey, M. (2024). Stereotyping adult autism in popular media: A content analysis of generic statements about autistic adults in British newspapers, 2014–2023. Autism in Adulthood. (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2024.0164 

Participate and Collaborate

We frequently run research projects that invite participation from members of the general public or specific groups. If you are interested in participating in our research, keep an eye on our website for upcoming opportunities.

We welcome expressions of interest in PhD, postdoctoral or research assistant positions from people who may complement or extend our ongoing work. If you are interested in working with us, feel free to review our current projects and contact Dr Cliódhna O’Connor ((opens in a new window)cliodhna.oconnor1@ucd.ie) to outline your own interests and experience.

We are always keen to expand our international and interdisciplinary network of collaborators. If you are interested in discussing potential collaboration ideas, Dr Cliódhna O’Connor ((opens in a new window)cliodhna.oconnor1@ucd.ie) would be delighted to hear from you.