Dr Allan McGroarty

Senior Teaching Fellow

Psychology

Contact

Personal statement

I am a Senior Teaching Fellow in Psychology and have worked in the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health since 2008. I am currently the Director of Teaching and Learning for the Department. Previously, I was the Course Director for the MSc Research Methods in Psychology degree, and co-ordinator for the 1st year of the BA Psychology course.

I teach on a range of classes on the BA Psychology and MSc Research Methods in Psychology courses. I also supervise the research projects of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

I previously held a position in the Department of Psychology as a Research Assistant working with Professors Kevin Durkin and Andy Tolmie, and completed my PhD "The Effects of Interrogative Pressure in Simulated Forensic Interviews" at Strathclyde under the supervision of Dr Jim Baxter.

To date, my research publications have focused on matters of interrogative pressure and suggestibility within forensic interviews. More recently, I have been investigating social comparison processes in university students, beliefs relating to medications for stammering, and implementation intentions as a psychological intervention.

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Publications

Using the Reasoned Action Approach to predict students' misuse of generative artificial intelligence in the production of university assessments
Elliott Mark, McGroarty Allan, Anderson Muriel, Burns Niamh, Gill Julia, McLaughlin Emma, Findlay Kelly, Hamilton David, March Joshua, Butler Stephen
British Journal of Educational Studies (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2026.2704595
Using a volitional help sheet to increase university students' attendance at on-campus lectures : a randomized controlled trial
Elliott Mark A, McGroarty Allan, Robertson David J, Anderson Hazel P
British Journal of Educational Psychology Vol 96, pp. 270-285 (2026)
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.70014
A randomised controlled trial testing the efficacy of a volitional help sheet supplemented with an implementation intention-reinforcement intervention designed to reduce mobile phone use while driving
Elliott Mark A, Orr Scott, Paterson Abigail, Coyle Megan, Gallacher Megan, Hunter Amy, McGeehan Lucy, Molloy Rebecca, Noble Jessica, Peattie Lauren, Sutherland Georgia, Wilson Taylor, McGroarty Allan
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Vol 115 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2025.103339
Using a volitional help sheet to increase university students' attendance at synchronous online lectures : a randomized controlled trial
Elliott Mark A, McGroarty Allan, Robertson David J
British Journal of Educational Psychology Vol 94, pp. 328-345 (2024)
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12647
I intend to attend : enhancing students' lecture attendance
Elliott Mark A, McGroarty Allan, Robertson David J
(2024)
Beliefs and behavioural intentions towards pharmacotherapy for stuttering : a survey of adults who stutter
McGroarty Allan, McCartan Rebecca
Journal of Communication Disorders Vol 73, pp. 15-24 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2018.03.002

More publications

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Teaching

My teaching contributions extend across the BA Psychology degree and include input to the following classes:

C8105 Psychology 1A
C8106 Psychology 1B
C8107 Introduction to Psychology (for Speech and Language Pathology students)
C8202 Social and Health Psychology
C8303 Individual Differences
C8307 Social Psychology
C8498 Psychology Dissertation
C8443 Moral Psychology (final year specialism)

In addition, I teach on the MSc Research Methods in Psychology degree:

C8939 Quantitative Research Methods
C8986 Dissertation

I have also been a visiting lecturer in Forensic Psychology to Heriot Watt University, and Psychology Module Leader for the Pre-Entry Access Course for admission to selected university degree courses within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Strathclyde Business School.

I contribute to the MSc in Mediation and Conflict Resolution offered by the Law School at the University of Strathclyde.

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Professional Activities

PhD - Evaluating the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme: A theoretical, longitudinal, and implementation approach
Examiner
15/6/2022
Psychology Crime and Law (Journal)
Peer reviewer
2016

More professional activities

Projects

Beyond adoption: Task-Specific use and non-use of Generative Artificial Intelligence among neurotypical and neurodivergent students
Findlay, Kelly (Principal Investigator) Butler, Stephen (Co-investigator) March, Joshua (Co-investigator) Hamilton, David (Co-investigator) Elliott, Mark (Co-investigator) McGroarty, Allan (Co-investigator)
This research project examines how higher education students decide whether to use or avoid generative artificial intelligence for specific academic tasks. Rather than treating GenAI use as a general behaviour, the study focuses on task-level decision-making, exploring how factors such as assessment relevance, ambiguity, time pressure, writing demand, perceived usefulness, risk, trust, confidence, and clarity of guidance shape students’ willingness to use GenAI. The project also considers whether these decision processes differ between neurotypical and neurodivergent students, with the aim of informing more inclusive and responsible guidance around GenAI use in higher education.
01-Jan-2026 - 30-Jan-2027
Cue-based judgements of AI-generated text in autistic and allistic adults
Findlay, Kelly (Principal Investigator) March, Joshua (Co-investigator) Hamilton, David (Co-investigator) Elliott, Mark (Co-investigator) Butler, Stephen (Co-investigator) McGroarty, Allan (Co-investigator)
This project investigates how autistic and allistic adults judge whether academic texts have been written by a human or generated by ChatGPT. Rather than focusing only on accuracy, the study examines the cues participants use when making these judgements, including clarity, coherence, formulaic structure, naturalness, and authorial voice. Participants classify a set of human-written and AI-generated academic text extracts, rate their confidence, and evaluate each text on these cue dimensions. The project aims to understand whether different cue-use patterns help explain individual differences in AI-text detection, and whether autistic and allistic participants rely on these cues in different ways.
01-Jan-2026 - 30-Jan-2027
Personality, perceived acceptability, and students’ decisions to use generative artificial intelligence in higher education
Findlay, Kelly (Principal Investigator) Hamilton, David (Co-investigator) McGroarty, Allan (Co-investigator) March, Joshua (Co-investigator) Elliott, Mark (Co-investigator) Butler, Stephen (Co-investigator)
This research examines how higher education students make decisions about using generative artificial intelligence for different academic tasks. Using a scenario-based survey, the study explores whether Big Five personality traits are associated with students’ likelihood of using GenAI, and with their perceptions of usefulness, risk, trust, confidence, clarity of guidance, and acceptability. The research aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of student GenAI use by focusing on task-specific judgements rather than general use alone.
01-Jan-2026 - 30-Jan-2027
Supporting Responsible GenAI Use in Higher Education: A Pre-Post Evaluation of Student-Facing Guidance Resources
Findlay, Kelly (Principal Investigator) Keown, Sophie (Co-investigator) Elliott, Mark (Co-investigator) McGroarty, Allan (Co-investigator) Butler, Stephen (Co-investigator) March, Joshua (Co-investigator) Hamilton, David (Co-investigator) Thomson, Elizabeth (Co-investigator)
This project evaluates student-facing guidance designed to support responsible use of generative AI in higher education. Using a pre-post design, it examines whether a quick guide and reflective checklist improve students’ understanding of appropriate GenAI use, academic integrity expectations, confidence, intentions, and self-reported practices. The study also assesses how acceptable and useful students find the resources, drawing on the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability and the Theory of Planned Behaviour.
01-Jan-2026 - 30-Jan-2027

More projects

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Contact

Dr Allan McGroarty
Senior Teaching Fellow
Psychology

Email: a.mcgroarty@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 2582