Dr Lora Adair
Senior Lecturer in Psychology (CCE)

Research area(s)

• Deception and exploitation in intimate relationships
• Intimate partner violence 
• Romantic relationship beliefs 
• Sexual and reproductive norms 
• Reproductive decision-making 
• Reproductive health
• Attitudes towards sexual and reproductive issues (e.g., abortion attitudes, attitudes towards casual sex and sexual expression, attitudes towards sexual health and contraception)
• Religious and spiritual beliefs, specifically as they relate to other social values 

Research Interests

My research primarily applies social psychological, evolutionary, and feminist approaches to interpersonal relationships, fertility, and sexuality. I am interested in women's health (broadly) and specifically how the experiences of women, girls, and feminine people are shaped by their social world. As such, my work explores how norms, expectations, and social scripts about women and girls (e.g., gender roles, romantic relationship beliefs, sexual/moral purity norms) affect people's decisions, experiences, and wellbeing.  

Project details

Current funded projects: 

• Templeton Foundation Spiritual Yearning Research Initiative (SYRI; 2023-2026), Kline, M., Willard, A., Adair, L., Gervais, M. (Funded project) Spirits and Sources: Spiritual yearning in the alternative belief community of Glastonbury, UK, $541,401 
• Adair, L., Groenendijk-Deveau, A., Russell, N. A. (2024-2025). Brunel University Innovation Voucher Scheme (Project funded). Survivor-informed approaches to justice, £5,000 
• Adair, L., Kline, M., & Schmitt, D. (2023-2026). Brunel University CHMLS PhD Studentship (Funded project) The Psychology of Fertility Decline: Reproductive experiences and decision-making in the present and future, £108,000   
• Brunel University London internal research grant from the Brunel Research Initiative and Enterprise Fund (BRIEF; 2024-2025), Gómez Jiménez, F., Adair, L., Semenya, S., & Vasey, P.  (Funded project) Exploring the mating psychology of sexual and gender minorities among the Istmo Zapotec, £14,994 
• Adair, L., Baker, J., & Russell, N. (2024-2025). Brunel University Research Development Fund (Project funded). Intensive parenting in a cultural context, £1,890