Staff profile

I joined Durham University as Assistant Professor in Quantitative Social Psychology in September 2018.

Prior to joining DU, I was a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge. At Cambridge I was a member of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit (BHRU: https://www.bhru.iph.cam.ac.uk), a policy research unit funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).

I continue my collaborative work with the University of Cambridge, where I am currently an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow.

Research Interests

Drawing on social psychological principles, I investigate how cues in the environment impact health behaviours, and how this knowledge can be translated into effective behaviour change interventions to improve health and reduce inequalities. The bulk of my work to date has looked at how cues such as labelling and advertising affect people’s decisions to eat (un)healthily, drink alcohol, and/or smoke tobacco. Another strand of my research has focused on developing and evaluating interventions to increase societal equality and egalitarianism more generally.

Conducting laboratory, online, and field experiments, I specialise in testing samples drawn from the general population (both adult and children), using complex stratification techniques to examine socio-economic and other demographic differences between participants. My work is policy-focused and has contributed to national and international policies.

Chapter in book

• Vasiljevic, M., & Pechey, R. (2021). Altering Choice Architecture to Alter Drinking Behaviour: Evidence from Research on Lower Strength Alcohol Labelling and Glass Design. In R. Cooke, D. Conroy, E. Davies, M. Hagger, & R. de Visser (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Psychological Perspectives on Alcohol Consumption (229-252). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66941-6_10
• Van de Vyver, J., Travaglino, G., Vasiljevic, M., & Abrams, D. (2015). The group and cultural context of restorative justice: A social psychological perspective. In T. Gavrielides (Ed.), The psychology of restorative justice. Ashgate Publishing
• Vasiljevic, M., & Viki, G. (2013). Dehumanization, moral disengagement, and public attitudes to crime and punishment. In Humanness and Dehumanization (129-146). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203110539

Conference Paper

• Vasiljevic, M., Couturier, D.-L., Frings, D., Moss, A., Albery, I., & Marteau, T. Impact of lower alcohol strength labels on consumption of wine and beer: a bar lab randomised controlled trial. Presented at SBM 39th Annual Meeting
• Vasiljevic, M., Petrescu, D., Pepper, J., Ribisl, K., & Marteau, T. (2016, November). WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF E-CIGARETTE ADVERTS ON CHILDREN'S PERCEPTIONS OF TOBACCO SMOKING? A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL. Presented at INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
• Vasiljevic, M., Richard, C., Francesca, P., & Monica, R. (2016, July). When Diversity Creates Tolerance: A New Intervention to Reduce Generalized Prejudice. Presented at INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY

Journal Article

• Hughes, J. P., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2024). Can Environmental Traffic Light Warning Labels Reduce Meat Meal Selection? A Randomised Experimental Study with UK Meat Consumers. Appetite, 200, Article 107500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107500
• Hamidi, M. D., Haenssgen, M. J., Vasiljevic, M., Greenwell, H. C., & Stevenson, E. G. J. (2024). Between a rock and a hard place: A geosocial approach to water insecurity in Kabul. Water Security, 22, Article 100177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasec.2024.100177
• Vasiljevic, M., Hughes, J. P., Andersen, C. D., Pennington, G., Leite, A. C., Weick, M., & Couturier, D.-L. (2024). Can warning labels communicating the environmental impact of meat reduce meat consumption? Evidence from two multiple treatment reversal experiments in college dining halls. Food Quality and Preference, 115, Article 105084. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.105084
• Dougall, I., Vasiljevic, M., Wright, J. D., & Weick, M. (2024). How, when, and why is social class linked to mental health and wellbeing? A systematic meta-review. Social Science & Medicine, 343, Article 116542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116542
• McKevitt, S., White, M., Petticrew, M., Summerbell, C., Vasiljevic, M., Boyland, E., Cummins, S., Laverty, A. A., Millett, C., de Vocht, F., Junghans, C., & Vamos, E. P. (2023). Characterising restrictions on commercial advertising and sponsorship of harmful commodities in local government policies: a nationwide study in England. Journal of Public Health, 45(4), 878–887. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdad155
• Hughes, J. P., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2023). Impact of pictorial warning labels on meat meal selection: A randomised experimental study with UK meat consumers. Appetite, 190, Article 107026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.107026
• Clark, C., Keighley, D., & Vasiljevic, M. (2023). Being Bad to Look Good: Competence Reputational Stakes Can Increase Unethical Behavior. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, 17(4), 393–406. https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000301
• Toumpakari, Z., Valerino-Perea, S., Willis, K., Adams, J., White, M., Vasiljevic, M., Ternent, L., Brown, J., Kelly, M. P., Bonell, C., Cummins, S., Majeed, A., Anderson, S., Robinson, T., Araujo-Soares, V., Watson, J., Soulsby, I., Green, D., Sniehotta, F. F., & Jago, R. (2023). Exploring views of members of the public and policymakers on the acceptability of population level dietary and active-travel policies: a qualitative study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 20, Article 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-023-01465-7
• McKevitt, S., White, M., Petticrew, M., Summerbell, C., Vasiljevic, M., Boyland, E., Cummins, S., Laverty, A. A., Junghans, C., Millett, C., De Vocht, F., Hrobonova, E., & Vamos, E. P. (2023). Typology of how ‘harmful commodity industries’ interact with local governments in England: a critical interpretive synthesis. BMJ Global Health, 8(1), https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010216
• Dougall, I., Vasiljevic, M., Kutlaca, M., & Weick, M. (2023). Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and wellbeing among UK students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Clarifying underlying mechanisms. PLoS ONE, 18(11), Article e0292842. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292842
• Rodrigues, A. M., Kemp, E., Aquino, M. R. J., Wilson, R., Vasiljevic, M., McBride, K., Robson, C., Loraine, M., Harland, J., & Haighton, C. (2023). Understanding the implementation of ‘Making Every Contact Count’ (MECC) delivered by healthcare professionals in a mental health hospital: protocol for a pragmatic formative process evaluation. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 11(1), Article 2174698. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2023.2174698
• Weick, M., Couturier, L.-C., Vasiljevic, M., Ross, P., Cory, C., Crisp, R., Leite, A., Marcinko, A., Nguyen, T., & Van de Vyver, J. (2022). Building bonds: A pre-registered secondary data analysis examining linear and curvilinear relations between socio-economic status and communal attitudes. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 102, Article 104353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104353
• Rosário, F., Vasiljevic, M., Pas, L., Angus, C., Ribeiro, C., & Fitzgerald, N. (2022). Efficacy of a theory-driven program to implement alcohol screening and brief interventions in primary health-care: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 117(6), 1609-1621. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15782
• Nanchahal, K., Vasiljevic, M., & Petticrew, M. (2022). A content analysis of the aims, strategies, and effects of food and nonalcoholic drink advertising based on advertising industry case studies. Obesity Science and Practice, 8(2), 208-218. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.561
• Hughes, J., Efstratiou, A., Komer, S., Baxter, L., Vasiljevic, M., & Leite, A. (2022). The impact of risk perceptions and belief in conspiracy theories on COVID-19 pandemic-related behaviours. PLoS ONE, 17(2), Article e0263716. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263716
• Reynolds, J., Vasiljevic, M., Pilling, M., & Marteau, T. (2022). Communicating evidence about the environment's role in obesity and support for government policies to tackle obesity: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 16(1), 67-80. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1829980
• Dougall, I., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2021). Social class and wellbeing among staff and students in higher education settings: Mapping the problem and exploring underlying mechanisms. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 51(10), 965-986. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12814
• Vasiljevic, M., Frings, D., Pilling, M., & Marteau, T. (2021). Do alcohol product labels stating lower strength verbal description, percentage alcohol‐by‐volume, or their combination affect wine consumption? A bar laboratory adaptive randomised controlled trial. Addiction, 116(9), 2339-2347. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15444
• Reynolds, J., Vasiljevic, M., Pilling, M., Hall, M., Ribisl, K., & Marteau, T. (2020). Communicating evidence about the causes of obesity and support for obesity policies: Two population-based survey experiments. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), Article 6539. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186539
• Vasiljevic, M. (2020). To Label or Not to Label: Do young drinkers understand the alcohol content of supersized alcopops?. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 46(4), 387-389. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2020.1764009
• Vasiljevic, M., Fuller, G., Pilling, M., Hollands, G., Pechey, R., Jebb, S., & Marteau, T. (2019). What is the impact of increasing the prominence of calorie labelling? A stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial in worksite cafeterias. Appetite, 141, Article 104304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.05.035
• Vasiljevic, M., Couturier, D.-L., & Marteau, T. (2019). What are the perceived target groups and occasions for wines and beers labelled with verbal and numerical descriptors of lower alcohol strength? An experimental study. BMJ Open, 9(6), Article e024412. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024412
• Mantzari, E., Vasiljevic, M., Turney, I., Pilling, M., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact of warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages on parental selection: An online experimental study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 259-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.016
• Vasiljevic, M., Couturier, D.-L., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact on product appeal of labeling wine and beer with (a) lower strength alcohol verbal descriptors and (b) percent alcohol by volume (%ABV): An experimental study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 32(7), 779-791. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000376
• Pechey, R., Cartwright, E., Pilling, M., Hollands, G., Vasiljevic, M., Jebb, S., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact of increasing the proportion of healthier foods available on energy purchased in worksite cafeterias: A stepped wedge randomized controlled pilot trial. Appetite, 133, 286-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.11.013
• Hollands, G., Cartwright, E., Pilling, M., Pechey, R., Vasiljevic, M., Jebb, S., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact of reducing portion sizes in worksite cafeterias: a stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0705-1
• Vasiljevic, M., St John Wallis, A., Codling, S., Couturier, D.-L., Sutton, S., & Marteau, T. (2018). E-cigarette adverts and children's perceptions of tobacco smoking harms: an experimental study and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 8, Article e020247. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020247
• Vasiljevic, M., Couturier, D.-L., Frings, D., Moss, A., Albery, I., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact of lower strength alcohol labeling on consumption: A randomized controlled trial. Health Psychology, 37(7), 658-667. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000622
• Weick, M., Vasiljevic, M., & Sedikides, C. (2018). Taming the lion: How perceived worth buffers the detrimental influence of power on aggression and conflict. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 858. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00858
• Rosário, F., Vasiljevic, M., Pas, L., Fitzgerald, N., & Ribeiro, C. (2018). Implementing alcohol screening and brief interventions in primary health care: study protocol for a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. Family Practice, 36(2), https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmy062
• Vasiljevic, M., Cartwright, E., Pilling, M., Lee, M.-M., Bignardi, G., Pechey, R., Hollands, G., Jebb, S., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact of calorie labelling in worksite cafeterias: a stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15, Article 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0671-7
• Vasiljevic, M., Coulter, L., Petticrew, M., & Marteau, T. (2018). Marketing messages accompanying online selling of low/er and regular strength wine and beer products in the UK: a content analysis. BMC Public Health, 18, Article 147. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5040-6
• Vasiljevic, M., Couturier, D.-L., & Marteau, T. (2018). Impact of low alcohol verbal descriptors on perceived strength: An experimental study. British Journal of Health Psychology, 23(1), 38-67. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12273
• Abrams, D., Van de Vyver, J., Houston, D., & Vasiljevic, M. (2017). Does terror defeat contact? Intergroup contact and prejudice toward Muslims before and after the London bombings. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 23(3), 260-268. https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000167
• Vasiljevic, M., Cartwright, E., Pechey, R., Hollands, G., Couturier, D.-L., Jebb, S., & Marteau, T. (2017). Physical micro-environment interventions for healthier eating in the workplace: protocol for a stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 3, Article 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-017-0141-z
• Weick, M., Vasiljevic, M., Uskul, A., & Moon, C. (2017). Stuck in the heat or stuck in the hierarchy? Power relations explain regional variations in violence. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 40, Article e102. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x1600114x
• Vasiljevic, M., Petrescu, D., & Marteau, T. (2016). Impact of advertisements promoting candy-like flavoured e-cigarettes on appeal of tobacco smoking among children: an experimental study. Tobacco Control, 25, e107-e112. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052593
• Petrescu, D., Vasiljevic, M., Pepper, J., Ribisl, K., & Marteau, T. (2016). What is the impact of e-cigarette adverts on children's perceptions of tobacco smoking? An experimental study. Tobacco Control, 26(4), 421-427. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-052940
• Vasiljevic, M., Ng, Y.-L., Griffin, S., Sutton, S., & Marteau, T. (2016). Is the intention-behaviour gap greater amongst the more deprived? A meta-analysis of five studies on physical activity, diet, and medication adherence in smoking cessation. British Journal of Health Psychology, 21(1), 11-30. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12152
• Van de Vyver, J., Houston, D., Abrams, D., & Vasiljevic, M. (2016). Boosting belligerence: How the July 7, 2005, London bombings affected Liberals' moral foundations and prejudice. Psychological Science, 27(2), 169-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615615584
• Weick, M., Allen, J., Vasiljevic, M., & Yao, B. (2016). Walking blindfolded unveils unique contributions of behavioural approach and inhibition to lateral spatial bias. Cognition, 147, 106-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2015.11.006
• Prati, F., Vasiljevic, M., Crisp, R., & Rubini, M. (2015). Some extended psychological benefits of challenging social stereotypes: Decreased dehumanization and a reduced reliance on heuristic thinking. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 18(6), 801-816. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430214567762
• Vasiljevic, M., Pechey, R., & Marteau, T. (2015). Making food labels social: The impact of colour of nutritional labels and injunctive norms on perceptions and choice of snack foods. Appetite, 91, 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.03.034
• Abrams, D., Houston, D., Van de Vyver, J., & Vasiljevic, M. (2015). Equality hypocrisy, inconsistency, and prejudice: The unequal application of the universal human right to equality. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 21(1), 28-46. https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000084
• Strelan, P., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2014). Power and Revenge. British Journal of Social Psychology, 53(3), 521-540. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12044
• Abrams, D., & Vasiljevic, M. (2014). How does macroeconomic change affect social identity (and vice versa?): Insights from the European context. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 14, 311-338. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12052
• Yao, B., Vasiljevic, M., Weick, M., Sereno, M., O'Donnell, P., & Sereno, S. (2013). Semantic size of abstract concepts: It gets emotional when you can't see it. PLoS ONE, 8(9), Article e75000. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0075000
• Guerra, V., Giner-Sorolla, R., & Vasiljevic, M. (2013). The importance of honor concerns across eight countries. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430212463451
• Vasiljevic, M., & Crisp, R. (2013). Tolerance by Surprise: Evidence for a Generalized Reduction in Prejudice and Increased Egalitarianism through Novel Category Combination. PLoS ONE, 8(3), Article e57106. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057106
• Abrams, D., Vasiljevic, M., & Wardrop, H. (2012). Prejudice reduction, collective action, and then what?. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 35, 425-426. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x12001136
• Gutierrez, R., Giner-Sorolla, R., & Vasiljevic, M. (2012). Just an anger synonym? Moral context influences predictors of disgust word use. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2011.567773

Report

• Dougall, I., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2021). Inside UK Universities: Staff mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic. [No known commissioning body]
• Bajzelj, B., Benton, T., Clark, M., Garnett, T., Marteau, T., Richards, K., Smith, P., & Vasiljevic, M. (2015). Synergies between healthy and sustainable diets. [No known commissioning body]
• Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2014). How attitude and behaviour affect our reactions to risk: The gorilla in the room. [No known commissioning body]
• Vasiljevic, M., Weick, M., Taylor-Gooby, P., Abrams, D., & Hopthrow, T. (2013). Reasoning about extreme events: A review of behavioural biases in relation to catastrophe risks. [No known commissioning body]
• Abrams, D., & Vasiljevic, M. (2013). What Happens to People’s Identities When the Economy is Suffering or Flourishing?. [No known commissioning body]