Dr. Daniel Connolly

Dr Daniel Connolly is a psychologist with a background in developmental psychology and education, with research interests spanning childhood development, learning environments, and wellbeing across the lifespan.

Daniel completed his D.Phil. in Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex, where his doctoral research, Theory of Mind and Executive Function in 3‑ to 5‑year‑old Children, examined the relationship between the development of executive control associated with the brain’s frontal lobes and young children’s ability to understand, predict, and manipulate others’ mental states.

His post‑doctoral research focused on children’s use of interactive digital technologies, with particular attention to how digital tools can harness social learning processes to support and enhance learning.

A significant strand of Daniel’s research explores how environmental factors, especially noise and acoustics, affect classroom learning. He has worked collaboratively with psychologists and acousticians in schools across England to investigate how classroom noise disrupts cognitive processes involved in reading, mathematics, and reasoning, as well as adolescents’ perceptions of their learning environments. He has a particular interest in the experiences of learners with special educational needs, including pupils with visual impairment and deafness.

Daniel was co‑organiser of the 2022 British Psychological Society (BPS) Community Psychology Festival and is currently researching people’s experiences of the cost‑of‑living crisis. He is the principal organiser and host of the 2026 online conference Therapeutic Approaches to Trauma: Research, Practice and Impact, which brings together psychologists with a range of specialisms in the field of trauma. He is also co‑founder of the Centre for Creative Research Methods at the University of Chichester, which explores how creative approaches can enable individuals and communities to articulate and give voice to their lived experiences. His current projects focus on the wellbeing and personal development of children in care, and those who support them.

Alongside his research, Daniel is a fully qualified teacher and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). He is a Chartered Psychologist and a member of the BPS Southeast Branch Committee, and he is currently working towards a Level 2 British Sign Language (BSL) qualification, reflecting his commitment to inclusive practice and accessibility.