Alexa Hepburn

Alexa Hepburn is a leading scholar in conversation analysis and discursive psychology, with extensive publications on methodological and theoretical frameworks in the social sciences attracting around 10,000 citations of her work. With 41 workshops on CA and discursive psychology, 51 invited Departmental Seminars, and 70+ conference papers, Hepburn is a prominent figure in the field. 

Her research critically examines traditional perspectives on emotion, socialization, and social influence, advocating for a reconfiguration of social scientific research through conversation analytic methods. This focus is captured in her five books: An Introduction to Critical Social Psychology, Discursive Research in Practice: New Approaches to Psychology and Interaction (co-edited with Sally Wiggins), Transcribing for Social Research (co-authored with Galina Bolden), Essentials of Conversation Analysis (co-authored with Jonathan Potter) and the forthcoming Emotionography: Theory, Research and Practice (co-authored with Jonathan Potter). Her recent research has explored emotional expression in various contexts, including helplines, clinical encounters, and adult-child interactions. Her investigations into empathy in professional settings and techniques for managing resistance during advice-giving also highlight her commitment to applied research that addresses real-world challenges. 

She continues to engage with diverse audiences through her training workshops and collaborative projects, furthering the understanding of interactional dynamics in communication.

Ph.D., Psychology and Philosophy, Glasgow Caledonian University
M.A. (Hons), Psychology and Philosophy, University of Dundee

Health & Wellness Cluster
Rutgers University Conversational Analysis Lab (RUCAL)
SC&I Youth Cluster
Social Media & Society Cluster