Dr Liam Wignall
- 01202 963501
- lwignall at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
- Lecturer (Academic) in Psychology
Biography
I am lecturer in psychology in the department of science and technology. I specialise in qualitative research, exploring the experiences and understandings of non-heterosexual individuals, using theories from psychology, sociology and cultural studies. My work focuses on highlighting the impact of the internet and the role of community participation for these individuals. I am member of the International Academy of Sex Researchers and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Research
Before joining BU in March 2018 as a lecturer, I completed a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Sunderland. The project researched the experiences of individuals who engage in kinky sexual practices but varied in the extent to which they identified as kinky. I also explored socio-sexual networking sites and how they were used by participants to interact with others and build online networks. I am currently building on this project to develop a monograph.
I have conducted research into the kink activity of pup play, framing the socio-sexual activity as a form of leisure and documenting how the pup community have adopted social networking sites to form online communities. I have also adopted a leisure framework to frame pornography as a tool for enjoyment, education and exploration.
Journal Articles
- Wignall, L., 2017. The Sexual Use of a Social Networking Site: The Case of Pup Twitter. Sociological Research Online, 22 (3), 21-37.
- Wignall, L. and McCormack, M., 2017. An exploratory study of a new kink activity: pup play. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46 (3), 801-811.
- McCormack, M., Wignall, L. and Morris, M., 2016. Gay guys using gay language: friendship, shared values and the intent-context-effect matrix. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, 67 (4), 747-767.
- Wignall, L. and McCormack, M., 2016. Enjoyment, Exploration and Education: Understanding the Consumption of Pornography among Young Men with Non-Exclusive Sexual Orientations. Sociology (Sage), 51 (5), 975-991.
- Wignall, L., 2016. Playing on the Edge: Sadomasochism, Risk, and Intimacy. SEXUALITIES, 19 (1-2), 257-259.
- Wignall, L., McCormack, M. and Anderson, E., 2015. Identities and Identifications: Changes in Metropolitan Bisexual Men’s Attitudes and Experiences. Journal of Bisexuality, 15 (1), 3-20.
PhD Students
- Robin Jakumeit. BDSM Experiences
Profile of Teaching UG
- Experimental Methods and Statistical Analysis (EMSA 1b)
Grants
- Understanding the Experiences of Women with Non-Exclusive Sexualities (American Institute of Bisexuality, 01 Oct 2017). Awarded
Qualifications
- PhD in Media and Cultural Studies (University of Sunderland, 2018)
- BSc (Hons) in Psychology (University of Sunderland, 2014)
Memberships
- International Academy of Sex Researchers, Member (2017-2018),