Kathryn has been researching the psychology of expertise, creative performance and puzzle-solving, in collaboration with Dr Philip Fine, since 2007. She joined the Department of Psychology in January 2010 as a Visiting Research Fellow and Lecturer, and became a full-time Lecturer in Psychology in January 2017.
Kathryn studied at Oxford for her original BA, MA in Classics, following this with a DPhil in Roman Comedy, also at Oxford. She then pursued a wide-ranging career in the Civil Service. After becoming interested in the education of Gifted and Talented children, she went on to obtain a PgDip at the University of Worcester in the psychology of Giftedness and Talent, following this with an MSc in Psychology at Oxford Brookes.
Kathryn is the author of The Psychology of Creative Performance and Expertise (Taylor & Francis, 2024), which explores creative expertise across the arts (music, dance, creative writing, art, theatre and film), board games/puzzles, and STEM fields. Kathryn’s research interests focus upon expertise development and motivational drivers in cognitive and creative performance domains. She has also conducted extensive research into the solving of UK-style cryptic crosswords. Other active research interests include divergent thinking and its relationship to fluid intelligence and creativity; insight problems and the ‘Aha!’ moment; visual imagery vividness; sensitivity among creative populations; medical education and diagnostic biases; and the psychology of recreational hobbies.
Kathryn leads two Undergraduate modules on Creative Performance and Expertise, and Educational Psychology, and has also co-taught Cognitive Psychology. She is a member of the Creativity and Performance research group within the School of Psychology, where she supervises a number of Postgraduate students in the expertise, performance and creativity fields.
Web links:
The Psychology of Creative Performance and Expertise (Taylor & Francis, 2024)
CREATE Ψ blog: www.createpsy.com
CREATE research hub: https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/research/create
Selected publications:
Ilbury, L. M., Fine, P. A., & Friedlander, K. J. (2024). Sensitive creators at work. Occupational Psychology Outlook, 3(1), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsopo.2024.3.1.28
Friedlander, K. J., Lenton, F. H., & Fine, P. A. (2022). A Multifactorial Model of Visual Imagery and its relationship to Creativity and the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000520
Morse, K. F., Fine, P. A., & Friedlander, K. J. (2021). Creativity and leisure during COVID-19: Examining the relationship between leisure activities, motivations, and psychological well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.609967
Friedlander, K. J., & Fine, P. A. (2020). Fluid Intelligence is Key to Successful Cryptic Crossword Solving. Journal of Expertise, 3(2), 101–132. https://www.journalofexpertise.org
Fine, P. A., Danek, A. H., Friedlander, K. J., Hocking, I., & Thompson, W. F. (2019). Editorial: Novel Approaches for Studying Creativity in Problem-Solving and Artistic Performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(September), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02059
Fine P. A., Friedlander K. J., Danek A.H., Hocking I., Thompson W.F., editors. “Novel Approaches for Studying Creativity in Problem-Solving and Artistic Performance” Frontiers in Psychology Research Topic, 2018. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/6290/novel-approaches-for-studying-creativity-in-problem-solving-and-artistic-performance
Friedlander, K. J., & Fine, P. A. (2018). “The Penny Drops”: Investigating Insight Through the Medium of Cryptic Crosswords. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00904
Friedlander K. J., Vanleer P., Fine P. A. (2018 11-13 July) “Exploring motivational factors involved in pursuing a career in medicine”. Poster presented at ASME ASM; Gateshead, UK.
Friedlander, K. J., & Fine, P. A. (2016). The Grounded Expertise Components Approach in the Novel Area of Cryptic Crossword Solving. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(May), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00567
Email: kathryn.friedlander@buckingham.ac.uk
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