Research Interests

• Theory and application of statistical models for social networks
• Social hierarchies and social norms
• Cultural factors in social networks
• Individual and group identity
• Men and masculinities
• Bullying and violence
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Group identity & intergroup conflict
• Music and psychology

Projects

2008: Early Career Researcher Grant
Understanding social network processes to improve school intervention programs
Most school intervention programs are designed to affect individual behaviour in the hope that this will improve the social environment. This project aims to understand the emergence of social processes that underpin the operation of social systems, and to apply this knowledge to improve global intervention programs in schools. Mr Simon Taylor, A/Prof Garry Robins and Ms Phoebe Chan.

2007: CSIRO
PUTTI: Australian Research Centre for Water in Society
Analysis of the uptake of innovation in sustainable farming practices in rural Australia, with the CSIRO, Professor Pip Pattison and A/Prof Garry Robins

2006-2007: VOSON-PNet Collaboration
Statistical explorations of online social networks
A project exploring online social networks utilizing VOSON and PNet software with Dr Rob Ackland of the ANU, Canberra.

2006-2007: Organizational Management Networks
Organizations, Identity and Multiplex Relations
Assessment of organizational management communication networks following company restructuring, as well as inter-company competition and trade networks, with Professor Alessandro Lomi.

2004- 2007: Centre for Adolescent Health
Social networks of secondary school students: a pilot study
A pilot project for the Adolsecent Health and Social Environments Program (AHSEP) examining substance use and depression in schools with Dr Lyndal Bond, Mr Ian Williams, Dr Helen Butler, Prof George Patton and Prof Glenn Bowes.

2004-2005 Australian Football League
Masculine Behaviour and Social Networks in Team Structures
Garry Robins, Dean Lusher & Peter Kremer
AFL R&D Project for 2005 examining issues related to attitudes towards women in AFL football teams in Australia. (Download Report)

Publications

Lusher, D., Koskinen, J., & Robins, G. (eds), (contract signed, 23 February 2009). Exponential Random Graph Models for Social Networks: Theories, Methods and Applications. New York: Cambridge University Press. Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences Series.

Ata, A., Bastian, B., & Lusher, D. (accepted, 5 May 2009). Intergroup contact in context: The mediating role of social norms and group-based perceptions on the contact-prejudice link. International Journal of Intercultural Relations.

Lusher, D. & Robins, G. (2009). Hegemonic and other masculinities in local social contexts. Men & Masculinities, 11(4), 387-423. (Pre-published PDF)

Wilson, S. J., Lusher, D., Wan, C. Y., Dudgeon, P., & Reutens, D. C. (2009). The Neurocognitive Components of Pitch Processing: Insights from Absolute Pitch. Cerebral Cortex, 19(3), 724-732.

Pierno, A., Mari, M., Lusher, D., & Castiello, U. (2008). Robotic Movement Elicits Visuomotor Priming in Children with Autism. Neuropsychologia, 46(2), 448-454.

Lusher, D. (2008). Masculinities in local contexts: Structural, individual and cultural interdependencies. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag.

Lusher, D., & Haslam, N. (Eds.). (2007). Yearning to Breathe Free: Seeking Asylum in Australia. Sydney: The Federation Press.

Lusher, D., Balvin, N., Nethery, A., & Tropea, J. (2007). Australia's Response to Asylum Seekers. In D. Lusher & N. Haslam (Eds.), Yearning to Breathe Free: Seeking Asylum in Australia. Sydney: The Federation Press.

Becchio, C., Pierno, A., Mari, M., Lusher, D., & Castiello, U. (2007). Motor contagion from gaze: the case of autism. Brain, 130(9), 2401-2411.

Robins, G., Pattison, P., Kalish, Y., & Lusher, D. (2007). An Introduction to Exponential Random Graph (p*) Models for Social Networks. Social Networks, 29(2), 173-191.

Lusher, D. (2006). Masculinities in local contexts: Structural, individual and cultural interdependencies. PhD thesis, University of Melbourne, Australia.
(Abstract) (Download PDF)

Ansuini, C., Pierno, A. C., Lusher, D., & Castiello, U. (2006). Virtual reality applications for the remapping of space in neglect patients. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 24(4-6), 431-441.

Castiello, U., Lusher, D., Burton, C., Glover, S., & Disler, P. (2004). Improving left hemispatial neglect using virtual reality. Neurology, 62(11), 1958-1962.

Castiello, U., Lusher, D., Burton, C., & Disler, P. (2003). Shadows in the brain. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 15(6), 862-872.

Castiello, U., Lusher, D., Mari, M., Edwards, M., & Humphreys, G. W. (2002). Observing a human or a robotic hand grasping an object: differential motor priming effects. In Attention and Performance (Vol. 19, pp. 315-333). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 

Conference Presentations
Lomi, A., Lusher, D., Pattison, P., & Robins, G. (2009, 27-28 May). Boundaries, Identities, and the Formation of Network Ties in Organizations. AIM Workshop: Innovation and networks Crossing Organisational Boundaries. Imperial College London: Business School. London, UK.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2009, 16-19 March). Representing the group: The use of statistical models for social networks. Paper presented at Society for Australasian Social Psychologists (SASP 2009). Melbourne, Australia.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., Pattison, P., & Lomi, A. (2009, 10-15 February). “Trust Me”: Actual and perceived trust in an organization. Paper presented at the XXIX International Sunbelt Social Network Conference, Bahia Resort Hotel. San Diego, USA.

Lusher, D. (2008, 2-5 December). Bullying as Social Deviance or Social Manipulation? A Social Network Analysis. Paper presented at The Australian Sociological Association Conference 2008, Melbourne, Australia.

Alexander, M., Robins, G., & Lusher, D. (2008, 2-5 December). Social Network Analysis Workshop. Paper presented at The Australian Sociological Association Conference 2008, Melbourne, Australia.

Gorman, S., Lusher, D, Reeves, K., Robins, G., Judd, B., Russell, L., & Hallinan, C. (2008, 30 November - 2 December). Reviewing Rule 30: the implications & outcomes of racial vilification laws in the Australian Football League since 1995. Paper presented at the Sport, Race and Ethnicity Conference. University of Technology Sydney. Sydney, Australia.

Wilson, S.J., Abbott, D. F., Waites, A. B., Briellmann, R. S., Lusher, D., Pell, G. S., Ogden, J., Saling, M. M., & Jackson, G. D. (2008).  Examining cortical representational overlap for singing with lyrics and propositional language. NeuroImage, 41(Suppl.1), S51.

Wilson, S.J., Abbott, D. F., Waites, A. B., Briellmann, R. S., Lusher, D., Pell, G. S., Ogden, J., Saling, M. M., & Jackson, G. D. (2008). Comparing cortical networks underpinning singing with lyrics and propositional language. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Music Perception & Cognition, Sapporo, Japan.

Lusher, D., Lomi, A., Pattison, P., & Robins, G. (2007). Inter-organizational hierarchies, social networks, and identities in multi-unit organizations. Paper presented at the 102nd Annual American Sociological Association Conference, New York City, USA.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2007, 1-6 May). Beliefs and networks: Personal attitudes and perceptions of general attitudes in exponential random graph (p*) models. Paper presented at the XXVII International Sunbelt Social Network Conference, Corfu Chandris Hotel, Corfu, Greece.

Lusher, D., & Robins, G. (2006, June). Structural, individual and cultural factors in statistical models for social networks. Paper presented at the NTWG III - Network Theory and Methods: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra, Australia.

Lusher, D., & Robins, G. (2006, 25-30 April). Structure, agency and culture in statistical models for social networks. Paper presented at the XXVI International Sunbelt Social Network Conference, Coast Plaza Hotel at Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2005, 15-19 August). The Application of Social Network Methodologies to Team Sports. Poster presented at the ISSP 11th World Congress of Sport Psychology, Sydney, Australia.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2005, 15-19 August). Attitudes Towards Women, Team Norms of Behaviour and Social Networks in Elite Level All-Male Sporting Teams. Poster presented at the ISSP 11th World Congress of Sport Psychology, Sydney, Australia.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2005, 12-13 April). Examining social systems within an organisation: Attitudes towards women in elite level all-male sporting teams. Paper presented at the Social and Organisational Systems Focus Area Workshop: Defence, Science and Technology Organisation, Adelaide, Australia.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2005, 13 April). Hierarchies of masculinity in organisational settings. Paper presented at the Connections Seminar: Defence, Science and Technology Organisation, Adelaide, Australia.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2005, 19 February). Individual and Team Attitudes Towards Women in Elite Level All-Male Sporting Teams. Paper presented at the XXV International Sunbelt Social Network Conference, Redondo Beach Hotel, Los Angeles, USA.

Lusher, D., Robins, G., & Kremer, P. (2005, 4 February). Masculine Behaviour and Social Networks in Team Structures. Paper presented at the Social Network Analysis Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

Lusher, D., & Robins, G. (2004, 13 August). Constructions of masculinity in secondary schools: A social network analysis. Paper presented at the Doing Feminist Research in Psychology Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

Lusher, D. & Robins, G. (2004, May 12 - 16). Masculinities and violence in secondary schools. Paper presented at the XXIV International Sunbelt Social Network Conference, Hotel Bernardin, Portoroz, Slovenia.

Lusher, D. (2004, February 16 – 17). A new user’s guide to social network software. Workshop on complex networked social systems. University of Melbourne, Australia.

Lusher, D. & Robins, G. (2003, July 14-17). Masculinities and violence in schools: A social network analysis. Presented at the University of Melbourne 150th Anniversary Flagship Conference: International Perspectives on Peace and Reconciliation. University of Melbourne, Australia.