About
Lucas completed his PhD in social and consumer psychology at the University of Queensland Business School in 2023. His research focuses on the psychology of the “success industry,” including self-help and business education, and how gurus in these spaces shape beliefs about success and influence decision-making.
He studies the factors that contribute to participation in deceptive income opportunities such as get-rich-quick schemes. He also examines the limits of positive thinking as a personal development tool, particularly where it can encourage unrealistic expectations or make people more vulnerable to misleading claims. Drawing on his experience in the coaching industry and running small businesses, his work aims to reduce fraud, curb misleading marketing, and improve the quality of offerings in this space.
His research interests include questionnaire design and validation. He has also collaborated on several reviews and meta-analyses studying donor and investor behaviour across the non-profit, charity, and private finance sectors. His research has been published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Internal Medicine Journal, and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.
Lucas is currently a sessional lecturer in research methods in UniSC's school of business and creative industries.