The prestigious award was presented at this year’s annual BPS Social Psychology conference at the University of St Andrews.

Professor Evanthia Lyons, the Society’s Social Psychology Section Chair said: “Professor Breakwell has been awarded this for her invaluable contribution to and tireless advocacy of social psychology and its insights within psychology, especially in the areas of identity dynamics, social representations and risk, within the academy and in domains of applied social practice.”

More than 200 psychologists from all over the world attended the event entitled: ‘Changing Social Psychology? Theory and Research in a Transforming World.’

Dame Glynis said: “Receiving this recognition of my theoretical and empirical contributions to social psychology from my academic peers was momentous for me. It encourages me to believe that perhaps there is more that I can and should contribute.”

Dame Glynis is currently co-editing a new book on Identity Process Theory for Cambridge University Press.