
Overview
Background
Morgan Tear is a behavioural scientist with over a decade of experience translating behavioural insights into practical solutions for social policy challenges. He specialises in understanding human behaviour at multiple levels—individual, organisational, and systemic—to design interventions that are well-targeted and more likely to succeed.
Morgan’s expertise spans behavioural science, public policy, applied psychology, and systems thinking. As the inaugural manager of Queensland’s Behavioural Economics and Research Team (BERT), he led the development of the state’s first central agency behavioural insights unit, delivering research-based projects that shaped policy, program design, and reform initiatives.
Morgan collaborates with a diverse range of stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, practitioners, government departments, think tanks, and not-for-profits. He is passionate about advancing best-practice principles for behavioural science, scaling and implementing social innovations, and improving research translation practices to meet the demands of complex policy environments.
Morgan’s work at the Centre for Policy Futures focuses on Work Futures and Economic Security, where he continues to bridge the gap between evidence and implementation.
Availability
- Dr Morgan Tear is:
- Available for supervision
Research impacts
Morgan Tear’s research has shaped policy and practice across behavioural science, public administration, and organisational systems, with growing influence on the future of work and economic security. As Theme Lead for the Work Futures and Economic Security research stream, he applies behavioural insights to real-world challenges such as workforce wellbeing, regulatory compliance, and risk culture—areas central to shaping fair, adaptive, and resilient labour markets.
Morgan’s work on safety culture with international partners such as EUROCONTROL and the OECD has influenced global thinking about organisational behaviour and leadership—contributions that carry critical implications for how work is governed and experienced in high-risk sectors. His research into construction safety policy led to a new practice note issued by the Victorian Building Authority, supporting safer working environments through practical, policy-driven change.
He has also developed frameworks and evidence to improve how organisations approach risk culture, regulatory behaviour, and employee empowerment. His work has been adopted by public and private institutions, including one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, to strengthen workforce engagement and responsible governance.
Morgan has secured over $2.15 million in Category 2 and 3 research funding, averaging approximately $360,000 per year, reflecting sustained demand for applied behavioural science that supports social and economic outcomes. His research continues to inform how institutions adapt to emerging risks, design inclusive systems, and build long-term economic security for communities and workers.
Works
Search Professor Morgan Tear’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Understanding and changing community attitudes toward vulnerable families
Borg, Kim, Faulkner, Nicholas, Slattery, Peter and Tear, Morgan J. (2024). Understanding and changing community attitudes toward vulnerable families. Family and Community Health, 47 (1), 66-79. doi: 10.1097/fch.0000000000000373
2023
Journal Article
Measuring risk culture in finance: development of a comprehensive measure
Ghafoori, Eraj, Mata, Fernanda, Faulkner, Nick and Tear, Morgan J. (2023). Measuring risk culture in finance: development of a comprehensive measure. Journal of Banking and Finance, 148 106720, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2022.106720
2022
Journal Article
Understanding safety culture and safety citizenship through the lens of social identity theory
Tear, Morgan J. and Reader, Tom W. (2022). Understanding safety culture and safety citizenship through the lens of social identity theory. Safety Science, 158 105993, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105993
2020
Journal Article
Safety culture and power: Interactions between perceptions of safety culture, organisational hierarchy, and national culture
Tear, Morgan J., Reader, Tom W., Shorrock, Steven and Kirwan, Barry (2020). Safety culture and power: Interactions between perceptions of safety culture, organisational hierarchy, and national culture. Safety Science, 121, 550-561. doi: 10.1016/j.ssci.2018.10.014
2018
Journal Article
Many labs 2: Investigating variation in replicability across samples and settings
Klein, Richard A., Vianello, Michelangelo, Hasselman, Fred, Adams, Byron G., Adams, Reginald B., Alper, Sinan, Aveyard, Mark, Axt, Jordan R., Babalola, Mayowa T., Bahník, Štěpán, Batra, Rishtee, Berkics, Mihály, Bernstein, Michael J., Berry, Daniel R., Bialobrzeska, Olga, Binan, Evans Dami, Bocian, Konrad, Brandt, Mark J., Busching, Robert, Rédei, Anna Cabak, Cai, Huajian, Cambier, Fanny, Cantarero, Katarzyna, Carmichael, Cheryl L., Ceric, Francisco, Chandler, Jesse, Chang, Jen-Ho, Chatard, Armand, Chen, Eva E. ... Nosek, Brian A. (2018). Many labs 2: Investigating variation in replicability across samples and settings. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1 (4), 443-490. doi: 10.1177/2515245918810225
2017
Journal Article
Stressful life transitions and wellbeing: a comparison of the stress buffering hypothesis and the social identity model of identity change
Praharso, Nurul F., Tear, Morgan J. and Cruwys, Tegan (2017). Stressful life transitions and wellbeing: a comparison of the stress buffering hypothesis and the social identity model of identity change. Psychiatry Research, 247, 265-275. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.11.039
2016
Conference Publication
Divergent perceptions of safety culture between occupational groups: the role of national culture
Tear, Morgan J., Reader, Tom W., Shorrock, Steven and Kirwan, Barry (2016). Divergent perceptions of safety culture between occupational groups: the role of national culture. Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) International Annual Meeting, Washington, DC USA, 19-23 September 2016. Santa Monica, CA USA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. doi: 10.1177/1541931213601374
2015
Other Outputs
Violent video games and social behaviour
Tear, Morgan James (2015). Violent video games and social behaviour. PhD Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2015.784
2014
Journal Article
Video games and prosocial behavior: a study of the effects of non-violent, violent and ultra-violent gameplay
Tear, Morgan J. and Nielsen, Mark (2014). Video games and prosocial behavior: a study of the effects of non-violent, violent and ultra-violent gameplay. Computers in Human Behavior, 41, 8-13. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2014.09.002
2013
Journal Article
Failure to demonstrate that playing violent video games diminishes prosocial behavior
Tear, Morgan J. and Nielsen, Mark (2013). Failure to demonstrate that playing violent video games diminishes prosocial behavior. PLoS ONE, 8 (7) e68382, e68382.1-e68382.7. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068382
2010
Journal Article
Audio-visual speech cue combination
Arnold, Derek H., Tear, Morgan, Schindel, Ryan and Roseboom, Warrick (2010). Audio-visual speech cue combination. PLoS One, 5 (4) e10217, e10217-1-e10217-5. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010217
2010
Journal Article
Multisensory integration with a head-mounted display: The role of mental and manual load
Thompson, Matthew B., Tear, Morgan J. and Sanderson, Penelope M. (2010). Multisensory integration with a head-mounted display: The role of mental and manual load. Human Factors, 52 (1), 92-104. doi: 10.1177/0018720810367914
2010
Conference Publication
The importance of ground truth: An open-source biometric repository
Tear, Morgan J., Thompson, Matthew B. and Tangen Jason M. (2010). The importance of ground truth: An open-source biometric repository. 54th Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 2010, HFES 2010, San Francisco, CA, U.S.A., 27 September-1 October, 2010. United States: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. doi: 10.1518/107118110794004556
2010
Conference Publication
Ground truth: On certainty in forensic decision-making research
Tangen, J. M., Thompson, M. B., McCarthy, D. and Tear, M. J. (2010). Ground truth: On certainty in forensic decision-making research. 20th International Symposium on the Forensic Sciences, Sydney , Australia, 5-10 September 2010.
2010
Conference Publication
Enhancing performance in human decision making: The role of similarity in forensic identification
Thompson, M. B., Tangen, J. M., McCarthy, D. and Tear, M. J. (2010). Enhancing performance in human decision making: The role of similarity in forensic identification. 20th International Symposium on the Forensic Sciences, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 5-9 September, 2010.
2009
Conference Publication
Head-mounted displays and multisensory integration: Replications and challenges
Tear, Morgan J., Harrison, William J., Thompson, Matthew B. and Sanderson, Penelope M. (2009). Head-mounted displays and multisensory integration: Replications and challenges. Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 53rd Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 19-23 October 2009. United States: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. doi: 10.1518/107118109x12524443345230
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Morgan Tear is:
- Available for supervision
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