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Dr Bahram Mahmoodi Kahriz

Lecturer in Marketing

Ethics Coordinator Consumer Futures Lab

Bahram Mahmoodi Kahriz

Specialisms

  • Consumer motivation, attention and behavior, 
  • Emotions and emotion-regulation in marketing, 
  • Prosocial spending and decision making, 
  • Digital Marketing and personalised advertising, 
  • Quantitative Methods and experimental research design, 
  • Constructive/destructive behaviours in workplaces, 
  • Sustainable consumer behaviour and climate action

Location

Whiteknights campus

Dr Bahram Mahmoodi Kahriz is a Lecturer in Marketing at Henley Business School, University of Reading. His research lies at the intersection of consumer psychology, emotion regulation, and decision-making, with a particular focus on how emotions, motivation, and attentions influence consumer and organisational behaviour. He also serves as the Ethics Coordinator in the Department of Digitalisation, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship, ensuring ethical integrity in research and teaching.

Bahram holds dual PhDs: one in Marketing and Reputation from Henley Business School and another in Psychology. He is also a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) with the British Psychological Society. Before coming to the UK, he worked as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. His interdisciplinary background provides a robust foundation for exploring cognitive and affective mechanisms underlying consumer decision-making, digital marketing strategies, and sustainability-driven consumer behaviour. His work has been widely published in esteemed academic journals, including the Journal of Happiness Studies, Current Psychology, and JMIR Human Factors. His research has also been featured in media outlets such as BBC, The Guardian, The Observer, The Telegraph, The Hill, and The Daily Mail.

As an active member of the Consumer Futures Lab and the John Madejski Centre for Reputation, and a previous member of the Self-Regulation Emotion and Attention Lab in the Psychology Department at the University of Reading, Bahram investigates trust-building strategies for brands, the psychological dimensions of digital marketing, and the role of emotion regulation in ethical consumerism. He is actively involved in supervising PhD students and DBA candidates, including Niusha Akbari Saneh, Angela Ng, Ghadir Samkri and Jane Lowe, and welcomes applications from prospective students. He has a strong commitment to fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment.


  1. Zhang, H., Mahmoodi Kahriz, B., McCabe, C., & Vogt, J. (2024). How to be happy from East to West: Social and flexible pursuit of happiness is associated with positive effects of valuing happiness on well-being. Current Psychology. DOI (In Press)

  2. Mahmoodi Kahriz, B., Snuggs, S. , Sah, A., Clot, S. , Lamport, D. , Forrest, J., Helme - Guizon, A., Wilhelm, M.-C., Caldara, C., Anin, C. V. and Vogt, J. (2023). Unveiling consumer preferences and intentions for cocreated features of a combined diet and physical activity app: A cross-sectional study in four European countries. JMIR Human Factors, 10, e44993. DOI

  3. Mahmoodi Kahriz, B., Bower, J. L., Glover, F. M. G. Q., & Vogt, J. (2020). Wanting to be happy but not knowing how: Poor attentions control and emotion-regulation abilities mediate the association between valuing happiness and depression. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21, 2583–2601. DOI

  4. Mahmoodi Kahriz, B. (2021). Anger in work-related contexts: The effect of providing feedback opportunities versus lack thereof. PhD Thesis, University of Reading. DOI

  5. Mahmoodi Kahriz, B., Robb, D., Hillenbrand, C., Money, K., & Gooch, J. (2024). Values-based leadership and ethical decision-making in the financial service sector: A fictional case study of a regional bank’s response to a localised economic crisis. European Case Centre.


  • 2025: Understanding Conservation Messaging for Behavioural Change
  • 2024: Research Travel Grant – University of Reading

  • 2023: Exploring the Effects of Optimism and Pessimism on Pro-Environmental Behaviours – University of Reading

  • 2022: Can the Expression of Anger Increase Well-being and Performance in Organisations? – UROP, University of Reading

  • 2021: Early Career Researchers Grant – University of Reading

Bahram leads and contributes to a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules, including:

Consumer Behaviour

To provide an understanding into the psychological and sociological factors that influence consumer behaviour before, during and after purchase and consumption in contemporary consumer markets. To discuss the effective engagement...

Module code: MM208

Leading Responsibly: Reflections on Enterprise and Risk

Enterprises need a deep understanding of how to devise ethical strategies and manage risk if they are to thrive in today’s challenging world. This module examines the concepts of ethics...

Module code: MNM2LRE

Consumer Behaviour

To provide an understanding into the psychological and sociological factors that influence consumer behaviour before, during and after purchase and consumption in contemporary consumer markets. To discuss the effective engagement...

Module code: MMM092

Specialisms

  • Consumer motivation, attention and behaviour
  • Emotions and emotion-regulation
  • Prosocial spending and decision making
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Constructive/destructive, (un)ethical behaviours in workplaces


  • Niusha Akbari Saneh – Narrative Nuances: Enhancing Animal Welfare through Strategic CSR Communication
  • Angela Ng – Emotion literacy in workplace contexts
  • Ghadir Samkri – Emotion regulation and financial decision-making
  • Jane Lowe – Investigating the motivations and drivers of both employers and apprentices participating in level 6 and 7 management apprenticeship programmes

Dr Mahmoodi Kahriz actively engages with interdisciplinary research initiatives and industry collaborations, working with organisations to apply insights from psychology and marketing to real-world business challenges. His expertise in digital marketing and consumer psychology has led to invited talks, media interviews, and consultancy projects related to consumer engagement, ethical marketing, and behavioural insights.