Martin Paul Meredith Richards (born 26 January 1940) is a British psychologist, Professor of Family Research at the University of Cambridge from 1997 to 2005, and since emeritus.
Apart from visiting positions elsewhere, he has worked in the University of Cambridge throughout his career, holding a lectureship in social and developmental psychology (1970) and subsequently a readership (human development, 1989) and a personal chair (family research, 1997).
His research, which he always preferred to do in collaboration with others, has ranged widely, from his initial observational follow up study of infants and their parents to studies of neonatal and maternity care to divorce and parenting.
He was a co-founder of the initially Cambridge based Socio Legal Group and frequently served as a co-editor of their collective books.
He has served on many public bodies including the Human Genetic Commission, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the Ethics and Law Committee of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and as a policy advisor for the Lord Chancellor's Department.