Cecil Gibb Research Seminar Series: What we are working on—Cognitive Psychology at the RSP

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A/Professor Mark Edwards

The human brain consists of multiple pathways with various processing stages in those pathways. Information is transformed as it moves along those pathways. At a behavioural level, tasks and stimuli can be designed to preferentially drive these pathways and specific stages in them. I am interested in using these behavioural tasks to determine how these pathways interact in performing complex tasks and also how visual attention selectively affects the functioning of specific pathways and stages.

Dr Stephanie Goodhew

At any given moment, there is too much information in the world around us for the human brain to fully process. Therefore, attention fulfills a vital selection function, prioritizing important information for processing. The focus of my research is on visual attention. I am interested in both the inputs and the outputs of attention. That is, what factors determine which stimuli receive priority, and what are the consequences of attention for performance on different types of tasks? 

Dr Eryn Newman

When we encounter information in the world, the truth status is often unclear. Thus, a crucial task in human cognition is trying to establish whether a given message or idea is correct. I study how people come to believe that something is true and the sources of bias that can infiltrate truth assessment. Understanding how we come to believe has implications for science & health communication and has the potential to signal novel approaches in combating myths and misconceptions.

Dr Bradley Jack

As you read this text, you can probably hear your inner voice narrating the words. Inner speech – the silent production of words in one’s mind – is a core aspect of our mental lives. I am interested in using electroencephalography (EEG) to explore the neural basis of inner speech production. I am also interested in abnormal inner speech, such as auditory-verbal hallucinations, which may reflect inner speech that is misattributed to external forces.