Experimental Psychology

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Language Group

The following people are in this group:

More about this group

The Language Group has strengths across human language production, perception, and comprehension. Areas of particular expertise include the modelling of word identification in reading, the interaction between lexical and grammatical knowledge and speech production and comprehension, and the processes involved in speech segmentation.

We are keen to recruit motivated students with a background in psychology, linguistics or computer science for postgraduate study (MSc or PhD).

Key questions include:

  • How are words segmented from continuous speech?
  • How do second language learners detect boundaries between spoken words?
  • What is the effect of processing load on speech recognition?
  • Is speech perception modular or interactive?

Speech production

The process of converting thoughts into a string of words. Key questions include:

  • Is spoken production influenced by orthographic properties?
  • Is speech production modular or interactive?
  • How much do speakers plan ahead?
  • How can variation in speech rhythm be quantified?
  • How are speech timing, rhythm and prosodic structure related?

Reading and dyslexia

The process of identifying written words, and the various ways the reading process can break down. Key questions include:

  • How are words represented in orthographic and phonological systems?
  • How do connectionist models support word learning?
  • What is the basis of acquired dyslexia?
  • What mechanisms underlie priming effects?

The Language Group is part of the Cognitive Processes research theme.