School of Psychological Science Seminar Series
We are delighted to announce the 2025-26 Psychology & Neuroscience Seminar Series. Seminars will run from 13:00 - 14:00 every Wednesday in term time. Our annual Lloyd Morgan Lecture will take place from 16:00 - 18:30 on the 22nd of October.
We have an exciting line up of internal and external speakers for this term which can be found below.
Title: Human Natural Identity and Deepfake Processing - Insights from Super-Recognizers, Law Enforcement and Society
Abstract: Recent technological advances and related societal issues have led to a surge of both attention towards and misconceptions around the concept of “face recognition”. The arguably most important facet of face recognition — identity processing — is neither a solved, nor easy problem. On the contrary, it is a typically underestimated, highly complex skill that our brains have developed to efficiently master. Generative AI and the ability to create synthetic identities at scale have given rise to entirely novel questions in this field of facial identity processing research. Using examples of ongoing and future work in my group, I argue that studying cognitive and biological mechanisms of human face identity processing can advance our understanding of brain-behavior relationships and hence the development of efficient biologically inspired automatic solutions. Moreover, it can support the development of human-machine interactions, and facilitate an inter-stakeholder exchange necessary to maintain trust in institutions, and enable innovative research opportunities. Creative approaches to using synthetic identities in particular can play a major role in enhancing trust, privacy, and fairness across a range of applications.
Location: 2D1, Priory Road Complex, 12a Priory Road, BS8 1TU
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
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Location: C42, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
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Location: C42, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: Model measures? Towards a better understanding of how individual differences in cognition relate to gambling and brain structure
Abstract: Measuring individual differences in cognitive abilities is difficult. We often rely on simple measures of performance like reaction time or accuracy, but the mechanisms that produce these behaviours are multifaceted, even in relatively simple tasks. This complexity is a barrier to understanding how cognitive abilities relate to individual differences in real world behaviours. For example, it is difficult to test whether inhibitory control is linked to addiction if we do not have good measures of inhibitory control. In this talk I will explore some of these challenges in the context of inhibitory control, and a potential solution in the form of theoretically informed computational models. I will discuss recent work in which we have applied these models to revisit questions about inhibition and problem gambling, and the neural correlates of processing speed.
Location: 2D1, Priory Road Complex, 12a Priory Road, BS8 1TU
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
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Time: 13:00 - 14:00
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Location: E29, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Location: C42, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: Developmental risk and resilience: Current challenges and future directions for children and young people’s mental health research
Abstract: Approximately half of mental health problems begin before the age of 14 and the rates of mental health problems among children and young people are increasing. Yet, interventions have remained stagnant for decades. The lack of progress in developing more effective interventions is likely due to our limited understanding of the causes of mental health problems, and the mechanisms by which interventions work. Mental health disorders emerge as a result of the interplay, over time, of multiple biological, familial and societal factors. This means that chasing ‘the first causes’ is unlikely to generate the transformations in interventions that are desperately needed to address the growing mental health crisis. In this talk I will use research into conduct problems as an illustrative example of employing different methodological approaches to try and understand a particular presentation. I will also use this research to highlight the challenges we face. Finally, I will present possible ways forward for accelerating research discovery. I will also briefly discuss findings from a recent indicated prevention trial that has targeted multiple putative transdiagnostic mental health mechanisms.
Location: LT2, Chemistry Building, Cantock’s Close, BS8 1TS
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
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Location: Priory Road LT, Priory Road Complex, 12a Priory Road, BS8 1TU
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Location: 2D1, Priory Road Complex, 12a Priory Road, BS8 1TU
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Location: C42, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Location: C42, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Location: 2D1, Priory Road Complex, 12a Priory Road, BS8 1TU
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Title: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Location: C42, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, BS8 1TD
Time: 13:00 - 14:00