Speaker: Prof Karl Gegenfurtner (Giessen University)Title: Why we look where we do Abstract: The existence of a central fovea, the small retinal region with high analytical performance, is arguably the most prominent design feature of the primate visual system. This centralization comes along with the corresponding capability to move the eyes to reposition the fovea […]

Speaker: Professor Lazar Stankov (University of Sydney & University of Southern Queensland) Title: Individual differences meet political psychology: from communism to the right-wing extremism via IQ, education, social conservatism and conflict Abstract: I will review our work that points to a link between psychological aspects of Social Conservatism and measures of militant extremist mindset (MEM). Some […]

Speaker: Dr Laura Bradfield (UTS)Title: Hippocampal dysregulation causes transient deficits in decision-making: consequences for old age and Alzheimer’s disease Abstract: The hippocampus is a central component of learning and memory systems in the brain, but its role in decision-making has received comparatively little attention. We found that, similar to its role in learning and memory, the hippocampus […]

Speaker: Dr Nicky Quinn (Macquarie University) Title: Applying behavioural science to government policy Abstract: In psychology, we take many principles of behavioural science as given. We know that we regularly make decisions that are ‘bad’ for us or irrational, we fail to follow through with even our strongly-held good intentions, and we show a range of biases […]

Speaker: Dr Samuel Mehr (Harvard University)Title: Psychological functions of music in infancy Abstract: In 1871, Darwin wrote, “As neither the enjoyment nor the capacity of producing musical notes are faculties of the least use to man … they must be ranked among the most mysterious with which he is endowed.” Infants and parents worldwide engage […]

Speaker: Dr Emma Alleyne (University of Kent)Title: ‘Taking it out on the dog’: Why adults abuse animals Abstract: One of the most acute and distressing animal welfare problems is abuse carried out by adults. There are difficulties to detect, intervene, and prevent animal cruelty incidents due to the very nature of animals as ‘voiceless victims’. As […]