School of Psychology Events

CANCELLED – Psychology Colloquium: Dr Ann Meulders (KU Leuven)
2020-05-01 15:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Sydney)
Speaker: Dr Ann Meulders (KU Leuven)
Title: TBA
Abstract: TBA

CANCELLED – Psychology Colloquium: Emeritus Professor Robert (Bob) Boakes (University of Sydney)
2020-04-24 15:00 - 16:00
Speaker: Emeritus Professor Robert (Bob) Boakes (University of Sydney)Title: The monkey, the lettuce leaf, sugar and disappointment: From translation to discovery
Abstract: For some years our group has run translational experiments to study metabolic and cognitive impairments in rats that have drunk large amounts of a sugar solution. Metabolic problems have included development of large amounts of visceral fat, while the cognitive changes include poor performance on spatial learning and memory tasks. We have also studied recovery from the impact of sugary drinks when the rats no longer had access to such solutions. To model a human change from, say, classic Coca Cola to Diet Coke, we have switched rats from a sugar to a saccharin solution. Although the saccharin solutions were ones that are normally liked by rats, in these sugar->saccharin ‘switch’ experiments intakes remained unexpectedly low. Consequent experiments confirmed that we had stumbled upon an unusually persistent successive negative contrast effect. It seems that, when expecting a delicious drink and instead experiencing something that isn’t quite as nice, disappointment supports conditioning of a lasting aversion to the new drink.

CANCELLED – Psychology Colloquium: Dr Emma Alleyne (University of Kent)
2020-04-03 15:00 - 16:00
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 a result, even when complaints are made, convictions are rare and we are left with a limited evidence base to inform practice. Despite these challenges, there is a growing field of research to develop a greater understanding of the factors associated with animal abuse, the motivations underpinning this behaviour, and the treatment needs of abusers. In this talk I will present a series of empirical studies examining the social, psychological, and behavioural factors related to animal abuse propensity and behaviour. These studies explore both distal and proximal factors that give insight into why and in what context individuals might harm animals. I will also present these findings within the context of theory development and future directions for research.

CANCELLED – Psychology Colloquium: Dr Samuel Mehr (Harvard University)
2020-03-27 15:00 - 16:00
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 their mysterious musical faculties eagerly and frequently, unlike any other species, and have done so throughout recorded history. Why should this be? In this talk I propose that infant-directed song functions as an honest signal of parental investment. Three lines of work support this proposal. First, I show that the genomic imprinting disorders Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes, which cause an altered psychology of parental investment, are associated with an altered psychology of music. Second, I analyze ethnographic texts and audio recordings with tools of data science, finding that vocal music appears in 100% of a representative sample of human societies and is reliably associated with the care of infants and children therein. Moreover, infant-directed songs are recognizable by massive cohorts of naïve listeners, a result driven by acoustic features of the singing that consistently differentiate the infant-directed songs from other songs, worldwide. Last, I show that infants are sensitive to these reliably-occurring acoustic features: despite their unfamiliarity, infants are calmed by foreign lullabies. These findings converge on a psychological function of music in infancy that may underlie more general features of the human music faculty, laying the foundation for a comprehensive psychology of music.

CANCELLED – Psychology Colloquium: Dr Nicky Quinn (Macquarie University)
2020-03-20 15:00 - 16:00
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 in the way we interpret information. Although these principles are well understood in psychology, this way of approaching human behaviour is more novel in some areas of government policy making. This is problematic given that government policy is often the end place in the research translation pathway for the evidence we generate in academia. After conducting research and working in and with government for four years, I will be presenting on the application of ‘behavioural insights’ to government policy, and running randomised-controlled trials to test government policy and programs. This will include a series of trials we ran over the last few years, including in reducing the over-prescription of antibiotics, helping the unemployed back to work, reducing sexual harassment, and in attempting to reducing discrimination.

CANCELLED – Psychology Colloquium: Dr Laura Bradfield (UTS)
2020-03-13 15:00 - 16:00
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 regulates goal-directed decision-making in a temporally transient manner. Specifically, we chemogenetically inactivated the dorsal CA1 region of the hippocampus in rats during outcome devaluation testing: the gold-standard test of goal-directed action in rodents. We found that such inactivation impaired goal-directed decisions on this test if it occurred immediately after initial training, but not after extended training or after a one week temporal window had passed. As degeneration of the hippocampus is observed in old age and in Alzheimer’s disease, we next investigated whether a similar temporal transience in decision-making impairments would be observed in aged mice, and a J20 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Indeed we found that outcome devaluation performance was impaired after initial training in both aged and J20 mice relative to wildtype controls, but that this deficit could be overcome with additional training. Aged J20 mice showed an additional deficit in outcome-selective reinstatement. We further found strong relationships between neuroinflammatory markers in the dorsal CA1 region and goal-directed decision-making performance. Experiments investigating a causal connection between local neuroinflammation and goal-directed decision-making impairments are currently ongoing.

Psychology Colloquium: Professor Lazar Stankov (University of Sydney & University of Southern Queensland)
2020-03-06 15:00 - 16:00
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 of these studies were cross-cultural while others were based on data collected from participants in areas that have experienced recent conflict. Our findings point to the emerging role of cognitive abilities and education in the division between social groups. The perception that higher education has created a “liberal elite” in society has contributed to an increased endorsement of conservative views.
A critical component of militant extremist mindset (MEM) that distinguishes it from Social Conservatism is Grudge. Three aspects of Grudge are a) Belief that we live in a Vile World; b) Belief that the West is responsible for all problems in the world today; and c) EOC (Ethos of Conflict) Grudge that blames immediate neighbours for poor relationship. These are the central predictors of animosity. While nationalism/ethnocentrism has a significant positive correlation with Grudge, measures of the trust in the system have low correlation. By using the rhetoric that points to the division between the ‘people’ and the ‘elite’, populist politicians contribute to the increased visibility of the right-wing political parties. Terrorism motivated by the right-wing ideology is also on the rise.
Two recently completed studies of MEM produced outcomes that may be useful to policymakers. First, Serbs living in the area of the recent conflict with Albanians show higher levels of Grudge than Serbs living outside the conflict area. Thus, conflict increases the likelihood of militant extremism. Second, asylum seekers hold lower levels of Grudge towards Western nations than do people living in Southern Europe. Right-wing politicians are wrong in assuming that immigration will lead to an increase in Islamic terrorism.

Psychology Colloquium: Prof Karl Gegenfurtner (Giessen University)
2020-02-28 15:00 - 16:00
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 continuously. I will present work on eye movements and their interactions with visual perception that addresses the question why do we look where we do, and what it is good for? I will argue that a multitude of different circuits related to salience, object recognition, actions, and value ultimately interact to determine gaze behavior.
