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Department of Psychology

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This list is intended to include all talks and seminars taking place in the Department of Psychology and certain related institutions.
Updated: 35 min 40 sec ago

Thu 16 May 12:30: Mental health in showmen

Fri, 16/02/2024 - 12:30
Mental health in showmen

Abstract not available

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Thu 13 Jun 12:30: Experimental medicine trials

Fri, 16/02/2024 - 12:30
Experimental medicine trials

Abstract not available

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Thu 10 Oct 12:30: TBA

Fri, 16/02/2024 - 12:30
TBA

Abstract not available

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Mon 19 Feb 12:30: Resting State fMRI & Recent Advances

Thu, 15/02/2024 - 14:40
Resting State fMRI & Recent Advances

Will will stream ISMRM-23 “Advances in fMRI” Educational Course’s session on ”Resting State fMRI & Recent Advances” by Marta Bianciardi (Harvard University). Let’s watch it together and discuss it afterwards!

Abstract: In this course, we first describe the major networks defined in humans based on resting state fMRI. We then present methods used for static and dynamic resting state fMRI connectivity analysis. Further, we provide an overview of resting state fMRI applications in neuroscience and in clinical studies, including recent advances in the field. Finally, we discuss current limitations of resting state fMRI methods and future directions. The target audience includes MRI scientists, neuroscientists, clinical researchers, neurologists and neurosurgeons interested in learning about methods, applications and recent advances of resting state fMRI in humans.

Venue: MRC CBU Lecture Theatre and Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82385113580?pwd=RmxIUmphQW9Ud1JBby9nTDQzR0NRdz09

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Mon 04 Mar 12:30: Harnessing Visual Studio Code for Your Research

Thu, 15/02/2024 - 12:47
Harnessing Visual Studio Code for Your Research

Abstract: Join us for a mini-workshop ‘Harnessing Visual Studio Code for Your Research’. The workshop aims to introduce participants to the versatility of VS Code as a development environment that can enhance research productivity. Discover how to customise VS Code for your projects, manage code with version control, and leverage extensions for scientific computing and data analysis. Whether you are coding experiments, analysing data, or writing up your findings, this workshop will provide you with the skills to streamline your research workflow. Perfect for beginners and seasoned coders alike the workshop will equip you with the tools to bring efficiency to your research.

Venue: MRC CBU Lecture Theatre and Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82385113580?pwd=RmxIUmphQW9Ud1JBby9nTDQzR0NRdz09

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Wed 21 Feb 15:00: How Can the Behavioral Sciences Inform the Climate Crisis Response?

Wed, 14/02/2024 - 12:42
How Can the Behavioral Sciences Inform the Climate Crisis Response?

The climate crisis is one of humanity’s most consequential and challenging threats, and addressing it requires massive behavioral and structural changes. As such, the behavioral sciences can play a critical role in this effort, through large-scale interventions and policy innovations. Following a unifying theoretical framework and leveraging a large array of methods, I investigate avenues in which the behavioral sciences can inform the climate crisis response, by changing false beliefs and stimulating climate action at the individual, collective, and system level. At the individual level, I use behavioral experiments to explore belief change strategies leveraging cognitive processes such as mnemonic accessibility, prediction errors, and emotional arousal, that can be used to decrease the prevalence of climate misinformation. At the collective level, I use social network analysis to investigate emergent properties of collective beliefs, such as synchronization and polarization, to maximize the effectiveness of individual interventions deployed in communities. At the system level, I investigate cycles of climate denialism propagation between society and artificial intelligence algorithms. Finally, to link conceptual processes to their behavioral signatures, I take a global megastudy approach to empirically test the relative effectiveness of the main theoretically informed behavioral interventions at stimulating collective climate action in 63 countries. Together, these theoretical insights spanning individual, collective, and systemic levels of analyses aim to inform policy and streamline the behavioral sciences’ response to the climate crisis.

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Wed 28 Feb 15:00: When Curiosity Gaps Backfire: Effects of Headline Concreteness on Information Selection Decisions

Tue, 13/02/2024 - 13:57
When Curiosity Gaps Backfire: Effects of Headline Concreteness on Information Selection Decisions

Journalists often use curiosity-inducing tactics in headlines to maximally appeal to readers, yet studies do not consistently show that clickbait techniques yield more engagement. In this talk, I tie headline strategies back to psychological theories about the information gap — the belief that curiosity is piqued when people are made aware of a gap in their knowledge. I introduce the Upworthy Research Archive, a large-scale corpus of A/B-tested news headlines that enables testing the causal effect of linguistics cues on reader behavior. By modeling the amount of information conveyed in a headline using an automated measured of sentence concreteness, I show that that there can be too much, or too little, information conveyed in a headline. I argue that computer scientists and communication scholars should rethink the binary nature of clickbait headlines in light of these findings.

Teams Meeting ID: 329 287 585 675 Passcode: yKwfhf

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Fri 17 May 12:00: Title to be confirmed The host for this talk is Jeff Dalley

Mon, 12/02/2024 - 15:58
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

The host for this talk is Jeff Dalley

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Fri 17 May 12:00: Title to be confirmed

Mon, 12/02/2024 - 14:44
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Mon 19 Feb 12:30: Resting State fMRI & Recent Advances

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 19:07
Resting State fMRI & Recent Advances

Will will stream ISMRM-23 “Advances in fMRI” Educational Course’s session on ”Resting State fMRI & Recent Advances” by Marta Bianciardi (Harvard University). Let’s watch it together and discuss it afterwards!

Abstract: FMRI is a non-invasive method that allows scientists to study the brain function during task or at rest. The BOLD contrast is the workhorse of functional neuroimaging. A cascade of physiological events following neuronal activity (changes in blood oxygenation, flow and volume) culminates in the BOLD signal. The versatility of MRI enables imaging of blood flow and volume using techniques such as Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) and Vascular Space Occupancy (VASO) respectively. In this talk, we will learn about BOLD and non-BOLD contrasts (CBF, CBV ), discuss what they offer and how they differ in their application to human fMRI.

Venue: MRC CBU Lecture Theatre and Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82385113580?pwd=RmxIUmphQW9Ud1JBby9nTDQzR0NRdz09

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Mon 18 Mar 12:30: Studies with Single Subjects or Large Numbers of Volunteers - Why, & How?

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 19:00
Studies with Single Subjects or Large Numbers of Volunteers - Why, & How?

Wietske van der Zwaag (Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam) will give us a talk on ”Studies with Single Subjects or Large Numbers of Volunteers – Why, & How?”

Abstract: In the functional MRI field, datasets continue to grow. Interestingly, there are two different trends: There are currently multiple efforts towards collection of datasets with a huge number of participants, to capture the variance in a population, or to use the power of massive averaging to discover subtle brain function patterns. A second trend is towards exhaustive sampling of a single participant (or a few), arguing that measurements of one brain likely generalize to most other brains. Dense sampling allows experiments with either many conditions or extremely detailed images, exploring different types of variance. This talk will discuss both trends.

Venue: MRC CBU Lecture Theatre and Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82385113580?pwd=RmxIUmphQW9Ud1JBby9nTDQzR0NRdz09

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Tue 13 Feb 11:00: No Longer the One-Child Family: Parenting and Sibling Relationships in China Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 14:08
No Longer the One-Child Family: Parenting and Sibling Relationships in China

Starting in 2016, the Chinese central government officially ended the one-child policy, which allowed parents across China to now have two children. In May 2021, the government further relaxed its population policy allowing couples to have up to three children. Although these policy changes were based more on considerations of social and economic development than concerns about children’s development and family functioning, these policies have important implications for both Chinese parents and their children. Very little practical information is available for those parents to help them adapt to the new family challenges.

Our recent research has begun to bridge that gap by showing how Chinese parents adaptively or maladaptively respond to the family changes with the arrival of the second child. In this talk, I will discuss three research questions. First, how do Chinese parents raise two children within a family? Second, how do Chinese firstborn children adapt to the transition to siblinghood? Third, how do sibling relationships influence Chinese children’s socioemotional development? I will show series of studies to (partly if not completely) answer these three questions. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate that the relaxations in the population policy in China might influence parenting behaviours and child adjustment.

The talk will be followed by a short Q&A.

Bin-Bin Chen is Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at Fudan University, China. He also held a Visiting Fellowship at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge. His research interests include various aspects of family relationships and the social and emotional development of children and adolescents in Chinese contexts. He is also the Principal Investigator of the Fudan Sibling Project (FSP), a seven-year longitudinal investigation exploring changes in family functioning and the firstborn’s adjustment after the birth of a second child, which has received fundings from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has first-authored publications in such journals as Child Development, Developmental Psychology, and Development and Psychopathology. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Research on Adolescence and has served on numerous editorial boards including Children, International Journal of Behavioural Development, and Social Development. He was the 2023 recipient of the SRCD Asian Caucus Early Career Award.

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Ground Floor, Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

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Tue 27 Feb 11:00: Recognising and addressing the trauma-related mental health needs of young people in care Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 14:08
Recognising and addressing the trauma-related mental health needs of young people in care

There are over 90,000 young people under local authority care across the UK. They have often experienced high rates of trauma or maltreatment, and other adversities. Once in care many are separated from siblings, and one-third will change placements each year (and thus, caregivers). The mental health outcomes for this group have been well-documented, with at least 50% meeting criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition, and high rates of comorbidities and risk common.

This talk will present a series of research projects conducted by the UCL Child Trauma and Recovery research group, which seeks to build a stronger evidence-base on the mental health needs of children and teens under local authority care, and care leavers. This includes longitudinal work on social and cognitive drivers of mental health, through to barriers and facilitators of the delivery of evidence-based mental health care across social-care and mental health sectors. The talk will primarily draw on our research that has focused on (complex) PTSD .

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Ground Floor, Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

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Tue 12 Mar 11:00: The InCLUDE Project: Making Research in Foster and Kinship Care Inclusive and Accessible Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 14:08
The InCLUDE Project: Making Research in Foster and Kinship Care Inclusive and Accessible

If the findings of children’s social care research are to be meaningful and applicable in the real world, then participants in research should reflect the diversity of our cultures and conditions, taking into account race, ethnicity, gender, age, etc. The InCLUDE project (Increasing Collaboration and Learning with Underserved communities for Diversity and Equity) has aimed to put inclusivity and accessibility at the heart of research with foster and kinship carers, by understanding the barriers and facilitators to meaningful participation for those from underserved communities. This seminar will describe how the InCLUDE study worked to try and increase the number of participants in the Reflective Fostering Study from underserved communities, through a model of participatory action research in which the voices of those within underserved communities were sought.

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 21 May 11:00: Title to be confirmed Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 14:08
Title to be confirmed

.

Title & Abstract to follow.

.

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 04 Jun 11:00: Title to be confirmed Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 14:08
Title to be confirmed

.

Title & Abstract to follow.

.

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 13 Feb 11:00: No Longer the One-Child Family: Parenting and Sibling Relationships in China Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 11:41
No Longer the One-Child Family: Parenting and Sibling Relationships in China

Starting in 2016, the Chinese central government officially ended the one-child policy, which allowed parents across China to now have two children. In May 2021, the government further relaxed its population policy allowing couples to have up to three children. Although these policy changes were based more on considerations of social and economic development than concerns about children’s development and family functioning, these policies have important implications for both Chinese parents and their children. Very little practical information is available for those parents to help them adapt to the new family challenges.

Our recent research has begun to bridge that gap by showing how Chinese parents adaptively or maladaptively respond to the family changes with the arrival of the second child. In this talk, I will discuss three research questions. First, how do Chinese parents raise two children within a family? Second, how do Chinese firstborn children adapt to the transition to siblinghood? Third, how do sibling relationships influence Chinese children’s socioemotional development? I will show series of studies to (partly if not completely) answer these three questions. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate that the relaxations in the population policy in China might influence parenting behaviours and child adjustment.

The talk will be followed by a short Q&A.

Bin-Bin Chen is Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at Fudan University, China. He also held a Visiting Fellowship at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge. His research interests include various aspects of family relationships and the social and emotional development of children and adolescents in Chinese contexts. He is also the Principal Investigator of the Fudan Sibling Project (FSP), a seven-year longitudinal investigation exploring changes in family functioning and the firstborn’s adjustment after the birth of a second child, which has received fundings from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has first-authored publications in such journals as Child Development, Developmental Psychology, and Development and Psychopathology. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Research on Adolescence and has served on numerous editorial boards including Children, International Journal of Behavioural Development, and Social Development. He was the 2023 recipient of the SRCD Asian Caucus Early Career Award.

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Ground Floor, Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 27 Feb 11:00: Recognising and addressing the trauma-related mental health needs of young people in care Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 11:41
Recognising and addressing the trauma-related mental health needs of young people in care

There are over 90,000 young people under local authority care across the UK. They have often experienced high rates of trauma or maltreatment, and other adversities. Once in care many are separated from siblings, and one-third will change placements each year (and thus, caregivers). The mental health outcomes for this group have been well-documented, with at least 50% meeting criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition, and high rates of comorbidities and risk common.

This talk will present a series of research projects conducted by the UCL Child Trauma and Recovery research group, which seeks to build a stronger evidence-base on the mental health needs of children and teens under local authority care, and care leavers. This includes longitudinal work on social and cognitive drivers of mental health, through to barriers and facilitators of the delivery of evidence-based mental health care across social-care and mental health sectors. The talk will primarily draw on our research that has focused on (complex) PTSD .

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Ground Floor, Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 12 Mar 11:00: The InCLUDE Project: Making Research in Foster and Kinship Care Inclusive and Accessible Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Fri, 09/02/2024 - 11:41
The InCLUDE Project: Making Research in Foster and Kinship Care Inclusive and Accessible

If the findings of children’s social care research are to be meaningful and applicable in the real world, then participants in research should reflect the diversity of our cultures and conditions, taking into account race, ethnicity, gender, age, etc. The InCLUDE project (Increasing Collaboration and Learning with Underserved communities for Diversity and Equity) has aimed to put inclusivity and accessibility at the heart of research with foster and kinship carers, by understanding the barriers and facilitators to meaningful participation for those from underserved communities. This seminar will describe how the InCLUDE study worked to try and increase the number of participants in the Reflective Fostering Study from underserved communities, through a model of participatory action research in which the voices of those within underserved communities were sought.

Meeting ID: 362 971 038 65​ | Passcode: 68Yosm

Or why not join us in person? Old Cavendish Labs, Free School Lane. Location Map | Detailed Directions

.

Refreshments available from 10:30am!

Add to your calendar or Include in your list