How human vision separately determines object and scene motion. This project aims to enhance understanding of how people process visual scenes containing multiple moving objects of interest. The project intends to measure human visual performance to determine how the brain processes multiple motion signals simultaneously. Expected outcomes include an increased understanding of how we are able to use an evolving visual scene to distinguish between changes due to self-motion and those due to the m ....How human vision separately determines object and scene motion. This project aims to enhance understanding of how people process visual scenes containing multiple moving objects of interest. The project intends to measure human visual performance to determine how the brain processes multiple motion signals simultaneously. Expected outcomes include an increased understanding of how we are able to use an evolving visual scene to distinguish between changes due to self-motion and those due to the motion of multiple moving objects such as crowded city footpaths and busy roads. The results will improve our understanding of failures to see moving objects in challenging viewing conditions (for example, high density traffic), and inform work in the design of autonomous driving and augmented reality display systems.Read moreRead less
Using shape change for object perception: human and artificial vision. This project aims to examine the steps taken by the visual system to code the shape of objects, including those that change shape over time. The project seeks to employ experiments assessing human vision and machine learning techniques to examine these codes and, in particular, focus on the advantages of a system that exaggerates shape change over time. Expected outcomes include an improved shape code based on superior human ....Using shape change for object perception: human and artificial vision. This project aims to examine the steps taken by the visual system to code the shape of objects, including those that change shape over time. The project seeks to employ experiments assessing human vision and machine learning techniques to examine these codes and, in particular, focus on the advantages of a system that exaggerates shape change over time. Expected outcomes include an improved shape code based on superior human performance that can have many applications in automated visual systems. This project can directly benefit the animation industries where the creation of realistic movement of humans and animals remains a computationally intensive challenge.Read moreRead less
Resolving multi-sensory conflict as we age: audio-visual integration and the role of normal and abnormal sensory decline. Australia has an ageing population. Even the healthiest older individuals undergo some deterioration of vision and hearing, however, these senses are almost invariably studied in isolation. The real world is multisensory. This project will enhance our knowledge of how ageing impacts on the interpretation of visual and auditory information regarding the timing and location of ....Resolving multi-sensory conflict as we age: audio-visual integration and the role of normal and abnormal sensory decline. Australia has an ageing population. Even the healthiest older individuals undergo some deterioration of vision and hearing, however, these senses are almost invariably studied in isolation. The real world is multisensory. This project will enhance our knowledge of how ageing impacts on the interpretation of visual and auditory information regarding the timing and location of objects; essential precursors to many real world tasks, for example: driving, interpreting speech, and hazard avoidance. This knowledge is essential for the optimisation of audio-visual environments for the elderly, and for the development of tools to improve performance in the presence of sensory decline due to age-related eye disease.Read moreRead less
Pathways to social cohesion and social change: opinion-based groups and the dynamic formation of identities. This project will update the understanding of political conflict by exploring groups based around shared opinions. It will show that groups are likely to be more successful in their political campaigns when they tie their causes to national and other positive identifies.
Predicting health, well-being, and educational success in emerging adults: An 8 year longitudinal study. This project will inform the community about factors that affect the psychological, physical, academic, and employment outcomes of emerging adults. It will improve our knowledge of why some young people do not reach their full potential. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of factors associated with well-being across several domains. It will better equip and assist professiona ....Predicting health, well-being, and educational success in emerging adults: An 8 year longitudinal study. This project will inform the community about factors that affect the psychological, physical, academic, and employment outcomes of emerging adults. It will improve our knowledge of why some young people do not reach their full potential. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of factors associated with well-being across several domains. It will better equip and assist professionals to identify early those youth at risk of having poor psychological, health, and employment prospects post-school. The project will inform the development of intervention programs for young people and maximise their overall adjustment and well-being several years later.Read moreRead less
Facilitating the attainment of difficult goals: From theory to intervention. Being persistent in pursuing an important goal is glorified in society. People, however, often need to be strategic in their goal pursuits. A series of lab and field studies will aim to test how helping individuals to realise early in their goal striving whether their goal is attainable or not, can support them in making the right decision (persist with, abandon, or change the goal). The project will make novel contribu ....Facilitating the attainment of difficult goals: From theory to intervention. Being persistent in pursuing an important goal is glorified in society. People, however, often need to be strategic in their goal pursuits. A series of lab and field studies will aim to test how helping individuals to realise early in their goal striving whether their goal is attainable or not, can support them in making the right decision (persist with, abandon, or change the goal). The project will make novel contributions to theories of motivation and goal regulation. It will also have significant public benefit as it will provide the necessary evidence for the development of brief interventions that maximise the efficient use of individuals’ limited resources, facilitating individual and societal productivity and well-being.Read moreRead less
Selective information processing and anxiety problems. Anxiety problems cost Australia over $1 billion per annum, and affect up to 16% of some Australian populations. Previous research by the applicants, and others, recently has established that certain patterns of selective information processing causally underpin elevated vulnerability to anxiety. The present program will serve to distinguish the functional contributions made by two specific classes of processing selectivity to two key dimensi ....Selective information processing and anxiety problems. Anxiety problems cost Australia over $1 billion per annum, and affect up to 16% of some Australian populations. Previous research by the applicants, and others, recently has established that certain patterns of selective information processing causally underpin elevated vulnerability to anxiety. The present program will serve to distinguish the functional contributions made by two specific classes of processing selectivity to two key dimensions of anxiety vulnerability. It is designed to produce novel cognitive technologies capable not only of predicting, but also of attenuating, both the tendency to experience anxiety reactions to stress, and the subsequent persistent of anxiety over time.Read moreRead less
How biased engagement with, and biased disengagement from, emotional information contribute to alternative dimensions of anxiety vulnerability. Anxiety problems cost Australia over $1 billion per annum, and affect up to 16% of some Australian populations. Previous research by the applicants, and others, recently has established that certain patterns of selective information processing causally underpin elevated vulnerability to anxiety. The present program will serve to distinguish the functiona ....How biased engagement with, and biased disengagement from, emotional information contribute to alternative dimensions of anxiety vulnerability. Anxiety problems cost Australia over $1 billion per annum, and affect up to 16% of some Australian populations. Previous research by the applicants, and others, recently has established that certain patterns of selective information processing causally underpin elevated vulnerability to anxiety. The present program will serve to distinguish the functional contributions made by two specific classes of processing selectivity to two key dimensions of anxiety vulnerability. It is designed to produce novel cognitive technologies capable not only of predicting, but also of attenuating, both the tendency to experience anxiety reactions to stress, and the subsequent persistence of anxiety over time.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101006
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Understanding and increasing high school girls' physical activity levels through a physical education-based research program. Currently, less than 15% of early-teenage Australian girls meet exercise recommendations. This project will identify new ways in which physical education can promote physical activity, and will provide practical methods for increasing girls' activity levels, helping to reduce future health risks such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Atypical cognition in autism: preference for nonverbal coding and impaired connectivity? This project will investigate whether individuals with autism prefer to think 'in pictures' rather than use words, and whether their thinking shows evidence of limited connections across brain regions. Establishing either characteristic for autism would provide important direction in improving diagnosis and intervention for affected children.