Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101708
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,821.00
Summary
New directions for using brain stimulation to understand brain function. Neuroplasticity is of fundamental importance to brain function as it mediates learning, memory and development. Deficits in neuroplasticity are observed in a number of neurological conditions and thought to contribute to cognitive dysfunction. This study is designed to develop a better understanding of the neurochemical and genetic factors impacting on neuroplasticity. In addition, it aims to (i) upregulate brain connectivi ....New directions for using brain stimulation to understand brain function. Neuroplasticity is of fundamental importance to brain function as it mediates learning, memory and development. Deficits in neuroplasticity are observed in a number of neurological conditions and thought to contribute to cognitive dysfunction. This study is designed to develop a better understanding of the neurochemical and genetic factors impacting on neuroplasticity. In addition, it aims to (i) upregulate brain connectivity in a precise and targeted manner, (ii) elicit functional increases in cognitive performance and (iii) demonstrate the relationship between functional connectivity and cognition. Outcomes include a better understanding of plasticity in the brain & a enhanced capacity to examine and modulate brain plasticity.Read moreRead less
Brain mechanisms for coordinating with others through sound. Distinguishing between sounds produced by self and others is critical for interpersonal coordination and communication through speech and music. This project employs a novel dual-brain electrophysiological technique with tagged audio signals to elucidate how the human brain achieves this distinction, and when and why it cannot. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the neurophysiological mechanisms that support self-other processi ....Brain mechanisms for coordinating with others through sound. Distinguishing between sounds produced by self and others is critical for interpersonal coordination and communication through speech and music. This project employs a novel dual-brain electrophysiological technique with tagged audio signals to elucidate how the human brain achieves this distinction, and when and why it cannot. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the neurophysiological mechanisms that support self-other processing, and the acoustic conditions and behavioural strategies that facilitate their operation. These outcomes should ultimately have applied benefits for improving interpersonal coordination and social interaction, especially in digital environments and clinical populations with atypical self-other processing.Read moreRead less
Understanding biological pathways underlying social behaviour in humans. This project aims to show for the first time how oxytocin interacts with neural social and reward pathways to guide social behaviour. Oxytocin is a natural neuropeptide and hormone that has a critical role in the regulation of social behaviour across mammalian species. In animals, direct evidence demonstrates how endogenous and exogenous oxytocin interacts with social and reward neural pathways to alter social behaviour, in ....Understanding biological pathways underlying social behaviour in humans. This project aims to show for the first time how oxytocin interacts with neural social and reward pathways to guide social behaviour. Oxytocin is a natural neuropeptide and hormone that has a critical role in the regulation of social behaviour across mammalian species. In animals, direct evidence demonstrates how endogenous and exogenous oxytocin interacts with social and reward neural pathways to alter social behaviour, including social recognition, relationship formation, and long-term bonds. The project intends to use radio-labelling techniques in combination with positron emission tomography to track oxytocin and show what regions of the brain oxytocin impacts to then influence social cognition and behaviour in humans.Read moreRead less
Fundamental neurocognitive mechanisms underpinning creative thought. The project aims to understand the neural and cognitive bases of creative thought by using a novel approach and recent framework that has emerged from the study of semantic cognition and executive control functions. Creative thought is fundamental to human advances throughout history and it is the foundation to all arts and sciences. Expected outcomes are a framework that can explain the source of knowledge and the evaluative ....Fundamental neurocognitive mechanisms underpinning creative thought. The project aims to understand the neural and cognitive bases of creative thought by using a novel approach and recent framework that has emerged from the study of semantic cognition and executive control functions. Creative thought is fundamental to human advances throughout history and it is the foundation to all arts and sciences. Expected outcomes are a framework that can explain the source of knowledge and the evaluative mechanisms needed to generate new and useful ideas. Significant benefits will be to advance our understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms of creative thought, which can enhance Australia’s scientific capability through training and collaboration and broader society by enhancing capacity for innovative thinking. Read moreRead less
Effects of audio-visual rhythmic stimulation on motor functioning. This project aims to determine how the human capacity for entrainment contributes to the development and modification of motor functions through passive perception. Human movements are spontaneously attracted to auditory and visual environmental rhythms. The intended outcome is knowledge about short and long-term effects of entrainment on spontaneous cerebral, muscular and behavioural motor activity, and how auditory rhythms comb ....Effects of audio-visual rhythmic stimulation on motor functioning. This project aims to determine how the human capacity for entrainment contributes to the development and modification of motor functions through passive perception. Human movements are spontaneously attracted to auditory and visual environmental rhythms. The intended outcome is knowledge about short and long-term effects of entrainment on spontaneous cerebral, muscular and behavioural motor activity, and how auditory rhythms combined with visual depictions of human movement modulate these effects. This research should advance the understanding of perception and action links, ultimately opening pathways for training patients with reduced movement capacities and developing health technologies.Read moreRead less
Modelling and manipulating brain network dynamics across the lifespan. This project aims to integrate advanced computational modelling and state-of-the-art recording techniques to generate new knowledge on the neural basis of ageing. People are said to grow wiser as they grow older, though more likely they will experience cognitive slowing and reduced memory functions that interfere with their daily lives. The anticipated goal of the project is to develop techniques to predict the personalised e ....Modelling and manipulating brain network dynamics across the lifespan. This project aims to integrate advanced computational modelling and state-of-the-art recording techniques to generate new knowledge on the neural basis of ageing. People are said to grow wiser as they grow older, though more likely they will experience cognitive slowing and reduced memory functions that interfere with their daily lives. The anticipated goal of the project is to develop techniques to predict the personalised effects of brain stimulation on the ageing brain. The outcomes of this research could significantly improve understanding of brain ageing, and advance the fields of systems neuroscience, network science, and brain stimulation.Read moreRead less
Reducing Cyberbullying: Turning Bystanders into Constructive Defenders. This project aims to develop a theoretically driven internet-based training program to reduce cyberbullying among adolescents. It expects to discover how to turn passive bystanders (onlookers) into active constructive defenders who help to stop cyberbullying and assist those being cyberbullied. Expected outcomes include developing the first theoretical model of bystanders in the cyberbullying context and practical evidenced ....Reducing Cyberbullying: Turning Bystanders into Constructive Defenders. This project aims to develop a theoretically driven internet-based training program to reduce cyberbullying among adolescents. It expects to discover how to turn passive bystanders (onlookers) into active constructive defenders who help to stop cyberbullying and assist those being cyberbullied. Expected outcomes include developing the first theoretical model of bystanders in the cyberbullying context and practical evidenced-based methods to increase constructive bystanding. The provision of an accessible training program for use in schools will produce significant benefits for the well-being of Australian youth by reducing cyberbullying and increasing the civility of Australian youth.
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Gendered engagement and participation in sciences and mathematics. This project aims to identify the reasons for the declining numbers of girls (and boys) studying sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects during secondary school. This project will conduct complementary longitudinal studies in Australia, in collaboration with leading international scholars, analysing declining motivations, especially for girls/women, to show how this predicts different STEM career choices ....Gendered engagement and participation in sciences and mathematics. This project aims to identify the reasons for the declining numbers of girls (and boys) studying sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects during secondary school. This project will conduct complementary longitudinal studies in Australia, in collaboration with leading international scholars, analysing declining motivations, especially for girls/women, to show how this predicts different STEM career choices and actual occupational outcomes, to yield theoretical developments and inform policy to improve the participation of girls/women (and boys/men) in these fields. Expected outcomes of this project include the provision of comprehensive evidence-informed recommendations to Federal and State government, industry and education stakeholders, which will enable the coordinated development of intervention programs to address these issues.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100903
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,885.00
Summary
Charitable triad: How donors, beneficiaries, & fundraisers influence giving. This project aims to test a new model of charitable giving to examine how donors, beneficiaries, and fundraisers together influence donor decisions. Until now, no holistic model has existed to explain donor behaviour: past research has focused on donors but neglected beneficiaries and fundraisers. This project is expected to provide evidence for a new bedrock theory of philanthropy. Findings can also inform practitioner ....Charitable triad: How donors, beneficiaries, & fundraisers influence giving. This project aims to test a new model of charitable giving to examine how donors, beneficiaries, and fundraisers together influence donor decisions. Until now, no holistic model has existed to explain donor behaviour: past research has focused on donors but neglected beneficiaries and fundraisers. This project is expected to provide evidence for a new bedrock theory of philanthropy. Findings can also inform practitioner toolkits, offering advice to nonprofits on how to raise money effectively by understanding how the particular organisation and its beneficiaries can influence donor decisions. By helping ensure the survival of charities, this research will contribute to the delivery of essential social services that benefit many Australians.Read moreRead less
Emotions and Employee Turnover: New Methods for Complex Dynamic Systems. This project aims to vastly improve the data-analytic capabilities of social and health researchers, while increasing knowledge about emotion dynamics and their link to employee turnover. By drawing on and advancing methods from ecology and applied physics, this project plans to investigate the role that individual emotions play in employee turnover with new quantitative methods for characterising and testing causality in c ....Emotions and Employee Turnover: New Methods for Complex Dynamic Systems. This project aims to vastly improve the data-analytic capabilities of social and health researchers, while increasing knowledge about emotion dynamics and their link to employee turnover. By drawing on and advancing methods from ecology and applied physics, this project plans to investigate the role that individual emotions play in employee turnover with new quantitative methods for characterising and testing causality in complex dynamic systems. The expected outcomes include an improved capacity for researchers, managers, and policy makers to understand complex organisational, economic, and health systems. This will provide immediate societal benefits by informing the development and deployment of targeted interventions in such systems.Read moreRead less