Cortical topology underlying the representation and analysis of visual scenes. When we look around us we seem to perceive our visual surroundings fully, accurately and instantaneously. Despite this strong impression, recent research has revealed that none of this is true. Using virtual environments, brain imaging and neural network simulations, this project aims to discover more about what we do see, which part of our brain stores what we see, and how this storage takes place. The work has the p ....Cortical topology underlying the representation and analysis of visual scenes. When we look around us we seem to perceive our visual surroundings fully, accurately and instantaneously. Despite this strong impression, recent research has revealed that none of this is true. Using virtual environments, brain imaging and neural network simulations, this project aims to discover more about what we do see, which part of our brain stores what we see, and how this storage takes place. The work has the potential to influence the design of danger signs, teleoperated and virtual displays and autonomous machines. It should also help motivate new treatments and rehabilitation regimes for stroke victims.Read moreRead less
Advancing the science of willpower: investigating the mechanisms and processes of self-control. Willpower or 'good' self control is important for success in our academic, occupational, and social lives. This project will use cutting-edge scientific methods to investigate how glucose, the primary fuel for body function, promotes 'good' self-control and stimulates regions in the brain important for self-control.
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
Multimodal testing for a fast subcortical route for salient visual stimuli. This project aims to uncover links between underlying brain circuitry, uncertainty and consciousness, and perceptions of fear. The project will use a multi-modal combination of brain imaging and neural recording techniques to generate new knowledge about the brain’s processing of biologically relevant information. The expected outcomes will enhance our knowledge of how the brain rapidly and non-consciously prepares the ....Multimodal testing for a fast subcortical route for salient visual stimuli. This project aims to uncover links between underlying brain circuitry, uncertainty and consciousness, and perceptions of fear. The project will use a multi-modal combination of brain imaging and neural recording techniques to generate new knowledge about the brain’s processing of biologically relevant information. The expected outcomes will enhance our knowledge of how the brain rapidly and non-consciously prepares the body for potential escape behaviours and of the brain pathways engaged in fear perception. The outcomes have the potential to inform strategies for overcoming anxiety and its effects on daily life, social interactions and workplace productivity.Read moreRead less
Peer Rejection and the Maladaptive Social Behaviour of Children and Adolescents. Research indicates that peer rejection has serious negative effects on child and adolescent victims. However, little research has addressed the likelihood that peer rejection also has negative consequences for others in the social environment, through its instigation of maladaptive social behaviours such as bullying and ethnic prejudice. Given the incidence of the latter behaviours in primary and secondary schools, ....Peer Rejection and the Maladaptive Social Behaviour of Children and Adolescents. Research indicates that peer rejection has serious negative effects on child and adolescent victims. However, little research has addressed the likelihood that peer rejection also has negative consequences for others in the social environment, through its instigation of maladaptive social behaviours such as bullying and ethnic prejudice. Given the incidence of the latter behaviours in primary and secondary schools, the aim of this project is to conduct a program of research to test an integrative model of the impact of peer rejection on the maladaptive social behaviours of children and adolescents, with a particular focus on ethnic prejudice and bullying.Read moreRead less
Can the relational account of attention explain search in natural environments and inattentional blindness? This project aims to further extend the relational theory of attention to account for visual search and inattentional blindness in natural environments. In addition, the neuronal correlates for inattentional blindness will be investigated with the use of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). The research has fundamental implications for theories of visual attention and awareness, a ....Can the relational account of attention explain search in natural environments and inattentional blindness? This project aims to further extend the relational theory of attention to account for visual search and inattentional blindness in natural environments. In addition, the neuronal correlates for inattentional blindness will be investigated with the use of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). The research has fundamental implications for theories of visual attention and awareness, and will advance understandings of how and why we frequently fail to notice potentially important objects and events in the environment.Read moreRead less
Testing a relational account for visual working memory. This project aims to test whether Becker's relational theory of attention can explain visual working memory performance, the ability to remember visual items over brief time periods. According to the relational account, elementary features such as colours are encoded relative to other features in the context (e.g. as redder, larger, darker). Our ability to detect a change in a feature would depend on the features in the context, and on whet ....Testing a relational account for visual working memory. This project aims to test whether Becker's relational theory of attention can explain visual working memory performance, the ability to remember visual items over brief time periods. According to the relational account, elementary features such as colours are encoded relative to other features in the context (e.g. as redder, larger, darker). Our ability to detect a change in a feature would depend on the features in the context, and on whether the context remains constant. This project expects to provide insights into how features are represented in memory, and to predict which items will be remembered. This could help to develop interactions and therapies for the ageing population and in clinical disorders.Read moreRead less
Children's Intergroup Prejudice: The Roles of Cognitive Representations and Self-presentation. Research indicates that intergroup prejudice remains a problem in most Australian schools. For example, children as young as 5-6 years assign negative attributes to indigenous Australians and Pacific Islander children, they prefer not to play with these children, and they do not even want them living nearby. The proposed research will examine the possible basis of age effects in these attitudes. It wi ....Children's Intergroup Prejudice: The Roles of Cognitive Representations and Self-presentation. Research indicates that intergroup prejudice remains a problem in most Australian schools. For example, children as young as 5-6 years assign negative attributes to indigenous Australians and Pacific Islander children, they prefer not to play with these children, and they do not even want them living nearby. The proposed research will examine the possible basis of age effects in these attitudes. It will have a substantial national benefit because it will increase our understanding of this insidious social phenomenon and provide a basis for developing an intervention that will minimise a problem that has the potential to devastate community relations.
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Bridging the gap on locational disadvantage: Impact of community-identified interventions on social capital, psychosocial and socioeconomic outcomes. Interventions to combat locational disadvantage are vital given the pervasiveness and long-term consequences for youth and communities. This research will offer important educational and socio-economic benefits by enriching the psychosocial adjustment and life potential of young Australians and the capacity of schools in locationally disadvantaged ....Bridging the gap on locational disadvantage: Impact of community-identified interventions on social capital, psychosocial and socioeconomic outcomes. Interventions to combat locational disadvantage are vital given the pervasiveness and long-term consequences for youth and communities. This research will offer important educational and socio-economic benefits by enriching the psychosocial adjustment and life potential of young Australians and the capacity of schools in locationally disadvantaged communities. Effective research and community-identified social capital and psychosocial interventions will enhance pro-social behaviours, health, psychosocial adjustment, and school and community engagement. This will build capacity at community, school, and individual levelsand contribute to national socioeconomic wellbeing.Read moreRead less