The Effects of Early Experiences: A Developmental Analysis of Learning and Memory. The aim of this project is to increase our understanding of fear and anxiety. Anxiety disorders, which are characterised by the inability to appropriately regulate fear, are among the most prevalent psychological disturbances in industrialized countries, with between 10-30% of the population suffering from one at some point in their life. Because of this, there has been a long-standing interest in the experimental ....The Effects of Early Experiences: A Developmental Analysis of Learning and Memory. The aim of this project is to increase our understanding of fear and anxiety. Anxiety disorders, which are characterised by the inability to appropriately regulate fear, are among the most prevalent psychological disturbances in industrialized countries, with between 10-30% of the population suffering from one at some point in their life. Because of this, there has been a long-standing interest in the experimental study of learned fear. The present project takes a developmental approach because many theories of anxiety disorders emphasise the role of early experience. From this perspective, it is imperative that we have an understanding of developmental differences in the processes involved in the emotion of fear.Read moreRead less
Testing a cooperative model of human associative learning. Understanding how we learn about causal relationships in our environment is a fundamental aspect of psychology and is critical to adaptive behaviour. In this project, we propose a novel cognitive model of learning to replace the traditional reflexive Pavlovian model that has dominated the area for 80 years. The project will lend new vitality to the debate on learning and help to maintain Australia's reputation as a leader in this resea ....Testing a cooperative model of human associative learning. Understanding how we learn about causal relationships in our environment is a fundamental aspect of psychology and is critical to adaptive behaviour. In this project, we propose a novel cognitive model of learning to replace the traditional reflexive Pavlovian model that has dominated the area for 80 years. The project will lend new vitality to the debate on learning and help to maintain Australia's reputation as a leader in this research area worldwide. In addition, the understanding of learning mechanisms is central to our understanding of neuroscience, clinical disorders and a wide range of applications such as education and advertising/marketing. clinical issues.Read moreRead less
Developmental analysis of extinction of learned fear in rats. This project aims to gain a better understanding of extinction (ie., loss) of learned fear in rats. Extinction is the process underlying exposure therapy, which is the most effective current treatment for anxiety disorders. Although most anxiety disorders are first diagnosed relatively early in life, we know very little about extinction of fear across development. However, recent findings have suggested that there are fundamental dev ....Developmental analysis of extinction of learned fear in rats. This project aims to gain a better understanding of extinction (ie., loss) of learned fear in rats. Extinction is the process underlying exposure therapy, which is the most effective current treatment for anxiety disorders. Although most anxiety disorders are first diagnosed relatively early in life, we know very little about extinction of fear across development. However, recent findings have suggested that there are fundamental developmental differences in the extinction of fear, and the present project explores these differences in greater detail. By doing so, the project aims to increase our understanding of how fears can be inhibited, and may eventually lead to the development of age-appropriate treatments for anxiety disorders.Read moreRead less
Remembering that things have changed: A behavioural, pharmacological and biochemical examination of the differences between consolidation and re-consolidation in the day-old chick. This project has five national benefits. 1) It addresses a fundamental scientific and practical problem: to determine whether re-consolidation is actually a repetition of consolidation or in fact a distinct process; 2) it will provide a comprehensive account of how the two processes compare at a biochemical level; 3) ....Remembering that things have changed: A behavioural, pharmacological and biochemical examination of the differences between consolidation and re-consolidation in the day-old chick. This project has five national benefits. 1) It addresses a fundamental scientific and practical problem: to determine whether re-consolidation is actually a repetition of consolidation or in fact a distinct process; 2) it will provide a comprehensive account of how the two processes compare at a biochemical level; 3) it may ultimately provide a pharmacological and behavioural approach to modifying troubling or unwanted memories such as the concerns which may result in post-traumatic stress disorder; 4) it will contribute to Australia's international reputation in behavioural neuroscience and 5) it will provide outstanding training opportunities for Australian undergraduate and postgraduate research students in behavioural neuroscience.Read moreRead less
An investigation of memory functioning of the prefrontal cortex. This project aims to investigate the role of the prefrontal cortex in human memory. While the medial temporal lobe has long been recognised as imperative for basic memory processes, the prefrontal cortex has only recently been recognised to mediate higher-level strategic memory processes. This project will clarify the memory functions of the dorsolateral, orbitofrontal, and medial prefrontal lobes by studying performance of individ ....An investigation of memory functioning of the prefrontal cortex. This project aims to investigate the role of the prefrontal cortex in human memory. While the medial temporal lobe has long been recognised as imperative for basic memory processes, the prefrontal cortex has only recently been recognised to mediate higher-level strategic memory processes. This project will clarify the memory functions of the dorsolateral, orbitofrontal, and medial prefrontal lobes by studying performance of individuals with damage in these areas using memory tests and tasks. Our findings will enhance understanding and theorising of the neural basis of memory and have implications for management and rehabilitation of memory impairments in brain injured individuals.Read moreRead less
Testing the multiple learning system model with eyeblink conditioning in normal and amnesic participants. This project will test whether learning of new material always requires active attention and effort, or whether some types of learning can occur automatically. We will use a laboratory task, eye blink conditioning, that has been claimed to occur automatically. The results will guide neuroscientists in their search for the brain mechanisms of learning and memory. They will also help to opt ....Testing the multiple learning system model with eyeblink conditioning in normal and amnesic participants. This project will test whether learning of new material always requires active attention and effort, or whether some types of learning can occur automatically. We will use a laboratory task, eye blink conditioning, that has been claimed to occur automatically. The results will guide neuroscientists in their search for the brain mechanisms of learning and memory. They will also help to optimise strategies for education, training and clinical treatments where new material must be communicated as effectively as possible.Read moreRead less
Cognitive neuropsychiatry: understanding delusional belief and delusional hallucination from a cognitive neuropsychological perspective. Cognitive neuropsychiatry aims to explain psychiatric symptoms in terms of abnormalities in the functioning of the human mind. This project applies a two-factor model of this type to better understand delusion and hallucination. In this model, a distinction is drawn between factors which explain the initial generation of an abnormal thought and factors which ex ....Cognitive neuropsychiatry: understanding delusional belief and delusional hallucination from a cognitive neuropsychological perspective. Cognitive neuropsychiatry aims to explain psychiatric symptoms in terms of abnormalities in the functioning of the human mind. This project applies a two-factor model of this type to better understand delusion and hallucination. In this model, a distinction is drawn between factors which explain the initial generation of an abnormal thought and factors which explain the uncritical acceptance, rather than rejection, of the abnormal thought. The generality of this model will be evaluated by investigating delusions in a range of clinical contexts. Findings may contribute to the design of more effective cognitive-behaviour therapies for treating psychosis in different clinical conditions.Read moreRead less
Testing the ghost with the machine: Empirical investigations of cognition using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging. The primary aim of the project is to test hypotheses about the cognitive architecture of word production and negative priming using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Additional aims/outcomes are to apply a novel fMRI acquisition sequence that permits overt verbal responding with rapid presentation of trials and collection of the time course of t ....Testing the ghost with the machine: Empirical investigations of cognition using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging. The primary aim of the project is to test hypotheses about the cognitive architecture of word production and negative priming using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Additional aims/outcomes are to apply a novel fMRI acquisition sequence that permits overt verbal responding with rapid presentation of trials and collection of the time course of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal, and to further develop a methodology that delineates the logic of making inferences about cognitive systems from functional neuroimaging data. These represent potentially significant developments in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and functional neuroimaging.Read moreRead less
Integrating holistic processing and face-space approaches to the perception of facial identity. Recognising faces is a socially crucial task, and humans are remarkably good at it. Scientists investigating the 'software' our brains use to recognise faces have referred to two different theories -- one when explaining why we distinguish faces better than objects, and the other in explaining why we distinguish some people's faces more easily than others. The project aims to integrate these two theor ....Integrating holistic processing and face-space approaches to the perception of facial identity. Recognising faces is a socially crucial task, and humans are remarkably good at it. Scientists investigating the 'software' our brains use to recognise faces have referred to two different theories -- one when explaining why we distinguish faces better than objects, and the other in explaining why we distinguish some people's faces more easily than others. The project aims to integrate these two theories. This has two potential long-term benefits: it will give a stronger basis for understanding what goes wrong in people where face recognition does not develop normally; and, the improved knowledge from a biological system may also lead to improved computer face recognition algorithms (eg. for airport security).Read moreRead less
Uncovering the mechanisms of early memory development: A new approach using eye tracking. This research represents a theoretical and methodological advance in developmental science. In combining behavioural measures of infant memory with novel eye-tracking methods and electrophysiology, this research will significantly advance our knowledge about the nature of infant memory representation and our understanding of the mechanisms of early memory development. The research will further solidify Aust ....Uncovering the mechanisms of early memory development: A new approach using eye tracking. This research represents a theoretical and methodological advance in developmental science. In combining behavioural measures of infant memory with novel eye-tracking methods and electrophysiology, this research will significantly advance our knowledge about the nature of infant memory representation and our understanding of the mechanisms of early memory development. The research will further solidify Australia's reputation as an innovative leader in the rapidly growing field of developmental cognitive neuroscience. Third, the interdisciplinary nature of this project will provide internationally-competitive research training opportunities for Australian students.Read moreRead less