Dr Ascension Pagan

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester

Scientific Background

Research Interests

My research interests focus on how reading is acquired and developed across the lifespan in different languages. I use different methods from online computer tasks to eye-trackers and EEG to investigate the temporal course and the neural basis of the cognitive processes involved in children, young and older adults’ reading behaviour.

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Laid-back, outcome-oriented, supportive, goal-driven, student-centred, organised, collaborative, guiding, teaching, understanding, inclusive.

Provision of Training

I prefer to take responsibility for your technical training at first, leading to more independence later.

Progression Monitoring and Management

I like to be kept up to date, and will expect to see evidence of development on a weekly basis.

Communication

I am known to email my team/PhD students at all hours of the day, however I will not expect you to do the same.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per week. These meetings will be face-to-face. I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.

Working Pattern

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings) I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

How Cognitive Ageing Affects Language Use and Understanding: Evidence from Eye-Tracking and EEG

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

How Cognitive Ageing Affects Language Use and Understanding: Evidence from Eye-Tracking and EEG

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Kevin Paterson

University of Registration: University of Leicester

BBSRC Research Themes:

Understanding the Rules of Life (Neuroscience and Behaviour)
Integrated Understanding of Health (Ageing)

Project Outline

Healthy ageing is associated with changes in vision and cognition that can affect everyday activities such as reading. This PhD project will investigate how ageing affects the mental processes that allow people to recognise words, understand sentences, learn new vocabulary and allocate visual attention during reading, and how these changes are reflected in brain activity.

The project will compare younger adults aged 18-30 years with older adults aged 65 years and above. It will combine eye-tracking, which measures where and for how long people look while reading, with electroencephalography (EEG), which records electrical activity from the brain. Recording these measures at the same time will make it possible to examine how changes in visual attention, language processing and brain activity are related during reading.

The student will develop a programme of experimental research focusing on one of three related areas.

The first will examine how healthy ageing affects language processing during reading, including word recognition, sentence comprehension and the use of meaning and context.
The second will examine how working memory contributes to learning new vocabulary in younger and older adults.
The third will examine how age-related changes in vision and attention affect eye movements during reading, including how efficiently readers obtain information from words before looking directly at them and how they adapt their reading behaviour as visual and cognitive abilities change.

The project will be based in the School of Psychology and Vision Sciences at the University of Leicester. The student will receive training in experimental design, eye-tracking, EEG, combined eye-tracking and EEG recording, and statistical analysis in R, including mixed-effects models. They will also be supported in presenting their research at conferences and publishing the findings.

Co-supervisor on a project with Dr Kayleigh Warrington.