Research into sensorimotor and cognitive control investigates how our brains seemingly effortlessly manage to steer us through our ever-changing environments: What are the mechanisms that allow us to catch a falling object without noticing the complex processes necessary to accurately calculate the intercept? What mechanisms allow us to maintain goal-directed behaviour in the presence of probably irrelevant but potentially important information? Do we adapt even to seemingly irrelevant environmental changes, and if so, how?You will conduct your research placements and project with relevant researchers such as:

Dr Friederike SchlagheckenLink opens in a new window, who is interested in non-conscious sensorimotor processes, in the relationship between automaticity and control, and in neural and evolutionary aspects of perception and decision-making.

Prof. James TresilianLink opens in a new window, who studies sensorimotor control and learning, the role of vision in the planning and control of movement, the perception of time and distance, and in mathematical models of sensorimotor interaction and control.

Dr Maria RobinsonLink opens in a new window, whose areas of expertise are attention, memory, integrative theories of cognition, mathematical psychology, and in best practices in measurement and theory assessment.

What is the MSc Psychological Research?

TheMSc Psychological Researchoffers the opportunity to gain practical experience in research through placements across different laboratories working on thematically related research. This laboratory rotation offers strong candidates for doctoral research more scope to explore different topics within their interests than the traditional options at Master's level. Students first work on ongoing projects with two researchers before going on to develop their own project with a third researcher.