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Qualifications
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Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D.)

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2003-2008: Bangor University

 

Funding

ESRC 1+3 Scholarship

 

Thesis

'Projection of Personal Space and Schema beyond the Physical Body: Functional Coding in a Virtual Environment' under supervision of Dr Robert Ward

Hari and Jousmaki (1996) highlighted the distinction between personal space and peripersonal space in their finding that motor activity is initiated more efficiently in response to stimuli located on the responding limb as opposed to near the responding limb. Experiments conducted in the current thesis adapted the Hari and Jousmaki (1996) method in order to determine whether a similar bias could be associated with virtual limbs. These studies revealed that responses to a target located on a virtual limb under the constant reliable control of the individual are faster than responses to a target located near the virtual limb, irrespective of the visual appearance, spatial orientation, and spatial location of the limb. In the absence of control over the virtual object, these studies also found some evidence to suggest that the experience of tactile sensation from the virtual hand may result in a similar bias. Past research suggests that these findings may be a result of an attention bias towards the virtual limbs (Whiteley, Kennett, Taylor-Clarke, & Haggard, 2004); however, the evidence presented in this thesis cannot support an attention explanation thus it must be concluded that the on/off effect observed in this thesis is the result of compatibility between the stimulus and the response. This thesis discusses the implications of these findings to review the potential applications of this research from a theoretical and methodological perspective.

 

Training

Conducted research exploring the basis of body representation in the brain under the guidance of Dr Robert Ward

Recruited and tested participants from a range of target populations, including student and general public

Submitted ethical approval forms to the University Ethics Board and obtained approval for research using student and general public participants

Designed and managed experiments using virtual reality equipment and software: Fastrack motion tracking device, I-Visor personal display system, Sense8 WorldUp software

Analysed and reported on experimental findings using data analysis and word software: Excel, SPSS, Terminal, Word, and PowerPoint

Worked as a Teaching Assistant for undergraduate modules in Research Foundations, Evolutionary Psychology, and Research Projects

Supported students with learning difficulties in a support role as a scribe and reader

Completed ESRC Media Training and Graduate Training

 

Teaching

Scholarship