项目介绍

2022年8月18日

Staff within the Department of Psychology carries out and supervises world-class research in a range of areas. We host five major research groups:

• Developmental Science
• Human Cognitive Neuroscience
• Language, Cognition and Communication
• Differential Psychology
• Social Psychology

According to Research Excellence Framework, over 80% of our research is rated as outstanding in its reach and significance.

For more information, please go to:

• List of available topics and supervisors
• Instructions on writing a research proposal

Developmental Science

Research in the Developmental Science group examines how different developmental factors interact across the lifespan, from before birth into adolescence and old age. The group comprises a diverse but well-integrated set of researchers, with expertise in cognitive, social and linguistic development, differential psychology and genetics, and computational modelling.

Human Cognitive Neuroscience

This research group comprises academics with a diverse set of research interests spanning cognitive neuroscience.

Areas of research include:

• visual processing
• control of action
• memory
• language
• attention
• executive functions
• social cognition
• higher-level cognition and reasoning

The group uses traditional experimental psychology and neuropsychology, neuroimaging techniques such as:

• fMRI
• fNIRS
• EEG
• brain stimulation
• eye-tracking
• motion tracking
• computational modelling
• clinical assessment

Staff work with both normally functioning children and adults and people with neurological disorders.

Language, Cognition and Communication

The Language, Cognition and Communication group is internationally recognised for its work on the psychology of language.

We have wide expertise in such areas as:

• spoken and written comprehension
• production
• dialogue
• bilingualism
• language development
• the cognitive neuroscience of language

Differential Psychology (individual differences)

The study of individual differences involves the questions of how and why people or other primates differ from one another psychologically and how these differences matter in their lives.

The University of Edinburgh is uniquely positioned to offer PhD training because of its long history of world-class individual differences research and teaching. Our researchers focus on a broad range of topics, including the measurement, causes and consequences of personality traits and intelligence, positive psychology, primate behaviour, paranormal beliefs, development, ageing and psychopathology.

Social Psychology

The Social Psychology group examines how we think about the self, others, and groups. The research group cover qualitative and quantitative methodologies, spanning processes like identity, relationships, crowds, and inter-group relations. We employ a range of methods such as questionnaires, interviews, social cognitive techniques, observation, and physiological measures.