The Experimental Psychopathology Lab investigates human learning and emotion systems underpinning adaptive behaviour. A psychophysiology and cognitive neuroscience perspective is adopted in which the underlying neurobehavioural mechanisms of clinically relevant behaviours are identified. We design tasks to examine learning and generalization of fear and avoidance, amongst other topics, in healthy and patient populations.

Current Research Projects, Collaborators, and Funding

Fear and avoidance learning

• Acquisition and symbolic generalization of avoidance (with Dr Mike Schlund, University of North Texas & Dr Bryan Roche, Maynooth University)
• Neural mechanisms of threat-avoidance and approach-avoidance conflict (with Dr Mike Schlund, University of North Texas)
• Avoidance learning and extinction (with Dr Bram Vervliet, KU Leuven, Belgium)
• Reducing fear generalization (with Dr Miriam Lommen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands)

Disordered Gambling

• Gambling related problems in Armed Forces veterans (with Dr Neil Kitchiner, Veterans’ NHS Wales, Matt Fossey, Veterans and Families Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Professor Cherie Armour, Ulster University, Prof. Robert Rogers and Dr Lee Hogan, Bangor University, Justyn Larcombe, Epic Risk Management, and Dr Liv Kosnes, Swansea Centre for Health Economics; funded by Forces in Mind Trust).
• Prevalence and impact of gambling related problems on the families of Armed Forces veterans (funded by GambleAware).