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)
• Category-based generalization (with Dr Joey Dunsmoor, Phelps Lab, New York 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

• Neurochemistry of cognitive control (with Dr Fred Boy, Department of Psychology, Swansea University; funded by the National Centre for Responsible Gaming)
• MEG and fMRI studies of impaired decision making in disordered gambling (with Dr Natalia Lawrence, Exeter University, Dr Ben Dunkley, University of Toronto, and Dr Kenneth Yuen, Neuroimaging Centre Mainz)
• Gambling related problems in Armed Forces veterans (with Dr Neil Kitchiner, Veterans’ NHS Wales, Matt Fossey, Veterans and Families Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, and Prof. Robert Rogers and Dr Lee Hogan, Bangor University; funded by Forces in Mind Trust).
• Prevalence and impact of gambling related problems on the families of Armed Forces veterans (funded by the Responsible Gambling Trust).