Things don’t always go better with Coke. This project aims to test whether soft drink use is governed partly by automatic processes (cognitive biases) that operate largely outside of conscious control. In so doing, the project expects to generate a new conceptual understanding of the mechanisms that drive the overconsumption of soft drinks. Expected outcomes include theoretical innovation, new research methodologies, and accessible cost-effective technologies for reducing excessive sugar intake ....Things don’t always go better with Coke. This project aims to test whether soft drink use is governed partly by automatic processes (cognitive biases) that operate largely outside of conscious control. In so doing, the project expects to generate a new conceptual understanding of the mechanisms that drive the overconsumption of soft drinks. Expected outcomes include theoretical innovation, new research methodologies, and accessible cost-effective technologies for reducing excessive sugar intake from soft drinks, in line with recent World Health Organization guidelines. These outcomes will contribute to combatting obesity and tooth decay.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101108
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$352,000.00
Summary
The ups and downs of visuospatial attention. The brain has a remarkable capacity to provide a coherent experience of the world by seamlessly integrating sights and sounds from different locations. It is only after brain damage, or when faced with a high attentional load, that our limitations become apparent. The project aims to investigate these limitations by determining how spatial location influences attention in relation to distractibility, cross-modal input and emotionality. Eye tracking an ....The ups and downs of visuospatial attention. The brain has a remarkable capacity to provide a coherent experience of the world by seamlessly integrating sights and sounds from different locations. It is only after brain damage, or when faced with a high attentional load, that our limitations become apparent. The project aims to investigate these limitations by determining how spatial location influences attention in relation to distractibility, cross-modal input and emotionality. Eye tracking and physiological measures of arousal will be combined with traditional cognitive measures to provide a deeper understanding of spatial attention. This project aims to improve attentional models and develop innovative strategies to increase safety by decreasing inattention and distraction.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100591
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,956.00
Summary
Show me the money: Investigating how reward shapes attention and behaviour. This project aims to investigate how attention is automatically drawn towards stimuli that signal rewarding outcomes. Sometimes, the attention afforded to these reward cues (how we’ve learned to respond) is in direct conflict with our intentions (how we would like to behave). This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding how and when attentional distraction by reward is more automatic in nature as opposed to b ....Show me the money: Investigating how reward shapes attention and behaviour. This project aims to investigate how attention is automatically drawn towards stimuli that signal rewarding outcomes. Sometimes, the attention afforded to these reward cues (how we’ve learned to respond) is in direct conflict with our intentions (how we would like to behave). This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding how and when attentional distraction by reward is more automatic in nature as opposed to being inhibited by cognitive control processes. Expected outcomes of this project include better understanding of the learning processes that shape attentional responses, the neural correlates of the conflict that can arise and the link to behavioural outcomes (e.g., food choices). Read moreRead less