The structure and content of self-knowledge: When and how are implicit and explicit measures related and what do they tell us? Research has found clear links between individuals' beliefs about themselves and emotion, motivation, and behaviour. These beliefs also play a role in the development of and recovery from psychological illness. However, understanding has been limited by the use of explicit measures, which rely on our ability to 'know' everything about ourselves, and our willingness to di ....The structure and content of self-knowledge: When and how are implicit and explicit measures related and what do they tell us? Research has found clear links between individuals' beliefs about themselves and emotion, motivation, and behaviour. These beliefs also play a role in the development of and recovery from psychological illness. However, understanding has been limited by the use of explicit measures, which rely on our ability to 'know' everything about ourselves, and our willingness to disclose. We investigate how explicitly and implicitly measured self-knowledge affect emotion, motivation, and behaviour. As a result, we redress a major criticism of this research, and facilitate a greater understanding of the role of self-knowledge, including aspects that we are not able to articulate, in psychological well-being.Read moreRead less
Understanding the school as an intergroup system: Implications for school reform and improving student and staff outcomes. This project applies a novel social psychological understanding of group processes and intergroup relations to Australian schools. The result is a new and promising framework that will be trialed and evaluated through this project. The central idea is that one's group memberships and associated norms and practices directly impact on the attitudes and behaviours of individ ....Understanding the school as an intergroup system: Implications for school reform and improving student and staff outcomes. This project applies a novel social psychological understanding of group processes and intergroup relations to Australian schools. The result is a new and promising framework that will be trialed and evaluated through this project. The central idea is that one's group memberships and associated norms and practices directly impact on the attitudes and behaviours of individual members. The aim is to change the relevant groups within a school and how they relate in order to build a more positive school climate and higher school identification and as a result, improve school outcomes (e.g., attendance, academic achievement, well-being).Read moreRead less
Identifying genes for cognition. We have established a large twin sample and are the Australian arm of an international consortium to identify genes for cognition. This work will transform our understanding of brain functions that affect normal cognitive functioning. It has potentially enormous public health significance by providing clues into the underlying mechanisms of impaired cognitive ability. Many different conditions affect people's ability to think and remember (e.g. schizophrenia, dem ....Identifying genes for cognition. We have established a large twin sample and are the Australian arm of an international consortium to identify genes for cognition. This work will transform our understanding of brain functions that affect normal cognitive functioning. It has potentially enormous public health significance by providing clues into the underlying mechanisms of impaired cognitive ability. Many different conditions affect people's ability to think and remember (e.g. schizophrenia, dementia). By understanding how cognitive processes work in healthy individuals, we can better identify the fundamental mechanisms of impaired cognitive ability. This may have future applications for treating brain dysfunction, and managing memory of intellectual disabilities.Read moreRead less
Sleeping for Gold: The Influence of Sleep on the Sports Performance of Elite Athletes. The aim of this project is to improve the performance of Australia's elite athletes by enhancing the amount and quality of sleep that they obtain. This project will have three major benefits. First, successful role models will encourage more Australian children and adults to participate in sport. This is critical given that the incidence of obesity (a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and ....Sleeping for Gold: The Influence of Sleep on the Sports Performance of Elite Athletes. The aim of this project is to improve the performance of Australia's elite athletes by enhancing the amount and quality of sleep that they obtain. This project will have three major benefits. First, successful role models will encourage more Australian children and adults to participate in sport. This is critical given that the incidence of obesity (a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers) has doubled in Australia in the last 15 years as participation in sport has dropped. Second, the success of our elite athletes will provide a source of pride in our achievements as a nation. Third, this research will enable the Australian Institute of Sport to remain as an international leader in sports science research.Read moreRead less