Research

We have consistently excelled in assessments of research quality. We performed well in RAE2008 (6th research power), and according to the recent ESRC International Benchmarking exercise, the Department is currently the 5th highest in terms of QR and 7th in terms of research funding within the UK.

Research is organised across five collaborative research groupings:

Computational Neuroscience & Robotics

We design computational models and build robots based on how the brain works. Modelling helps us to understand the fundamental principles of neural processing, and by testing our models in robots we can better understand the intelligent behavior of animals and people. We also use insights from this work to develop technologies, such as assistive robots, that are adaptable and socially useful.

Adaptive Behaviour Research Group Active Touch Laboratory Neural Algorithms Group Biotact

Professor Paul Dean Professor Kevin Gurney Dr John Porrill Professor Tony Prescott Dr Tom Stafford Dr Jim Stone Dr Stuart Wilson

Systems Neuroscience

Brain recording and imaging technology allows us to investigate how the brain works, while it is working. Our research makes connections between the different levels of description of brain function - anatomical, physiological and behavioural

Pre-Clinical 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging facility

Professor Peter Redgrave Dr Myles Jones Dr Jason Berwick Dr Enrico Bracci Dr Aneurin Kennerley Dr Liat Levita Dr Chris Martin Dr Paul Overton Dr Nikki Hunkin Dr Yanjing Wu

Development

The group occupies one whole floor of the Psychology Department and has many specialist testing rooms for working with babies, children and adults, including video recording, state-of-the-art voice recording, EEG, specialist eye-tracking and virtual reality programs.  We have particular expertise in the analysis of large data sets.  We have a long established database of local families so that children can be tracked for years as they develop.  We cover all aspects of typical and atypical development (including children with autism, with Downs syndrome, with Williams syndrome, children with language delay and with dyslexia).  Our applied research is related to such groups and includes: interventions to improve children’s communication, to improve spatial reasoning, new interventions in dyslexia, and in health and diabetes education, and specialist work with young people with autism.  The group currently collaborates on projects with researchers in 15 countries, and collects data from children in 18 countries - so our research reflects contemporary children’s lives world-wide.

Sheffield Cognitive Development Sheffield Autism Research Lab EEG

Dr Mark Blades Dr Dan Carroll Dr Megan Freeth Dr Jane Herbert Dr Elena Hoicka Dr Danielle Matthews Dr Abigail Millings Dr Elizabeth Milne Professor Rod Nicolson Dr Richard Rowe

Social, Health & Environmental

The SHEP group undertakes basic and applied research on issues of social and public health significance, with a particular emphasis on social cognition, emotion regulation and behaviour change. Current projects focuses on developing interventions to promote more positive attitudes and behaviour relating to health (smoking prevention, teenage pregnancy, improved diet and exercise participation), the environment (renewable forms of energy; sustainable consumption; resource dilemmas) and intergroup relations (prejudice, stereotyping, diversity and multiculturalism).

Social and Health Research Group Emotion Regulation of Others and Self (EROS) Project Environment and Behaviour Research Group The Ostrich Problem - ERC Funded Project The U@Uni Study - NPRI Funded Study

Professor Richard Crisp Professor Christine Eiser Dr Chris Jones Dr Jilly Martin Dr Paul Norman Professor Paschal Sheeran Professor Peter Totterdell Dr Thomas Webb Dr Chantelle Wood

Clinical

Mental Health and Illness

Clinical Psychology Unit Centre for Psychological Services Research Data Management Planning and Storage for Psychology (DMSPpsych) EMERGe: Embedding Mindfulness Early Research Group

Professor Michael Barkham Dr Lisa-Marie Berry Professor Gillian Hardy Dr Stephen Kellet Dr Anastasia Lavda Dr Georgina Rowse Dr Andrew Thompson Professor Graham Turpin Professor Glenn Waller