Department of Experimental Psychology

Psychology at Oxford is essentially a scientific discipline, involving the rigorous formulation and testing of ideas. It works through experiments and systematic observation rather than introspection. The Oxford Experimental Psychology Department is widely regarded as one of the leading psychology departments in the UK. The department’s size and its commitment to research, as well as to excellence in teaching, means there are typically four or five research seminars each week, in addition to undergraduate lectures and classes. At present, there are particularly strong research groups in the fields of human cognitive processes, neuroscience, vision, developmental and social psychology.

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Title	Description	People	Date
Understanding and managing troubling mental images	Troubling mental images, such as bad memories, fearful ‘flashforwards’ and negative images of the self can impact our mental health and sense of self.	Hannah Murray, Cathy Creswell	11 July, 2022
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – too careful, too nice, and trying too hard	In this practical, myth-busting webinar for staff and students, Paul Salkovskis from the Department of Experimental Psychology explains how OCD works and what needs to happen to overcome it. A Q&A follows, chaired by Cathy Creswell.	Paul Salkovskis, Cathy Creswell	18 February, 2022
Coping with grief after a bereavement	In this practical, myth-busting webinar, Department of Experimental Psychology researcher Dr Kirsten Smith discusses the processes that can block the natural resolution of grief as well as some evidence-based suggestions for managing them.	Kirsten Smith, Cathy Creswell	25 January, 2022
Bullying and Anxiety	Eleanor Leigh with panellists Lucy Bowes and Robert Hepach (chaired by Cathy Creswell) give a seminar on bullying and anxiety on Thursday 3rd June 2021.	Eleanor Leigh, Lucy Bowes, Robert Hepach, Cathy Creswell	7 June, 2021
Overcoming Mistrust and Paranoia	Talk and panel discussion with Daniel Freeman and panel members Elizabeth Tunbridge and Kam Bhui. Introduced by Professor Cathy Creswell.	Daniel Freeman, Elizabeth Tunbridge, Kam Bhui, Cathy Creswell	24 May, 2021
Understanding and Managing Eating Disorders	This webinar provides useful information about eating disorders and breaks down common myths. Evidence-based treatments will be provided and as well as guidance on what you can do if you, or someone you know, is struggling with eating problems.	Rebecca Murphy, Robin Murphy, Deborah Waller, Cathy Creswell	12 May, 2021
Coping with Trauma	Most of us will experience a traumatic event at some point in our lives. Our sense of self and the world may change and we may experience unwanted distressing memories and feel a wide range of negative emotions.	Anke Ehlers, Mina Fazel, Morten Kringelbach, Cathy Creswell)	12 May, 2021
Managing Depression and Low Mood	Sadness and low mood are normal parts of human experience. But what happens when they become more pervasive and disabling?	Willem Kuyken, Catherine Harmer, Andrea Cipriani.	24 November, 2020
Overcoming Sleep Problems	What sleep is for, how does it work and how can we deal with tricky sleep problems? This is the second talk in the Department of Experimental Psychology’s Our Mental Wellness series.	Colin Espie, Felicity Waite, Dimitri Gavriloff, Catharine Creswell	10 November, 2020
Managing Stress and Overcoming Anxiety	Managing Stress and Overcoming Anxiety is the first talk in the Department of Experimental Psychology’s Our Mental Wellness Series. Associate Professor Jennifer Wild explores how certain people overcome enormous stress while others struggle.	Jennifer Wild, Catharine Creswell, Robin Dunbar, Polly Waite	8 June, 2020
More than meet the eye: Hyperspectral imaging	How many colours we see is limited by our eye, which contains only three types of colour sensors. Using advanced techniques, vision scientists can take images of this “invisible” information and make it visible.	Sérgio Nascimento	6 November, 2018
Neurons code the colour we see	All activity in your brain – including those which mediates your perception of colour – is based on electrical messages between neurons. Vision scientists can measure these signals at the eye, and at the back of the brain.	Neil Parry	6 November, 2018
Seeing neurons inside the living eye	Using techniques borrowed from astronomy, vision scientists can take high-resolution images of the retina, the fine layer of cells in the back of your eye.	Hannah Smithson, Laura Young	6 November, 2018
Panel discussion: #TheDress – What do we know?	In early 2015, an image of a dress polarised the internet: Some people saw it as black-blue, and some as white-gold. Three years on, we revisit the dress and discuss how vision science can explain this phenomenon.	Manuel Spitschan, Anya Hurlbert, Karl Gegenfurtner, David Brainard	6 November, 2018
Developing and disseminating effective psychological therapies for anxiety disorders: science, policy and economics.	David M Clark (Oxford University) delivers a lecture at the third Calleva Research Symposium on Evolution and Human Science on 27 October 2012.	David M Clark	4 December, 2012
A social neuroscience perspective on adolescent risk-taking	Laurence Steinberg (Temple University) delivers a lecture at the third Calleva Research Symposium on Evolution and Human Science on 27 October 2012.	Laurence Steinberg	4 December, 2012
Social networks and evolution	Nicholas Christakis (Harvard University) delivers a lecture at the third Calleva Research Symposium on Evolution and Human Science on 27 October 2012.	Nicholas Christakis	4 December, 2012
Guided Meditation	Professor Mark Williams offers a brief guided meditation in the last of four short videos in this series.	Mark Williams	6 December, 2011
Supporting Mindfulness	Professor Mark Williams explains how you can support the work of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre in the third of four short videos.	Mark Williams	6 December, 2011
The Science of Mindfulness	Professor Mark Williams examines the neuroscience of mindfulness in the second of four short videos.	Mark Williams	6 December, 2011
Introduction to Mindfulness	Professor Mark Williams introduces Mindfulness in the first of four short videos in this series.	Mark Williams	6 December, 2011
Mindfulness and the brain	In this final episode Professor Mark Williams and Danny Penman discuss how imaging studies show that Mindfulness may have numerous profoundly positive effects on the brain.	Mark Williams, Danny Penman	5 December, 2011
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on trial	Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is especially good for people who have suffered the most debilitating forms of depression. The evidence for its effectiveness is overwhelming and continues to grow.	Mark Williams, Danny Penman	28 November, 2011
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A new approach to treating depression	Mindfulness therapy is an extremely effective treatment preventing relapse in depression. But what does it entail and how does it work?	Mark Williams, Danny Penman	14 November, 2011
Can treatments such as Cognitive Therapy help?	Depression tends to return even if it has been successfully treated. Scientists now understand why this happens and have developed therapies that reduce the risks of relapse and help lift the burden of depression should it return.	Mark Williams, Danny Penman	7 November, 2011
How is depression treated?	Doctors and psychiatrists once believed that patterns of thinking played little or no role in depression, but this is now known to be wrong. Professor Williams and Dr Danny Penman discuss how the treatment of depression has evolved in recent years.	Mark Williams, Danny Penman	21 October, 2011
What is depression?	Depression is expected to impose the second biggest health burden globally by 2020; greater even than heart disease, arthritis and many forms of cancer. Professor Mark Williams and Dr Danny Penman discuss the driving forces behind this startling trend.	Mark Williams, Danny Penman	21 October, 2011
History of Oxford's Experimental Psychology Department	Professors Oliver Braddick and Larry Weiskrantz give a talk on the history of Oxford University's Experimental Psychology Department as part the department's 113th anniversary.	Larry Weiskrantz, Oliver Braddick	13 July, 2011

Department of Experimental Psychology

Related

Series in this collection

A Splash of Colour

Calleva Research Centre

The New Psychology of Depression

Our Mental Wellness

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