Sussex Attention Lab
People
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Dr Sophie Forster
Principal Investigator
My research uses cognitive psychology and neuroscience methods to study attention, distraction and mind wandering, in both non-clinical and clinical populations. I completed my PhD research under the supervision of Nilli Lavie at University College London. My post-doctoral research took me to Sonia Bishop's lab at UC Berkeley, before moving back to University College London for an ESRC fellowship. I have been a member of faculty of the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex since 2013.
Dr Giulia Cabbai
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
My research interests lie on the relationship between mental imagery and metacognition. In particular, I’m interested in whether individual differences in mental imagery are reflected by different degrees of conscious awareness. Do people at the extreme ends of the imagery spectrum genuinely differ on a perceptual level or it is a matter of metacognition? I’m also interested in the difference between voluntarily and involuntary generated mental imagery. For example do people who lack voluntary imagery still experience involuntary forms of imagery? I previously completed a BSc in Cognitive Psychology at the university of Trento and a MSc in Cognitive Science at the University of Vienna, before coming to Sussex to pursue a PhD as part of the 4-Year Sussex Neuroscience PhD program in Sussex Attention Lab. I am now working as a post-doctoral researcher on the Economic and Social Research Council funded project ‘Watching the mind travel: Understanding internal distraction from our own involuntary thoughts’.
Dr Lucy Somers
Research Assistant
My research interests lie between the arts and sciences, as a creative practitioner interested in colour as well as a researcher of individual differences in colour vision. I completed my PhD at Sussex under Jenny Bosten, investigating the internal and external enhancement of colour vision. Now, I am bringing my knowledge of visual processing to the Attention lab to help investigate the impact of mind wandering on our processing of visual stimuli.
Catherine Kaira Rubit
RA Placement Student
I am a BSc Psychology student undertaking a placement year as a Research Assistant at the Sussex Attention Lab. Cognitive psychology has always fascinated me, especially mind wandering and internal distraction, as I often wonder about how and why our thoughts distract us. I also hope to investigate attentional biases and failures in daily life and in the context of clinical conditions. Throughout this placement, I look forward to gaining worthwhile experience that relates to my interests.
Ainsley Mcnally
RA Placement Student
I am a Psychology BSc student at the University of Sussex, currently in my third year, taking a placement year as Research Assistant in the Attention Lab. I’ve grown an interest in cognitive psychology throughout my studies, particularly in the effects and mechanisms of internal distraction such as mind wandering and daydreaming. I’m hoping to develop my skills in data collection and analysis through getting practical experience of working in a lab throughout this placement.