Research at the School of Psychology
At the School of Psychology, our research covers a broad spectrum of psychological disciplines, from cognitive neuroscience to social psychology. With a focus on cross-cultural studies, mental health, and the evolution of behaviour, our work is supported by cutting-edge facilities such as eye-tracking and electroencephalogram (EEG) labs. Our research aims to deepen the understanding of the human mind while developing solutions that promote societal well-being and sustainability.
1. Clinical Psychology
Our research area aims to advance understanding and treatment of mental health across the lifespan through developmentally and culturally sensitive, evidence-based practices. We focus on early identification, resilience-building, and culturally contextualised support for vulnerable populations. Our work explores cultural influences on mental health, help-seeking behaviours, and risk/protective factors. We also conduct rigorous evaluations, including randomised controlled trials, to assess and adapt psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions.
Research Focus Areas
- Clinical assessment and interventions for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental disorders
- Efficacy studies of psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other neurodevelopmental conditions
- Caregiver mental health and support systems
- Psychometric development and validation
- Cross-cultural influences on mental health outcomes
- Risk and protective factors, resilience, and psychological well-being
- Use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health screening and support
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2. Cognition and Language
With the access to Malaysia’s multilingual context and the University’s tri-campus network, this research area investigates how humans acquire, process, and produce language(s) using behavioural methods, computational modelling, eye-tracking, and event-related potentials (ERPs). Our use of computational modelling allows us to simulate and predict cognitive processes, providing deeper insights into how the brain manages complex linguistic tasks.
Research Focus Areas
- Bilingualism and multilingualism
- Executive function
- Speech perception
- Language assessment methods
- Second language acquisition
- Cognitive Development
- Modelling bilingual language switching
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3. Developmental and Social Psychology
This research area explores the full spectrum of human growth from childhood through adulthood with a focus on supporting wellbeing, resilience, and positive social development in diverse cultural contexts. Our research also investigates the nature of joint action between individuals, particularly when working toward a common goal; we seek to learn how brains and minds change and adapt when co-ordinating closely with others. Our research also addresses social issues and explores the complex dynamics between individuals and their broader real-world environments.
Research Focus Areas
- Children, adolescents, and youth development
- Adult development
- Underrepresentation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Cyberbullying
- Positive and adverse developmental outcomes
- Parenting, family, and peer studies
- Social supports
- Children’s play
- Current social issues of youth
- Attitude and social cognition
- Young people and digital usage (e.g., social media, gadgets, gaming, new media, AI usage)
- Psychometric and scale construction of measures for children and youth
- EEG hyper scanning and inter-brain synchrony
- Sense of joint agency (“we-agency”)
- EEG markers of brain states during joint action
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4. Evolution and Human Behaviour
This research area uses evolutionary theory to shed light on the human mind and behaviour, with a special focus on sex differences, kinship, and altruism. Our research also explores the nature and nurture of individual differences: By comparing identical and non-identical twins, we look at the extent to which the differences are due to genetics versus experience.
Research Focus Areas
- Evolutionary psychology
- Sex differences
- Mate choice
- Altruism
- Kinship
- Behaviour genetics
- Philosophy of mind
- Placebo effect
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5. Forensic Psychology
This research area draws on psychological knowledge to help us address questions and issues relating to the justice system. Topics in forensic psychology include eyewitness testimony, lie detection, development of criminality, offender profiling, evaluation of criminal competency and responsibility, risk assessment, offender rehabilitation, among others. The overarching goal of our research is to create safer and fairer societies.
Research Focus Areas
- Sexual offending against children
- Stalking
- False memory
- Aversive personality traits
- Biases in expert judgements
- Prejudicial stereotyping in criminal investigations
- Filicide
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6. Memory
Our memory research focuses on how autobiographical memories shape identity and psychological wellbeing. Using a broad range of approaches, we study how people recall, organise, and use personal memories across time and cultural contexts and how autobiographical memory contributes to the development and maintenance of trauma and depression. Topics examined include cultural life scripts, flashbulb memory, memory specificity and over-general memory, reminiscence bump, and subjective experience of time.
Research Focus Areas
- Cultural life scripts
- Flashbulb memory
- Forgot-It-All-Along effect
- Functions of autobiographical memory
- Memory specificity and over-general memory
- Psychological distance
- Recollective experience
- Reminiscence bump
- Subjective experience of time
- Trauma and PTSD
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7. Neuropsychology
Our research investigates how ageing and neurological disorders affect cognitive functioning. Using advanced neuroscientific and behavioural techniques that paired with neuropsychological assessments, we study the ageing brain and its compensatory mechanisms, aid early diagnoses of age-related cognitive deficits, and develop interventions to support cognitive health. Our aim is for our neuropsychology research to contribute to the development of effective interventions and treatments.
Research Focus Areas
- Neuropsychological changes in healthy and pathological ageing
- Cognitive reserve
- Compensatory mechanisms in the ageing brain
- Emotional processing and management of people with dementia and their caregivers
- Domain validation and cultural adaptation of neuropsychological assessments in Malaysia
- Effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation in speech-language rehabilitation
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8. Nottingham Psychological Assessments Library (NottPAL)
We address the urgent need for locally adapted, validated psychological assessment tools in Asia (particularly in Malaysia). Our research work includes cultural adaptation of these tools to better suit the local context, assessing human behaviour across the life span. We envision the development of an open-access library of psychological tests that are professionally translated and psychometrically tested. These adapted tests will be made accessible for research and clinical use, with permission and proper acknowledgment.
Research Focus Areas
- Translation, cultural adaptation, validation and test-retest reliability of current assessment tools to better suit the Malaysian (or Asian) context
- Psychometric evaluations of assessment tools
- Clinical validation of psychological assessment tools
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9. Sustainability and Liveability (SaL)
This research area uses psychological approaches to address environmental, social, and technological challenges. We explore how behaviour and decision-making can contribute to more sustainable and liveable futures.
Research Focus Areas
- Sustainable urban development and built environments
- The influence of new media (e.g., social media) on decision-making
- AI ethics (e.g., ethical guideline and trust)
- Psychology of climate action
- Social and environmental psychology
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10. Visual Cognition
This research area investigates how we perceive, process, and respond to visual stimuli, from recognising faces to interpreting complex scenes and emotional cues. In addition, we explore visual statistical learning, the process by which individuals unconsciously detect patterns and regularities in their visual environment. This form of learning helps us predict and interpret visual information, even when we are not actively aware of it. Our research methodology includes eye-tracking, EEG, and behavioural testing.
Research Focus Areas
- Face perception and recognition
- Object perception and recognition
- Effect of punctuation on reading
- Visual statistical pattern learning
- Emotion perception and cognition
- Visual adaptation
- Interactions between action and perception
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