The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences at Queen Mary is one of the UK’s elite research centres, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We offer a multi-disciplinary research environment and have approximately 180 PhD students working on projects in the biological and psychological sciences. Our students have access to a variety of research facilities supported by experienced staff, as well as a range of student support services.
Dr Charles' lab studies the cognitive processes allowing humans to introspect and evaluate their own thoughts and action. Research in the lab uses neuroimaging (fRMI & EEG), online and lab-based behavioural studies to understand the cognitive processes underlying decision-making and metacognition, with a particular focus on confidence, freedom of choice and action awareness.
Our PhD students become part of Queen Mary’s Doctoral College which provides training and development opportunities, advice on funding, and financial support for research. Our students also have access to a Researcher Development Programme designed to help recognise and develop key skills and attributes needed to effectively manage research, and to prepare and plan for the next stages of their career.
During the PhD, the student will learn a diverse set of skills including behaviroual and electrography data collection (EEG), EEG analysis, signal processing, frequency analysis, complex statistical analysis, machine learning, computational modelling, coding in several languages (Matlab, Javascript, Python), project management and academic writing.
In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, one important aspect of our mental life is to actively ignore irrelevant messages to focus on useful clues to decide how to act. However, there is evidence that we have limited capacity to voluntarily discard information and we often remain biased by external signals we are exposed to (Holroyd, 2015). Moreover, we often remain unaware of the influence of such factors on our choices (Pronin, 2007). Importantly, it is unclear how the ability to identify and resist unwanted bias in choice is affected by mental health and impact general well-being.
Previous findings from the lab has allowed to identify conditions in which being exposed to irrelevant information biases decisions without participants being aware of it (Charles & Haggard 2020). Importantly, we have also started to identify some of the neural markers of voluntary detachment using Electro-encephalography (EEG), allowing to understand which neural processes people trigger to avoid unwanted influence.
This project will elaborate on those results and study the cognitive processes underlying the ability to suppress the influence of irrelevant perceptual information on choice. A first line of research will focus on identifying the neural processing of incoming visual stimulation when voluntarily attempting to detach from it, using EEG recording.
A second line of research will focus on how this process is altered in mental illness, focussing on how anxiety and depression affect the ability to detach from unwanted influence and resist external biases.
A third line of research will focus on trying to develop cognitive training tasks using behavioural and Brain-computer interface (BCI) methods to help people to improve their ability to ignore irrelevant information and diminish unwanted influence on behaviour.
This studentship is open to students applying for China Scholarship Council funding. Queen Mary University of London has partnered with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer a joint scholarship programme to enable Chinese students to study for a PhD programme at Queen Mary. Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses for 4 years and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.
Applicants must be:
- Chinese students with a strong academic background.- Students holding a PR Chinese passport.- Either be resident in China at the time of application or studying overseas.- Students with prior experience of studying overseas (including in the UK) are eligible to apply. Chinese QMUL graduates/Masters’ students are therefore eligible for the scheme.
Please refer to the CSC website for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship.
Applications are invited from outstanding candidates with or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in an area relevant to the project such as Psychology, Cognitive Sciences and Neuroscience. Candidates with a degree in Biology, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, Competer Sciences or Engineering are also encouraged to apply. A masters degree is desirable, but not essential.
Prior experience with behavioural and EEG data collection, data analysis, statistics, coding and academic writing are desirable.
Applicants from outside of the UK are required to provide evidence of their English language ability. Please see our English language requirements page for details: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/international-students/englishlanguagerequirements/postgraduateresearch/
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Lucie Charles at l.charles@qmul.ac.uk . Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 31st January 2023 for consideration, including a CV, personal statement and qualifications.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the project supervisor. Those who are successful in their application for our PhD programme will be issued with an offer letter which is conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements.
Once applicants have obtained their offer letter from Queen Mary they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship by the advertised deadline with the support of the project supervisor.For September 2023 entry, applicants must complete the CSC application on the CSC website between 10th March - 31st March 2023. Only applicants who are successful in their application to CSC can be issued an unconditional offer and enrol on our PhD programme. For further information, please go to: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/scholarships/items/china-scholarship-council-scholarships.html
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Holroyd, J. (2015). Implicit bias, awareness and imperfect cognitions. Consciousness and cognition, 33, 511-523.B45
Pronin, E. (2007). Perception and misperception of bias in human judgment. Trends in cognitive sciences, 11(1), 37-43.
Charles, L., & Haggard, P. (2020). Feeling free: External influences on endogenous behaviour. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 73(4), 568-577.
Kummen, A., Haggard, P., Williams, G., & Charles, L. (2020). Mistaking opposition for autonomy: psychophysical studies on detecting choice bias.