The Self Lab is a university research group based in Dundee, working on self-processing biases in children and adults.
Our research focuses on self-processing biases in cognition and their development in childhood. We also exploring educational applications of self-biases.
Lab group: Principal investigators
Collaborators and students
University of Aberdeen
University of Edinburgh
Strathclyde University
Abertay University
Current projects:
Applying self-cues in education
Much of our work with children is currently focused on school-based tasks, following ESRC-funded research on the educational applications of self-referencing (see details below). The project explores the effects of self-cues children’s information processing, including numeracy (e.g., problem-solving) and literacy (e.g., close reading) tasks.
Self development across the lifespan
We are working on several projects assessing the development of self-processing biases in children, adolescents, and older adults. Collaborators include Dr Jacqui Hutchison (University of Aberdeen), Dr Ada Kritikos (University of Queensland, Australia) and Dr Lizzie Bradford (University of St Andrews).
Self cues in working memory and cognition
We are studying the effects of self-cues on attention and working memory, and how these effects might link to binding and information processing. This work in being conducted with collaborators including Dr Zahra Ahmed, Dr Kevin Allan (University of Aberdeen), Dr Joshua March (Strathclyde University), and Dr Neil Kirk (Abertay University).
Self and language development
In a Leverhulme Trust funded project, we are investigated the 'dual-self hypothesis' that distinguishable self identities may be associated with the languages spoken by bilinguals, which may have been acquired at different developmental stages. This research, led by Josephine Ross, is being carried out with Dr Harry Paff and Prof Alissa Melinger at the University of Dundee.
Our research shows that self-referencing can be harnessed to support learning and education, work that is now part of an ambitious UKRI-funded project.
We are also using this project as a platform to develop CPD and resources for teachers and educators.
[Jan 2025] New paper alert! A new paper reporting findings from Zahra Ahmed's PhD has been accepted for publication in the British Journal of Psychology. The findings are from two experiments exploring the facilitative effects of self-cues on working memory capacity in children and adults, the first demonstrations of this potentially important effect.
[Sept 2024] New paper accepted for publication in the British Journal of Psychology! In this paper, we investigated competing attentional biases to vocal cues associated with self through task instructions, and own-voice cues associated in the task with other people, revealing robust prioritisation of own-voice cues.
[August 2024] Leverhulme-funded study published in Child Development - this paper explores self-referential and autobiographical memory data in young children, providing evidence for bi-directional relationships posited Conway’s Self Memory System model.
[April 2024] New paper on self in ADHD published – congratulations to Zahra Ahmed on leading the publication of our paper on the self-reference effect in ADHD, now available in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology.
[March 2024] Paper on self-reference effects across the lifespan now in press – our new paper (led by PhD student Tessa Clarkson) ‘Mine for life: Charting ownership effects in memory from adolescence to old age’ is now available as an online early view at the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
[Feb 2024] Welcome to new post-doc Harrison Paff! Harry will be working on a Leverhulme Trust funded project exploring the effects on cognition of self cues presented in bilinguals’ first and second languages.
[Jan 2024] ESRC paper published – Our paper of self-processing biases in numerical problem solving ( ‘Put you in the problem: Effects of self-pronouns on mathematical problem-solving) is now published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
