Current Graduate Student Theses
Susie MacRae - MSc Candidate
"The role of body maps for higher order cognition" - In my project I will be using body ownership illusions (i.e., illusory states where we think our bodies are bigger or smaller or made up of different materials) to temporarily change the way that the body is represented in the brain. My research assesses the way that body ownership illusions affect higher order cognitive skills like reading, knowledge, and semantic memory.
Olga Prudnikova - PhD Candidate
Olga is currently interested in how the theories of second-language acquisition can be applied to enable the most efficient learning techniques for both children and adults.
Ashley Rowland - MSc Candidate
The way that people think about themselves (identity) and the way people think about what others think (theory of mind) are Ashley’s main research interests. She would like to investigate these topics further by examining how identity styles interact with theory of mind in the context of positive psychology. Regarding the field of positive psychology, it has already been identified that there are links between identity processes and aspects of optimal living such as proactive coping, presence of meaning in life, and resilience. Looking at these links with the added focus on theory of mind may provide more insight. She would like to focus on studying people in helping professions, such as clergy, teachers, counsellors and nurses. Her desire is to study this population from the lens of social and positive psychology to investigate ways that their professional and personal identities, and lives, can be optimized.
