Psychology PhD Candidate

krm19qjx@bangor.ac.uk

Primary Supervisor: Prof Kami Koldewyn

Secondary Supervisor: Prof Paul Downing

My current research interests involve investigating how people process information from social cues and dyadic interactions. We can extract social information very rapidly, and we analyse biological motion to make judgements, assess social situations, and adapt our own behaviours based on the personality traits and behaviours of people around us. This allows us to determine suitable responses to novel social environments and interpret the behaviours of people we are unfamiliar with. I am particularly interested in the differences in social information processing between neurotypical people and individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

My current research project aims to address three interconnected questions, while also exploring differences in social perception and processing between neurotypical people and individuals diagnosed with ASD;

• What quantity of information is needed to extract meaningful social insights?
• How do we visually attend to biological motion cues that convey social information?
• What constitutes the neural framework for processing social cues and dynamic interpersonal information?

MSc: The Effects of Loneliness and Isolation on Social Attention: Findings from an Eye-tracker Study
2022–2023

BSc: The Effect of Pairing on Voice Matching Ability
2019–2022

In addition to my role as a mother to my son, who has non-verbal ASD, I am active within the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) community. I have considerable experience with various teaching aids as well as experience with interacting with SEND children. This experience extends to having engaged and liaised with numerous professionals who monitor and manage development of young disabled children; this has allowed me to gain insights into their contributions in assisting SEND children.

My blend of research interests and practical skills puts me in a unique position to create valuable contributions to this particular field of research, and places me in a unique position to maximise the impacts of the outcomes of research projects related to ASD.