Vision in natural behaviour

A fundamental function of vision is to manage the information that allows the organism to carry out actions necessary for survival effectively and appropriately. Decisions about when and where to look are therefore likely to be intimately linked to the information demands of the current actions and behavioral goals. Furthermore, the information that underlies these decisions to move the eyes is likely to be drawn from two sources: visual information available on the retina for the current fixation, and information stored from previous fixations. Thus in order to understand how information is gathered and used from the environment, we must understand both how gaze is allocated in order to sample information, and the fate of information once sampled but no longer fixated. When considering these questions, it is appropriate to consider vision not as an isolated system - as is often the case in laboratory-based paradigms - but as part of a broader network of vision, action, and planning during interactions with the environment. Thus visual behaviour is situated within the context of our task goals, our actions and the environment in which the behaviour is conducted.

A PhD project in this area will use a combination of mobile eye tracking and, where appropriate laboratory-based eye-tracking paradigms, to further our understanding of how vision is used to support natural behaviour and how the retinal image and remembered information contribute to decisions to move the eyes. More about the kind of work that we do and publications from my group can be found at www.activevisionlab.org

Candidates must hold (or be expected to obtain) an Upper Second Class honours degree in Psychology or cognate discipline as a minimum requirement. Additional research experience would be an advantage. Applications must be made through the University of Aberdeen applicant portal: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply.php. Applications must include: 1) An on-line form completed through the applicant portal. 2) A project proposal, maximum length 1 x A4 page including background, aims and suggestions for 2-3 studies to address the aims. A reference list can be added on a second page if you wish. Applicants can liaise with the supervisor when developing their proposal. 3) Two academic references – please attach the references to the application or include full referee contact details. 4) A CV outlining your academic qualifications and research experience to date. If possible, it would be useful to add an academic transcript.