Experimental Psychology Seminar - Some room for feelings. When affective information shapes our thoughts, feelings and actions (and when it doesn’t)

Speaker: Dr Lotte van Dillen, Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University

Humans can only process a limited amount of information at a time. This limitation not only applies to the processing of neutral information but also to the processing of affective information. Both neuropsychological and behavioural research findings will be presented that illustrate how task parameters such as relevance and demand modulate the impact of affective cues on the various stages of information processing, ranging from selective attention to subjective experience and actual behaviours, and across various domains such as hedonic consumption, punishment and helping. As such, the current research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the conditions under which people are influenced by affective cues from their environment. During the presentation, limitations and implications of a ‘working memory account’ of affective processing will be addressed.

Host: Lasana Harris

Time: 4pm, 18th October 2016

Venue: room 305, 26 Bedford Way, WC1H 0AP