Experimental Psychology

Vineeta Gupta, Oxford University Press, describes the creation of the Oxford Corpus and the BBC Radio 2 500 Words story writing competition which provides the words for the written subcorpus.

Early research suggests that using electrical currents to stimulate your brain could improve your attention and maths ability. But now some companies are selling such devices online, leading to calls to regulate the technology. Melissa Hogenboom reports.

Please click on the cog icon below the screen and select 1080p HD for the best viewing experience CHA Cognitive Health in Ageing studies In a population in which the number of individuals experiencing the devastating effects of dementia is increasing, it is vital we understand why and how brain function declines with age so that effective treatments can be developed. We are conducting a series of studies at the University of Oxford to investigate whether increasing physical and mental activity can improve cognitive health and prevent cognitive decline in healthy older people and in people with mild cognitive impairment. We are using brain scanning techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), to investigate the effect these interventions have on the functioning of the brain. These techniques provide us with images of the brain and allow us to measure brain function. We are recruiting people over 60 years of age to take part in either our exercis

Award-winning professor of social psychology at Oxford University, Miles Hewstone visits the RSA to show how 'intergroup contact' can play a fundamental role in creating peace and cohesion within our increasingly diverse societies. Listen to the podcast of the full event including audience Q&A: Follow the RSA on Twitter: /thersaorg Like the RSA on Facebook: /thersaorg Our events are made possible with the support of our Fellowship. Support us by donating or applying to become a Fellow. Donate: Become a Fellow:

Can a change in environment really change the experience of food and drink? World-first scientific experiment reveals changes in environment affects smell, taste and flavour of single malt whisky. But what does this mean for our dining experience in general? Can a change in lighting or music really affect how we experience food and drink? Change the room, change the taste of your whisky A Professor from the University of Oxford has conducted a world first scientific experiment and claims to have proven scientifically that a change of environment can enhance the sensory experience of whisky by up to 20%. Professor Charles Spence, Head of Crossmodal Research in the Department of Experimental Science at Oxford University, found that the participants in his multi-sensory tests would vary ratings of the smell, taste and flavour of the whisky by 10- 20% when tasting exactly the same single malt whisky in different atmospheres. The study's findings go some way to explaining why a drink tasted