Boosting long-term memory via environmental structure in virtual reality

About the Project

The University of York’s Department of Psychology is excited to offer a PhD opportunity funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Under the guidance of Dr. Aidan Horner, the project, “Boosting long-term memory via environmental structure in virtual reality”, aims to explore the impact of spatial environments on learning and memory processes. The PhD will focus on leveraging environmental structure to enhance language learning and memory formation. By using virtual reality technologies, computational modelling, and experimental psychology, this project promises to deliver insights into memory and learning strategies.

Background

Previous studies have shown that spatial and temporal boundaries within an environment can affect memory. For instance, Horner et al. (2016) found that the presence of a spatial boundary during encoding (e.g., a doorway between two rooms) hindered people’s ability to remember the order in which objects were presented when those objects were encountered between rooms. In another study, Logie and Donaldson (2021) found that participants remembered more words when they moved between rooms during learning than when they stayed in the same room. Extending this research to provide insight into learning strategies and memory enhancement could be useful for designing educational environments, developing interventions for individuals with memory impairments, and enhancing virtual reality experiences for training and learning purposes.

Training

Our institution offers a range of training opportunities for PhD students to support their academic and professional development. As a student, you will collaborate with Dr. Aidan Horner, the York Episodic Memory Lab, and the wider Sleep, Language and Memory (SLAM). In your first year, you will complete courses in statistics and programming to enhance and refine your research and statistical skills. Additionally, you can participate in development opportunities in areas such as grant writing, academic publishing, and conference presentation skills. By immersing yourself in our dynamic academic community, you will gain the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive as an independent researcher and make significant contributions to your chosen field.

Eligibility

1. Applicants must hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a minimum upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or related disciplines.

2. Personal attributes should include:

a. Strong analytical abilities,

b. A passion for research,

c. Capacity for independent thinking and work, and

d. Strong verbal and written communication skills.

3. Possession of a master’s degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or related disciplines is desirable but not mandatory.

4. Some prior coding experience in any language (e.g., MATLAB, C#, Python, R) would be advantageous but not mandatory.