Research & partnerships
With over 50 research labs, we are a busy community of faculty and student researchers. Our members are leading psychology to new and important discoveries.
Current projects
Sports-related concussions - Mauricio Garcia-Barrera
The Cortex lab investigates the relationship between concussions and executive function, which refers to cognitive skills like planning, problem-solving and self-control. Repeated concussions, particularly in athletes, may impair executive functions later in life.
Neuropsychological consequences of long-COVID - Theone Paterson
The BRAIN Lab aims to understand the neuropsychological symptoms of Long-COVID and contribute to developing interventions for those affected.
The team’s goals include defining core outcomes, creating diagnostic tools, identifying subtypes, developing national rehabilitation guidelines and exploring virtual care solutions to address cognitive symptoms.
Eyewitness reports - Steve Lindsay
Dr. Lindsay’s lab is part of an international project examining how virtual reality (VR) can enhance eyewitness identification procedures. Participants watch a simulated crime and later identify the suspect from a lineup. Some will view 2D video lineups, while others will see 3D images through VR.
“Many Canadians are struggling with their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe it is important to share our findings with the general public to assure Canadians that their voices and needs are being heard and recognized—and that they are not alone.”
“We hope our research will help inform important stakeholders and policy-makers to better understand the needs of Canadians and to empower Canadians to advocate for their mental health.” - Dr. Theone Paterson
Research groups & labs
Tarek Amer's team in the studies the link between cognitive control and attention and memory. Cognitive control is the ability to focus on relevant information and ignore the rest.
Researchers use behavioural, eye-tracking and neuroimaging techniques to investigate how healthy aging affects attention control, cognition and memory. This work can help us understand how memories change with age. It will also test if changes in memory structures cause age-related memory deficits.
In the , Megan Ames studies how health behaviours like exercise connect to mental health from adolescence into young adulthood.
Lab members are studying the social and psychological factors that affect health and well-being during this vulnerable time.
Theone Paterson and her team in the are studying the effects of aging and illness on human nature.
Dr. Paterson’s research examines key outcomes, like medication adherence, in people with chronic illnesses. It explores the utility of emerging cognitive measures, such as those evaluating everyday cognitive abilities in the prediction of real-world outcomes.
Catherine Costigan and the (Building Relationships to Advance Newcomer and Community Health) lab study relationship health, especially for immigrants and refugees.
Their work aims to recognize the agency and resources of families to live meaningful lives and contribute to society while acknowledging their experienced traumas, stressors and structural barriers.
Sarah Mahoun and her team in the are working to improve the well-being and success of children with special needs and their families.
A current study looks at mental health in autistic teens. It focuses on their social camouflaging behaviours. Social camouflaging is the process of hiding autistic traits in social situations to cope with one’s social world.
Mauricio A. Garcia-Barrera and researchers in the study “executive” human behaviour and cognitive processing. Some current research areas are:
- athletes' executive functions and sports-related concussions
- INTERACT and assessment of executive functions
- development and aging of executive control functions
- intersections between brain injury, mental health and addictions
- psilocybin and cognition
The is a research group organized by Jim Tanaka. The lab aims to study the timing and thought processes of expert face and object recognition.
Dr. Tanaka founded the (DMC), an interdisciplinary research collaborative. The group meets monthly to discuss ongoing research in vision sciences.
Jodie Gawryluk and the team study neuroimaging and neuropsychology. Their work has a common focus: to develop research-driven approaches that can help us better understand aging and assess neuropsychological conditions.
Erica Woodin leads the . The team’s mission is to provide information and support for families, couples and other community members when navigating relationships in their lives.
Steve Lindsay’s explores how we remember and forget everyday memories.
Some research looks at phenomena like illusory memories, as in déjà vu, and unaware uses of memory, as in involuntary plagiarism. Other projects apply theories about remembering to issues like eyewitness testimony.
Nigel Mantou Lou and his team in the want to improve the well-being and adaptation of immigrants, ethnic minorities and diverse individuals. They focus on intercultural communication, immigrants’ integration, language learning and motivation.
Brianna Turner leads the . The team’s research aims to understand when and why people engage in physically damaging behaviours. Their goal is to reduce the burdens associated with mental illness by improving our ability to predict and prevent risky behaviours.
Jonathan Rush and his team in the are studying ways to enhance people's health and well-being. They’re using new research methods to capture the experiences of well-being and influencing factors across the adult lifespan.
A key feature of Colette Smart and the team’s research is an interest in understanding the whole person, in context. Their research covers clinical neuropsychology, cognitive-affective neuroscience and neurorehabilitation.
How do people evaluate their social worth? Why do some people form new relationships easily while others struggle? How do people cope with self-threats like rejection and social stigma? Can people unlearn internalized stigma?
Danu Stinson and her team in the use social-psychological science to answer these and other important questions. They study how the self affects, and is affected by, close relationships and communities. These aspects include self-esteem, self-concept and identity.
Jordana Wynn leads the , whose research explores the relationship between the cognitive processes of memory and visual attention and how these processes change with healthy aging.
Members are interested in how eye movements reflect and support the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones. They use a variety of techniques including eye movement monitoring, and test different populations including younger and older adults.
Lab facilities
Fully equipped facilities include a which operates as an outpatient service and teaching clinic.
We have large observation rooms with audio and video recording equipment. We use them to study group interaction and other social processes. Other facilities include:
- microcomputer-based cognition laboratories
- experimental rooms with live-stream audio-visual recording equipment
- electrophysiological recording rooms
- specialized labs to study visual and auditory perception
Our recently constructed brain and cognition laboratory features 2 state-of-the-art event-related potential (ERP) systems.
We work with local hospitals (general, rehabilitation and extended care), schools and private and government agencies. These partners provide sites for research and practicum experiences.
Participant pool
Our , also known as SONA, connects UVic psychology researchers and potential participants.
Faculty and advanced students in the department conduct research topics such as social interaction, perception, learning, memory, problem-solving and communication.
Researchers post brief descriptions and participation details of their projects on the PRP website. Potential participants browse those postings and sign up if they want to join a study.
Student research
UVic psychology students have many opportunities to participate in research. They participate in research studies, work as research assistants and have hands-on opportunities.