Psychology
PhD Researcher in Psychology (ESRC 1+3)
Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Studies, University of Exeter
Start date: September 2015
Graduation date: January 2022
Research topic: Inhibitory Control Training to Improve Child Diet Quality
My research looks at whether a simple computer game can help children to make healthier decisions when choosing what to eat. Inhibitory control training (ICT) involves making quick motor responses (keyboard presses) to pictures of food unless a “stop” signal is presented at the same time. When these signals are presented consistently with images of unhealthy snacks (chocolate, sweets, biscuits), training can lead to automatic food-stop associations that reduce selection and intake of these foods. This project aims to determine the conditions under which ICT is most effective on improving child food choices.
Research supervisors: Dr Natalia Lawrence (University of Exeter), Professor Frederick Verbruggen (University of Exeter), Dr Fiona Gillison (University of Bath)
Email: lp315@exeter.ac.uk