James Rackie

Research project: Found in translation: The relationship between mode of learning and subjective experience.
Supervisors: Dr Kaz Brandt; Professor Michael Eysenck
Background
I completed my BSc in Psychology at Lancaster University in 2008. After a year out working as a care worker, I later went back to Lancaster, and completed my MSc in Psychological Research Methods in 2010.
Current research interests
I started my PhD here at Roehampton in January 2012, under the supervision of Dr Kaz Brandt and Prof. Michael Eysenck. The backbone of my research revolves around a long-term memory research processing idea; the translation hypothesis. A translation effect occurs when information is heard and then written (writing) or read and then vocalised (vocalisation); increasing the likelihood of recognition. During my time here I will investigate a range of cognitive and neuropsychological factors that may be linked to this phenomenon. Such cognitive experiments will include 1) comparing its effectiveness in recognition tests (memory retrieval with a cue) and whether it can extend to the more difficult recall tests (memory retrieval without a cue) 2) whether it is more strongly associated with feelings of recollection (I specifically remember that word) or familiarity (I can’t specifically recognise it but I know I’ve seen it somewhere) 3) whether it’s associated with the encoding, retrieval or both aspects of memory and 4) whether pictures will be more strongly recollected than words. The neuropsychological section will attempt to relate the effects of translation to damaged areas of the brain’s medial temporal lobe, particularly the hippocampus and perirhinal system, areas clinically linked to recollection and familiarity processing systems respectively.
Teaching
I currently help teach research methods to first year undergraduates, in addition to working as a helper in seminar groups for other modules.