EU-funded study to investigate cognitive processes in institutional settings
How we make judgements and decisions in various milieus is a question that weighs on the minds of many. The School of Humanities' Philosophy Programme at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK has secured funding from the EU to investigate and provide answers on this matter. The study is backed with a Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) grant worth EUR 524,646 under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The Philosophy Programme team, working together with colleagues in Europe and the US, will use state-of-the-art tools, such as simulation and modelling technologies, to determine just what makes our brains tick when it comes time to acquire knowledge through reasoning, perception and intuition. According to their plan, the team will carry out assessments at the intersection of philosophy and psychology in the domains of cultural expression and performance. This study is part of a larger project that is investigating social interaction across many and different perspectives, from the onset of a child's life right on through to their adult years. Set to kick off on 1 March, the EU-funded researchers will effectively develop new tools to measure social interaction in institutional settings. The researchers believe that the use of simulated models in this project, informed by work on cognitive processes, will help fuel the intelligent design of institutional structures. 'This research is important because it will help us understand what works and what doesn't work in situations where people are using cultural practices and technologies to communicate and solve problems in formal and informal settings,' explains Professor Shaun Gallagher from the Philosophy Programme at the University of Hertfordshire. 'This research has implications for the design of communicative and work environments that may be applied in science, medicine, engineering, business, education, and various cultural institutions.' Providing sophisticated technology for and improving the well-being of its citizens is one of the most important objectives of the EU. We are barraged by a plethora of challenges on a daily basis; by helping us mitigate any adverse effects, the EU enables us to make positive contributions to society overall. The Marie Curie ITN support participants wishing to advance their early-stage researchers' career prospects in both the public and private sectors. Key to this effort is attracting young persons. Success comes through a transnational networking mechanism that effectively structures the existing high-quality initial research training capacity throughout the EU Member States and Associated Countries. By offering early-stage researchers the chance to develop their research skills and advance their career prospects, not only will they contribute to building stronger research networks but they will help advance research across the EU. On the whole, supporting research such as the one due to start at the University of Hertfordshire only helps foster the EU's goal to become the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world. Research, innovation and education are crucial in this effort.For more information, please visit: The School of Humanities' Philosophy Programme, University of Hertfordshire:http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/schools-of-study/humanities/subject-areas/philosophy/home.cfmMarie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN):http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/initial-training_en.htmlResearch in FP7:http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html
Countries
United Kingdom