Sept. 16, 15.00-16.00

Dynamic Profiles of Cognition: Measuring Contextual Flexibility

William Hedley Thompson, Dept. of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg

Location: Room B1 132, House B, Pedagogen

Abstract: All areas of cognition, from perception and memory to decision-making and moral judgement, show powerful contextual effects. These effects have been studied in traditions from ecological psychology, which emphasizes affordances, to dynamic systems theory, which models cognition as self-organizing adaptable systems. Yet despite decades of work, key questions remain overlooked or underinvestigated: When one cognitive faculty adapts to context, how much does it impact others? Do cognitive faculties tend to switch together, or is this different for each individual? What determines an individual’s ability to flexibly shift across contexts?

Systematically studying context is notoriously difficult: it is multi-dimensional, dynamic, and hard to capture experimentally. In this talk, I present the beginnings of a new research program that pushes toward a unified framework of contextual cognition. The key step is methodological: developing ways to ecologically quantify contextual shifts in daily life. I will outline this framework, show our initial results, and sketch where this field is heading. Finally I will discuss how and why this work has implications for areas such as resilience, learning, and neurodivergence.

About the speaker: William Hedley Thompson is Associate Professor of Cognitive Science. He is currently starting the Cognitive Dynamics Lab at AIT, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Gothenburg. His research explores how cognition and the brain can be understood as dynamic, networked systems that flexibly adapt to context. He has previously worked with neuroimaging and cognitive neuroscience groups at Karolinska Institute and Stanford University. His work bridges methodological and theoretical advances in network theory, cognitive neuroscience, and metascience to develop new methods and tools for mapping human cognition.

Oct. 21. 15.00-16.00

Exploring Companion Robots for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis in Specialised Dental Care

Sofia Thunberg, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers

Location: Room F6, Psykologen

Abstract: As robotic technologies become increasingly integrated into care settings, it is critical to assess their impact within the complexity of real-world contexts. This talk will present on an exploratory study examining the introduction of a robot cat for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a specialised dental facility. Children with ASD often face challenges in dental care, including anxiety, sensory sensitivities, and difficulty with collaboration. This study investigates if a robot cat can provide psychosocial support to the patients and foster collaboration with the dental hygienist. Ten patients, aged 5-10, participated in the 12-months study, each undergoing one baseline session without the robot and 3-5 subsequent visits with the robot, yielding 37 sessions of video data. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed three key themes: the robot cat can 'enhance training and treatment', robot cats can serve as a 'beneficial but a non-essential tool', and robot cats can sometimes 'hinder progress in training and treatment'. These findings highlight significant individual variation in how the robot was experienced, shaped by context, timing, and emotional state. The robot's role was not universally positive or passive; its effectiveness depended on how it was integrated into personalised care strategies by the dental hygienist, guardians, and the patients themselves. This study underscores the importance of tailoring technological interventions in care, advocating for cautious, context-sensitive use rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. 

Nov. 21., 15.00-16.00 

Title: TBA 

Thomas Hills, Dept. of Psychology, University of Warwick 

Location: Room J406, Humanisten

Past seminars