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Experimental Psychology Unit

The Experimental Psychology Unit (EPU) at Edith Cowan University is based in the School of Arts and Humanities. To better understand human mind and conditions, EPU engages in meaningful research and fosters application of psychological evidence to provide solutions to real-world problems.

Specifically, EPU leverages combined capabilities and perspectives of its researchers, partners and end-users to:

  1. Investigate psychological mechanisms underpinning human cognition, learning, behaviour, mental health and wellbeing.
  2. Provide world-class training, professional development opportunities and mentorship to the next generation of researchers and scientists at all levels (e.g., HDRs, EMCRs).

EPU research comprises both basic, fundamental understanding of human behaviour and cognition as well as application of psychological knowledge to improve outcomes in the school, hospital and community mental health settings. Research undertaken by our group is multidisciplinary and multimethod that involves a range of different data collection approaches, including laboratory and on-line experiments and survey-based research, and use of best practice analytical techniques to build an evidence base.

Our group’s projects are funded by government agencies and external organisations, and others are undertaken as postgraduate research projects and/or in collaboration with national and international partners.

Program of Research

A number of distinct research programs are undertaken by the EPU researchers as described below:

Psychology of Learning
Represents basic research aimed at uncovering principles underlying the acquisition of skills.

Media Influence
Investigates how exposure to various kinds of media (e.g., websites, movies, computer games) influences how we think about ourselves and other people.

Virtual Reality
Investigates user experience across different VR worlds, and explores novel applications of VR for psychology.

Substance Use and Risk Taking
Investigates how illegal and legal substances influence consumption inclinations and risk-taking behaviour.

Wellbeing and Mental Health
Explores psychosocial and environmental vulnerabilities related to mental health and wellbeing.

Collaboration Opportunities

EPU researchers also collaborate on research projects initiated in other schools at ECU, and with researchers from other universities nationally and globally. The EPU is keen to explore new collaborations wherever its expertise in psychological science can prove valuable. To explore such collaborations with us, please contact EPU staff directly.

Our staff

Our Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students

  • Achala Aponso
  • Alan Fraser
  • Lindsey Cooke
  • Wendy Davis

Current projects

Past projects

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