Open Lecture “The promises and challenges of using transcranial electrical current stimulation to modulate social processing abilities”

March 30, 2017 Open Lecture “The promises and challenges of using transcranial electrical current stimulation to modulate social processing abilities” by Dr Michael Banissy (Psychology Department, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK)

The International Centre for Research in Human Development invites TSU undergraduates , MSc and PhD students and lecturers from different academic backgrounds to the open lecture “The promises and challenges of using transcranial electrical current stimulation to modulate social processing abilities” by Dr Michael Banissy (Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK).

Lector: Dr Michael Banissy, Director of the Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London

Title: “The promises and challenges of using transcranial electrical current stimulation to modulate social processing abilities”

Abstract:

Our ability to successfully perceive and use social signals is a critical feature of our everyday lives. Difficulties in perceiving social cues contribute to deficits in communication and social competence, reduced quality of life, and social isolation. Given this, techniques that enhance social perception could be valuable. One approach that has been shown to be a useful tool to facilitate a variety of cognitive and perceptual abilities is transcranial electrical current stimulation (e.g. transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial random noise stimulation, transcranial alternating current stimulation). While commonly employed in non-social domains (e.g. numerical cognition, motor learning), fewer studies have examined the utility of this approach for modulating the perception of social information. In this talk, I will describe a series of studies using transcranial electrical current stimulation in order to examine neural processes that are involved in specific social perception abilities, and whether we can use brain stimulation to aid the processing of social cues. The talk will include studies examining facial identity and emotion perception, social cognition (particularly self-other representations), and examining affective state modulation following transcranial electrical current stimulation. I will discuss the promises and challenges of using transcranial electrical current stimulation to modulate social perception abilities in different groups (younger and older typical adults and atypical adults).

Biography:

Michael Banissy is a Reader in Psychology at Goldsmiths where he is the Director of the Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Laboratory. Prior to taking up his position at Goldsmiths he worked at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (University College London) where he completed his PhD (awarded 2010) and held personal Post-Doctoral Fellowships awarded by the British Academy and the Economic and Social Research Council. He has contributed to several diverse research areas, including synaesthesia, social cognition, brain stimulation, and face recognition. This has resulted in him receiving a number of honours, including substantial external funding and prizes from major scientific bodies in the UK and internationally (e.g. 2016 British Psychological Society Spearman Medal, 2017 Bertleson Award).

Date: March 30, 2017 (Thursday), 16.35-18.10

Venue: Tomsk State University, International Centre for Human Development Studies, 4 building, room 022 (conference room).

Contact information: e-mail: icrhd@mail.ru; phone +7 (3822) 786 050