The Social and Affective Processes (SAP) research group is a dynamic group of internationally renowned researchers employing a variety of behavioural, developmental and neuroscientific techniques to investigate social and affective processes. Our state-of-the-art facilities enable us to study typical and atypical populations using behavioural techniques, eye-tracking and EEG, functional and structural neuroimaging, and computational modelling.
Members' interests and expertise
Our interests are diverse and multidisciplinary, and include: neural and behavioural aspects of human vocal communication; neurocognitive principles governing the sense of agency and body-ownership; brain mechanisms underpinning the perception of social and emotional information in faces; social and emotional development in childhood and adolescence, particularly with regard to social identities, peer relations, and self-presentation use; motivational goals and personal values, in particular value change; intergroup relations, social psychology of European integration, social identity (especially national or ethnic identity), acculturation, prejudice, stereotyping, and intergroup helping; Cognitive processes underlying self-report in emotional disorders; delusions, deception, self-deception, deception detection, and credibility assessment; mental health of offenders in hospitals and prisons and forensic mental health service delivery.
Sources of research funding include Bial Foundation, British Academy, Economic and Social Research Council, European Union, Experimental Psychology Society, John Templeton Foundation, Laureus Foundation, Leverhulme Trust, Nuffield Foundation, Royal Society, VolkswagenStiftung, and Wellcome Trust.
The SAP group is convened by Dr Tatiana Lau. Please see here for list of current members, publications, and projects.
