University of Edinburgh Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences

Congratulations to Professor Shannon Valloron being elected a Fellow of Scotland’s National Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE)!

An internationally recognised authority on the ethics of data and Artificial Intelligence, Professor Vallor is among fifteen University of Edinburgh researchers honoured this year for their outstanding academic excellence and their commitment to advancing knowledge for the benefit of society.

This is a fantastic and well-deserved recognition of Professor Vallor’s important work shaping ethical approaches to emerging technologies.

Read more: https://edin.ac/48LoE0q

Philosophy Professor honoured by Scotland’s National Academy | School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences | School of Philosophy, Psychology and language sciences Prof Shannon Vallor, an authority on the ethics of data and Artificial Intelligence is among the University of Edinburgh researchers announced as Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

We're recruiting Peer Learning and Support (PALS) Leaders for 26/27!

Make an impact on the student community, build skills and experience for your CV, and meet new people.

Fill out the interest form (link in bio) and our friendly Senior Student PALS Leader, Sissi (pictured), will be in touch soon!

Don’t miss out—get involved and be part of something meaningful 💫

Last month, Prof. Tommy Curry spoke at the Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews / Domestic Violence and Abuse & Criminal Justice Summit in London, reflecting on his recent experience serving as an expert witness in a murder trial.

In a major milestone, Prof. Curry became the first Black philosopher—and the first philosopher since 2005—to have expert testimony pass the Daubert Standard, the rigorous test US courts use to assess the scientific validity of evidence. The court reviewed several of his peer-reviewed publications, including research completed during his Master’s in Public Health at the University of Edinburgh.

This recognition highlights the real-world impact of over a decade of interdisciplinary scholarship spanning Africana philosophy, Black male studies, public health and criminology. It also marks a significant moment for legal understanding of intimate partner violence within the Black community.

Read the full story:

Prof Tommy Curry Provides Expert Testimony for Murder Defence | School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences | School of Philosophy, Psychology and language sciences Last month, Professor Tommy Curry (Personal Chair in Africana philosophy and Black male studies) spoke at the Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs)/Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) and Criminal Justice Summit in London. He was there to talk about his experience, providing expert testimony f...

Read Honorary Fellow Dr Miranda Anderson's review of Resistance: How Protest Shaped Britain and Photography Shaped Protest for The Philosopher.

Curated by Steve McQueen and Clarrie Wallis, this remarkable exhibition traces a century of protest — from the 1903 Suffragette March to the 2003 Anti-Iraq War demonstration — through striking black-and-white photographs that capture the power, pain, and persistence of collective action.

Anderson reflects on how Resistance is more than a record of the past: it is itself an act of resistance. The images and essays reveal how protest and photography have shaped one another, how ordinary people changed history, and how art continues to challenge injustice and inspire hope.

Visit the exhibition at the National Galleries of Scotland until Sunday 4th January.

Read Miranda's full review here: https://edin.ac/3XcPBE5

Understanding language in the age of AI

Last month, Personal Chair of Experimental Linguistics Jennifer Culbertson, spoke at the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) Summit on The Science of Language and Communication. Her talk explored how new insights into language structure and evolution will shape education, technology, and society over the next 5, 10, and 25 years.

In her talk, she highlighted why preserving linguistic diversity and integrating underrepresented languages into AI systems are essential for a more inclusive and resilient global future.

Watch Professor Culbertson’s full GESDA presentation below: https://edin.ac/3X8WDJY

PPLS Linguistics Professor talks of the importance of understanding language structure and evolution in the age of AI | School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences | School of Philosophy, Psychology and language sciences Last month Personal Chair of Experimental Linguistics Prof Jennifer Culbertson spoke at the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) Summit on Science of Language and Communication and how new insights into language will shape education, technology, and society over the next 5, 10, and 25 ye...

How does the brain keep track of everything happening around us?

A new paper published by psychologists at The University of Edinburgh and The University of Hamburg shows that our minds don’t just rely on one “big picture” model of the world. Instead, the brain runs multiple predictive threads at once—tracking context, people, and actions in parallel—before weaving them together into a coherent experience.

Using fMRI during movie watching and storytelling, researchers found that:

- Different regions of the prefrontal cortex specialise in predicting states, agents, and actions.

- These separate predictions are then integrated in the Precuneus with sensory input, shaping how we experience the world moment to moment.

This research reveals a key feature of human cognition: our brains fragment information into abstract domains, then unite them to help us navigate life seamlessly.

📄 Read more about the study here: edin.ac/47cETTX

Fragmentation and multithreading of experience in the default-mode network - Nature Communications Here the authors show the prefrontal cortex simultaneously predicts context, the thoughts of others and future changes, while the precuneus acts as a hub to fuse these into a coherent experience.

Retirement is often seen as a time of rest and improved wellbeing – but a new University of Edinburgh study shows the benefits aren’t evenly shared.

A new study led by Reader in Psychology Dr Aja Murray found that while most people’s mental health improves after leaving work, some groups face challenges:

➡️ People in physically demanding jobs
➡️ Those on lower incomes
➡️ Retirees who are female, unmarried, or leaving work later in life

These findings highlight the need for targeted support and policy interventions to help vulnerable groups navigate the transition.

The study is one of the first to track mental health across all three stages of retirement – before, during, and after leaving work – and shows that wellbeing can dip at certain points, even after an initial “honeymoon” phase.

🔗 Read more about the research here:

Health benefits of retirement not evenly shared | School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences | School of Philosophy, Psychology and language sciences The impact of retirement on mental health depends on income level, the nature of the job left behind, and the age at which people leave the workforce, a study suggests.

Lecturer in Sociolinguistics Dr Christian Ilbury is working to challenge class-based prejudice through Speaking Out.

Accents can tell us where someone’s from, their class background, even their sexuality — but they tell us nothing about someone’s intelligence or capability. Yet, research shows that many people still judge others based on how they speak. That’s called accent bias, and it’s a form of linguistic discrimination.

Our research found:
• 35% of university students feel self-conscious about their accent
• 56% of Northern students have had their accent mocked socially

On April 4th, we hosted an amazing event featuring language justice experts from across the UK, plus a roundtable with EDI leaders. And the work doesn’t stop there — we've now trained over 500 staff members across 20+ departments to help raise awareness and promote equity in the classroom.

Our goal: a university where every voice is respected, every accent is valued.

Read the full story and find out how we're creating change: edin.ac/3Ei04Zc

Tackling Accent Bias at an Elite University Lecturer in Sociolinguistics, Dr Christian Ilbury, describes Speaking Out, an event designed to address class-based prejudice within the University. The first of its kind to be held in the UK.

🎵 Here comes the sun...

🌼 Spring on campus