Department of Psychology, University of Otago

We've all heard "don't go to the supermarket on an empty stomach" - but does the research back it up? Does our metabolic state actually alter how we perceive food? PhD Student Maggie Hames and Associate Professor Mei Peng have found that hunger impacts how vividly we imagine food, and that the flavour and texture of food may have different roles appetite, craving and food decision-making.

The full research article is linked in the comments, read the ODT article here:

Imagine food, glorious food Do you fill up more at the supermarket when you’re hungry? Scientific research might confirm why. Findings from a new University of Otago study...

Catch up with Professor Jesse Bering, Head of the Science Communication Programme within the Department of Psychology, as he chats about his new book 'Incredible Afterlives of Dr Stevenson' and the Science Communication programme, including a new paper launching next year about science communication in the era of science denialism.

S*x, death and science communication With book titles including Perv, Suicidal and Why is the P***s Shaped Like That?, Professor Jesse Bering, Head of the Science Communication Programme within the Department of Psychology, has a knack for getting people to engage with his work.

Ka mau te wehi Dr Ashleigh Barrett-Young! Improving our understanding the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease development (such as self-reported cognitive decline) is essential for designing effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Finding the early signs of Alzheimer's disease New research from the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka has uncovered another clue to potentially identifying Alzheimer's disease early.

Ka mau te wehi! Congratulations on your recent graduation Dr Navdeep Kaur 💙💛

🙌 Congratulations to Dr Navdeep Kaur, who has graduated with a PhD in Psychology! Ka pai! 🎉

📺 As the first person in her family to undertake a PhD, Navdeep’s ideas about what her supervisor should be like came from pop culture. Luckily, the psychology student’s high expectations were met in Professor Jamin Halberstadt.

🧑‍🏫 “In ‘Matilda’ there’s Miss Honey, in ‘Harry Potter’ there’s Dumbledore, in ‘Good Will Hunting’ there’s Professor Lambeau, and for me there was Jamin,” Navdeep says.

⛪ Navdeep’s research looked at the surprising ways in which architectural forms and religious objects have shaped religious beliefs and practices. And along all the twists and turns of her PhD journey, she was supported by her very own ‘Miss Honey’.

🫶 Ka nui te mihi kia koe, Navdeep – we’re so glad you took the leap and left Delhi for Dunedin. Wishing you all the very best for your future 💕

🔗 You can read Navdeep's story here: https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/dream-professor-spurs-move-from-delhi-downunder

Department of Psychology, University of Otago

Kia ora koutou! We’re recruiting participants for a short study on mental imagery and perception. The study focuses on how our ability to imagine sensory experiences (e.g., thinking about food) relates to how we visually perceive them. You’ll be asked to taste test different foods and drink and compare them to your imagination. 100- and 200-level students earn 1.0 research participation credits for the 20-30 minute study. Go to: https://otago.sona-systems.com/default.aspx?p_return_experiment_id=323 to sign-up or email [email protected] for more information.

Kia ora koutou - are you currently enrolled in a 100 or 200 level psych paper? Looking for extra credits? Scan the QR code (to sign up for the Pandemic Puzzles Study) or log in to SONA to sign up for other studies in the psychology department 😊

Lot’s going on in May (so much so we’ve only got the events up for the second half - whoops!). Highlights include: PSYCWEEK 2026 finding your Graduate role, Professor Niki’s seminar on scholarship and religion, and Graduation!!

Kia ora e te whānau!

Congratulations to all our students graduating this May - we can’t wait to see where the next chapter in your journey takes you 🎓

We have students graduating this Saturday (May 09) and next Saturday (May 16). If your whānau are unable to attend the ceremony they can access the live stream here: https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/events/livestreaming-of-the-graduation-ceremonies

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Smiling faces at the Humanities and Sciences Expo's at Open Days this year!

If you are interested in study psychology at Otago, and you didn't have a chance to attend the Open Days, our resources are available under the 'Open Days' call out on our website: https://www.otago.ac.nz/psychology