Research shows that keeping a gratitude journal can enhance well-being. The Smile Epidemic Inc. is a start-up company that has developed a digital, photographic social media update on the traditional (private, written) gratitude journal. The Smile Epidemic invites people to express in a few words what made them happy or grateful that day, and to […]

Mobile brain fitness applications such as Vivity Lab’s Fit Brains aims to improve cognitive performance through frequent brain exercise games. This concept is based on previous research that frequent video gaming can produce transferrable cognitive improvement in another related cognitive task in the same domain (i.e. reaction speed while driving). Although the efficacy of mobile […]

The aim of this project is to improve simultaneous EEG-fMRI techniques through the use of constrained principal component analysis (CPCA). The main problem with combining EEG measures and fMRI measures is that recording EEG in the MR scanner always injects noise into the data. CPCA partitions the variability of the data into systematic and error […]

The proposed research project is an evaluation of the outcomes of a suicide prevention program, Skills for Safer Living (SFSL). The program is an intervention that targets individuals with a high risk of suicide as indicated by multiple prior suicide attempts. SFSL has been adapted from a previous program that has shown positive outcomes, but […]

The Probiotics and Mental Health Research Lab in the Psychology Department at Acadia University is currently involved in exciting and innovative research examining the benefits that probiotics (a type of beneficial bacteria found in the human digestive tract as well as in certain foods) may provide to individuals living with psychological conditions such as anxiety, […]

We will harness the power of Mirametrix eye-tracking technology to offer a viable means of probing internal mental processes that were previously intractable without more expensive or invasive techniques. Through the innovative application of popular statistical methods and state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, we will produce a software plug-in capable of online and offline pupil size […]

This project will explore factors that contribute to the benefits of internships for internationally qualified professionals in terms of improving these essential immigrants' integration into the Canadian labour market. The project involves a partnership between Career Edge (a non-profit organization that arranges paid internships for internationally qualified professionals and Canadian individuals), the University of Western […]

This research project centres on a new recovery centre for vulnerable adults with complex mental health and addictions issues in Toronto. Recovery is an approach to mental health that values person-centred care and self-direction. Recovery centres are educational centres, based in the community, that provide programs that help people live normal, meaningful lives in their […]

We would like to investigate the use of hearing aids in real life environments. Retrospective questionnaires are often subject to memory errors and recall biases. In order to obtain more accurate momentary evaluations of sound and noise, our proposed research involves asking participants to complete real-time evaluations in the laboratory and in their everyday environments. […]

Teams in crisis management operate in uncertainty and time pressure conditions, which severely constrain team performance. Systems capable of detecting critical levels of cognitive functioning could help teams to adapt better to the situation they face by allowing an intelligent re-allocation of tasks across agents. Traditionally, adaptive systems are based on the operator behavioral response […]

The purpose of this project is to provide insight into how game-based learning can be used to motivate positive workplace behaviour and learning over time. The intern will work with an established industry partner that has deployed a game-based learning platform for the workplace, and analyze user performance and motivation data that the industry partner […]

When disasters strike, young people are often portrayed as victims with little to contribute to their recovery. This can lead to the absence of critical youth concerns in key decision-making processes despite growing evidence that strengthened community engagement and voice generates social, economic, and environmental benefits in short and long term recovery. The proposed research […]