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      Dr Emma Ward

      PhD
      ROLE: Senior Lecturer in Psychology
      SCHOOL: Science & Technology
      DEPARTMENT: Psychology
      TELEPHONE: +44 (0)20 8411 6329
      EMAIL: E.Ward@mdx.ac.uk
      1. Biography &
        Qualifications
      2. Learning &
        Teaching Interests
      3. Research Outputs &
        Interests
      4. Funded Research &
        Knowledge Exchange Projects
      5. Engagement &
        Impact

      • Biography &
        Qualifications

        Dr Ward joined Middlesex University in September 2013. Prior to this she was at the University of York (2012-2013), and completed her PhD on the distinction between explicit and implicit memory at University College London.

        Qualifications:

        BSc, MSc, PhD, PGCHE

         


        Languages Spoken

      • Learning &
        Teaching Interests

         

        PhD Supervision:

        I welcome enquires from prospective PhD students with an interest in undertaking research in an area of human memory or cognitive aging. Of particular interest are topics around explicit (conscious, declarative) and implicit (unsoncsious, nondeclarative) memory, including changes in these forms of memory with age. I'm also interested in incidental versus intentional memory, effects of attention, effects of processing style, and factors that enhance memory (context reinstatement, rhythmic encoding). I traditionally use behavioural measures but have also conducted studies using EEG in collaboration with colleagues in the department. 

         

        Other teaching:

        PSY1016 Research methods and Design 

        PSY2013 Biological and Cognitive Psychology 

        PSY3016 Affective Science and Neuropsychology

        PSY3330 Psychology Dissertation

         

      • Research Outputs &
        Interests

        Dr Ward's primary research interests surround human memory and cognitive aging. She is particularly interested in the distinction between explicit (e.g., recognition) and implicit (e.g., priming) memory, and continues to published widely in this area. Of particular interest is changes in these forms of memory with age, but Dr Ward is broadly and generally interested in the relationship between these memory phenomena and factors that influence them.

        Dr Ward is also interested in factors that affect memory processing, including incidental versus intentional encoding, attention, processing style, context reinstatement, and rhythm. She traditionally uses behavioural techniques but has also conducted studies using EEG in collaboration with colleagues in the department. 

        Enquiries from potential PhD applicants who wish to undertake research in one of these areas are welcome.

        Current and recent projects:

        • Residency at the Science Museum: Explicit and implicit memory across the lifespan (in collaboration with UCL and Plymouth)
        • Effects of rhythmic encoding on recognition memory (EEG project in collaboration with Dr Alexander Jones and Dr Jon Silas, Middlesex)
        • Effects of attention and processing style on explicit and implicit memory (in collaboration with UCL and Plymouth)
        • Context reinstatement effects on item and associative memory (in collaboration with City University, London, and the University of Warwick)
        • Effects of music-mood matching on short and long term memory in normal aging (in collaboration with Dr Fabia Franco, Middlesex)
        • Aging, wellbeing, and cognition (e.g., frailty assessment, geriatric depression, dementia [in humans and other species])

        Other roles:

        Director of Research, Psychology Department, Middlesex University

        Member of the Experimental Psychology Society (EPS)

        Specialist journal reviewer: Memory; Memory and Cognition; Frontiers in Psychology; Journal of Memory and Language

        Associate Editor, Frontiers in Cognition

        Google Scholar: https://tinyurl.com/yalfaaer 

         

        Peer reviewed journal articles:

        Ward, E.V., & Shanks, D.R. (in press). Implicit Memory and Cognitive Aging. Oxford Research Encyclopaedia.

        Ward, E.V. (2018). Reduced recognition and priming in older relative to young adults for incidental and intentional information. Consciousness and Cognition, 57, 62-73.

        Tunvirachaisakul, C., Gould, R.L., Coulson, M.C., Ward, E.V., Reynolds, G. Gathercole, R.L., Grocott, H., Supasitthumrong, T., Tunvirachaisakul, A., Kimona, K. Howard, R.L. (2017). Predictors of treatment outcome in depression in later life: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 227, 164-182.

        Berry, C.J., Ward, E.V., & Shanks, D.R. (2017). Does study duration have opposite effects on recognition and repetition priming? Journal of Memory and Language, 97, 154-174.

        Ward, E.V., Maylor, E.A.M., Poirier, M., Korko, M., & Ruud, J.C.M. (2016). A benefit of context reinstatement to memory in aging: The role of familiarity processes. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 24.

        Ward, E.V., & Dhami, M.K. (2016). Editorial: The aging decision-maker: Advances in understanding the impact of cognitive change on decision-making. Frontiers in Cognition, 7, 1622.

        Sutton, J.L., Gould, R.L., Daley, S., Coulson, M.C., Ward, E.V., Butler, A.M., Nunn, S.P., & Howard, R.J. (2016). Psychometric properties of multicomponent tools to assess frailty in older adults: A systematic review. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 29, 16-55.

        Liu, K., Gould, R., Coulson, M.C., Ward, E.V., & Howard, R.J. (2016). Tests of pattern separation and pattern completion in humans – a systematic review. Hippocampus, 26, 705-717.

        Ward, E.V., de Mornay Davies, P., & Politimou, N. (2015). Greater priming for previously distracting information in young than older adults when suppression is ruled out. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 22, 1-19.

        Ward, E.V., Berry, C.J., & Shanks, D.R. (2013). Age effects on explicit and implicit memory. Frontiers in Cognition, 4, 639.

        Ward, E.V., & Berry, C.J., & Shanks, D.R. (2013). An effect of age on implicit memory that is not due to explicit contamination: Implications for single and multiple-systems theories. Psychology and Aging, 28, 429-442.

         

        Conference Presentations:

        Jones, A.J., & Ward, E.V. (2018). Rhythmic encoding improves recognition memory. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, September.

        Franco, F., Ward, E.V., Mangiacotti, A. (2018). Memory improvement in aging as a function of mood-matching music. Poster presented at the Music, Selves, and Societies workshop, Faculty of Music, Cambridge University, June.

        Ward, E.V. (2017). Memory matters: Aspects of preservation and enhancement. Invited talk at the University of the Third Age (U3A), October.

        Ward, E.V. (2017). How does context reinstatement facilitate memory in ageing? Invited talk at the University of Warwick, January.

        Ward, E.V. (2016). Where did I see that? Age difference in source memory and response bias lead to differential retrieval of previously task irrelevant information. Poster presented at the 6th International Conference on Memory, Budapest, July

        Ruud, J.C., & Ward, E.V. (2015). How does context reinstatement facilitate memory in ageing? Poster presented at the BPS General Annual Conference, Liverpool, May

        Ward, E.V., de Mornay Davies, P., Politimou, N. (2014). Ageing and implicit memory: A benefit of distraction? Poster presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, April.

        Ward, E. V. (2012). Is implicit memory impaired in normal ageing? Talk presented at the General York Memory Meeting, University of York, December.

        Shanks, D. R., Ward, E. V., & Berry, C. J. (2012). The utility of the explicit/implicit distinction for understanding age-related decline in learning and memory. Invited presentation at the Symposium on Lifespan Perspectives on Implicit and Explicit Learning, Université Libre de Bruxelles, September.

        Ward, E.V. (2012). The organisation of memory: Effects of age on explicit and implicit memory. Invited talk at the Memory Research Unit, City University, June.

        Ward, E.V., & Shanks, D.R. (2012). An age effect on implicit memory that is not due to explicit contamination. Poster presented at the UCL Neuroscience Symposium, June.

        Ward, E. V., & Shanks, D. R. (2012). An age effect on implicit memory that is not due to explicit contamination. Poster presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference 2012, Atlanta, April.

        Ward, E. V., & Shanks, D. R. (2012). The relationship between explicit and implicit memory in normal aging. Talk presented at the EPS London Meeting, UCL, January.

        Ward, E. V., & Shanks, D. R. (2011). An examination of the dissociation of explicit and implicit memory in normal aging. Talk presented at the BPS Cognitive Section Conference, Keele University, September.

        Ward, E. V., & Shanks, D. R. (2011). Can recognition and priming be dissociated in normal aging and delayed testing when measured concurrently? Talk presented at the 5th International Conference on Memory (ICOM5), University of York, July-August.

        Publication Feed

        Rhythmic temporal structure at encoding enhances recognition memory

        Jones, Alexander and Ward, Emma V. (2019) Rhythmic temporal structure at encoding enhances recognition memory. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience . ISSN 0898-929X (Published online first)

        Multicomponent frailty assessment tools for older people with psychiatric disorders: a systematic review

        Sutton, Jennifer L. and Gould, Rebecca L. and Coulson, Mark and Ward, Emma V. and Butler, Aine M. and Smith, Megan and Lavelle, Grace and Rosa, Amy and Langridge, Margret and Howard, Robert J. (2018) Multicomponent frailty assessment tools for older people with psychiatric disorders: a systematic review. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society . ISSN 0002-8614 (Published online first)

        Implicit memory and cognitive aging

        Ward, Emma V. and Shanks, David R. (2018) Implicit memory and cognitive aging. In: Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. Braddick, Oliver , ed. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190236557 (Accepted/In press)

        λPredictors of treatment outcome in depression in later life: a systematic review and meta-analysis

        Tunvirachaisakul, Chavit and Gould, Rebecca L. and Coulson, Mark and Ward, Emma V. and Reynolds, Gemma and Gathercole, Rebecca L. and Grocott, Hannah and Supasitthumrong, Thitiporn and Tunvirachaisakul, Athicha and Kimona, Kate and Howard, Robert J. (2018) λPredictors of treatment outcome in depression in later life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 227 . pp. 164-182. ISSN 0165-0327

        Reduced recognition and priming in older relative to young adults for incidental and intentional information

        Ward, Emma V. (2018) Reduced recognition and priming in older relative to young adults for incidental and intentional information. Consciousness and Cognition, 57 . pp. 62-73. ISSN 1053-8100

        View more publications

      • Funded Research &
        Knowledge Exchange Projects

         

        £3500 (PI: Ward, E.V.). 2018. Experimental Psychology Society. Small Grants Scheme.

        £2821 (PI: Mangiacotti, A. Padua; Co-I’s: Franco, F. & Ward, E.V.). 2018. SEMPRE. ‘The Musical Cognitive Test’.

        £1800 (PI: Ward, E.V.). 2016. Experimental Psychology Society. Research Bursary Scheme.

        2008-2012: ESRC. 1+3 Studentship

         

        Public engagement:

        2018: Science Museum Residency. Six week residency as part of the Live Science Project (PI: Ward, E.V. Co-I’s: Shanks, D.R. [UCL]; Berry, C.J. [Plymouth])

        Ward, E.V. (2017). Memory matters: Aspects of preservation and enhancement. Invited public talk at the University of the Third Age (U3A), October. (https://hgsu3a.uk/news/memory-matters/)

         

      • Engagement &
        Impact

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