Dr Clare Kirtley

Biography

I studied Psychology as an undergraduate at the University of Dundee. After this, I went on to do my PhD at Dundee, under the supervision of Professor Ben Tatler. My thesis research examined how the intentions we form to act with objects can change our behaviour- first in how we inspect the world around us, and examine the objects in our environment, and then in the memories we form of these objects and their properties (shape, colour, etc.). 

From 2015-2018, I worked in collaboration with Professor Tatler, Dr. Chris Murray (School of Humanities, Dundee) and Mr. Phillip Vaughan (Duncan of Jordanstone, College of Art and Design, Dundee) investigating how people read comics by recording their eye movements as they read through different panels, pages and stories.

I am currently employed as a Teaching Fellow, responsible for classes at second, third, fourth and Masters level, while continuing my research into the above areas; and I supervise different L4 dissertation projects on related topics.

I am also the staff co-ordinator for the Psychology Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) system, where undergraduate and MSc Conversion students can recieve academic support from other students who have been through the same courses. I was recently made a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research Overview

• Active vision
• Action
• Eye-movements
• Object memory
• Intentions
• Art and art composition
• Words and images in combination
• Everyday memory
• Embodied cognition

Current Research

In my comics work, I am interested in how readers use the combination of words and images seen in comics to gather information, and successfully guide their eyes around the page.

My research into memory and action focuses on how our interaction within the environment can change the way we view and recall the information presented to us, and what this means for how we represent information.

Collaborations

Dr Chris Murray, College of Humanities, University of Dundee

Mr. Phillip Vaughan, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee

Funding and Grants

Postgraduate researcher on Comic Conventions: Understanding how people gather information conveyed jointly through word and image. ESRC funded grant, June 2015-May 2018

Teaching Responsibilities

PS1509: Introductory Psychology Ii: Concepts and Theories

PS2017 Advanced Psychology: Concepts and Theories

PS2018 Advanced Psychology: Methods and Applications

PS2517 Advanced Psychology: Concepts and Theories

PS2518 Advanced Psychology: Methods and Applications

PS3015 Methodology

MSc Conversion course Tutorial Co-ordinator

PS4019: Psychology Thesis/Joint Honours Thesis

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

PAL Co-ordinator

Level 3 Convenor