UVic Psychology

03/25/2026

For our final CaBSSem of the year (Friday, Mar 27), Richard Brown will be joining us from Dalhousie University.

Presenter: Richard Brown (Dalhousie University)

Title: Developing a one day test for studying short, long, and very-long term olfactory memory in mice

Abstract:
Schellinck et al (2001) developed a simple and reliable test of olfactory learning and memory in mice using a Pavlovian conditioned odour preference task in which CD1 mice learned to discriminate between two odours after two daily 10-min trials with the CS+ odour (sugar reward) and two trials with the CS− odour (no sugar) over 4 days. Mice remembered the CS+ for up to 60 days after training in this study and, in other studies, male and female C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice could remember the odour discrimination for up to 9 months after training. Mice up to 24 months of age can learn and remember the conditioned odour preferences (Wong & Brown 2007). Likewise, the 5×FAD mouse model of Alzheimer disease showed no odour memory deficits in this task (O’Leary et al., 2020).

In the present series of studies we developed a 1-day training procedure in which male and female mice received eight CS+ and eight CS− odour presentations on day 1 and were then tested for memory 24 h, 7 days and 30 days later. Mice (C57BL/6J × SJL/J and C57BL/6J) given the 1-day training showed a conditioned odour preference on 24 h, and 7-day memory tests with no s*x differences. After 30 days the odour preference was not significant. Mice (C57BL/6J) given four CS+ and four CS− trials showed no significant odour preference on 24 h and 7-day memory tests. The results suggest that different 1-day training paradigms result in different memory strength. Such a 1-day appetitive training test could be valuable for studying the neurobiological bases of short-, long-, and very long-term memory (Brown et al., 2023; 2024).

Learning and memory involves a two-step process: first there is the Pavlovian conditioned association between the CS+ odour and sugar reward [and the conditioned association between the CS- odour and no reward]. Second, there is the instrumental motor response in searching for, finding and eating the sugar associated with the CS+ odour. Since the mouse learns a “rule” during the Pavlovian conditioning (Autoshaping), it should be able to utilize that rule in transfer of training tasks, such as learning a T-maze for odour reward. We have been examining the strength of memory using transfer of training tasks at 7 and 30 days after conditioning. The results will surprise you and I will show videos of mice during training, memory testing and transfer of training tasks to show you how we use our Pavlovian conditioned odour preference task to study the mind of the mouse in the same way the Pavlov used the conditioned salivary response to study the mind of the dog.

The talk will be in person in the Psychology Reading room, COR A228, from 3:00 – 4:30.

Hope you can join!

03/17/2026

Join us on Thursday, April 2nd for our annual Psychology Banquet!

Tickets are still available: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/annual-psychology-banquet-tickets-1984845524394?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

03/06/2026

Ready for spring cleaning? If you have any clothes that you would like to donate for our upcoming fundraiser, please drop them off in the box outside of Cornett A171 by March 16th! 👚👖

03/03/2026

Hi Everyone,

This week (Friday, Mar 6), David Clewett will be joining us from UCLA

Presenter: David Clewett (UCLA)

Title: Emotion as the Grammar of Human Memory

Abstract:
Our lives unfold like continuous narratives, yet we remember the past as being more discrete and episodic, much like chapters in a book rather than a stream of unbroken text. Increasing evidence shows that contextual stability and change, such as working in your office and then walking into a classroom, help drive this transformation of continuous experience into distinct and memorable episodes. But one of the most powerful forces shaping cognition – emotional states – may also structure how experience is divided and remembered. In this talk, I will argue that fluctuations in emotion regulate a fundamental push-and-pull process that governs whether moments are linked together or separated in memory. First, I will present findings from a study combining custom musical pieces with a continuous affect-tracking tool, demonstrating that dynamic shifts in emotional valence scaffold the temporal organization of events in memory. I will then show that down-regulating negative emotion does not simply dampen its fragmenting or divisive effects. Instead, cognitive reappraisal elicits a different form of memory separation altogether, with emotion modulation reshaping rather than merely deconstructing the architecture of episodic memory. Together, these findings position emotion dynamics as a central organizing principle of human memory. By understanding how emotional fluctuations sculpt the structure of experience, we may better understand and ultimately intervene in affective disorders characterized by persistent negative emotion and fragmented, decontextualized memories.

This is a virtual talk from 3-4:30 and will be held on Zoom: https://uvic.zoom.us/j/5855919463?pwd=NlNSdE02RVlKQUVtRVUzL3lWM0xMdz09

Hope you can join!

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02/17/2026

Hi Everyone,

If you’re looking to spruce up your UVic-inspired wardrobe, Psi Chi is running a UVic Psychology crewneck and hoodie fundraiser, featuring 5 crewnecks/hoodies that are uniquely designed just for this fundraiser (in other words, not typically available at the bookstore).

Order deadline is February 23rd. Sizing matches the typical UVic crewnecks and hoodies, so you can go try those on at the bookstore if you’re so inclined. Order form below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVdzDatOAaDgX3OguD--Gl9M09jqDuOwyKKGLDEnjwwHOwAA/viewform

01/31/2026

Meet Maddie Gregory – PhD Student, UVic Psychology

“My doctoral research, funded by the Alzheimer Society of Canada, is focused on resilience in informal caregivers (friends or family) of people living with dementia (PLWD). Resilience is the ability to adapt, grow, and be well under challenging circumstances. I’ve been working with a dedicated team of caregiver research partners to develop a national survey to learn what helps and hinders caregivers’ resilience. The results will inform us of how caregivers cope, what tools they use, and how they can be better supported.

By 2050, more than one million Canadians will be informal caregivers for a PLWD. Informal caregivers are essential for PLWD but report high levels of stress and poor quality of life. With our rapidly increasing older adult population, it is important to ensure caregivers feel valued and supported for the well-being of themselves and who they care for.”

Stay tuned for our next featured researcher this afternoon!

01/09/2026

Hi Everyone,

Hope you a restful holiday! Today (Friday, Jan 9), Farouk Nathoo will be presenting some of his recent work.

Presenter: Farouk Nathoo (University of Victoria)

Title: Generalized Jeffreys’s approximate objective Bayes factor: Model-selection consistency, finite-sample accuracy, and statistical evidence in 71,126 clinical trial findings

Abstract:
Concerns about the misuse and misinterpretation of p-values and statistical significance have motivated alternatives for quantifying evidence. We define a generalized form of Jeffreys’s approximate objective Bayes factor (eJAB), a one-line calculation that is a function of the p-value, sample size, and parameter dimension. We establish conditions under which eJAB is model-selection consistent and verify them for ten statistical tests. We assess finite-sample accuracy by comparing eJAB with Markov chain Monte Carlo computed Bayes factors in 12 simulation studies. We then apply eJAB to 71,126 clinical trial results and find that the proportion of findings with p-value ≤ α yet eJAB01 > 1 (favoring the null) closely tracks the significance level α, suggesting that such contradictions are pointing to the type I errors. We catalog 4,088 such candidate type I errors and provide details for 131 with reported p-value≤0.01. We also identify 487 instances of the Jeffreys-Lindley paradox. Finally, we estimate that 75% (6%) of clinical trial plans from CTG set α≥0.05 as the target evidence threshold, and that 35.5% (0.22%) of results significant at α=0.05 correspond to evidence that is no stronger than anecdotal under eJAB. Preprint: https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Farxiv.org%2Fabs%2F2510.10358&data=05%7C02%7Cnboardman%40uvic.ca%7Cb9d49aefedb6441d15bb08de4cacac40%7C9c61d3779894427cb13b1d6a51662b4e%7C0%7C0%7C639032501730732987%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=YthhbZSmJy%2BU4r62Lub5K%2Br5NQNr%2FNDslliSvplGZL0%3D&reserved=0

The talk will be in person in the Psychology Reading room, COR A228, from 3:00 – 4:30.

11/26/2025

Hi Everyone,

This week (Friday, Nov 28), Chad Williams will be presenting some of his recent work.

Presenter: Chad Williams (University of Victoria)

Title: Altered Decision-Making Across Acute and Chronic Pain States: A Bias Towards Context-Dependent Valuations

Abstract:
Chronic pain has been linked to changes in learning and decision-making, but the underlying cognitive mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, 239 participants with either chronic, acute, or no pain completed a reinforcement learning task designed to dissociate choices based on global expected value from those driven by context-specific reinforcement history. While learning performance was comparable across groups, individuals with chronic pain relied more on recent reinforcement history and less on integrated value representations during decision-making. Computational modeling confirmed that a mixture model best captured behavior across groups, with the chronic pain group assigning significantly less weight to global expected values. The acute pain group showed an intermediate pattern, suggesting a potential transitional phenotype. This shift in valuation strategy was associated with the duration of pain rather than its intensity, suggesting that prolonged exposure to pain may gradually alter decision-making processes. These findings indicate a shift in valuation strategy associated with chronic pain, which may contribute to the persistence of maladaptive behaviors and offer a cognitive marker for pain chronification.

The talk will be in person in the Psychology Reading room, COR A228, from 3:00 – 4:30.

Hope you can make it!

10/17/2025

PSYC Global Café is coming back Oct 28 and Nov 25

What is Global Café?
Global Café is an informal gathering where students can meet peers, share experiences, and connect with other students and faculty. It is a space for fun and conversations that help foster cultural exchange and enhance student engagement.

Are you an international student or a domestic student who wants to connect with others from different cultures? Are you looking for a fun and informal way to meet students from across the globe?

Join us at the PSYC Global Café to connect with other students while enjoying crafts, games, and snacks!

10/08/2025

Hello all,

There are FREE Thanksgiving food bags for Psychology students outside the Psychology General Office (Cornett Building A236).

Please help yourself! October 7th-10th

10/01/2025

We are thrilled to share this fantastic news!🎉

Four IALH Research Fellows were named Michael Smith Health Research BC (MSHRBC) Scholars! The MSHRBC program awards $450,000 over five years to support early career researchers in building health research programs. Huge congratulations to the following scholars whose work is critical for increasing access to safe, equitable healthcare for diverse populations:

⭐️ Dr. Allie Slemon, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing

⭐️ Dr. Farah Mawani, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Social Policy

⭐️ Dr. Megan Ames, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology

⭐️ Dr. Sarah Nutter, Associate Professor, Counselling Psychology

Read more about their innovative research here: tinyurl.com/ypzrwf62

09/12/2025

Hi Everyone,

For our first CaBSSem talk (Friday, Sept 12), David Halpern will be joining us from Columbia University.

Presenter: David Halpern (Columbia University)

Title: Identifying causal memory mechanisms

Abstract:
What happens at the time of encoding that causes you to remember something later? This is a challenging question to answer and I'll discuss the implications of using observational studies to find neural memory mechanisms. In a dataset with a novel experimental design, I'll show how taking causality seriously might change our interpretation of results in the literature on subsequent memory effects. Time permitting, I’ll discuss some of my more recent work investigating how consolidation processes might explain variability in subsequent memory, even during ongoing experience.

The talk will be in person in the Psychology Reading room, COR A228, from 3:00 – 4:30.

Hope you can make it!