Ellen O'Donoghue
@eodonoghue.bsky.social
Postdoc in the Motivation & Memory Lab at CUBRIC, Cardiff University. I study how we flexibly learn about our environments, with particular interest in curiosity-driven exploration.
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
Stress drives the hippocampus to prioritize statistical prediction over episodic encoding https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.25.683838v1
October 26, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Stress drives the hippocampus to prioritize statistical prediction over episodic encoding https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.25.683838v1
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
🚀 New paper! We just took a major step in understanding how architecture shapes cognition.
Our paper shows that something as simple as corners in rooms or corridors can shift canonical spatial attention cueing costs.
Key method? Mobile Brain/Body Imaging combined with VR!
bit.ly/47m6ssV
Our paper shows that something as simple as corners in rooms or corridors can shift canonical spatial attention cueing costs.
Key method? Mobile Brain/Body Imaging combined with VR!
bit.ly/47m6ssV
Turning corners in built environments shifts spatial attention costs
Human attention is typically studied under static laboratory conditions, yet everyday cognition unfolds during active interactions with the built envi…
bit.ly
October 24, 2025 at 9:15 AM
🚀 New paper! We just took a major step in understanding how architecture shapes cognition.
Our paper shows that something as simple as corners in rooms or corridors can shift canonical spatial attention cueing costs.
Key method? Mobile Brain/Body Imaging combined with VR!
bit.ly/47m6ssV
Our paper shows that something as simple as corners in rooms or corridors can shift canonical spatial attention cueing costs.
Key method? Mobile Brain/Body Imaging combined with VR!
bit.ly/47m6ssV
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
World's largest rays may be diving to extreme depths to build mental maps of vast oceans
World's largest rays may be diving to extreme depths to build mental maps of vast oceans
Many marine species are no strangers to the depths of the oceans. Some animals, like certain sharks, tuna, or turtles, routinely perform extreme dives, whereas for other species, such behavior has…
phys.org
October 23, 2025 at 7:04 PM
World's largest rays may be diving to extreme depths to build mental maps of vast oceans
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
The work with bats on barren, 7-acre Latham Island was Nachum Ulanovsky’s most complex undertaking yet.
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
October 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
The work with bats on barren, 7-acre Latham Island was Nachum Ulanovsky’s most complex undertaking yet.
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
So excited that our first major empirical @themanybirds.bsky.social paper is now out in @plosbiology.org!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...
journals.plos.org
October 14, 2025 at 7:40 PM
So excited that our first major empirical @themanybirds.bsky.social paper is now out in @plosbiology.org!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Me too! 😊 Excited to see what we find -- thanks so much to @marinabazhydai.bsky.social, @pci-regreports.bsky.social, and the reviewers for their thoughtful handing of the process.
Really looking forward to the Stage 2 Registered Report of this exciting upcoming study on curiosity by @eodonoghue.bsky.social @mjgruber.bsky.social @pyoudeyer.bsky.social @yanafandakova.bsky.social - recommended by @pci-regreports.bsky.social
Curiosity and learning in children and adolescents: an fMRI stud...
rr.peercommunityin.org
September 22, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Me too! 😊 Excited to see what we find -- thanks so much to @marinabazhydai.bsky.social, @pci-regreports.bsky.social, and the reviewers for their thoughtful handing of the process.
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
Please repost!
We're looking for a PhD student to join us on a project exploring how ADHD is linked to greater curiosity.
The PhD student will be based across Cardiff University and the University of Bath working with @ggoclowska.bsky.social , Kate Langley, and me as part of a collaborative team.
We're looking for a PhD student to join us on a project exploring how ADHD is linked to greater curiosity.
The PhD student will be based across Cardiff University and the University of Bath working with @ggoclowska.bsky.social , Kate Langley, and me as part of a collaborative team.
Is ADHD linked to greater curiosity? How? Why? We (with @mjgruber.bsky.social and Kate Langley) are seeking a PhD candidate interested in exploring this fascinating question. This psychology/neuroscience project will be based in Cardiff and Bath. Please repost and email inquiries.
lnkd.in/dGEcnxdZ
lnkd.in/dGEcnxdZ
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
September 4, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Please repost!
We're looking for a PhD student to join us on a project exploring how ADHD is linked to greater curiosity.
The PhD student will be based across Cardiff University and the University of Bath working with @ggoclowska.bsky.social , Kate Langley, and me as part of a collaborative team.
We're looking for a PhD student to join us on a project exploring how ADHD is linked to greater curiosity.
The PhD student will be based across Cardiff University and the University of Bath working with @ggoclowska.bsky.social , Kate Langley, and me as part of a collaborative team.
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
For all who didn't make it to the Cheltenham Science Festival this year, here is the recent BBC Radio 4 All in the Mind episode on the Psychology of Curiosity.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
June 18, 2025 at 4:40 PM
For all who didn't make it to the Cheltenham Science Festival this year, here is the recent BBC Radio 4 All in the Mind episode on the Psychology of Curiosity.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
Interested in a study to help us understand coping strategies in autism, ADHD, Learning Disability, Social Anxiety, Depression, and Tic Disorder? 🧵 👇
For more information about this study: www.azrieli-anc.com/coping-study...
For more information about this study: www.azrieli-anc.com/coping-study...
May 20, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Interested in a study to help us understand coping strategies in autism, ADHD, Learning Disability, Social Anxiety, Depression, and Tic Disorder? 🧵 👇
For more information about this study: www.azrieli-anc.com/coping-study...
For more information about this study: www.azrieli-anc.com/coping-study...
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
Please repost! Our deadline is fast approaching for a 20-month postdoc position leading an fMRI project on the neurodevelopment of metacognition and curiosity. Join a great lab with fantastic collaborators! 🙂
Interested in curiosity and metacognition in childhood and adolescence? Join us at Cardiff University (UK) for a Postdoc position in an international collaboration with @yanafandakova.bsky.social (Germany) and @pyoudeyer.bsky.social (France). Please repost! #DevPsych #PsychSciSky #neuroskyence
Job Search | Cardiff University
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krb-sjobs.brassring.com
May 2, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Please repost! Our deadline is fast approaching for a 20-month postdoc position leading an fMRI project on the neurodevelopment of metacognition and curiosity. Join a great lab with fantastic collaborators! 🙂
If you're looking for a postdoc, come join us at Cardiff!! I can vouch for the research team :)
Interested in curiosity and metacognition in childhood and adolescence? Join us at Cardiff University (UK) for a Postdoc position in an international collaboration with @yanafandakova.bsky.social (Germany) and @pyoudeyer.bsky.social (France). Please repost! #DevPsych #PsychSciSky #neuroskyence
Job Search | Cardiff University
Search for Internet job results.
krb-sjobs.brassring.com
April 11, 2025 at 10:39 AM
If you're looking for a postdoc, come join us at Cardiff!! I can vouch for the research team :)
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
Interesting commentary in @cp-trendsneuro.bsky.social, arguing that we need to be careful not to always assume that rodents prefer novelty:
www.cell.com/trends/neuro...
🧠📈 🧪
www.cell.com/trends/neuro...
🧠📈 🧪
The curious interpretation of novel object recognition tests
Novel object recognition tasks are commonly used to assess memory in rodents. These
tests rely on an innate preference for exploring objects that are new or have been
moved or changed. However, this p...
www.cell.com
April 8, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Interesting commentary in @cp-trendsneuro.bsky.social, arguing that we need to be careful not to always assume that rodents prefer novelty:
www.cell.com/trends/neuro...
🧠📈 🧪
www.cell.com/trends/neuro...
🧠📈 🧪
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
This is a great (and accessible) summary of our latest @commspsychol.bsky.social paper, which examines the link between curiosity, spatial exploration, and memory within virtual environments.
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...
Paper link 👉🏻: www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...
Paper link 👉🏻: www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Virtual reality research explores curiosity and spatial memory
Virtual reality research reveals that curiosity is key in spatial memory and mental map formation.
www.cardiff.ac.uk
April 8, 2025 at 9:07 AM
This is a great (and accessible) summary of our latest @commspsychol.bsky.social paper, which examines the link between curiosity, spatial exploration, and memory within virtual environments.
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...
Paper link 👉🏻: www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...
Paper link 👉🏻: www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Reposted by Ellen O'Donoghue
"The relationships between curiosity and wellbeing: a systematic review" Alisa Priemysheva thoroughly reviewed the literature to synthesise our current knowledge of how different types of curiosity might affect wellbeing.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
January 13, 2025 at 12:03 PM
"The relationships between curiosity and wellbeing: a systematic review" Alisa Priemysheva thoroughly reviewed the literature to synthesise our current knowledge of how different types of curiosity might affect wellbeing.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Now that it's preregistered, super excited to get started on this project! Using a yoked design, @danlucen.bsky.social, @mjgruber.bsky.social and I will ask whether the benefits of curiosity are direct, or dependent on the ability to actively engage in curiosity-guided exploration.
Investigating influences of curiosity and active exploration on ...
rr.peercommunityin.org
February 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Now that it's preregistered, super excited to get started on this project! Using a yoked design, @danlucen.bsky.social, @mjgruber.bsky.social and I will ask whether the benefits of curiosity are direct, or dependent on the ability to actively engage in curiosity-guided exploration.