Dr. Rebecca Hirst
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hirstrj.bsky.social
Dr. Rebecca Hirst
@hirstrj.bsky.social
4.1K followers 1.7K following 500 posts
Cognitive psychologist 🧠 | Working in Academia and Industry👩‍💻 | Science Officer opensciencetools.org (creators of @psychopy.org)🔓 | Post doc multisensorytcd.com (studying Multisensory Perception 👀👂) | Obsessed with my dog 🐶 Trying to handstand 🤸
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hirstrj.bsky.social
I've got 99 problems and I want a script to make them.
#python
A screen shot of a python editor window, the title of the script is make-problems.py
October 27, 2025 at 10:44 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
My dog child is Two today and the world must see this beautiful transformation 🎈🎂

#dogsky
A puppy red cocker spaniel asleep on a fluffy blanket A red cocker spaniel gazes out of a window. She looks majestic.
October 15, 2025 at 8:37 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
🇮🇪 Brief pitstop to Dublin today to teach @tcdpsychology.bsky.social Final Year Project Students #PsychoPy !!

Academic things did happen but the only photos I got were of food.
A woman enjoys the last slice of tiramisu from a giant tupperware container. A mega big sandwich with goats cheese and salad hanging out of the sides.
October 3, 2025 at 4:01 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
My gal also gets those greens in!
A red cocker spaniel holds a brocolli soft toy in her mouth.
September 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
#ESCOP2025 we're ready for you !

Conferences giving you ideas for new experiments?

Come tell us about it and see if we can make a demo in PsychoPy at our booth!
Two happy women stand Infront of an exhibitor booth. Logo reads open science tools.
September 3, 2025 at 9:48 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Let the conference sugar commence. 🍯☕
A laptop with PsychoPy open on it, next to it is a coffee (in a PsychoPy mug) and a blueberry muffin
September 1, 2025 at 9:43 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
My love language is a Yorkshire teabag.

#ESCOP2025 delivering the goods!
September 1, 2025 at 7:28 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Then search monkeys and install. Restart the app and you should have a new section in your component panel!
August 28, 2025 at 2:54 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
On your PsychoPy app. Select Tools ➡️plugin/packages manager
August 28, 2025 at 2:54 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Very much enjoyed your talk!

I realised I have a photo of you with your MANY models slide.

Please enjoy 🤣
July 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Hi.

Here's another unsolicited photo of my dog.
A red cocker spaniel sits on a park bench gazing into the distance.
July 24, 2025 at 9:08 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Another year of IMRF!

Some snaps of the lab and friends at the conference dinner ♥️🥂

Thanks to the organisers of @imrf.bsky.social it's been a brilliant week of science and helpful discussions.

Fingers crossed to see everyone in Italy next year ! 🤞🏼
Two smiling women embrace on the steps to a castle. One has her arms around the other and holds a prosecco glass. A group of smiling academics gather around a picnic table in the courtyard of a castle. The table has plenty of wine on it.
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
👀Tomorrow I'll present our work on sound induced flash illusions, balance and motor responses in childhood.

Short story: All measures show developmental change... But they don't seem related?

Would you like to discuss these null results with me?🤣

POSTER 6 @imrf.bsky.social @emckenna.bsky.social
July 16, 2025 at 10:32 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
For anyone at #IMRF2025 wondering why coffee mugs are shaped like this.

THIS 👇🏼🍪☕

@imrf.bsky.social
July 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
This is an important reminder to hydrate those puppies 🐶💧☀️
A red cocker spaniel sticks her tongue out to lap up a flow of water coming out of a bottle.
July 10, 2025 at 8:19 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Me,

at the Gelateria,

for the 3rd day in a row.

#wheninpadova
A hand holds up a waffle cone with two generous scoops of gelato. Overlaid is a meme of Damian from Mean Girls with his hood up and sunglasses, a very clever disguise.
July 4, 2025 at 6:08 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
I love it when universities display historical research equipment - it really makes you appreciate the ingenuity behind past research.

Pictured below from the University of Padua:

1️⃣ The modified pacifier
2️⃣ The movement startle seat
3️⃣ The rotation motor

See alt text for details

#sciencehistory
Display shows a number of what appears to be infant bottle tops which can be attached to a tracking device. The modified pacifier used to measure and track sucking response in infants. The sucking response is an indirect way to measure attention in infants, for example a reduced sucking response is seem when a stimulus is new compared with familiar. Modified car seat created my Pietro Scatturin enabled researchers to study the startle response (a jerk in response to an abrupt stimulus). Sensors in the seat record the movements of the infant. Roatation motor used in vision research. To the lay person looks like a big fan. The motor rotates at high speed and sectors of the episcotister can be different sizes to modulate the degree of transparency.
July 1, 2025 at 10:09 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
News from Padova.

IT'S HOT.

(also there's a PsychoPy summer school on )
Basilica St Anthony pictures against a clear blue sky with a tree overhanging the front. Entrance to department of statistics, University of Padua. Gelato held in hand pictures in front of Portogallo gelateria. Prato della valle plaza pictured from bridge, statues like the water running around the plaza.
June 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
What are folks opinions on (non data) graphics/characters on scientific posters?

I think these little Canva generated characters are cute and relevant to my story.... But are they too cutesie ?

#academicbsky
Three graphics of children doing various tasks: balancing on one leg with eyes closed, reaching for a target on a screen, and listening to music.
June 10, 2025 at 2:36 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Morning hit of dog dopamine.

#dogsofbsky
Two spaniels sit on a field with their tongues out.
May 30, 2025 at 10:03 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
The passenger princess cygnet 🤍🦢

Spotted at @uniofnottingham.bsky.social
May 28, 2025 at 9:03 AM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Conference trips are great but can we normalise taking our dogs?

#Reunited 🌿🐶 #dogsofbsky
A red cocker spaniel sits in long grass looking up at the sky
May 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Oooo look what we have here 👀👀👀

Starting at 12 ⏱️

#APS25DC
May 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Who did it better? ...

All set up ready for #APS25DC !

Come to booth 204 to:

🧠 See how you can use tools like @psychopy.org to make and run your experiments for free.

🌐Use Pavlovia to run experiments online and build surveys (a low cost Qualtrics alternative)

@psychscience.bsky.social
Two women stand proudly in front of a conference booth, arms outstretched, clearly excited and pleased with their setup A conference booth with Will Smith photoshopped in front, striking his iconic 'arms open' pose from the popular meme, as if presenting or showcasing the booth
May 22, 2025 at 3:29 PM
hirstrj.bsky.social
Day 1. Sightseeing in Washington DC 🤓

We walked 49k steps 😴👣

1️⃣Washington monument as seen from the Lincoln Memorial.
2️⃣ A trippy exhibit in the Hirshhorn museum 🎨😵‍💫
A woman stands at the top of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with a big grin on her face. In the background is a view of the Washington mall leading up to the Washington monument. A woman stands in a room, the entire walls and floor are painted black with white text. The room is a work of art from Laurie Anderson entitled "Four Talks"
May 21, 2025 at 11:41 PM