Psych!York: Amazing minds

Interactive activities
This event has now finished.
  • Date and time: Saturday 8 February 2020, 2pm to 6pm
  • Location: York Barbican (Map)
  • Audience: Open to the public
  • Admission: Free admission

Event details

How do you see colours? How good is your memory? How do you recognise faces? These are just some of the questions York psychologists are investigating. Come along to Psych!York and learn about some of the amazing things you never knew about your own mind. Try out demonstrations and talk to psychologists about their fascinating research.

Here’s a flavour of what’s on offer:

Number lab

Can you guess how many jelly beans are in a jar? Why do we usually count from left to right? Can you match digits to number words for different languages and flags? Explore the wonderful world of numbers.

Scent testing

How good are you at recognising commonly known smells? This is your chance to find out.

Sight loss simulation goggles

Try on sight loss simulation goggles and learn about the condition they represent. Experience the difficulties of living with sight loss by trying to read or identify a face while wearing the goggles.

Prism goggles

Try threading beads on strings and landing a ping pong ball inside a small container while wearing prism goggles, then do the same without them. Discover what happens to your coordination and why.

Motion capture suit

Put on a motion capture suit and stand behind a screen so other visitors can’t see you. A computer will then project what you are doing (performing an argument, waving goodbye to a friend etc.) in real-time. Will other visitors guess what you are doing?

Sleep recording

Find out about the fascinating world of sleep research. Watch a researcher wired up with electrodes and learn how this links to the information shown on a computer screen.

Test your recognition skills

Can you recognise objects hidden in a bag or celebrities from their eyes? Come along and find out.

Animal magic

Colour masks of animals and find out more about them. Have a go at some animal related quiz games.

Vision lab

Find out how visual illusions work with practical demonstrations. Check out a fascinating display of a cardboard stage illusion technique – generally known as Pepper's ghost - which is often used in theatre and television.

Brain hats

Colour a drawing of a brain and glue it to wear as a hat!

Meet the researchers: Catia Oliveira, Amy Fernandez, Matt Foxwell, Juliana Olivier, Rhiannon Pearce, Emma Raat, Dr Marcus Harrington, Laura Vinton, Lucilla Lanzoni, Holly Brown, Yujin Lee, Dr Emma James, Anna Guttesen, Dr Nerissa Ho, Dr Francina Clayton, Adam Turnbull, Delali Konu, Dr Kirsty Graham, Dr Jonathan Flavell, Dr Marta Wesierska, Yujin Lee, Dr Ruth Lee, Nicole Lahiff and Rana Qarooni, Early Career Researchers Forum, Department of Psychology, University of York

Partners

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Venue details

  • Wheelchair accessible