Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience (CSPE)

Description

The Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience (CSPE) facilitates analytical philosophical and empirical research into the nature of perceptual experience, drawing on philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, psychiatry, human-computer interaction, and artistic practice. The research at CSPE is often interdisciplinary, with a core group of faculty, postdocs, and graduate students at the University of Glasgow, along with researchers from around the world.

The main research topics of interest at CSPE include the phenomenal character of sensory experience, illusion and hallucination, virtual and augmented reality, the senses, colour, imagination, pain and suffering, and emotion. The research conducted at CSPE is often published and based on the projects, conferences, workshops, and seminars that are organized by the Centre. CSPE also hosts the Philosophy, Psychology, Neuroscience (PPN) Seminar at Glasgow fortnightly on Mondays, and co-organizes the Illusion of the Fortnight Seminars.

The research conducted at CSPE has impact and has been included in the two REF 2021 case studies for Philosophy at Glasgow. One case study was based on Fiona Macpherson's work on extreme imagination, in conjunction with the The Eye's Mind team, which involved outreach to those with aphantasia and hyperphantasia. As part of this work, an online art exhibition on Extreme Imagination was developed and launched in May 2020, based on physical versions of the exhibition at the Tramway Glasgow and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter. The online exhibition won the 2021 Hidden REF award for best communicative output. The second case study was based on Virtual Reality. VR apps for teaching in higher education were developed, which were transformed into VR experiences that can be delivered to students via mainstream platforms such as Zoom or Teams during the time of Covid, known as EDIFY. This work has won and been shortlisted for several awards, which can be read about on the Project Mobius page.

CSPE also collaborates with other industry partners, such as Cupboard Games and the Twist Museum of Illusions in London. The Centre engages in interactions with the public by demonstrating perception at research stalls and other public events. CSPE recently played a central role in bringing Dreamachine to life and, together with Collective Act and researchers at the University of Sussex. Part of this involved running the major citizen science project, The Perception Census. CSPE also provides online materials aimed at the general public, such as the Illusions Index, and maintains a lively presence on Facebook and Twitter social media platforms.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Founding year

2004

Contact details

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University affiliation(s)

University of Glasgow
Glasgow