The Department of Psychology and the Cognitive Behavioral Sciences (CBS) Colloquium Series will present a talk titled, “Learning a novel environment: Gender differences in exploratory movement relate to navigation and spatial memory” with Brandon J. Thomas, Ph.D. at 2 p.m. Friday, October 4, in 48 DeGarmo Hall. Thomas is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater.

“The goal of the current study was to examine how individual differences in initial exploration of a large-scale novel environment influences spatial memory and navigation. The results demonstrate the importance of exploration in spatial memory, provide a new perspective on gender differences in spatial cognition, and introduce a novel methodological and analytic approach to the study of navigation and spatial memory”, Thomas said.

CBS Colloquium Series

The CBS Colloquium Series brings high caliber researchers to the Illinois State University campus to share their work with the local academic community. Individual faculty members invite speakers to campus based on their interests. The Department of Psychology also invites alumni to speak in the series in an effort to maintain strong connections with former students and provide them with a chance to pass on their knowledge to current students. The series provides both faculty and students with a variety of professional development opportunities and allows students to network with professionals in their field of study.

This speaker series is sponsored by the Department of Psychology. To support the Department of Psychology and help enhance its educational mission with advanced teaching methods, guest speakers, and more opportunities for students to learn through research experiences, please consider making a gift to the department through the Illinois State University Foundation.

If you need a special accommodation to participate in this program, call the Department of Psychology at (309) 439-8651. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.

Event Flyer