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FROM OUR HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

At the Oxford Department of Experimental Psychology, our mission is to conduct world-leading experimental research to understand the psychological and neural mechanisms relevant to human behaviour. Wherever appropriate, we translate our findings into evidence-based public benefits in mental health and wellbeing, education, industry, and policy. We aim to provide our students with an inspiring and immersive scientific education, and to train the next generation of outstanding researchers with theoretical rigour and cutting-edge methodologies in an inclusive, diverse, and international environment. We are committed to helping individuals thrive in a community that is free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying; and in which people treat one another with respect and dignity in a mutually supportive manner.

Professor Matthew Rushworth

Professor Matthew Rushworth

Our Research

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Clinical Psychology, Mental Health & Wellbeing

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Human Potential: Development and learning across the lifespan

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Children in a circle with teacher

Social Minds: Emotions, Relationships & Society

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Intelligent Minds: Neuroscience & Computational Models of Cognition and Behaviour

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Perception, Attention, & Action: From Sensing to Thinking & Doing

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About the Department of Experimental Psychology

About us

Our teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

Study Psychology

Graduate Teaching

Graduate Training

DClinPsych

Clinical training

Our community

What's new

Inside Life and Mind welcomes more than 1,500 visitors

Families spent an afternoon exploring the science inside the Life and Mind Building.

Korean Translation DC book

David Clark wins a Korean Academy of Arts and Sciences prize

Professor David Clark’s book “Thrive: the power of psychological therapies” has won a Korean Academy of Arts and Sciences prize.

Robin Dunbar

Robin Dunbar awarded 2026 International Cosmos Prize

Emeritus Professor Robin Dunbar has been awarded the 2026 International Cosmos Prize for his work in understanding of the relationship between nature and humankind.

This image shows a still from the treatment - the player injects a penguin with a vaccine

Virtual reality therapy offers new hope for teenagers with needle phobia

A ground-breaking study led by the University of Oxford has shown that an automated virtual reality (VR) therapy can substantially reduce needle fears in adolescents, offering a scalable solution to a problem that affects millions of young people and undermines vaccination programmes.

Headshots of Kate and Bernhard

Kate Watkins and Bernhard Staresina awarded major European Research Council Advanced Grants

Kate and Bernhard were two of fourteen researchers at the University of Oxford to be awarded Advanced Grants from the European Research Council (ERC), each worth up to €2.5 million over a period of five years.

More News

Participate in our research

We are always looking for participants to take part in our research. Here you will find a list of studies you might be able to take part in. 

Participate

Events

We have a mix of public and internal events. Explore what we have on offer below.

More events