Research SectionsSection of Psychology

Section of Psychology

Coordinator

Prof. Maria Anna Donati

Location

Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Florence, Italy

General description of the Section

The Psychology Section carries out research activities aimed at investigating the mind-brain relationship, with particular attention to cognitive processes. Research, conducted through a multidisciplinary approach and across the entire lifespan, examines the behavioral and experiential manifestations of cognitive processes, their neural bases, and the interactions among different cognitive functions, both under typical conditions and in the presence of neurological and neuropsychological disorders. The Section also conducts research on the development and analysis of psychometric instruments for the measurement of psychological constructs.

Laboratories affiliated with the Section and research lines

Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory (CogPsyLab) and JOINT LABORATORY, PROtocols and Outcome Measures in Rehabilitation Medicine - PROMISE@lab (Head: Prof. Viggiano)

The Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory (CogPsyLab) is dedicated to the study of the dynamic interaction between cognition and emotion in both typical and pathological conditions. Research focuses on exploring the mechanisms underlying various cognitive processes - including cognitive control, perception, attention, memory, and decision-making - and on how these processes are modulated by emotional factors. Activities are carried out in collaboration with research groups at both national and international level, using an integrated approach that combines behavioral methods, subjective measures, electrophysiological techniques (event-related potentials and autonomic indices), neuroimaging (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and computational models. The goal is to deepen understanding of the relationship between mind and brain.

Sleep Laboratory (SleePsyLab) GROUND FLOOR SAN SALVI (Head: Prof. Giganti)

The Sleep Laboratory (SleePsyLab) studies cognitive processes in relation to sleep, with particular reference to learning and memory, both in good sleepers and in clinical populations. It also investigates changes in sleep and wakefulness as a function of age, as well as psychological aspects related to sleep, such as levels of perceived sleepiness and certain behaviors associated with the propensity to sleep, such as yawning. These aspects are also studied in specific populations such as evening types, morning types, and individuals with insomnia. The Sleep Laboratory is also interested in investigating the effectiveness of cognitive and behavioral interventions aimed at improving sleep quality. Sleep characteristics are assessed through subjective methods (sleep diaries, scales, and questionnaires) and objective methods (polygraphic and actigraphic recordings).

Maplab Laboratory (Multisensory Action and Perception Laboratory) (Head: Prof. Arrighi)

The Maplab laboratory conducts research in cognitive neuroscience and the psychophysics of perception, with a particular focus on the neural and computational mechanisms underlying visual and auditory processing and numerical cognition. The group’s activity integrates behavioral, psychophysical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging approaches to study how the human brain represents quantity, space, and time, and how these dimensions interact in perceptual and decision-making processes. A central line of research concerns the study of the number sense (numerosity), investigated both in adults and in developmental populations, with the aim of understanding the early perceptual mechanisms that support mathematical abilities and their neural bases. At the same time, the laboratory explores the principles of visual magnitude coding, multisensory integration, attentional processes, and the dynamics of contextual influences on perception, investigating phenomena such as perceptual adaptation and serial dependence. Research mainly relies on psychophysical techniques combined with computational models to quantitatively describe behavioral and neural data. Psychophysics is then integrated with a variety of measures ranging from EEG to fMRI, and from eye-tracking to pupillometry. The group collaborates with national and international institutions and participates in projects funded at both national and European level on topics such as the development of numerical abilities, the neural bases of visual perception, and the clinical applications of perceptual mechanisms. The laboratory’s activity also includes the training of students and PhD candidates, promoting an interdisciplinary environment that integrates neuroscience, experimental psychology, and cognitive science.

Psychometrics Laboratory (Head: Prof. Primi)

The Psychometrics Laboratory carries out research activities aimed at: i) constructing and adapting psychometric instruments through Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT); ii) developing integrated assessment protocols (physiological, psychometric, and behavioral) for psychological constructs; iii) studying explanatory models of psychological phenomena through multivariate analysis models; and iv) designing and evaluating prevention interventions. It is distinguished by the versatility of its research interests: gambling and addictive behaviors, decision-making and risk-taking, math anxiety, and psychological well-being (with specific reference to healthcare work settings). It has numerous collaborations with other national and international research groups and with public institutions and third-sector organizations, and its staff is regularly involved in training and science communication activities. The Laboratory also hosts 6 internal CFU credits for the Practical Evaluative Internship (TPV) required for the qualifying degree in Psychology within the Master’s Degree in Psychology of the Life Span and Contexts.

Cognitive Processes Laboratory (Head: Prof. Corrado Caudek)

The laboratory studies cognitive processes as dynamic systems emerging from the interaction between learning, decision-making, and individual differences. Research activity focuses on the quantitative analysis of mental mechanisms, with particular attention to computational models (including Bayesian and reinforcement learning approaches) and their application to the study of human behavior. A central objective is to understand how individual differences in cognitive processes and reasoning styles contribute to the development and maintenance of psychopathological conditions (e.g. obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, maladaptive personality traits), and how such knowledge may inform more effective intervention strategies. The laboratory also investigates decision-making processes, probabilistic reasoning, and cognitive biases, integrating experimental and modeling perspectives to describe behavior in both normative and ecologically valid contexts. Methods: advanced computational and statistical models, Bayesian analysis, behavioral techniques, psychometric measures, and integrated approaches to the study of individual differences.