Neurocomputational mechanisms of self-referencing in social anxiety

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Social anxiety is one of the most common, debilitating, and costly mental-health conditions. Individuals with social anxiety may suffer from a self-referencing bias (i.e., a strong bias to focus more on themselves when in social situations). This bias has been linked to impaired learning. However, little is known about the mechanisms behind why those with social anxiety have a self-referencing bias, what happens in the brain, or how we can change it through interventions. This interdisciplinary project will combine expertise from cognitive neuroscience (University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham) and mobile-app-based interventions (Industry partner: Alena, AYA Technologies London). The successful student will have the opportunity to conduct a large-scale online study, a lab-based fMRI study, and an intervention study. We will measure behavioural responses, develop computational models of learning, and link them to brain-imaging data. The student will benefit from research visits and an internship at Alena, that provides neuroscience-based assessments and implements evidence-based therapy. The student will therefore develop a range of cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience skills and industrial experience with a highly supportive team of scientists across University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham.