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Movement is the only way we have of interacting with the world, whether manipulating objects, navigating through our environment, playing musical instruments, or communicating with others. Thus, understanding how actions are planned and controlled, how actions are perceived by observers, and how skilled actions are learned, is an important enterprise.
The goal of research in the Cognition & Action Lab is to understand the cognitive, computational and neural foundations of each of these abilities. In addition to studies with healthy adults, we also carry out research on action impairments in neurological conditions.
Studies carried out in the lab involve the measurement of eye and hand movements as well as forces applied to manipulated objects. To study action control and learning, we use virtual environments in which we can manipulate visual feedback and, using robots, the forces experienced by participants as they move. In addition to psychophysical studies and modelling, we use functional magnetic imaging and other tools to investigate the neural bases of action. The lab is based in the Department of Psychology, Queen's University, and is part of the Centre for Neuroscience Studies.
Research in the laboratory is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Recent Lab News
Mar, 2026 New Paper Accepted Zhang Y, Gao J, Deng Z, Wang T, Wang W, Wang Ya, Wang C, Liu X, Wang Yi, Long J, Flanagan JR, Gallivan JP, Han B, Chen J. Goal-directed action planning modulates surround suppression in the visual system. Journal of Neuroscience
Feb, 2026 New Paper Accepted Fooken J, Moraes R, Scott A, Flanagan JR. Microsaccadic modulation in goal-directed reaching. Journal of Vision
Jan, 2026 New Paper Accepted Rezaei A, Areshenkoff CN, Gale DJ, Oby E, Smallwood J, Flanagan JR, Wammes J, Gallivan JP. The retrieval of previously learned motor memories is facilitated by the reinstatement of default mode network manifold structures. PLOS Biology
July, 2025 New Paper Accepted Rezaei A, Areshenkoff CN, Gale DJ, de Brouwer AJ, Nashed JY, Flanagan JR, Gallivan JP. Transfer of motor learning is associated with patterns of activity in the default mode network. PLOS Biology
Apr, 2025 Congratulations to Dr. Tianyao Zhu for successfully defending her PhD thesis.
Apr, 2025 Congratulations to Tianyao Zhu for being offered (and accepting) a postdoctoral position working with Peter Dayan at the Max Plank Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, starting in the Fall.
Oct, 2024 New Paper Accepted Zhu T, Areshenkoff C, de Brouwer A, Nashed J, Flanagan JR, Gallivan JP (accepted) Contractions of human cerebellar-cortical manifold structure underlie motor reinforcement learning. Journal of Neuroscience
Oct, 2024 New Paper Accepted Fooken J, Balalaie P, Park K, Flanagan JR, Scott SH (accepted) Rapid eye movement and hand responses in an interception task are differentially modulated by context-dependent predictability. Journal of Vision
Feb, 2024 Congratulations to Rohaan Syan on being awarded a 2024 Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship from Queen's University.
Oct, 2023 New Paper Accepted Zhu T, Gallivan JP, Wolpert DM, Flanagan JR (accepted) Interaction between decision-making and motor learning when selecting reach targets in the presence of bias and noise PLoS Computational Biology
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