• Question: How do you think your research will be useful and applicable to every day life? Thank you.

    Asked by Kathryn to Andy, Diana, James, Mary Jane, Wil on 6 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Wilhelmiina Toivo

      Wilhelmiina Toivo answered on 6 Mar 2017:

      I’m studying bilingualism and emotions – bilinguals are less emotional in their second language. This means it can be easier for them to talk about things in their second language, so it can be used, for example, in therapy when talking about difficult topics. A more every-day life application would be that bilinguals are less influenced by advertisements in their second language, because the language doesn’t have the same emotional effect on them.

    • Photo: Andrew Jones

      Andrew Jones answered on 6 Mar 2017:

      My research is focused on understanding why people drink to much alcohol and eat unhealthy foods. I would say this is very relevant to real life as most adults in the UK drink (and many drink more than they should!) and obesity is on the rise.

      I think my research is very applicable to real life, as I look at the ways we can intervene to stop people drinking and eating too much. We are currently developing a mobile phone app that tracks people’s self control as they go about their daily lives.

    • Photo: Mary Jane Spiller

      Mary Jane Spiller answered on 6 Mar 2017:

      My research looks at the way our senses work together – so we can use the findings to help improve everyday technology (thinking about how vision influences what we hear), or specialist technology for people who have lost a sense (using sound to help blind people “see”) or even eating a meal in a restaurant (what shape plate is best for a savoury or sweet meal, or what music helps improve which tastes etc). And it can also help understand different conditions, for example looking at how people with Autism process sensory information..

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