Dr Andrew Wilson
About Dr Andrew Wilson
Dr Wilson is an internationally recognised expert in perception, action and embodied cognition.
Dr Wilson gained his PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science from Indiana University, Bloomington in 2005. His research interests are broadly in the area of perception and action, with a particular interest in learning and theories of embodied cognition.
His current research interests include:
- Using coordinated rhythmic movement as a model system to study learning and social coordination
- Throwing for distance and accuracy
- The use of movement analysis (kinematics) to enhance clinical practice and rehabilitation
- Theories of embodied cognition
He blogs about this work at Notes fromTwo Scientific Psychologists and is on Twitter.
Current Teaching
- Foundation Research Methods
- Advance Research Methods
- Mind, Brain & Behaviour
- The Embodied Mind (MSc)
Research Interests
Perception and Action
Skilled movement requires us to perceive the affordances of the environment. These are the opportunities for action that the environment provides (e.g. the 'graspability' of a handle); identifying these and the information for them is a critical part of understanding why we move the way we do. Dr Wilson's work currently focuses on two tasks (coordinated rhythmic movement and throwing for distance and accuracy) to investigate these questions. He uses movement analysis and psychophysical techniques combined with computer simulations and dynamical systems modelling to solve these problems.
Embodied Cognition
There is a large body of evidence that cognition is profoundly shaped by the way we perceive and act in the world. Using his empirical research in perception and action as a starting point, Dr Wilson (with colleagues in the UK, US and Canada) is developing theories and methods for an embodied approach to cognition that can be applied to a wide variety of topics (including movement but also language and animal cognition).
Selected Publications
Journal articles (38)
- Wilson AD; Bingham GP; Craig JC (In press) Proprioceptive Perception of Phase Variability.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.29.6.1179 - van Swieten LM; van Bergen E; Williams JHG; Wilson AD; Plumb MS; Kent SW; Mon-Williams MA (In press) A test of motor (not executive) planning in developmental coordination disorder and autism.
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017177 - Wilson AD (In press) Action scaling of distance perception is task specific and does not predict “the embodiment of cultureâ€: a comment on Soliman, Gibson, and Glenberg (2013)
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00302
View Repository Record - Garza-Villarreal EA; Wilson AD; Vase L; Brattico E; Barrios FA; Jensen TS; Romero-Romo JI; Vuust P (In press) Music reduces pain and increases functional mobility in fibromyalgia
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00090
View Repository Record - Ren J; Huang S; Zhang J; Zhu Q; Wilson AD; Snapp-Childs W; Bingham GP (In press) The 50s Cliff: A Decline in Perceptuo-Motor Learning, Not a Deficit in Visual Motion Perception
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0121708
View Repository Record - Cross L; Wilson AD; Golonka S (2020) I'll just watch: Do the pro-social effects of coordination really generalize to non-actors?
https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2019.1623161
View Repository Record - Pickavance J; Azmoodeh A; Wilson AD (2018) The effects of feedback format, and egocentric & allocentric relative phase on coordination stability
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2018.04.005
View Repository Record - Cross L; Wilson A; Golonka S (2016) How moving together brings us together: when coordinated rhythmic movement affects cooperation
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01983
View Repository Record - Wilson AD; Zhu Q; Barham L; Stanistreet I; Bingham GP (2016) A Dynamical Analysis of the Suitability of Prehistoric Spheroids from the Cave of Hearths as Thrown Projectiles
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30614
View Repository Record - Wilson AD; Weightman A; Bingham GP; Zhu Q (2016) Using Task Dynamics to Quantify the Affordances of Throwing for Long Distance and Accuracy.
https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000199
View Repository Record - Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2015) Transfer of learning between unimanual and bimanual rhythmic movement coordination: transfer is a function of the task dynamic
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-015-4292-y
View Repository Record - Coats RO; Wilson AD; Snapp-Childs W; Fath AJ; Bingham GP (2014) The 50s Cliff: Perceptuo-Motor Learning Rates across the Lifespan
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0085758
View Repository Record - Fletcher TE; Wilson AD (2013) The Transformative Potential of Reflective Diaries for Elite English Cricketers
https://doi.org/10.1080/14927713.2013.865982
View Repository Record - Coats RO; Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2013) Perceptuo-motor learning rate declines by half from 20s to 70/80s
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-012-3349-4 - Wilson AD; Golonka S (2013) Embodied Cognition is Not What you Think it is.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00058
View Repository Record - WILSON AD (2012) The state-of-the-art is healthy; time to take the next step with developmental coordination disorder
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2012.04364.x - Coats RO; Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2012) Perceptuo-motor learning rate declines by half from 20s to 70/80s
- Golonka S; Wilson AD (2012) Gibson's ecological approach - a model for the benefits of a theory driven psychologyhttp://avant.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/SGAW-Gibson-s-ecological-approach.pdf
- Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2011) The stability of rhythmic movement coordination depends on relative speed: the Bingham model supported
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-011-2874-x - Wilson AD; Tresilian J; Schlaghecken F (2011) The masked priming toolbox: an open-source MATLAB toolbox for masked priming researchers
https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-010-0034-z - Elders V; Sheehan S; Wilson AD; Levesley M; Bhakta B; Mon-Williams M (2010) Head-torso-hand coordination in children with and without developmental coordination disorder.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2009.03347.x
View Repository Record - Wilson AD; Snapp-Childs W; Bingham GP (2010) Perceptual Learning Immediately Yields New Stable Motor Coordination
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020412
View Repository Record - Wilson AD; Snapp-Childs W; Coats R; Bingham GP (2010) Learning a coordinated rhythmic movement with taskappropriate coordination feedback
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-010-2388-y - Wilson AD; Tresilian JR; Schlaghecken F (2010) Continuous priming effects on discrete response choices
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2010.07.010 - Wilson AD; Tresilian J; Schlaghecken F (2010) The masked priming toolbox: an open-source MATLAB toolbox for masked priming researchers
- Todd J; Mills C; Wilson AD; Plumb MS; Mon-Williams MA (2009) Slow Motor Responses to Visual Stimuli of Low Salience in Autism
https://doi.org/10.3200/35-08-042 - Kent SW; Wilson AD; Plumb MS; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2009) Immediate Movement History Influences Reach-to-Grasp Action Selection in Children and Adults
https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2009.10125921 - Plumb MS; Wilson AD; Mulroue A; Brockman A; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2008) Online corrections in children with and without DCD
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2007.11.004 - Pettit L; Charles J; Wilson AD; Plumb MS; Brockman A; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2008) Constrained action selection in children with developmental coordination disorder
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2008.02.014 - WILSON AD; BINGHAM GP (2008) Identifying the information for the visual perception of relative phase
https://doi.org/10.3758/pp.70.3.465 - Aicken MD; Wilson AD; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2007) Methodological issues in measures of imitative reaction times
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2006.09.005 - Wilson AD; Howell C; Waring WS (2007) Study of the Relationship between Seizures and Rhabdomyolysis after Venlafaxine Overdose
- Platow MJ; Grace DM; Wilson N; Burton D; Wilson AD (2007) Psychological group memberships as outcomes of resource distributions
- Munro H; Plumb MS; Wilson AD; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2007) The effect of distance on reaction time in aiming movements
- Jansson E; Wilson AD; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2007) Methodological problems undermine tests of the ideo-motor conjecture
- Wilson AD; Collins DR; Bingham GP (2005) Human movement coordination implicates relative direction as the information for relative phase
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-005-2301-2 - Wilson AD; Collins DR; Bingham GP (2005) Perceptual coupling in rhythmic movement coordination: stable perception leads to stable action
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-005-2272-3 - Wilson A; Bingham GP (2001) Dynamics, not kinematics, is an adequate basis for perception
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X01700088
Conference contributions (1)
Conference proceedings (13)
- Coats R; Wilson A; Snapp-Childs W; Fath A; Bingham G (2013) The 50s cliff: Perceptuo-Motor Learning Rate Across the Lifespan. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 483-483.
https://doi.org/10.1167/13.9.483 - Wilson A; Weightman A; Zhu Q; Bingham G (2013) Using Dynamical Simulations to Quantify Affordances in the Task Space for Throwing to Hit Distant Targets. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 749-749.
https://doi.org/10.1167/13.9.749 - Zhu Q; Wilson A; Bingham G (2013) Common Coding Not Supported: Expert and Novice Throwers Viewing Point-Light Displays of Self vs Other's Throwing Motions to Judge Target Locations. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 761-761.
https://doi.org/10.1167/13.9.761 - Leech JD; Wilson AD (2012) Perceptual learning of bimanual coordinated rhythmic movements: Information matters more than movements. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 833-833.
https://doi.org/10.1167/12.9.833 - Coats R; Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2011) Changes in perceptual-motor learning across the lifespan: 20, 60, 70, and 80 year olds. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 471-471.
https://doi.org/10.1167/11.11.471 - Coats RO; Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2011) Changes in perceptual-motor learning across the lifespan. In: . : HUMAN KINETICS PUBL INC 1607 N MARKET ST, PO BOX 5076, CHAMPAIGN, IL 61820-2200 USA, pp. S65-S65.http://journals.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/SiteName/Documents/DocumentItem/S47-S125.pdf
- Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2010) The stability of rhythmic movement coordination depends on relative speed. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 1037-1037.
https://doi.org/10.1167/10.7.1037 - Bingham GP; Snapp-Childs W; Wilson AD (2010) Modeling the visual coordination task in de Rugy et al.: It's perception, perception, perception. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 1035.
https://doi.org/10.1167/10.7.1035 - Snapp-Childs W; Bingham G; Wilson A (2009) Improved perception immediately leads to improved movement stability. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 878.
https://doi.org/10.1167/9.8.878 - Mon-Williams M; Sheehan S; Wilson AD; Bingham GP (2009) Head-torso coordination and overt shifts in attention. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 837-837.
https://doi.org/10.1167/9.8.837 - Wilson A; van Bergen E; van Swieten L; Kent S; Mon-Williams M (2008) Perceptual and performance biases in action selection. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 609-609.
https://doi.org/10.1167/8.6.609 - Wilson AD; Plumb M; Williams JHG; Mon-Williams M (2006) 'Sticky attention'in autistic spectrum disorder--visual psychophysics and movement. In: . : PION LTD, pp. 132-132.
- Wilson AD; Bingham GP; Collins DR (2003) Contribution of Visual vs. Haptic Perception to the Stability of Relative Phase in Coordinated Movement. In: . : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, pp. 262-262.
Patents (1)
- Mon-Williams MA; Williams JHG; Wilson AD; Plumb MS (2007) Apparatus and Method for the Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Disordershttp://www.google.com/patents/WO2007135441A2