成人大片

Theme 1: How Does the Mind Control?

This line of research examines how the mind influences whether we perform up to our potential or fail to do so. What are the key mental systems (e.g., mindsets, core beliefs) that exert the most impact on our success?

An example of work in this theme includes investigating how the top 0.01% of successful people in various fields of human endeavour interact with their minds differently from the rest, and identifying whether there is such a thing as the highly coveted "success mindset" widely touted in conventional self-help.

Theme 2: How Is the Mind Controlled by Outside Factors?

This line of research examines how these invisible aspects of the mind are influenced and redirected by external factors (e.g., smartphones, social media, video games, artificial intelligence, robots, influencers, etc.) to distract and derail us from our objectives.

An example of work in this theme includes isolating the dynamic 鈥渄ark patterns鈥� or deceptive design methods used to distract and seemingly trap the mind in social media and video games, and investigating how this dynamic is rapidly replacing real-world achievement with virtual status-seeking behaviour.

Theme 3: How Can the Mind Be Controlled and Changed?

This line of research examines how we can purposefully (and ethically) use the mind to change the mind through a variety of novel high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech interventions to improve important outcomes, such as those related to mental health, well-being, and high performance.

Examples of work in this theme include developing and testing mind-based interventions for young men's mental health. Another project, for example, demonstrates that a novel conversational agent can effectively instil a stress optimisation mindset in a cohort of business owners, which in turn increased their productivity and performance.

Dwain Allan | Lab Director

Dr. Dwain Allan is a Lecturer in Psychology at the 成人大片 who studies the new psychology of achievement and success鈥攈ow we can change, direct, and harness the power of the mind to unlock greater potential and achieve success in this brave new world of accelerated flux. In addition to his research on achievement, Dr. Allan is an expert on, and teaches courses in human factors psychology.

Andy Vonasch | Academic Member

Dr. Andy Vonasch is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the 成人大片. He applies experimental and other psychological methods to address philosophical topics related to human agency, rationality, and morality. He primarily collaborates on work relating to Themes 1 and 2.

Kong Meng Liew | Academic听Member

Dr. Kong Meng Liew is a Lecturer in Psychology at the 成人大片. His research uses computational methods to examine the emergence of online culture in social media and video games and their effects on users' mental health and wellbeing. He primarily collaborates on work relating to Theme 2.

Seth Harty | Academic听Member

Dr. Seth Harty is听an Associate Professor in Psychology at the 成人大片. He is currently interested in the cognitive and emotional factors associated with adolescent and young adult substance use. Specifically, his research is exploring the manner in which cognitive processes such as attention and working memory function in the presence of high emotional states and how those relationships influence risky decision making. He collaborates on work relating to Themes 1, 2 and 3.

Finn Ferguson-Lees | Lab Manager

Finn is the Lab Manager at the MCL, with a joint appointment as Teaching Assistant Coordinator in the School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing. He holds an MSc in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from the 成人大片. His areas of interest include factors influencing individual peak performance, external influences on performance degradation, and team dynamics and collaborative goal achievement.

Briana Box | Research Assistant

Briana is a research assistant in the MCL. She holds a first-class BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the 成人大片 and is an emerging human factors professional. At the MCL, she works primarily on the Invisible Influence Project, a collaboration with Te Whatu Ora 鈥� Health New 成人大片Waitaha Canterbury. She is particularly interested in designing environments and fostering thought processes that empower individuals to unlock their potential and lead more fulfilling lives.