A/Prof Anne Aimola Davies

Contacts

Contact email:anne.aimola@anu.edu.au
Contact phone:612 55533
Location:Room 126, Level 1, Building 39
Link:ANU Researchers profile
PhD (Psychology) Post Graduate Degree (Clinical Psychology) University of Auckland
Associate Professor
Honours Convener

My academic background includes, 1999 : PhD (Psychology), 'Dark Side of the Moon: Studies in Unilateral Neglect', University of Auckland.

Research interests

My research interests are in cognitive and clinical neuropsychology, specifically of visual and somatosensory attention, and belief formation. These aspects of cognition can be investigated by studying neurologically healthy individuals, and also right-hemisphere stroke patients with unilateral visuospatial neglect, sensory loss, and/or anosognosia for motor impairments. For example, the neuropsychological condition of unilateral neglect may be regarded as a pathological form of inattentional blindness, a phenomenon in which neurologically healthy observers fail to notice, respond to, or report something even though it is presented in full view. Drawing on the methods of cognitive neuropsychology, clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience, my research includes work on:

  • inattentional blindness
  • directional and non-directional aspects of attention
  • visual awareness and overt/covert attention in neglect
  • viewer-, stimulus- and object-centred reference frames in neglect
  • hemispheric specialisation in global and local processing
  • expectation as a factor in self-touch enhancement following sensory loss
  • anosognosia, and the role of impairments of executive function
  • neuroanatomical basis of neglect and anosognosia
  • neurorehabilitation.

 

RESEARCH GRANTS AWARDED (since 2000 only)

2000–2008 Australian Research Council Special Research Centre Scheme

Investigators: M. Coltheart, M. Beckman, M.K. Davies, J. Harrington, V. Coltheart, S. Kinoshita, T. Bates, L. Nickels, C. Perry, K. Rastle, R. Langdon, S. Lupker, J. Ziegler, M. Corballis, A.M. Aimola Davies, N. Breen

Title: Centre for Cognitive Science and Cognitive Neuropsychology.

 

2005–2008 Australian Research Council Linkage International Grant

Investigators: T.J. Bayne, J. Fernandez, A. Egan, M.K. Davies, A.M. Aimola Davies, P.C. Menzies, J. Sutton, P. Jacob, J. Proust, F. De Vignemont, F. Recanati, E. Pacherie, P. Engel, J. Dokic

Title: A philosophical and empirical approach to the nature of perception and belief.

 

2008–2012 National Institute for Health Research – Biomedical Research Centre

Primary Investigator: A.M. Aimola Davies

Title: Stroke recovery: Sensation, attention and cognition.

 

2009–2014 Australian Research Council Discovery Project                     

Investigators: E. McKone, M. Edwards, A.M. Aimola Davies

Title: Integrating holistic processing and face-space approaches to the perception of facial identity.

 

2009–2014 Wellcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Funding Committee       

Investigators: J. Savulescu, W. Sinnott-Armstrong, B.J. Sahakian, I. Tracey, A. Buchan, K.W. Fulford, N. Levy, N.Bostrom, H.R. Madder, A.M. Aimola Davies

Title: Oxford Centre for Neuroethics.

 

2013–2014 British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants

Investigators: L. Hughes, A.M. Aimola Davies

Title: Impaired attentional networks in hemispatial neglect.

 

2014–2015 National Institute for Health Research – Research Capability Funding

Investigators: A.M. Aimola Davies, U. Kischka, G.W. Humphreys

Title: Developing individualised assessment and rehabilitation for brain injured patients.

 

As Named Collaborator:

2010–2011 John Fell Fund

Primary Investigator: C. Kennard

Title: Exploiting next-generation neuroimaging to study neurocognitive dysfunction in patients with bilateral hippocampal organic amnesia.

 

2011–2013 Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant

Primary Investigator: G.W. Humphreys

Title: Empirical and philosophical analyses of motion-induced blindness.

 

  • PUBLICATIONS (since 2002 only)

  • Book Chapters

  • Davies, M., McGill, C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2024). Anosognosia for motor impairments as a delusion: Anomalies of experience and belief evaluation. In A. L. Mishara, P. Corlett, P. C. Fletcher,  A. Kranjec, and M. A. Schwartz (Eds.), Phenomenological neuropsychiatry: How patient experience bridges clinic with clinical neuroscience. New York: Springer. 
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., White, R. C., & Davies, M. (2010). Assessment of anosognosia for motor impairments. In J. M. Gurd, U. Kischka, and J. C. Marshall (Eds.), Handbook of clinical neuropsychology (2nd ed.) (pp. 436-468). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Aimola Davies, A. M. & Davies, M. (2009). Explaining pathologies of belief. In M. Broome and L. Bortolotti (Eds.), Psychiatry as cognitive neuroscience: Philosophical perspectives (pp. 285-323). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., Davies, M., Ogden, J. A., Smithson, M., & White, R. C. (2009). Cognitive and motivational factors in anosognosia. In T. J. Bayne and J. Fernandez (Eds.), Delusions and self-deception: Affective influences on belief formation (pp. 187-225). Hove, East Sussex: Psychology Press.
  • Aimola Davies, A. M. (2004). Disorders of spatial orientation and awareness: Unilateral neglect. In J. Ponsford (Ed.), Cognitive and behavioural rehabilitation: From neurobiology to clinical practice (pp. 175-223). New York: Guilford Press.

  •  

  • Journal Articles

  • Cox, J.A., Wu, Y., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2024). Does animacy affect visual statistical learning? Revisiting the effects of selective attention and animacy on visual statistical learning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 17470218231173883

  • Liu, Z., Griffith, K. R., Davies, M., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2023). Inattentional blindness: Attentional set for efficient task success. Consciousness and Cognition,108, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2022.103456

  • Cox, J.A., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2022). Age Differences in Visual Statistical Learning: Investigating the Effects of Selective Attention and Stimulus Category. Psychology and Aging, 37(6), 698-714. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000697

  • Cox, J.A., Cox, T.W., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2022). Are animates special? Exploring the effects of selective attention and animacy on visual statistical learning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, doi.org/10.1177/17470218221074686

  • de Silva, J., Chen, H., Isaac, S., White, R. C., Davies, M. & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2021). Effects of symmetry and apparent distance in a parasagittal-mirror variant of the rubber hand illusion paradigm. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 718177, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.718177/full
  • Cox, J.A., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2020). Keeping an eye on visual search patterns in visuospatial neglect: A systematic review. Neuropsychologia, 146,107547. doi:org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107547

  • Miller, T. D., Chong T. T.-J., Aimola Davies, A. M., Johnson, M. R., Irani, S. I., Husain, M., Ng, T. W. C., Jacob, S., Maddison, P., Kennard, C., Gowland, P. A., & Rosenthal, C. R. (2020). Human hippocampal CA3 damage disrupts both recent and remote episodic memories. E-Life 9, e41836.  elifesciences.org/articles/41836

  • Chow, J., Aimola Davies, A. M., Fuentes, L. J., & Plunkett, K. (2018, e12754). The vocabulary spurt predicts the emergence of backward semantic inhibition in 18-month-old toddlers. Developmental Science, 22, e12754. doi:org/10.1111/desc.12754

  • White, R. C., Davies, M., Aimola Davies, A. M. (2018). Inattentional blindness on the full-attention trial: Are we throwing out the baby wth the bathwater? Consciousness and Cognition, 59, 64-67. doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2017.10.002
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2017). Asynchrony in the rubber hand paradigm: Unexpected illusions following stroke. Cortex, 93, 224-226. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2017.03.013
  • Miller, T.D., Chong T.T.-J., Aimola Davies, A.M., Ng, T.W.C., Johnson, M.R., Irani, S.R., Vincent, A., Husain, M., Jacob, S., Maddison, P., Kennard, C., Gowland, P.A., & Rosenthal, C.R. (2017). Focal CA3 hippocampal subfield atrophy following LGII VGKC-complex antibody limbic encephalitis. Brain, 140, 1212-1219. doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx070
  • Chow, J., Aimola Davies, A. M., & Plunkett, K. (2017). Spoken-word recognition in 2-year olds: The tug of war between phonological and semantic activation. Journal of Memory and Language, 93, 104-134.  doi:10.1016/j.jml.2016.08.004
  • Chow, J., Aimola Davies, A. M., Fuentes, L. J., & Plunkett, K. (2016). Backward semantic inhibition in toddlers. Psychological Science, 27, 1312-1320.  doi:10.1177/0956797616659766
  • Tompkins, M. L., Wood, A. T., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2016). The phantom vanish magic trick: Investigating the disappearance of a non-existent object in a dynamic scene. Frontiers in Psychology, Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 7, 950.  doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00950
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2015). The no-touch rubber hand paradigm and mirror-touch sensation: Support for the self-other theory of mirror-touch synaesthesia. Cognitive Neuroscience, 6, 146-147.  doi:10.1080/17588928.2015.1057483
  • White, R. C., Weinberg, J., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2015). The nonvisual illusion of self-touch: Misaligned hands and anatomical plausibility. Perception, 44, 4, 436-445.  doi:10.1068/p7868
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., Waterman, S., White, R. C., & Davies, M. (2013). When you fail to see what you were told to look for: Inattentional blindness and task instructions. Consciousness and Cognition, 22, 221-230. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2012.11.015
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., & White, R. C. (2013). A sensational illusion: Vision-touch synaesthesia. Cortex, 49, 806-818.  doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2012.01.007
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., White, R. C., & Davies, M. (2013). Spatial limits on the nonvisual self-touch illusion and the visual rubber hand illusion: Subjective experience of the illusion and proprioceptive drift. Consciousness and Cognition, 22, 613-636.  doi:10.1016/j.concog.2013.03.006
  • Bultitude, J. H., List, A., & Aimola Davies, A. M.  (2013). Prism adaptation does not alter object-based attention in healthy participants. [version 1; referees: 3 approved]. F1000Research, 2, 232  doi:10.12688/f1000research.2-232.v1
  • McKone, E., Aimola Davies, A. M., Darke, H., Crookes, K., Wickramariyaratne, T., Zappia, S., Fiorentini, C., Favelle, S., Broughton, M., & Fernando, D. (2013). Importance of the inverted control in measuring holistic face processing with the composite effect and part-whole effect. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 33  doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00033
  • Rosenthal, O., Davies, M., Aimola Davies, A. M., & Humphreys, G. W. (2013). A role of 3-D surface-from-motion cues in motion-induced blindness. Perception, 42, 1353-1361.  doi:10.1068/p7560 
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2013) A new method for assessing self-touch enhancement of the foot in stroke patients with mobility problems. Perception, 42, 473-476.  doi:10.1068/p7400 
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2013). Anti-extinction in the tactile modality. Perception, 42, 669-671.  doi:10.1068/p7477
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2012). Specular vision-touch synaesthesia: Two reference frames. Perception, 41, 871-874.  doi:10.1068/p7182 
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., & White, R. C. (2011). Touching my face with my supernumerary hand: A cheeky illusion. Perception, 40, 1245-1247.  doi:10.1068/p6956
  • Smithson, M., Davies, M., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2011). Exploiting test structure: Case series, case-control comparison, and dissociation. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 28, 44-64.   doi:10.1080/02643294.2011.619524
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2011). Touching my left elbow: The anatomical structure of the body affects the illusion of self-touch. Perception, 40, 95-98.  doi:10.1068/p6796
  • White, R. C., Aimola Davies, A. M., & Davies, M. (2011). Two hands are better than one: A new assessment method and a new interpretation of the non-visual illusion of self-touch. Consciousness and Cognition, 20, 956-964.  doi:10.1016/j.concog.2011.03.021
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., White, R. C., Thew, G., Aimola, N. M. V., & Davies, M. (2010). Visual capture of action, experience of ownership and the illusion of self-touch: A new rubber hand paradigm. Perception, 39, 830-838.  doi:10.1068/p6610
  • McKone, E., Aimola Davies, A. M., Fernando, D., Wickramariyaratne, T., Aalders, R., Leung, H., & Platow, M. (2010). Asia has the global advantage: Race and visual attention. Vision Research, 50, 1540-1549.  doi:10.1016/j.visres.2010.05.010
  • White, R. C., Aimola Davies, A. M., Halleen, T. J., & Davies, M. (2010). Tactile expectations and the perception of self-touch: An investigation using the rubber hand paradigm. Consciousness and Cognition, 19, 505-519.  doi:10.1016/j.concog.2009.08.003
  • White, R. C., Aimola Davies, A. M., & Kischka, U. (2010). Errors of somatosensory localisation in a patient with right-hemisphere stroke. Neurocase, 16, 238-258.  doi:10.1080/13554790903456175
  • White, R. C., Aimola Davies, A. M., Kischka, U., & Davies, M. (2010). Touch and feel: Using the rubber hand paradigm to investigate self-touch enhancement in five right-hemisphere stroke patients. Neuropsychologia, 48, 26-37.  doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.08.006
  • Buchholz, J. H., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2008). Adults with dyslexia demonstrate attentional orienting deficits. Dyslexia, 14, 247-270.  doi:10.1002/dys
  • Hughes, L. E., Bates, T. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2008). Dissociations in rod bisection: The effect of viewing conditions on perception and action. Cortex, 44, 1279-1287.  doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2006.03.003
  • McKone, E., Aimola Davies, A. M., & Fernando, D. (2008). Blurry means good focus: Myopia and visual attention. Perception, 37, 1765-1768.  doi:10.1068/p6156
  • White, R. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2008). Attention set for number: Expectation and perceptual load in inattentional blindness. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 34, 1092-1107.  doi:10.1037/0096-1523.34.5.1092
  • Buchholz, J. H., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2007). Attentional blink deficits observed in dyslexia depend on task demands. Vision Research, 47, 1292-1302.  doi:10.1016/j.visres.2006.11.028
  • Buchholz, J. H., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2006). Do visual attentional factors contribute to phonological ability? Studies in adult dyslexia. Neurocase, 12, 111-121.  doi:10.1080/13554790600586233
  • Bultitude, J. H., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2006). Putting attention on the line: Investigating the activation-orientation hypothesis of pseudoneglect. Neuropsychologia, 44, 1849-1858.  doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.03.001
  • Buchholz, J. H., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2005). Adults with dyslexia demonstrate space-based and object-based covert attention deficits. Brain and Cognition, 57, 30-34.  doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2004.08.017
  • Davies, M., Aimola Davies, A. M., & Coltheart, M. (2005). Anosognosia and the two-factor theory of delusions. Mind and Language, 20, 209-236. url:
  • Hughes, L. E., Bates, T. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2005). The effects of local and global processing demands on perception and action. Brain and Cognition, 59, 71-81.  doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2005.05.00
  • Hughes, L. E., Bates, T. C., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2004). Grasping at sticks: Pseudoneglect for perception not action. Experimental Brain Research, 157, 397-402.  doi: 10.1007/s00221-004-1958-2
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., & Ogden, J. A. (2002). MRI brain scan analyses and neuropsychological profiles of nine patients with persistent unilateral neglect. Neuropsychologia, 40, 879-887.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0028-3932(01)00169-5
  • Aimola Davies, A. M., Bates, T. C., Boycott, N., & Corballis, M. C. (2002). Effects of object asymmetry on visual attention. Brain and Cognition, 48, 457-462.
  • Aimola Davies, A. M. (2002). Reducing neglect by introducing ipsilesional global cues. Brain and Cognition, 43, 328-332.

UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING

PSYC1003 Psychology I: Understanding Mind, Brain and Behaviour

PSYC3016 / PSYC6016 Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience

PSYC3030 Psychology Undergraduate Research Experience

GRADUATE TEACHING

Clinical Neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation