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Reposted by Penny Pexman

Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics @mpi-nl.bsky.social · 6d

We're seeking the next Director of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics! Lead cutting-edge research in language & cognition. Nominations (incl. self) due 19 Dec 2025.
mpi.nl/career-education/vacancies/vacancy/nominations-and-self-nominations-sought-position-director-max

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Kristof Strijkers @strijkers.bsky.social · 9d

Done! Daria successfully defended her PhD thesis!

And that in front of an incredible jury who are the absolute top on this topic: @annaborghi.bsky.social , @pennypexman.bsky.social , @gabriellavigliocco.bsky.social

So proud of her!

bravo of course also to Jo Ziegler and Núria Gala!

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WesternU Research @westernuresearch.bsky.social · Sep 9

This morning, we connected over breakfast with Western Research staff, followed by updates from @pennypexman.bsky.social and a panel on AI in Research with Joanna Redden, Lyle Muller and @cribravo.bsky.social, moderated by @jamesshelley.com.

Thanks, everyone, for a great start to the school year!

Western Research staff eating and speaking to each other in long tables at the Wave Restaurant on Campus at Western University.

Joanna Redden, Lyle Muller and Cristián Bravo Roman on stage with moderator James Shelley speaking to Western Research staff about AI in Research.

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Western University @westernu.ca · Sep 3

#WesternU’s new Pathogen Research Centre will position #LdnOnt as a national leader in virus transmission research and the development of vaccines and treatments for a range of diseases. @schulichmeddent.bsky.social

Western Pathogen Research Centre to advance study of infectious disease

Western has begun construction on the Pathogen Research Centre, which will position London as a national leader in the understanding of infectious diseases.

news.westernu.ca

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European Society for Cognitive Psychology @escop.bsky.social · Jul 1

Call for Papers for a new Special Issue of Cortex on Concept Knowledge

The editors, Penny Pexman, Richard Binney, Veronica Diveica, and Emiko Muraki welcome original empirical research articles, as well as reviews and perspectives.
The last date for submissions will be March 10th 2026.

The multidimensionality, variability and flexibility of concepts: Opening editorial

www.sciencedirect.com

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WesternU Research @westernuresearch.bsky.social · Sep 2

How does the sound of names bias hiring decisions?

From @westernu.ca Vice-President (Research) @pennypexman.bsky.social and her @carleton.ca colleague, @davidmsidhu.bsky.social in @ca.theconversation.com:

theconversation.com/whats-in-a-n...

What’s in a name? How the sound of names can bias hiring decisions

New research shows that even the sound of a name can influence how job candidates are judged.

theconversation.com

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Penny Pexman @pennypexman.bsky.social · Aug 31

Really looking forward to #AMLAP2025 in Prague this week. Big Data morning with @aggieerin.bsky.social and Emmanuel Keuleers looks 🔥

Full program here:

amlap2025.ff.cuni.cz/program/

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The Conversation Canada @ca.theconversation.com · Aug 28

What’s in a name? How the sound of names can bias hiring decisions

New research shows that even the sound of a name can influence how job candidates are judged.

theconversation.com

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WesternU Research @westernuresearch.bsky.social · Jul 30

We are proud to share that @westernu.ca continues its collaboration with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) through the Academic Partnership Program.

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#CNL #AECL #Nuclear #Innovation #Research

Photo of attendees at the Western University / CNL / AECL agreement signing.

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Irina Giurgea @dirinagiurgea.bsky.social · Jul 31

✨️Excited to share my first paper is out in Behavior Research Methods with @rjbinney.bsky.social and @pennypexman.bsky.social! We quantified the association of a word's meaning with reward, showing that it is a dimension relevant to semantic processing.
📄🔗Link: rdcu.be/eyqvn

Reward as a facet of word meaning: Ratings of motivation for 8,601 English words

rdcu.be

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Emiko J Muraki @emij.bsky.social · Jul 17

🧠 Just out with @pennypexman.bsky.social “Simulation in the ‘Blind’ Mind”.

We found that even without conscious imagery (aphantasia), people still simulate sensorimotor info when processing language. 💭🔤

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Michael J. Kane @michaeljkane.bsky.social · Jul 1

Registration for the second Symposium on Individual Differences in Cognition (SIDIC), scheduled for the Thursday of the next Psychonomics Annual Meeting (in Denver) is now open. Please register as soon as possible to help us plan. Abstracts due August 1.
caliberlab.wixsite.com/sidic2025/re...

Registration | SIDIC 2025

caliberlab.wixsite.com

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Penny Pexman @pennypexman.bsky.social · Jul 1

So privileged to have been your supervisor @emij.bsky.social. You are a star. 🌟

Emiko J Muraki @emij.bsky.social · Jul 1

As I wrap up my PhD journey, I want to profoundly thank my supervisor @pennypexman.bsky.social .

Her generous mentorship shaped my vision of what research can be and guided my next big steps – a postdoc and tenure track position (more on those soon!)

I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. 🙏🧠💫

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Henri Olkoniemi @holkoniemi.bsky.social · Jun 26

🚨 New preprint!
With @lehtorituomo.bsky.social, Matti Laine, & @pennypexman.bsky.social

🔍 We analyzed data from two eye-tracking studies to explore individual differences in how #children process and comprehend written #irony. We showed that empathy and working memory mattered — gender didn't.

PsyArXivBot @psyarxivbot.bsky.social · Jun 23

Who gets it? Explaining variability in children's written irony comprehension: https://osf.io/y486w

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Emiko J Muraki @emij.bsky.social · Jun 25

🚨📄 New paper!

Abstract words are hard to acquire: Does social relevance help?

We tested if social experience helps children learn words—analyzing >4,000 words by socialness, valence, and concreteness.

👬 More social words were learned earlier
💭 Socialness particularly helped abstract words, but…

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Richard J. Binney @rjbinney.bsky.social · Jun 21

Excited to announce a call for papers for a new virtual special issue in Cortex on Concept Knowledge.

Our opening editorial, plus further information and guidance for authors can be found here:

www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...

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Jan Chromý @janchromy.bsky.social · Apr 26

Come to Prague in September!

Radim Lacina @radlacina.bsky.social · Apr 22

The deadline for #AMLaP2025 in wonderful Prague 🇨🇿 organised by @janchromy.bsky.social has been extended to April 30! Send us your stuff! amlap2025.ff.cuni.cz

AMLaP 2025

amlap2025.ff.cuni.cz

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Emiko J Muraki @emij.bsky.social · Apr 25

🚨 New paper out in Human Brain Mapping! 🚨
with @pennypexman.bsky.social and @rjbinney.bsky.social

🧠 We show that the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) semantic hub supports abstract verb processing—with distinct activity patterns for:
• Emotional verbs
• Mental verbs
• Non-embodied verbs

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David Sidhu @davidmsidhu.bsky.social · Apr 24

🚨New paper alert!🚨

Name sound symbolism, personality, and job ads!

We found that the sounds in a name affected which candidate participants chose as the best fit for a job ad.

With @pennypexman.bsky.social, Josh Bourdage and Tim Wingate.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

🧵 Thread below!

Would you hire Liam over Kirk? Name sound symbolism and hiring

Sound symbolism is the phenomenon by which certain language sounds evoke particular associations. Previous work has demonstrated that names evoke pers…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Journal of Cognition @jcgntn.bsky.social · Jan 23

New content: Muraki, E. J., Born, S., & Pexman, P. M. (2025). Grasping Variance in Word Norms: Individual Differences in
Motor Imagery and Semantic Ratings. Journal of Cognition,
8(1): 12, pp. 1–10. DOI: doi.org/10.5334/joc.... #psychscisky

Grasping Variance in Word Norms: Individual Differences in Motor Imagery and Semantic Ratings | Journal of Cognition

The Journal of Cognition, the official journal of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology, publishes reviews, empirical articles (including registered reports), data reports, stimulus developmen...

doi.org

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Women in Cognitive Science Canada+ @wicscanada.bsky.social · Apr 5

📢 Big news! Our 2025 Annual Meeting will be a collab with @wicseurope.bsky.social, during the Joint @exppsychsoc.bsky.social/CSBBCS Conference in Dundee, Scotland on ⭐July 8⭐, and will feature a panel on international collaboration.
Questions for the panel? Share here:
forms.gle/DTYpGh27etgq...

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WesternU Research @westernuresearch.bsky.social · Mar 7

We are excited to launch a new program for postdoctoral scholars at #WesternU - the Western Research Scholar Awards, which provide an additional $30K over two years to postdoctoral scholars who have secured a position through a Tri-Agency fellowship program.

Learn more: uwo.ca/research/fun...

Western Research Scholar Awards

Western University, in vibrant London, Ontario, delivers an academic and student experience second to none.

uwo.ca

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WesternU Research @westernuresearch.bsky.social · Mar 20

ICYMI: The Western Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is accepting applications for the 2025 cohort!

This fellowship offers a competitive stipend package over two years - learn more about the program on our website: uwo.ca/research/fun...

Western Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Western University, in vibrant London, Ontario, delivers an academic and student experience second to none.

uwo.ca

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WesternU Research @westernuresearch.bsky.social · Mar 20

We’re really looking forward to celebrating #WesternU researchers, scholars and artists at our annual awards celebration tonight. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients!

Image of a set table bathed in purple light with a program at the front that says “Research Awards Celebration.”

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Women in Cognitive Science Canada+ @wicscanada.bsky.social · Mar 17

Know someone who is a fantastic mentor to 🇨🇦 women in cognitive science? Nominate them for the @wicscanada.bsky.social 2025 Mentorship Award:
wicsc.ca/wp-content/u...

wicsc.ca

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