Dr Alexandra Clifford

Research Interests

Research Aims

My main research aim is to investigate the contribution of language, higher cognitive processes and low level perceptual mechanisms to categorisation. My research explores categorisation using behavioural and electrophysiological techniques such as eye-tracking and Event-Related Potentials.

I am particularly interested in the nature and development of colour categories and the role of colour in development. My research has investigated aspects of colour perception in infancy and early childhood such as colour preference, colour salience, colour term acquisition and the role of colour in infant object recognition. My work also explores the impact of colour on performance in achievement contexts. These projects constitute an ongoing body of research that has been conducted at the Surrey Baby Lab, of which I am the current Director.

My research also focuses on cross-cultural comparisons of colour language and perception, comparing speakers of languages with different colour lexicons to explore the processes involved in colour categorisation. 

Research Projects

• Time course and neural markers of categorisation
• Infant and adult colour perception and cognition
• The influence of colour on performance in achievement contexts
• Effect of language on low level perceptual and higher cognitive processes
• Cross-cultural differences in colour perception and cognition

Research Skills

• Event-Related Potential technique with infants and adults
• Colour science techniques such as reliable colour measurement
• Experimental techniques for infancy research including infant and toddler eye-tracking and novelty preference
• Cross-cultural fieldwork

Research Collaborations

• Professor Ian Davies, University of Surrey, UK
• Professor John Everatt, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
• Dr. Anna Franklin, University of Sussex, UK
• Dr. Amanda Holmes, University of Roehampton, UK
• Professor Julio Lillo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
• Dr. Paul Sowden, University of Surrey, UK
• Dr. Naomi Winstone, University of Surrey, UK

Publications

Journal Articles

Clifford, A., Sowden, P.T., & Davies, I.R.L. (in prep). Color Language Does Not Affect Chromatic Thresholds.

Clifford, A., Sowden, P.T., Drivonikou, V.G., Notman, L.A., Alexander, I., & Davies, I.R.L. (2012). Chromatic perceptual learning and category effects. Cognitive Psychology, under review.

Taylor, C., Clifford A. & Franklin, A. Color preferences are not Universal. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, in press.

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Holmes, A., Drivonikou, V.G., Özgen, E. & Davies, I.R.L. (2012). Neural correlates of acquired colour category effects. Brain and Cognition, 80, 126-143. 

Clifford, A., Holmes, A., Davies, I.R.L & Franklin, A. (2010). Color categories affect pre-attentive color perception. Biological Psychology, 85, 275-282.

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Davies, I.R.L. & Holmes, A. (2009). Electrophysiological markers of categorical perception of colour in 7-month-old infants. Brain and Cognition, 71,165-172.

Holmes, A., Franklin, A., Clifford, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2009). Neurophysiological evidence for categorical perception of colour. Brain and Cognition, 69, 426-434. 

Franklin, A., Drivonikou, G.V., Clifford, A., Kay, P., Regier, T. & Davies, I.R.L. (2008). Lateralization of Categorical Perception of color changes with color term acquisition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 47, 18221-18225.

Daoutis, C., Franklin, A., Riddett, A., Clifford, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2006). Categorical effects in children’s colour search: a cross-linguistic comparison. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24, 373-400.

Franklin, A., Clifford, A., Williamson, E. & Davies, I.R.L. (2005). Colour term knowledge does not affect categorical perception of colour in toddlers. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 90, 114-141.

Book Chapters

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Holmes, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2011). Investigating the underlying mechanisms of categorical perception of colour using the Event-Related Potential technique. In C.P. Biggam, C. Hough, C.J. Kay, & D.R.C. Simmons (Eds.), Progress in Colour Studies: New Directions in Colour Studies. Amsterdam, NL, John Benjamins, in press. Forthcoming.

Drivonikou, G.V., Clifford, A., Franklin, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2011).  Category training affects colour discrimination but only in the right visual field. In C.P. Biggam, C. Hough, C.J., Kay, & D.R.C. Simmons (Eds.), Progress in Colour Studies: New Directions in Colour Studies. Amsterdam, NL: John Benjamins, in press. Forthcoming.

Teaching

PSY1017 Cognitive Psychology 1 (module convenor)

PSY2014 Cognitive Psychology 2

PSY2019 Professional Skills and Applied Psychology

PSYP002 Evaluation of Placement Learning

PSYP003 Personal and Professional Development

PSYP004 Transfer of Placement Learning

PSY3081 Thought and Language (module convenor)

PSYM47 Aspects of Experimental Psychology

Departmental Duties

Senior Professional Training Year Tutor

Member of the Professional Training and Careers Comittee

Member of the Staff Student Liaison Committee

Member of the Undergraduate Teaching Committee

Presentations

Conference Presentations

Alvarez, J., Clifford, A., Holmes, A., & Franklin, A. (2012). Attention modulates hemispheric laterlisation of categorical colour search: An alternative account for ‘Lateralised Whorf’. Progress in Colour Studies, Glasgow.

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Holmes, A., Drivonikou, G.V., Ozgen, E., & Davies, I.R.L. (2012). Neural correlates of acquired categorical perception of colour. Progress in Colour Studies, Glasgow.

Taylor, C., Clifford, A., & Franklin, A. (2012).The relationship between colour-object associations and colour preference: Further investigation of Ecological Valence Theory. Progress in Colour Studies, Glasgow.

Clifford, A. (2011). Using ERPs to investigate visual categorisation in infancy. For presentation at a symposium:  Reid, V. (Convenor). ERP studies with infants – a methodology under review. British Psychological Society Developmental Section Conference, Northumbria.

Clifford, A., Sowden, P.T., & Davies, I.R.L. (2011). Color language does not affect chromatic thresholds. 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Boston.

Clifford, A., Drivonikou, G.V., Franklin, A., Sowden, P.T., Davies, I.R.L. & Lillo, J. (2011). Newly learned category effects are based on post-perceptual processes. 4th Iberian Conference on Perception, Mallorca

Taylor, C., Clifford, A., Franklin, A. (2011). Mere exposure influences male colour preference, yet female colour preference remains resistant to change. 11th Vision Sciences Society conference, Florida.

Franklin, A., Taylor, C., Al-Rasheed, A., Clifford, A. & Alvarez, J. (2011). Biological components of colour preference are not universal. 11th Vision Sciences Society conference, Florida.

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Holmes, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2008). The time course and neural markers of infant and adult colour categorisation. 2nd Progress in Colour Studies Conference, Glasgow.

Drivonikou, G.V., Clifford, A., Franklin, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2008). Category training affects colour discrimination. 2nd Progress in Colour Studies Conference, Glasgow.

Franklin, A., Clifford, A., Holmes, A., Drivonikou, V.G. & Davies, I.R.L (2008). Neural markers and lateralization of categorization in infancy: the domain of color. For presentation at a symposium: Franklin, A. & Kaldy, Z. (Convenors). Infants’ use of color in understanding the physical world. 16th International Conference of Infant Studies, Vancouver.

Clifford, A. (2008). Infant colour categorisation: An ERP study. 12^th Annual Psychology Research Student Conference, Guildford.

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Holmes, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2007). Colour categorisation in infancy: An ERP Study.  13^th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, Jena.

Clifford, A. (2007). A neurophysiological approach to colour categorical perception. 11^th Annual Psychology Research Student Conference, Guildford.

Clifford, A., Holmes, A., Franklin, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2006). Neurophysiological evidence of colour categorisation in infancy. British Psychological Society Developmental Section Conference, London. 

Drivonikou, G.V., Franklin, A., Clifford, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2006). Hemispheric asymmetries of colour categorisation in infants. British Psychological Society Developmental Section Conference, London.

Franklin, A., Holmes, A., Clifford, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2006). The nature of categorical perception of colour: Neurophysiological evidence from event-related brain potentials on a visual oddball task. Experimental Psychology Section, Plymouth.

Clifford, A., Franklin, A., Holmes, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2006). Neurophysiological evidence for categorical perception of colour. 29^th European Conference on Visual Perception, St Petersburg. Abstract published in Perception, S35, 192.

Holmes, A., Clifford, A., Franklin, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2006). The nature of categorical perception of colour: an ERP study. 6th Congress of the Federation of European Psychophysiology Societies, Budapest.

Franklin, A., Daoutis, C., Clifford, A., Riddett, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2004). Visual search for colour in four-month old infants: The effect of linear separability. 14th Biennial International Conference of Infant Studies, Chicago.

Franklin, A., Riddett, A., Clifford, A. & Davies, I.R.L. (2003). Language and categorical perception of colour: developmental and cross-cultural approaches. 26^th European Conference of Visual Perception, Paris. Abstract published in Perception, S31, 87.