Description of the thesis topic

We are hiring a PhD student for a collaborative project funded by the ANR. This project is part of a multidisciplinary research program, straddling cognitive psychology and philosophy, aimed at better understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying the perception of peripersonal space (PPS) in the pseudo-ecological context of virtual reality. We seek to determine whether the mere proximity of an object is sufficient to trigger PPS mechanisms and how the brain manages the presence of multiple objects simultaneously present in PPS. We hypothesise that spatial proximity is a necessary but not sufficient condition for PPS, and that other factors are involved.
This thesis project focuses specifically on the first part of this research. The successful candidate will be responsible for conducting a series of psychophysical experiments using a standard visuotactile facilitation task. The experimental setup will include several objects in order to mimic real-life scenarios. We will also include a temporal dimension that has been neglected until now, asking whether PPS processing is only activated when objects have just appeared or moved. Finally, we will modulate the motor context, with participants either having to act on the object or not. These experiments will be conducted in virtual reality on the Neuro-Immersion platform in Lyon.
The PhD student's tasks will therefore consist of 1) developing experimental studies (behavioural tests) and collecting data to meet the objectives of the thesis, 2) analysing the data and compiling a bibliography, 3) presenting the work at scientific conferences, and 4) writing articles for scientific journals.

Work Context

The PhD thesis will be co-supervised by Frédérique de Vignemont (Institut Jean Nicod, Paris) and Alessandro Farnè (CRNL – IMPACT) with the benefit of the guidance of Claudio Brozzoli (CRNL – IMPACT). The PhD student will participate in weekly meetings with supervisors, receive training in the techniques used, and be integrated into the research teams at CRNL and Institut Jean Nicod. The experiments will take place in Lyon. The Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre has access to a virtual reality platform. The candidate will join a dynamic team and benefit from the expertise of the entire research group.

Constraints and risks

Training in cognitive psychology and/or neuroscience. Proficiency in general office software. Good level of spoken French and good level of spoken and written English. Interest in a philosophical approach. Good interpersonal skills, rigour.