Event overview
The Psychology Department is pleased to welcome Prof Michael Banissy to present his work on why Touch Matters: The role of somatosensation in social perception and wellbeing.
This is the first of the 2024-25 series of guest seminars, hosted by Goldsmiths Psychology Department. Seminars are open to all, free to attend and cover a wide range of topics within Psychology. This week we are delighted to welcome Professor Michael Banissy, University of Bristol, to talk about the importance of Touch to our wellbeing and functioning.
Abstract:
Social interactions are crucial to human happiness and health. One modality that is important to a range of social skills is somatosensation. Touch, a primary form of somatosensation, is key in forming and maintaining social bonds throughout life. Our somatosensory system also has anatomical connections that enable it to contribute to visual and auditory social perception. Over the years, my lab has conducted several investigations into the role of somatosensation in social perception. In this talk, I aim to provide an overview of our work, discussing the role of somatosensation in empathy, everyday social interactions, and well-being. I will present findings from various groups, including autistic adults and individuals with mirror-sensory synaesthesia, and focus on how individual differences contribute to and impact the outcomes of somatosensory contributions to social perception.
Biography:
Michael Banissy is a Professor and Head of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol. He studies a range of topics including affection, communication, empathy, sleep, and touch. Michael has received awards from the British Psychological Society and the European Society of Cognitive Psychology for outstanding contributions to psychological research. He has also been recognised for his engagement with the public and industry. Michael appears regularly in the media and has been featured across / contributed to various outlets, including BBC, Cosmopolitan, ESPN, National Public Radio, Scientific American, Psychologies, The Times, Vice, and many more. He is part of the Royal Society Industry Fellows College and commonly works with organisations to apply psychological science in the workplace. He is also author of tthe popular science book When We Touch (UK edition) / Touch Matters (US edition). Learn more at http://www.banissy.com.
Click here to join the seminar on Teams
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct 2024 | 4:00pm - 5:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
