Staff profile

B.Sc. & M.Sc. (Psychology), University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. D.Phil. (Psychology), University of Oxford, England, 1993 - 1997. Lecturer in Psychology, King Alfred's College Winchester (now University of Winchester), England, 1996 - 2003.

• Social cognitive neuroscience
• The emotions
• The perception of faces, emotions, and biological motion
• The scientific study of consciousness
• Conceptual issues in evolutionary & cognitive psychological explanation

• 2023: Associate Editor: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance (APA) - from January 2023
• 2022: Faculty Member of Faculty Opinions: for the section Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuropsychology & Experimental Psychology - 2022 to present
• 2019: Associate Editor: Frontiers in Psychology: Emotion Science, 2019-2022
• 2012: Guest Associate Editor for the journal Emotion Review: 2011-2012.
• 2012: Consulting Editor, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance: January 2012-December 2022

Chapter in book

• Bodily expressions of emotion: Visual cues and neural mechanisms
  Atkinson, A. (2013). Bodily expressions of emotion: Visual cues and neural mechanisms. In J. Armony, & P. Vuilleumier (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Human Affective Neuroscience (198-222). Cambridge University Press
• Are people special? A brain’s eye view.
  Atkinson, A., Heberlein, A., & Adolphs, R. (2010). Are people special? A brain’s eye view. In R. Adams Jr., N. Ambady, K. Nakayama, & S. Shimojo (Eds.), The science of social vision (363-392). Oxford University Press
• The perception of bodily expressions of emotion and the implications for computing.
  Dittrich, W., & Atkinson, A. (2008). The perception of bodily expressions of emotion and the implications for computing. In J. (. Or (Ed.), Affective Computing: Focus on Emotion Expression, Synthesis and Recognition (pp.157-184). I-Tech Education and Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5772/6181
• Face processing and empathy
  Atkinson, A. (2007). Face processing and empathy. In T. Farrow, & P. Woodruff (Eds.) (Eds.), Empathy in mental illness (pp. 360-385). Cambridge University Press
• Visual emotion perception: Mechanisms and processes
  Atkinson, A., & Adolphs, A. (2005). Visual emotion perception: Mechanisms and processes. In L. Barrett, P. Niedenthal, & P. Winkielman (Eds.) (Eds.), Emotion and consciousness (pp. 150-182). Guilford Press
• Evolutionary psychology's grain problem and the cognitive neuroscience of reasoning
  Atkinson, A., & Wheeler, M. (2003). Evolutionary psychology's grain problem and the cognitive neuroscience of reasoning. In D. E. Over (Ed.), Evolution and the psychology of thinking : the debate (61-99). Psychology Press
• Domains, brains, and evolution
  Wheeler, M., & Atkinson, A. (2001). Domains, brains, and evolution. In D. Walsh (Ed.), Naturalism, evolution and mind (239-266). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511563843.012

Journal Article

• Impact of social context on human facial and gestural emotion expressions
  Heesen, R., Szenteczki, M. A., Kim, Y., Kret, M. E., Atkinson, A. P., Upton, Z., & Clay, Z. (2024). Impact of social context on human facial and gestural emotion expressions. iScience, 27(11), Article 110663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110663
• Incidental visual processing of spatiotemporal cues in communicative interactions: An fMRI investigation
  Atkinson, A. P., & Vuong, Q. C. (2023). Incidental visual processing of spatiotemporal cues in communicative interactions: An fMRI investigation. Imaging Neuroscience, 1, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00048
• Friendship habits questionnaire: A measure of group- versus dyadic-oriented socializing styles
  Howlett, P., Baysu, G., Atkinson, A. P., Jungert, T., & Rychlowska, M. (2023). Friendship habits questionnaire: A measure of group- versus dyadic-oriented socializing styles. PLoS ONE, 18(6), Article e0285767. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285767
• Foveal processing of emotion-informative facial features
  Duran, N., & Atkinson, A. P. (2021). Foveal processing of emotion-informative facial features. PLoS ONE, 16(12), Article e0260814. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260814
• The Impact on Emotion Classification Performance and Gaze Behavior of Foveal versus Extrafoveal Processing of Facial Features
  Atkinson, A., & Smithson, H. (2020). The Impact on Emotion Classification Performance and Gaze Behavior of Foveal versus Extrafoveal Processing of Facial Features. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 46(3), 292-312. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000712
• Expanding simulation models of emotional understanding: The case for different modalities, body-state simulation prominence and developmental trajectories
  Ross, P., & Atkinson, A. (2020). Expanding simulation models of emotional understanding: The case for different modalities, body-state simulation prominence and developmental trajectories. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00309
• The development of visually guided stepping
  Mowbray, R., Gottwald, J., Zhao, M., Atkinson, A., & Cowie, D. (2019). The development of visually guided stepping. Experimental Brain Research, 237(11), 2875-2883. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-019-05629-5
• Dissociable Processing of Emotional and Neutral Body Movements Revealed by μ-Alpha and Beta Rhythms
  Siqi-Liu, A., Harris, A. M., Atkinson, A. P., & Reed, C. L. (2018). Dissociable Processing of Emotional and Neutral Body Movements Revealed by μ-Alpha and Beta Rhythms. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 12(4), 1269-1279. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy094
• The Impact of Aging and Alzheimers Disease on Decoding Emotion Cues from Bodily Motion
  Insch, P., Slessor, G., Phillips, L., Atkinson, A., & Warrington, J. (2015). The Impact of Aging and Alzheimers Disease on Decoding Emotion Cues from Bodily Motion. AIMS Neuroscience, 2(3), 139-159. https://doi.org/10.3934/neuroscience.2015.3.139
• Tuning the developing brain to emotional body expressions
  Missana, M., Atkinson, A., & Grossmann, T. (2015). Tuning the developing brain to emotional body expressions. Developmental Science, 18(2), 243-253. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12209
• Discrimination of fearful and happy body postures in 8-month-old infants: an event-related potential study
  Missana, M., Rajhans, P., Atkinson, A., & Grossmann, T. (2014). Discrimination of fearful and happy body postures in 8-month-old infants: an event-related potential study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00531
• Emotion regulation through execution, observation, and imagery of emotional movements
  Shafir, T., Taylor, S., Atkinson, A., Langenecker, S., & Zubieta, J.-K. (2013). Emotion regulation through execution, observation, and imagery of emotional movements. Brain and Cognition, 82(2), 219-227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2013.03.001
• Distinct contributions to facial emotion perception of foveated vs nonfoveated facial features
  Atkinson, A., & Smithson, H. (2013). Distinct contributions to facial emotion perception of foveated vs nonfoveated facial features. Emotion Review, 5(1), 30-35. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073912457226
• First impressions: Gait cues drive reliable trait judgments
  Thoresen, J., Vuong, Q., & Atkinson, A. (2012). First impressions: Gait cues drive reliable trait judgments. Cognition, 124(3), 261-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2012.05.018
• Modulation of the face- and body-selective visual regions by the motion and emotion of point-light face and body stimuli
  Atkinson, A., Vuong, Q., & Smithson, H. (2012). Modulation of the face- and body-selective visual regions by the motion and emotion of point-light face and body stimuli. NeuroImage, 59(2), 1700-1712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.08.073
• Event-related repetitive TMS reveals distinct, critical roles for right OFA and bilateral posterior STS in judging the sex and trustworthiness of faces
  Dzhelyova, M., Ellison, A., & Atkinson, A. (2011). Event-related repetitive TMS reveals distinct, critical roles for right OFA and bilateral posterior STS in judging the sex and trustworthiness of faces. The Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23(10), 2782-2796. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2011.21604
• The neuropsychology of face perception: Beyond simple dissociations and functional selectivity
  Atkinson, A., & Adolphs, R. (2011). The neuropsychology of face perception: Beyond simple dissociations and functional selectivity. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 366(1571), 1726-1738. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0349
• Deficits in facial, body movement and vocal emotional processing in autism spectrum disorders
  Philip, R., Whalley, H., Stanfield, A., Sprengelmeyer, R., Santos, I., Young, A., Atkinson, A., Calder, A., Johnstone, E., Lawrie, S., & Hall, J. (2010). Deficits in facial, body movement and vocal emotional processing in autism spectrum disorders. Psychological Medicine, 40(11), 1919-1929. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291709992364
• Supramodal representations of perceived emotions in the human brain
  Peelen, M., Atkinson, A., & Vuilleumier, P. (2010). Supramodal representations of perceived emotions in the human brain. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(30), 10127-10134. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.2161-10.2010
• Disgust and fear recognition in paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis
  Sprengelmeyer, R., Atkinson, A., Sprengelmeyer, A., Mair-Walther, J., Jacobi, C., Wildemann, B., Dittrich, W., & Hacke, W. (2010). Disgust and fear recognition in paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis. Cortex, 46(5), 650-657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2009.04.007
• Impaired recognition of emotions from body movements is associated with elevated motion coherence thresholds in autism spectrum disorders
  Atkinson, A. (2009). Impaired recognition of emotions from body movements is associated with elevated motion coherence thresholds in autism spectrum disorders. Neuropsychologia, 47(13), 3023-3029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.05.019
• Neuroscientific evidence for simulation and shared substrates in emotion recognition: beyond faces
  Heberlein, A., & Atkinson, A. (2009). Neuroscientific evidence for simulation and shared substrates in emotion recognition: beyond faces. Emotion Review, 1(2), 162-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073908100441
• Emotional modulation of body-selective visual areas
  Peelen, M., Atkinson, A., Andersson, F., & Vuilleumier, P. (2007). Emotional modulation of body-selective visual areas. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2(4), 274-283. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsm023
• Evidence for distinct contributions of form and motion information to the recognition of emotions from body gestures
  Atkinson, A., Tunstall, M., & Dittrich, W. (2007). Evidence for distinct contributions of form and motion information to the recognition of emotions from body gestures. Cognition, 104(1), 59-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2006.05.005
• Spared ability to recognise fear from static and moving whole-body cues following bilateral amygdala damage
  Atkinson, A., Heberlein, A., & Adolphs, R. (2007). Spared ability to recognise fear from static and moving whole-body cues following bilateral amygdala damage. Neuropsychologia, 45(12), 2772-2782. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.04.019
• Asymmetric interference between sex and emotion in face perception
  Atkinson, A., Tipples, J., Burt, D., & Young, A. (2005). Asymmetric interference between sex and emotion in face perception. Perception & psychophysics, 67(7), 1199-1213. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03193553
• Staring at the back of someone's head is no signal, and a sense of being stared at is no sense
  Atkinson, A. (2005). Staring at the back of someone's head is no signal, and a sense of being stared at is no sense. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 12(6), 50-56
• Emotion perception from dynamic and static body expressions in point-light and full-light displays
  Atkinson, A., Dittrich, W., Gemmell, A., & Young, A. (2004). Emotion perception from dynamic and static body expressions in point-light and full-light displays. Perception, 33(6), 717-746. https://doi.org/10.1068/p5096
• The grain of domains: The evolutionary-psychological case against domain-general cognition
  Atkinson, A., & Wheeler, M. (2004). The grain of domains: The evolutionary-psychological case against domain-general cognition. Mind and Language, 19(2), 147-176. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0017.2004.00252.x
• The eyebrow frown: a salient social signal
  Tipples, J., Atkinson, A., & Young, A. (2002). The eyebrow frown: a salient social signal. Emotion, 2(3), 288-296. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.2.3.288
• Emotion-specific clues to the neural substrate of empathy.
  Atkinson, A. (2002). Emotion-specific clues to the neural substrate of empathy. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 25(1), https://doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x02240017
• Pathological beliefs, damaged brains
  Atkinson, A. (2001). Pathological beliefs, damaged brains. Philosophy, Psychiatry and Psychology, 8(2-3), 225-229. https://doi.org/10.1353/ppp.2001.0003
• Consciousness: mapping the theoretical landscape
  Atkinson, A., Thomas, M., & Cleeremans, A. (2000). Consciousness: mapping the theoretical landscape. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4(10), 372-382. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1364-6613%2800%2901533-3
• Review of 'The descent of mind: Psychological perspectives on hominid evolution.'
  Atkinson, A. (2000). Review of 'The descent of mind: Psychological perspectives on hominid evolution.'. Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. B, Comparative and physiological psychology, 53(4), 375-378
• Quantities of qualia.
  Thomas, M., & Atkinson, A. (1999). Quantities of qualia. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22(1), https://doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x99461795
• What makes us conscious?
  Atkinson, A., & Thomas, M. (1999). What makes us conscious?. Journal of Intelligent Systems, 9(5-6), 307-354
• Persons, systems and subsystems: The explanatory scope of cognitive psychology.
  Atkinson, A. (1998). Persons, systems and subsystems: The explanatory scope of cognitive psychology. Acta Analytica, 20, 43-60
• Consciousness without conflation.
  Atkinson, A., & Davies, M. (1995). Consciousness without conflation. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 18(2), 248-249. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x00038206
• What's lost in inverted faces?
  Rhodes, G., Brake, S., & Atkinson, A. (1993). What's lost in inverted faces?. Cognition, 47(1), 25-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0277%2893%2990061-y