Dr Lily FitzGibbon

My research focuses on learning and decision making under uncertainty in children and adults, with particular interests in curiosity and anxiety.

I joined the University of Stirling as a lecturer in 2022. I teach on the Developmental Psychology module and the Child Development MSc theme as well as supervising research projects.

Before joining Stirling, I held postdoctoral positions at the University of Birmingham, the University of Southern California, the University of Reading and the University of Exeter between 2014 and 2021. In these roles, I worked on a range of projects relating to decision making across the lifespan. I completed my PhD in Psychology at the University of Sheffield in 2015 looking at the development of cognitive flexibility in children.

I am passionate about robust, open, and replicable science and started the ReproducibiliTea journal club at the University of Reading. I am also a keen interdisciplinarian - I was one of the founding members of the iCog network for early career researchers in cognitive science and organised two of their conferences.

Outside of work, I enjoy rock climbing, cycling, cooking (and eating) and crafty things like knitting. Together these activities fulfil my basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and connection.

My research focuses on learning and decision making under uncertainty in children and adults. I investigate the behavioural, cognitive, and emotional processes involved with responding to uncertain situations. I address this overarching topic from multiple angles including curiosity, adventurous play, risk taking, and counterfactual, hypothetical, and strategic reasoning. I also examine the attentional and executive processes that underpin these thoughts and behaviours, and the downstream effects of exposure and responses to uncertainty on learning and wellbeing.

PSYU901 - Introduction to Psychology - cognitive development; PSYU9AO - Developmental Psychology; PSYU9X8_EL17LF - Science of Motivation; PSYU917 - Dissertation; PSYU918 - Research Project; PRMP133 - Child Development