Time: Friday, December 8, 2023, 14:00

Location:  Lecture Hall 415, Building 3, Hainayuan, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University

Enriched Volition: The Neural Correlates of Voluntary Actions

Speaker: Silvia Seghezzi

Postdoctoral Researcher, University College London Lecturer, Birkbeck University of London

Dr. Silvia Seghezzi is a postdoctoral research fellow at University College London (UCL). Her research investigates the neural bases of voluntary action and the brain processes that allow us to experience a sense of agency over external events that we control through our voluntary actions. She earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Milano-Bicocca and University College London (UCL) (2018-2021). After completing her PhD, she joined the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience as a postdoctoral research fellow in Prof. Patrick Haggard's group. Her postdoctoral work has been supported by personal Postdoctoral Fellowships from the John Templeton Foundation (2021-2022) and the Experimental Psychology Society (2022-2023). From January 2024, she will be joining Birkbeck University of London as a Lecturer.

Abstract

This talk will delve into the nature of voluntary action, presenting recent research findings that investigate the brain activity preceding voluntary actions. The traditional unitary concept of voluntary action will be challenged, suggesting a transformative shift in the concept of voluntary action, evolving from a singular, unified notion to the recognition of its multifaceted nature. It will emphasise the need to explore not only the 'what' and 'when' of voluntary actions but also the often-overlooked 'why' that drives them. Furthermore, it will introduce the conscious experience of acting that accompanies the execution of voluntary actions, delving into the relationship between premotor brain activity and our so-called sense of agency.