Dr Debbie Abdel Nabi

Biographical Information

- BSc (Hons) (1st Class), CNAA
- PhD, University of Manchester: "The Effect of Unexpected Deviance in Stimulus' Contrast and Spatial Frequency on Magnocellular and Parvocellular Dominated Event-Related Brain Potentials"
- Senior Lecturer in Psychology (University of Bolton)
- 2008: Appointed University Learning & Teaching Fellow

Academic Interests

- UBCCRU (University of Bolton Computer & Cyberpsychology Research Unit)
- Computers and Psychology: Psychometric and psychophysiological correlates of computer anger
- Cyberpsychology: Perception of virtual characters; Impression formation and identity management in cyberspace (CMCs and MUVEs
- E-learning: Innovative uses of emergent information technology to facilitate conversational models of teaching and learning.

Recent Publications

Tinwell, A,, Grimshaw, M., & Abdel-Nabi, D. (forthcoming) "Nonverbal Communication in Virtual Characters and the Uncanny Valley." In Non Verbal Communication in Virtual Worlds, edited by Joshua Tanembaum, Magy Seif el-Nasr, and Michael Nixon. Pittsburgh, PA: ETC Press Cambridge.

Tinwell, A., Grimshaw, M., Abdel-Nabi, D., & Williams, A. (2011) "Facial expression of emotion and perception of the Uncanny Valley in virtual characters." Computers in Human Behavior, 27: 741-749.

Garner, T., Grimshaw, M. & Abdel Nabi, D. (2010). A preliminary experiment to assess the fear value of preselected sound parameters in a survival horror game. Audio Mostly 2010, Piteå, Sweden

Abdel Nabi, D. & Rogers, P. (2009). The use of screen recorders for assessment and learning of data analysis. Psychology, Learning and Teaching, 8 (1), 21-28.

Current Research

Lawrence, L & Abdel Nabi, D. The BARTA (Bolton Affect Recognition Tri-stimulus Approach): a systematic journey from emoticons to humans via Toontown (Submitted to The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders)

Recent Presentations

'Show and Tell (& Learn) for the Point and Click Generation'

Annual Learning & Teaching Conference (University of Bolton, July 2008 and July 2009);

PLAT2008 (University of Bath, July 2008)

Assessment in HE (University of Cumbria, July, 2008);

The Future of the Student Learning Experience (University of Manchester, July, 2009);

The British Psychological Society Conference (Brighton, April, 2009)

The British Psychological Society Conference (Statford-on-Avon, April 2010)

Recent Awards and Grants

2007: TQEF-Funded Research Informed Teaching Sabbatical (University of Bolton)

2008: £10,500 – Departmental Teaching Enhancement Fund Grant (Psychology Network, Higher Education Academy)