Dr Nick Perham

Module Leader

• PSY5002: Research and Statistics (joint module leader with Dr Clare Glennan)
• PSY5005: Cognitive Psychology
• PSY5007: Individual Differences
• PSY6001: Project
• PSY6107: Project Proposal

• SLT5090 Psychology of Cognition
• PSY4011 Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology
• Personal tutor at Levels 4, 5, and 6

• BSc Psychology: auditory distraction, short-term memory, reasoning, emotion and cognition, music and cognition, mental arithmetic

• MSc Health Psychology: cognition and health factors

• Andrew Evered (2010 pt): Visual Learning And Proficiency Testing In Clinical Cytology Using Digital Media, PhD .

Published articles

• Marsh, J.E., Yang, J., Qualter, P., Richardson, C., Perham, N., Vachon, F., & Hughes, R.W. (2018). Post-Categorical Auditory Distraction in Serial Short-Term Memory: Insights from Increased Task-Load and Task-Type. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. 44(6), 882-897.
• Perham, N., Hodgetts, H., Sanders, L.D., & Heggs, D. (2017). An exploratory study into the use of Psychology Participant Panels in psychology departments in the United Kingdom. Psychology Teaching Review.
• Marsh, J.E., Yang, J, Qualter, P, Cassandra, R, Perham, N, Vachon, F and Hughes, R.W. (2017) 'Post-categorical auditory distraction in serial short-term memory: Insights from increased task load and task type', Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
• Perham, N. (2016). Why does mood affect reasoning? In The Thinking Mind: A Festschrift for Ken Manktelow. Hove, UK: Psychology Press.
• Perham, N., Marsh, J. E., Clarkson, M., Lawrence, R., & Sörqvist, P. (2015). Distraction of mental arithmetic by background speech: Further evidence for the habitual-response priming view of auditory distraction. Experimental Psychology, 63(3), 141-149.
• Watt, A., Skillicorn, D., Clarke, J., Evans, R., Hewlett, P., & Perham, N. (2015). Contextual representation mediates sex differences in heterosexual attraction. Evolution, Mind and Behaviour, 1-20. DOI: 10.1556/2050.2015.0006
• Evered, A., Walker, D., Watt, A., & Perham, N. (2015). Visual distraction in cytopathology: Should we be concerned? Cytopathology DOI: 10.1111/cyt.12304
• Evered, A., Walker, D., Watt, A., & Perham, N. (2015). Visual perceptual learning in cytopathology. In T. Heinen (Ed.), Advances in Visual Perception Research (pp. 203-232). New York: Nova Publishers.
• Marsh, J. E., Perham, N., Sörqvist, P. & Jones, D. M. (2014). Boundaries of semantic distraction: dominance and lexicality act at retrieval. Memory and Cognition DOI: 10.3758/s13421-014-0438-6
• Perham, N., Lewis, A., Turner, J. & Hodgetts, H. M. (2014). The sound of silence: Can imagining music elicit the mood and arousal effect? Current Psychology DOI: 10.1007/s12144-014-9232-7
• Perham, N. & Currie, H. (2014). Does listening to preferred music improve reading comprehension performance? Applied Cognitive Psychology DOI: 10.1002/acp.2994
• Evered, A., Walker, D., Watt, A. & Perham, N. (2014). Untutored discrimination training on paired cell images influences visual learning in cytopathology. Cancer Cytopathology
• Perham, N., Hodgetts, H. M. & Banbury, S. P. (2013). Mental arithmetic and non-speech office noise: an exploration of interference-by-content. Noise and Health, 15(62), 73-78.
• Evered, A., Walker, D., Watt, A. & Perham, N. (2013). To what extent does non-analytical reasoning contribute to visual learning in cytopathology? Cancer Cytopathology, 121(6), 329-338. DOI: 10.1002/cncy.21263
• Perham, N. & Macpherson, S. (2012). Mental arithmetic and irrelevant auditory number similarity disruption. Irish Journal of Psychology. DOI:10.1080/03033910.2012.723194
• Perham, N., Whelpley, C. & Hodgetts, H. M. (2013). Impaired memory for syntactical information in poor readers. Memory, 21(2), 182-188. DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2012.714789
• Perham, N. & Rosser, J. (2012). “Not thinking” helps reasoning. Current Psychology, 31(2), 160-167. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-012-9140-7
• Perham, N. & Withey, T. (2012). Liked music increases spatial rotation performance regardless of preference. Current Psychology, 31(2), 168-181. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-012-9141-6
• Perham, N. & Sykora, M. (2012). Disliked music can be better for performance than liked music. Applied Cognitive Psychology. DOI: 10.1002/acp.2826
• Perham, N. & Banbury, S. P. (2012). The role of rehearsal in a novel call-centre type task. Noise and Health, 14(56), 1-5.
• Perham, N. & Banbury, S. P. (2011). Do practical signal-to-noise ratios reduce the irrelevant sound effect? Cognitive Technology, 16(1), 1-10.
• Perham, N. & Vizard, J. (2010). Can preference for background music mediate the irrelevant sound effect? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25(4), 625-631. DOI: 10.1002/acp.1731
• Perham, N., Marsh, J. E., & Jones, D. M. (2009). Syntax and serial recall: How language supports memory for order. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 62(7), 1285-1293.
• Perham, N. & Banbury, S. P. (2008). You cannot ignore it: Attention to ‘irrelevant’ sound during a habituation period does not produce habituation. Proceedings of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. New York: NY: HFES.
• Moore, S. C., Perham, N., Shepherd, J., & Cusens, B. (2007). The prevalence of alcohol intoxication in the night-time economy. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 42(6), 629-634.
• Perham, N., Moore, S. C., Shepherd, J. P., & Cusens, B. (2007). Identifying drunkenness in the night-time economy. Addiction, 102, 377-380.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2007). Do realistic reverberation levels reduce auditory distraction? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 21(7), 839-847.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2007). Reduction in auditory distraction by retrieval strategy. Memory, 15, 465-473.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2006). Experienced and anticipated emotion in deontic reasoning. Proceedings of the 28th Cognitive Science Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2005). Deontic reasoning with emotional content: Evolutionary psychology or decision theory? Cognitive Science, 29, 681-718.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2005). Auditory distraction impairs analytical reasoning performance. In M. Katsikitis (Ed.), Past Reflections, Future Directions: Proceedings of the 40th Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference. Melbourne: APS (pp. 238-242).
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2004). The susceptibility of a call center-like task to disruption by extraneous sound: The role of semantic relatedness. Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. New Orleans: LA: HFES (pp. 1958-1962).
• Evans, J. St. B. T., Handley, S. J., Over, D. E., & Perham, N. (2002). Background beliefs in Bayesian inference. Memory & Cognition, 30, 179-190.
• Evans, J. St. B. T., Handley, S. J., Perham, N., Over, D. E., & Thompson, V. A. (2000). Frequency versus probability formats in statistical word problems. Cognition, 77, 197-213.

• Perham, N. (12 June 2019). Heavy metal’s bad rep is unfair – it can actually have numerous health benefits for fans. The Conversation.
• Perham, N. (18 December 2018). Why are people religious? A cognitive perspective. The Conversation.
• Perham, N. (18 May 2018). A Quiet Place: the science behind how filmmakers made aliens hear using distractions and deviant sounds. The Conversation.
• Perham, N. (9 November 2017). Music only helps you concentrate if you’re doing the right kind of task. The Conversation.

• Moore, S. C., Perham, N. &, Shepherd, J. (2006). Risk of alcohol-fuelled aggression in the night-time economy. Paper presented at the International Association of Dental Research Pan European Federation Conference, Dublin, UK.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2004). The susceptibility of a call center-like task to disruption by extraneous sound: The role of semantic relatedness. Paper presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, New Orleans, US.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2004). The impact of realistic office noise on a call centre-like task: The role of recall strategy. Paper presented at the XXI BPS Annual Cognitive Section Conference, Leeds, UK.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2002). Anticipated regret in differing mood states: An explicit/implicit distinction? PSYPAG Annual Postgraduate conference, Cardiff, UK.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2002). Utilising threat: Anticipated regret in deontic reasoning. Paper presented at the Experimental Psychology Society Conference, Leuven, Belgium.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2001). How to make friends and scare people. Cardiff University Postgraduate Conference, Gregynog, Wales, UK.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2000). Threat words in the selection task. Cardiff University Postgraduate Conference, Gregynog, Wales, UK.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (1999). Emotion and reasoning: The influence of working memory and emotional content. Cardiff University Postgraduate Conference, Gregynog, Wales, UK.
• Perham, N. & Dennis, I. (1997). Repression: Attention and memory. PSYPAG Annual Postgraduate conference, Plymouth, UK.

• Dawson, S., Perham, N., Fairchild, R., & Evans, E. (2016). Development of an Assessment Tool to Evaluate Food Safety Communication Adequacy in Food Media Sources. ISEKI Food 4th International Conference. 6-8th July 2016. Vienna, Austria.
• Labonté, K., Lévesque-Dion, M., Perham, N., Marsh, J.E., & Vachon, F. (2015). Automatic processing of the semantic content of non-significant and neutral irrelevant sound: Evidence from a semantic deviation effect.
• Poster presented at the Auditory Perception, Cognition, and Action Meeting (APCAM), Chicago, IL.
• Labonté, K., Savard, R., Perham, N., Marsh, J.M., & Vachon, F. (2015). A ‘cocktail party’ effect even when not invited? Testing the attention-capturing power of irrelevant non-significant semantic sound.
• Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), New York, NY.
• Perham, N. & Banbury, S. P. (2008). You cannot ignore it: Attention to ‘irrelevant’ sound during a habituation period does not produce habituation. Poster presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. New York: NY: HFES.
• Perham, N. & Newson, L. (2008). Emotional distinctiveness in free recall. Poster presented at the XXV British Psychology Society Annual Cognitive Section Conference, Southampton, UK, September.
• Perham, N., Marsh, J. E., & Jones, D. M. (2008). Syntactical order in serial recall of semantic information. Poster presented at the Experimental Psychology Society Conference, Liverpool, UK, July.
• Marsh, J. E., Perham, N., Hughes, R. W., & Jones, D. M. (2007). Auditory-semantic distraction at the interface of selective attention and semantic memory. Poster presented at the Experimental Psychology Society Conference, Cardiff, UK.
• Perham, N., Marsh, J. E., & Jones, D. M. (2007). Semantic dominance and category fluency. Poster presented at the Experimental Psychology Society Conference, Cardiff, UK.
• Perham, N. & Jones, D. M. (2006). Do realistic reverberation levels reduce auditory distraction? Poster presented at the Auditory Perception, Cognition, and Action Meeting, Texas, US.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2006). Experienced and anticipated emotion in deontic reasoning. Poster presented at the 28th Cognitive Science Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2005). Auditory distraction impairs analytical reasoning performance. Poster presented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Australian Psychological Society, Melbourne: Australia.
• Perham, N., Banbury, S., & Jones, D. M. (2005). Attention to ‘irrelevant’ sound during a habituation period does not produce habituation. Poster presented at the XXII British Psychology Society Annual Cognitive Section Conference, Leeds, UK.
• Perham, N. & Oaksford, M. (2003). The effects of high-trait anxiety on deontic reasoning. Poster presented at the XX British Psychology Society Annual Cognitive Section Conference, Reading, UK.

• Moore, S. C., Perham, N., & Shepherd, J. P. (2006). A multi-agency community-based intervention to reduce excessive drinking in Cardiff city centre: Final report.
• Moore, S. C., Perham, N., & Shepherd, J. P. (2006). A multi-agency community-based intervention to reduce excessive drinking in Cardiff city centre: Short report.

• Perham, N., Moore, S. C., & Shepherd, J. P. (2006). Lion’s breath restores city pride. Drink and Drug News. http://www.drinkanddrugs.net/features/june0506/lions_breath.pdf
• Moore, S. C., Perham, N., & Shepherd, J. P. (2006). A multi-agency community-based intervention to reduce excessive drinking in Cardiff city centre. Alcohol Insights. http://alcoholresearchuk.org/2006/06/05/a-multi-agency-community-based-intervention-to-reduce-excessive-drinking-in-cardiff-city-centre-findings-from-night-time-surveys/

Nick obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Wolverhampton, his MSc at the University of Plymouth and his PhD at Cardiff University. He started working at Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2007 and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Applied Psychology, a member of the British Psychological Society, a member of the Higher Education Academy and was a committee member of the Welsh Branch of the British Psychological Society (formerly chair from October 2008 to October 2011).

Nick has worked on grants exploring ‘Implicit and explicit representation of probabilities in cognitive tasks’, ‘Office and call centre noise: Acoustic, cognitive and individual determinants of auditory distraction’, ‘A multi-agency community-based intervention to reduce excessive drinking in Cardiff city centre’, and ‘Attentional selectivity and semantic memory: Studies of auditory distraction’.

Nick primarily researches auditory distraction and emotion and cognition but is interested in supervising most aspects of experimental research with a cognitive flavour.

• Entered four papers for Research Exercise Framework in 2014.
• Entered four papers for Research Assessment Exercise in 2008.
• Co-ordinator of Applied Cognitive Expertise group (2014-present).
• Timetabling co-ordinator (2013-2015).
• Level 6 psychology tutor (2012-2015).
• Member of Unfair Practice panel (2011-present).
• Trained panel member for Validation and Review Committees (2011).
• Member of Survey Request Group (2010-2011).
• Administrator of the Cardiff Metropolitan University's psychology Research Participant Panel (2009-present).
• Chair of Psychology CSHS ethics committee: October 2016, member since October 2008.

• External examiner for Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University: 2019-2023.
• External examiner for Institute of Psychology, University of Wolverhampton: 2017-2020.
• External examiner for Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth: 2014-2017.
• Committee member of the Welsh branch of the British Psychological Society: September 2011-2013.
• Chair of the Welsh branch of the British Psychological Society: October 2008-September 2011.
• Member of the British Psychological Society Representative Council: October 2008-2010.

• Member of Experimental Psychological Society: January 2014-present.
• Member of the Higher Education Academy: February 2010-present.
• Member of the British Psychological Society: July 2007-present.

• Keynote address on music and distraction at the BPS Welsh Student Psychology conference at Cardiff Metropolitan University (March, 2018).
• Presented work on mental arithmetic and auditory distraction at Attention and Control: Insights from Distraction conference at University of Central Lancashire, UK (September, 2016).
• Presented work on dyslexia and order information at University of West of England, Bristol, UK (January, 2016).
• Presented information on my job at Cardiff Metropolitan University to around 200 6-11 year olds at Lakeside Primary School, Cardiff, UK (January, 2016).
• Presented work on music and task performance at the British Association for Cytopathology conference at Crowne Plaze, Birmingham, UK (11 October, 2014).
• Presented work on reasoning and irrelevant thoughts at the Reasoning, Cognition and Life Conference, University of Wolverhampton (16 May, 2014).
• Presented work on music and task performance at the Theoretical and Applied Aspects of Auditory Distraction at University of Central Lancashire (30 April, 2014).
• Presented work on music and task performance at the Cytology Society of the South West and South Wales 109th Biannual Scientific Meeting (April, 2013).
• Presented work on the Lions Breath project to the Welsh Branch of the British Psychological Society (October, 2007).
• Presented work on the impact of irrelevant sound in the office environment at the Australian Catholic University, Brisbane (September, 2005).
• Presented work on dyslexia and order information at University of West of England, Bristol, UK (January, 2016).
• Presented information on my job at Cardiff Metropolitan University to around 200 6-11 year olds at Lakeside Primary School, Cardiff, UK (January, 2016).

• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• Psychology of Music
• Journal of Substance Use
• Thinking and Reasoning
• Acta Acustica united with Acustica
• Applied Cognitive Psychology
• Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
• Polish Psychological Bulletin
• Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
• Frontiers in Psychology
• Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied
• Memory & Cognition
• SAGE Open
• Journal of Cognition
• International Journal of Psychology
• Human Factors
• Ergonomics
• Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
• Cognition, Brain, Behavior. An Interdisciplinary Journal

• Co-organised the BPS Welsh Student Psychology conference at Cardiff Metropolitan University (March, 2018).
• Organised and hosted the Applied Cognitive Expertise Networking Event at Cardiff Metropolitan University (April, 2016).
• Co-organised and hosted the first Wales British Psychological Society conference at Glyndŵr University on Sustainable Well-Being (September, 2011).
• Co-organised and hosted the BPS Welsh Student Psychology conference at Cardiff University (March, 2010).
• Organised and hosted the BPS Welsh Student Psychology conference at UWIC (March, 2009).
• Co-organised and co-hosted Cardiff University's School of Psychology annual three-day postgraduate conference at Gregynog Hall, mid-Wales (October, 2001).

• Interviewed regarding the 'Does listening to preferred music improve reading comprehension performance?'' paper for Radio Scotland on Thursday 9 January 2014.
• Interviewed regarding the 'Does listening to preferred music improve reading comprehension performance?'' paper for Radio Wales on Thursday 9 January 2014.
• Interviewed regarding the 'Can preference for background music mediate the irrelevant sound effect?'' paper for Radio Cardiff on Friday 6 August 2010.
• Interviewed for Radio Cardiff on Tuesday 17 November 2009 regarding the 6th form Psychology Taster Day that the Welsh branch of the British Psychological Society organised.