Lydia Tan

Dr. Lydia Tan is a Lecturer at City St George's, University of London, where she has been teaching and conducting research since October 2006 following the merger of City University London and St George's. Her academic career focuses on experimental investigations of human memory systems, contributing significantly to cognitive psychology through methodologically rigorous research.

Dr. Tan's educational background includes:

• Undergraduate degree in Psychology and Linguistics from the National University of Singapore
• MSc and PhD from the University of Essex
• Postdoctoral research fellowship at Essex working with Professor Geoff Ward

Her research program centers on understanding human memory mechanisms through various experimental paradigms. Key areas of investigation include:

• Short-term and long-term memory performance dynamics
• Free recall and immediate serial recall experimental methods
• Rehearsal mechanisms and their relationship to recall performance
• Determinants of recall order and memory output patterns
• Interrelationships between different memory research paradigms
• Serial position effects in memory retrieval

Analysis of Dr. Tan's publication history reveals a coherent research trajectory spanning over two decades, with consistent contributions to premier psychology journals. Her work demonstrates particular expertise in examining why participants tend to initiate recall with the first item on a list, and how this pattern varies under different experimental conditions such as list length, recall requirements, and rehearsal constraints. The interdisciplinary nature of her research bridges cognitive psychology with linguistic approaches to memory, reflecting her dual undergraduate background.

Dr. Tan has established a productive research collaboration with Professor Geoff Ward, resulting in numerous co-authored publications that have advanced understanding of memory paradigms. Her methodological sophistication is evident in her use of multiple experimental approaches including immediate free recall, immediate serial recall, and variants with articulatory suppression to test theoretical predictions about memory mechanisms.

As a lecturer, Dr. Tan contributes to academic programs at City St George's, where her extensive research experience informs her teaching of cognitive psychology concepts and experimental methods. Her work provides foundational insights into human memory processes with potential applications across educational, clinical, and cognitive rehabilitation contexts.