Rebecca Chamberlain

Rebecca Chamberlain is a Lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, specializing in the psychology and neuroscience of art production and perception. She holds a foundation degree in Art and Design from the University of the Arts, London, and completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Experimental Psychology at University College London (UCL). As a postdoctoral researcher, she worked in Professor Johan Wagemans’ Gestalt Perception lab at KU Leuven (Belgium) before joining Goldsmiths in 2017. She currently serves as Programme Director of the MSc in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity, and Editor-in-Chief of Empirical Studies of the Arts.

• Education:
  • Foundation Degree in Art and Design, University of the Arts London
  • BSc/MSc in Experimental Psychology, University College London
  • Postdoctoral Research: KU Leuven (Belgium)

Her research focuses on how individuals create and engage with visual art, particularly the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying artistic expertise, creativity, and the impact of art on mental health and education. Key areas include:

• Expertise development in visual arts
• Perceptual flexibility in artists
• Art’s role in neurodivergence and neurodegenerative conditions
• Social and mindful interactions with art

Awards & Grants:

• 2023: AHRC-DFG Collaborative Grant (Embodied Agents in Contemporary Visual Art)
• 2022: Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten Award (Outstanding Contributions in Empirical Aesthetics)
• 2018: BA/Leverhulme Grant (Graffiti Art Expertise)

Advising & Labs: Leads the MSc program in Psychology of the Arts and collaborates with the Science and Creative and Performing Arts Group. Her work bridges academic research with public engagement, including BBC radio appearances, museum collaborations, and 'slow-looking' art initiatives.