Philip Beaman

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+44 (0) 118 378 7637
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Professor
Areas of interest
I am interested in short-term and working memory and the role of memory in decision-making and higher-level cognition, studied using a combination of experimental and cognitive modelling techniques.
Other interests include the cognitive neuroscience of auditory distraction and both theoretical and applied issues concerning how automatic – often non-conscious – processes interact with conscious, intentional cognition and meta-cognition to produce behaviour.
Recent theoretical work has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Leverhulme Trust, and recent applied work by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and industry.
I am also known for my work on musical imagery and earworms, including this interview on BBC Radio 4.
Teaching
- Undergraduate: memory, problem solving
- Postgraduate: methods in cognition and neuroscience, psychology for behavioural finance
Research centres and groups
Perception, Cognition & NutritionAcademic qualifications
BA Psychology, MSc Cognitive Science, PhD Psychology, Wales
Publications
- Francis, K. and Beaman, C. (2023) The role of confidence in knowledge ascriptions: an evidence-seeking approach. Synthese , 202 (2). ISSN: 1573-0964 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11229-023-04236-w
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Loutrari, A.
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Ansell, K.
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Beaman, P.
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Jiang, C.
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Liu, F.
ORCID: 0000-0002-7776-0222 (2022) Auditory imagery in congenital amusia. Musicae Scientiae ISSN: 2045-4147 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10298649221122870
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Berger, J.
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Essah, E.
ORCID: 0000-0002-1349-5167 , Blanusa, T. , Beaman, P. (2022) The appearance of indoor plants and their effect on people’s perceptions of indoor air quality and subjective well-being. Building and Environment , 219 ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109151
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Wang, L.
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Beaman, C.
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Jiang, C.
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Liu, F.
ORCID: 0000-0002-7776-0222 (2022) Perception and production of statement-question intonation in autism spectrum disorder: a developmental investigation. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 52 pp. 3456-3472. ISSN: 0162-3257 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05220-4
- Harvey, A. and Beaman, C. (2021) Acute alcohol intoxication and the cocktail party problem: do “mocktails” help or hinder?. Psychopharmacology , 238 pp. 3083-3093. ISSN: 0033-3158 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-021-05924-6
- Beaman, P. (2021) Auditory attention. In: Braddick, O. , (eds.) Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. Oxford University Press , Oxford. | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.778
- Beaman, C. , Campbell, T. , Marsh, J. (2021) How much do we orient? A systematic approach to auditory distraction. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 47 (7). pp. 1054-1066. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000995
- Hanczakowski, M. , Butowska, E. , Beaman, P. , Jones, D. , Zawadzka, K. (2021) The dissociations of confidence from accuracy in forced-choice recognition judgments. Journal of Memory and Language , 117 ISSN: 0749-596X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2020.104189
- Bacon, A. , Beaman, C. , Liu, F. (2020) An exploratory study of imagining sounds and “hearing” music in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 50 pp. 1123-1132. ISSN: 0162-3257 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04346-w
- Francis, K. , Hansen, N. , Beaman, P. (2019) Open and online experimental philosophy. University of Reading
- Francis, K. , Beaman, P. , Hansen, N. (2019) Stakes, Scales, and Skepticism. Ergo , 6 (16). ISSN: 2330-4014 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3998/ergo.12405314.0006.016
- Beaman, C. (2018) The literary and recent scientific history of the earworm: a review and theoretical framework. Auditory Perception & Cognition , 1 (1-2). pp. 42-65. ISSN: 2574-2450 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/25742442.2018.1533735
- Hanczakowski, M. , Beaman, C. , Jones, D. (2018) Learning through clamor: the allocation and perception of study time in noise. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 147 (7). pp. 1005-1022. ISSN: 1939-2222 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xge0000449
- van Someren, K. , Beaman, P. , Shao, L. (2018) Calculating the lighting performance gap in higher education classrooms. International Journal of Low Carbon Technologies , 13 (1). pp. 15-22. ISSN: 1748-1325 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijlct/ctx015
- van Someren, K. , Beaman, C. , Shao, L. (2018) Users’ experiences of lighting controls: a case-study. Lighting Research & Technology , 50 (7). pp. 1091-1106. ISSN: 1477-1535 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1477153517709063
- van Someren, K. , Beaman, C. , Shao, L. (2017) Determining the difference between predicted vs. actual lighting use in higher education corridors. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering , 3 ISSN: 2297-3079 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2017.00011
- Beaman, C. (2017) A little more learning: a re-analysis of ignorance-driven inference in Frosch, Beaman & McCloy (2007). Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology , 70 (3). pp. 592-595. ISSN: 1747-0218 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2016.1209685
- Hanczakowski, M. , Beaman, C. , Jones, D. (2017) When distraction benefits memory through semantic similarity. Journal of Memory and Language , 94 pp. 61-74. ISSN: 0749-596X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2016.11.005
- Beaman, C. and Jones, D. (2016) The item versus the object in memory: on the implausibility of overwriting as a mechanism for forgetting in short-term memory. Frontiers in Psychology , 7 ISSN: 1664-1078 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00341
- Hanczakowski, M. , Beaman, C. , Jones, D. (2016) Negative priming in free recall reconsidered. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 42 (5). pp. 686-699. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000192
- Tetlow, R. , van Drokelaar, C. , Beaman, P. , Elmualim, A. , Couling, K. (2015) Identifying behavioural predictors of small power electricity consumption in office buildings. Building and Environment , 92 pp. 75-85. ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.04.009
- Beaman, C. , Powell, K. , Rapley, E. (2015) Want to block earworms from conscious awareness? B(u)y gum!. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology , 68 (6). pp. 1049-1057. ISSN: 1747-0218 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2015.1034142
- Marsh, J. , Hughes, R. , Sorqvist, P. , Beaman, C. , Jones, D. (2015) Erroneous and veridical recall are not two sides of the same coin: evidence from semantic distraction in free recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 41 (6). pp. 1728-1740. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000121
- Frosch, C. , McCloy, R. , Beaman, C. , Goddard, K. (2015) Time to decide? Simplicity and congruity in comparative judgment. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 4 (1). pp. 42-54. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037411
- Parmentier, F. and Beaman, C. (2014) Contrasting effects of changing rhythm and content on auditory distraction in immediate memory. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology , 69 (1). pp. 28-38. ISSN: 1196-1961 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cep0000036
- Tetlow, R. , Beaman, C. , Elmualim, A. , Couling, K. (2014) Simple prompts reduce inadvertent energy consumption from lighting in office buildings. Building and Environment , 81 pp. 234-242. ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2014.07.003
- Marsh, J. , Sörqvist, P. , Hodgetts, H. , Beaman, C. , Jones, D. (2014) Distraction control processes in free recall: benefits and costs to performance. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 41 (1). pp. 118-133. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037779
- Jones, D. , Beaman, P. , Hanczakowski, M. (2014) Metacognitive control over memory processes under auditory distraction.
- Beaman, C. , Hanczakowski, M. , Jones, D. (2014) The effects of distraction on metacognition and metacognition on distraction: evidence from recognition memory. Frontiers in Psychology , 5 ISSN: 1664-1078 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00439
- Jones, D. , Beaman, P. , Hanczakowski, M. (2013) Auditory distraction in memory tasks: Can it be controlled?. pp. 6340-6349.
- Beaman, P. and Holt, N. (2013) L'environnement auditif au travail. In: Rioux, L. , Le Roy, J. , Rubens, L. , Le Conte, J. , (eds.) Le confort au travail. Que nous apprend la psychologie environnementale ?. Ressources humaines, comportement au travail et pratiques innovantes Presses de l'Universite Laval , Quebec. ISBN: 9782763715155
- Beaman, C. and Williams, T. (2013) Individual differences in mental control predict involuntary musical imagery. Musicae Scientiae , 17 (4). pp. 398-409. ISSN: 2045-4147 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1029864913492530
- Beaman, C. , Hanczakowski, M. , Hodgetts, H. , Marsh, J. , Jones, D. (2013) Memory as discrimination: what distraction reveals. Memory & Cognition , 41 (8). pp. 1238-1251. ISSN: 1532-5946 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13421-013-0327-4
- Marsh, J. , Sorqvist, P. , Beaman, P. , Jones, D. (2013) Auditory distraction eliminates retrieval induced forgetting: implications for the processing of unattended sound. Experimental Psychology , 60 (5). pp. 368-375. ISSN: 2190-5142 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169/a000210
- Beaman, C. (2013) Inferring the biggest and best: a measurement model for applying recognition to evoke consideration sets and judge between multiple alternatives. Cognitive Systems Research , 24 pp. 18-25. ISSN: 1389-0417 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsys.2012.12.004 (Cognitive Systems Research:Special Issue on ICCM2012)
- Menzes, A. , Tetlow, R. , Beaman, C. , Cripps, A. , Bouchlaghem, D. , Buswell, R. (2012) Assessing the impact of occupant behaviour on the electricity consumption for lighting and small power in office buildings.
- Beaman, C. (2012) Lexical access across languages: a multinomial model of auditory distraction. pp. 96-101.
- Beaman, C. , Marsh, J. , Jones, D. (2012) Analyzing the meaning of background speech is obligatory, distraction by meaning is not.
- Beaman, P. (2012) A multinomial model of applying recognition to judge between multiple alternatives . pp. 25-30.
- Marsh, J. , Beaman, C. , Hughes, R. , Jones, D. (2012) Inhibitory control in memory: evidence for negative priming in free recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognitio , 38 (5). pp. 1377-1388. ISSN: 1939-1285 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0027849
- McCloy, R. , Beaman, C. , Smith, P. (2011) The relative success of recognition-based inference in multichoice decisions. In: Gigerenzer, G. , Hertwig, R. , Pachur, T. , (eds.) Heuristics: the foundations of adaptive behavior. Oxford University Press , New York. pp. 351-362. ISBN: 9780199744282
- Beaman, C. , Smith, P. , McCloy, R. (2010) Less-is-more effects in knowledge-based heuristic inference. pp. 1014-1019.
- Beaman, C. , Smith, P. , Frosch, C. , McCloy, R. (2010) Less-is-more effects without the recognition heuristic. Judgment and Decision-Making , 5 (4). pp. 258-271. ISSN: 1930-2975
- McCloy, R. , Beaman, C. , Frosch, C. , Goddard, K. (2010) Fast and frugal framing effects?. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 36 (4). pp. 1043-1052. ISSN: 1939-1285 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0019693
- Beaman, C. and Williams, T. (2010) Earworms ("stuck song syndrome"): towards a natural history of intrusive thoughts. British Journal of Psychology , 101 (4). pp. 637-653. ISSN: 0007-1269 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1348/000712609X479636
- Beaman, C. (2010) Working memory and working attention: What could possibly evolve?. Current Anthropology , 51 (S1). pp. S27-S38. ISSN: 0011-3204 | doi: DOI:10.1086/650297
- Beaman, . and Roeer, . , eds. (2009) Learning and failing to learn within immediate memory. In: Taatgen, . and van Rijn, . , (eds.)
- Scott, . , Rosen, . , Beaman, C. , Davis, . , Wise, . (2009) The neural processing of masked speech: evidence for different mechanisms in the left and right temporal lobes. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America , 125 (3). pp. 1737-1743. ISSN: 0001-4966 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.3050255
- Scott, S. , Rosen, S. , Beaman, C. , Davis, J. , Wise, R. (2009) The neural processing of masked speech: Evidence for different mechanisms in the left and right temporal lobes. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America , 125 (3). pp. 1737-1743. ISSN: 0001-4966 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.3050255
- McCloy, R. , Beaman, C. , Smith, P. (2008) The relative success of recognition-based inference in multichoice decisions. Cognitive Science , 32 (6). pp. 1037-1048. ISSN: 0364-0213 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03640210802152319
- Beaman, C. , Neath, I. , Surprenant, A. (2008) Modeling distributions of immediate memory effects: No strategies needed?. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition , 34 (1). pp. 219-229. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.34.1.219
- Beaman, . , Neath, . , Surprenant, . , eds. (2007) Phonological similarity effects without a phonological store: an individual differences model. In: McNamara, . and Trafton, . , (eds.) Cognitive Science Society pp. 89-94. ISBN: 9780976831839
- Frosch, . , Beaman, . , McCloy, . , eds. (2007) Deciding the price of fame. In: McNamara, . and Trafton, . , (eds.) Cognitive Science Society pp. 1001-1005. ISBN: 9780976831839
- Beaman, . (2007) Modern cognition in the absence of working memory: does the working memory account of Neandertal cognition work?. Journal of Human Evolution , 52 (6). pp. 702-706. ISSN: 0047-2484 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.11.008
- Beaman, . , Bridges, . , Scott, . (2007) From dichotic listening to the irrelevant sound effect: a behavioural and neuroimaging analysis of the processing of unattended speech. Cortex , 43 (1). pp. 124-134. ISSN: 0010-9452 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0010-9452(08)70450-7
- Beaman, . and Holt, . (2007) Reverberant auditory environments: the effects of multiple echoes on distraction by 'irrelevant' speech. Applied Cognitive Psychology , 21 (8). pp. 1077-1090. ISSN: 0888-4080 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acp.1315
- Beaman, . and McCloy, . (2007) From base-rate to cumulative respect. Behavioral and Brain Sciences , 30 (3). pp. 256-257. ISSN: 0140-525X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x07001677
- Frosch, . , Beaman, C. , McCloy, . (2007) A little learning is a dangerous thing: an experimental demonstration of ignorance-driven inference. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology , 60 (10). pp. 1329-1336. ISSN: 1747-0218 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17470210701507949
- Harvey, A. and Beaman, C. (2007) Input and output modality effects in immediate serial recall . Memory , 15 (7). pp. 693-700. ISSN: 0965-8211 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09658210701644677
- McCloy, R. , Beaman, C. , Morgan, B. , Speed, R. (2007) Training conditional and cumulative risk judgements: the role of frequencies, problem-structure and Einstellung. Applied Cognitive Psychology , 21 (3). pp. 325-344. ISSN: 0888-4080 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acp.1273
- Beaman, . , McCloy, . , Smith, . , eds. (2006) When does ignorance make us smart? Additional factors guiding heuristic inference. In: Sun, . and Miyake, . , (eds.) Erlbaum pp. 54-58. ISBN: 976831821
- McCloy, . , Beaman, . , Goddard, . , eds. (2006) Rich and famous: recognition-based judgment in the Sunday Times rich list. In: Sun, . and Miyake, . , (eds.) Erlbaum pp. 1801-1805. ISBN: 976831821
- Beaman, . (2006) The relationship between absolute and proportion scores of serial order memory: simulation predictions and empirical data. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review , 13 (1). pp. 92-98. ISSN: 1069-9384
- Hadlington, . , Bridges, . , Beaman, . (2006) A left-ear disadvantage for the presentation of irrelevant sound: manipulations of task requirements and changing state. Brain and Cognition , 61 (2). pp. 159-171. ISSN: 0278-2626 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2005.11.006
- McCloy, . and Beaman, C. , eds. (2005) Problem-structure and format in training conditional and cumulative risk judgments. In: Bara, . , Barsalou, . , Bucciarelli, . , (eds.) Erlbaum pp. 1449-1454. ISBN: 976831813
- Beaman, C. (2005) Auditory distraction from low-intensity noise: a review of the consequences for learning and workplace environments. Applied Cognitive Psychology , 19 (8). pp. 1041-1064. ISSN: 0888-4080 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acp.1134
- Beaman, C. (2005) Irrelevant sound effects amongst younger and older adults: objective findings and subjective insights. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology , 17 (2). pp. 241-265. ISSN: 0954-1446 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09541440440000023
- Beaman, . and Harvey, . (2005) Access to online resources: a case study . Psychology, Learning & Teaching , 5 (1). pp. 47-51. ISSN: 1475-7257
- McCloy, . and Beaman, C. , eds. (2004) The recognition heuristic: fast and frugal, but not as simple as it seems. In: Forbus, . , Gentner, . , Regier, . , (eds.) Erlbaum pp. 933-937. ISBN: 805854649
- Beaman, C. (2004) The irrelevant sound phenomenon revisited: what role for working memory capacity?. Journal of Experimental Psychology-Learning Memory and Cognition , 30 (5). pp. 1106-1118. ISSN: 0278-7393 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.30.5.1106
- Beaman, C. (2002) Why are we good at detecting cheaters? A reply to Fodor. Cognition , 83 (2). pp. 215-220. ISSN: 0010-0277 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(01)00169-X
- Beaman, C. (2002) Inverting the modality effect in serial recall. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology: Section A , 55 (2). pp. 371-389. ISSN: 1464-0740 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02724980143000307
- Campbell, T. , Beaman, C. , Berry, D. (2002) Auditory memory and the irrelevant sound effect: further evidence for changing state disruption. Memory , 10 (3). pp. 199-214. ISSN: 0965-8211 | doi: DOI:10.1080/09658210143000335
- Campbell, T. , Beaman, C. , Berry, D. (2002) Changing state disruption of lip-reading by irrelevant sound in perceptual and memory tasks. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology , 14 (4). pp. 461-474. ISSN: 1464-0635 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09541440143000168
- Beaman, C. and Morton, J. (2000) The separate but related origins of the recency and the modality effect in free recall. Cognition , 77 (3). pp. B59-B65. ISSN: 0010-0277 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(00)00107-4