Overview
Speech, language, and communication skills are essential to human wellbeing. Currently funded by the Royal Society, my research aims to improve our understanding of neurological disorders affecting these skills through behavioural experimentation and computational modelling, with the goal of improving clinical assessment, intervention, and rehabilitation. I have specific interests in: (i) auditory processing; (ii) the neural population dynamics of neurodivergent learning and cognitive control, and; (iii) resource-rational models of neurodivergent information seeking. Papers, code, and data for all of my projects can be found on my Open Science Framework page.
Qualifications
- PhD
Lancaster University, 2020 - MA
University of Nottingham, 2017
Teaching and Supervision
- Language and its disorders
- Biological bases of neurodevelopmental disorders
- Methods in cognition and brain research
Postgraduate Project Opportunities
I would be very happy to supervise PhD projects in the areas of (i) variability in auditory perception and language development and (ii) experimental and computational modelling approaches to understanding individual differences in infancy and childhood. Please get in touch via email.
Publications
2025
- PublishedComputational rationality and developmental neurodivergence
Jones, S., Rauwolf, P. & Westermann, G., 8 Feb 2025, In: Trends in Cognitive Sciences.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedPerception and cognitive control in rationally inattentive child behaviour
Jones, S., Jones, M., Koldewyn, K. & Westermann, G., 1 Jan 2025, In: Developmental Science. 28, 1, e13587.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2024
- PublishedA maturational frequency discrimination deficit may explain developmental language disorder
Jones, S., Stewart, H. J. & Westermann, G., Apr 2024, In: Psychological Review. 131, 3, p. 695-715
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedRational inattention: A new theory of neurodivergent information seeking
Jones, S., Jones, M., Koldewyn, K. & Westermann, G., 29 Mar 2024, In: Developmental Science. 27, 4
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2023
- PublishedRational inattention: A new theory of neurodivergent information seeking
Jones, S., Jones, M., Koldewyn, K. & Westermann, G., 2 May 2023, PsyArXiv.
Research output: Working paper › Preprint
2022
- PublishedPrediction cannot be directly trained: An extension to Jones and Westermann (2021)
Jones, S. & Westermann, G., 17 Oct 2022, In: Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. 65, 10, p. 3930-3933
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedUnder-resourced or overloaded? Rethinking working memory deficits in developmental language disorder
Jones, S. & Westermann, G., Nov 2022, In: Psychological Review. 129, 6, p. 1358-1372
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2021
- PublishedOrigins of dissociations in the English past tense: A synthetic brain imaging model
Westermann, G. & Jones, S., 2 Jul 2021, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 12, 688908.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedPassive sentence reversal errors in autism: Replicating Ambridge, Bidgood, and Thomas (2020)
Jones, S., Dooley, M. & Ambridge, B., 28 Jun 2021, In: Language Development Research. 1, 1, p. 99-122
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedPredictive processing and developmental language disorder
Jones, S. & Westermann, G., Jan 2021, In: Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. 64, 1, p. 181-185
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2020
- PublishedAccuracy and variability in early spontaneous word production
Jones, S., Apr 2020, In: First Language. 40, 2, p. 128–150
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedDensity and distinctiveness in early word learning: Evidence from neural network simulations
Jones, S. & Brandt, S., Jan 2020, In: Cognitive Science. 44, 1, e12812.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2019
- PublishedDo children really acquire dense neighbourhoods?
Jones, S. & Brandt, S., Nov 2019, In: Journal of Child Language. 46, 6, p. 1260-1273
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedNeighbourhood density and word production in delayed and advanced learners
Jones, S. & Brandt, S., Aug 2019, In: Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. 62, 8, p. 2847-2854
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2018
- PublishedAuditory lexical decisions in developmental language disorder: A meta-analysis of behavioural studies
Jones, S. & Brandt, S., Jul 2018, In: Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research. 61, 7, p. 1766-1783
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
2023
- North Wales Speech and Language Exchange (External organisation)
Co-creator and committee member for the North Wales Speech and Language Exchange. This is a new initiative to bring together clinicians, researchers and the public who have an interest in speech, language and communication in North Wales.
17 Oct 2023 →
Activity: Membership of network (Chair) - The North Wales Speech and Language Exchange
The inaugural event to kick-off The North Wales Speech and Language Exchange: a new initiative to foster engagement between the public, clinicians, and Bangor University researchers with a personal or professional interest in speech, language, and communication needs.
17 Oct 2023
Links:
Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Organiser) - Bangor University Community Day - Psychology stall
Bangor University Community Day was an event that welcomed the local community to explore the University and learn about its significant contributions to the social, economic, environmental, and cultural life of North Wales and beyond. The event showcased a range of activities. Our department of Psychology participated with a stall, offering various engaging activities for attendees, highlighting some of the department's work.
14 Oct 2023
Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition (Contributor) - A maturational frequency discrimination deficit may help explain developmental language disorder
2023
Links:
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - A maturational frequency discrimination deficit may help explain developmental language disorder
2023
Links:
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - A maturational frequency discrimination deficit may help explain developmental language disorder.
2023
Links:
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - British Journal of Developmental Psychology (Journal)
Statistical Consultant
2023 →
Links:
Activity: Editorial activity (Editorial board member)
2022
- BU-IIA Funded Project: Towards a comprehensive BU service for neurocognitive developmental disorders: Developing a screener for social-behavioural difficulties as a route to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment
We seek to (1) develop a bilingual screening tool to quickly and accurately identify children with complex needs who are referred to the Miles Dyslexia Centre, allowing them to be immediately referred to an appropriate practitioner for a full assessment; (2) scope the current situation and measure waiting times for local children with social difficulties with a level of precision, taking a look at the impact of the pandemic on both waiting times and how assessments are carried out (e.g., remote assessment, bilingual assessment); (3) build and coordinate a group of researchers, educational practitioners, and clinical practitioners with the aim of moving towards an integrated assessment and care system for children with learning difficulties and ASD. Including clinical practitioners is essential, since a complete assessment would need to be a team effort between community, educational, and clinical (NHS) services. Our longer-term aim is to establish a BU Neurodevelopmental Centre that would not only push forward cutting edge translational neurodevelopmental research, but would also service the needs of children locally and nationally (via remote assessment and intervention) and which we hope will serve as a blueprint for excellence in provision within both “remote” rural areas and bilingual contexts.
Funding awarded through the Bangor University Innovation and Impact Award (Research Wales Innovation Funding). Value = £46,582
4 May 2022 – 30 Apr 2023
Activity: Other (Contributor) - Language Development Research (Journal)
Editorial Board Member
2022 →
Links:
Activity: Editorial activity (Editorial board member) - Under-resourced or overloaded? Rethinking working memory deficits in developmental language disorder.
2022
Links:
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
Projects
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The Waterloo Foundation report into effective neurodevelopmental assessment
01/02/2025 – 15/03/2026 (Active)
-
Enhancing developmental speech perception modelling through head and torso simulation
01/03/2023 – 15/09/2025 (Active)
Other Grants and Projects
2024 - The Royal Society, Research Grant. Enhancing developmental speech perception modelling through head and torso simulation. Samuel Jones, PI. £30,896.57.
2023 - UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Talent and Research Stabilisation Fund. To support the purchase of high-spec computing resources to model the neurodivergent brain and infant and child behaviour. £7,160.
2022 - Co-investigator (with Dr. Kami Koldewyn, Reader, Bangor University, PI). Bangor University Impact and Innovation Award (BUII). Towards a comprehensive Bangor University (BU) service for neurocognitive developmental disorders: Developing a screener for social-behavioural difficulties as a route to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment. £46,582.