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Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section

The Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section was formed in 1997 as the first network of a nationally representative body of professional psychologists devoted to the study of Consciousness in the modern era.

About

Consciousness was the original focus of psychological research and is once more a central topic of inquiry.

The primary purpose of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section is to advance our understanding of consciousness, to bring scientific research on consciousness closer to other traditions of inquiry into the nature of mind and to explore how this research can be used to improve the quality of life.

Our main areas of interest include:

  • Consciousness studies
  • Phenomenological psychology
  • Psychology of well-being
  • Cultural and ecological perspectives

We post details of events and activities on this webpage, on our CEP Facebook and Twitter pages, and on the main BPS events list.

For further information you can also email us at [email protected]

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section

News

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Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section

Events

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Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section

Guidelines

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On-demand webinars

Consciousness in Humans and Other Things

On 4 March 2025, the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section hosted a webinar "Consciousness in Humans and Other Things" with Professor Anil Seth.

As a section member you can access the on-demand webinar for free.

Find out more about this webinar

Further Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Reading

  • Baars, B., Banks, William P., Newman, James B. [Eds.] (2003), Essential Sources in the Scientific Study of Consciousness, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Bayne, T. (2010), The Unity of Consciousness, New York: Oxford University Press
  • Bayne, T., Cleeremans, A. & Wilken, P. [Eds.] (2009), The Oxford Companion to Consciousness, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Blackmore, S., Troscianko, E. (2018), Consciousness: An Introduction, Third Edition, London: Routledge
  • Cardeña, E., Lynn, S. J., Krippner, S. [Eds.] (2014), Varieties of Anomalous Experience: Examining the Scientific Evidence, Second Edition, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
  • Cardeña, E., Winkelman, M. [Eds.] (2011), Altering Consciousness: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger
  • Chalmers, D.J. (1996), Towards a Theory of Consciousness, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Flanagan, O.J., Block, N., & Guzeldere, G. [Eds.] (1997), The Nature of Consciousness, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Frith, C. (2007), Making up the Mind: How the Brain Creates our Mental World, Oxford: Blackwell
  • Gigerenzer, G., (2007), Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious, New York: Viking Penguin
  • Gray, J. (2004), Consciousness: Creeping up on the Hard Problem, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Greenfield, S. (1995), Journey to the Centre of the Mind, Hampshire: W.H.Freeman & Co Ltd
  • Hassin, R. R., Uleman, J. S., & Bargh, J. A. [Eds.] (2005), The New Unconscious, New York: Oxford University Press
  • Henry, J. [Ed.] (2006), Parapsychology: Research into Exceptional Experiences. New York: Routledge
  • Hurlburt, R.T. and Schwitzgebel, E., (2007), Describing Inner Experience? Proponent Meets Skeptic, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Hurley, S.L. (1998), Consciousness in Action, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
  • Hunt, H.T. (1995), On The Nature of Consciousness, New Haven: Yale University Press
  • Lycan, W. (1996), Consciousness and Experience, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Paglieri, F. [Ed.] (2012), Consciousness in Interaction: The role of the natural and social context in shaping consciousness, Amsterdam: John Benjamins
  • Pickering, J. [Ed.] (1997), The Authority of Experience: Essays on Buddhism and Psychology, Curzon Studies in Ancient Philosophy, London: Routledge/Curzon
  • Pockett, S., Banks, W. & Gallagher, S. [Eds.] (2006), Does Consciousness Cause Behavior?, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Saunders, G. (2014), Acts of Consciousness: A Social Psychology Standpoint, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  • Schneider, S. & Velmans, M. [Eds.] (2017), The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness Second Edition, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell
  • Schwitzgebel, E. (2011), Perplexities of Consciousness, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Shanahan, M., (2010), Embodiment and the Inner Life: Cognition and Consciousness in the Space of Possible Minds, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Shusterman, R. (2012), Thinking through the Body, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  • Smith, Q. & Jokic, A. [Eds.] (2003), Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • Thompson, E. (2007), Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind, Cambridge: Belknap Press
  • Tye, M. (1995), Ten Problems of Consciousness: A Representational Theory of the Phenomenal Mind, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Tye, M. (2009), Consciousness Revisited: Materialism without Phenomenal Concepts, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
  • Velmans, M. (2009), Understanding Consciousness, Second Edition, London: Routledge/Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis
  • Velmans, M. (2017), Towards a Deeper Understanding of Consciousness: Selected works of Max Velmans, World Library of Psychologists Series. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge
  • Velmans, M. [Ed.] (2018), Consciousness (Critical Concepts in Psychology) Major Works Series (4 Volumes), London: Routledge
  • Wilson, T.D., (2002), Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adapative Unconscious, Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press
  • Weiskrantz, L. & Davies, M. [Eds.] (2008), Frontiers of Consciousness: Chichele Lectures, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Zelazo, P.D., Moscovitch, M., & Thompson, E. [Eds.] (2007), The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  • Zeman, A. (2003), Consciousness: A User's Guide, Adam Zeman, New Haven: Yale University Press

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology is circulated to members of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section.

Find out more about Consciousness and Experiential Psychology

Latest articles - Consciousness and Experiential Psychology

  • Periodicals

Applying Phenomenology in Experiential Research - Consciousness and Experience

Volume: 1 Issue: 11

Date of Publication: 01-01-2020

Author(s): Malcolm B. Schofield

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section
  • Periodicals

A Psychological View of the Long History of Thought about Consciousness: Part 1 – Ancient Origins and Early Work* - Consciousness and Experience

Volume: 1 Issue: 11

Date of Publication: 01-01-2020

Author(s): Max Velmans

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section
  • Periodicals

Mind Wandering and Mindfulness Conference - Consciousness and Experience

Volume: 1 Issue: 11

Date of Publication: 01-01-2020

Author(s): Léa Martinon

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section
  • Periodicals

CEP News - Consciousness and Experience

Volume: 1 Issue: 11

Date of Publication: 01-01-2020

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section
  • Periodicals

Samadhi, Satori, Mindfulness and Galvanic Skin Response - Consciousness and Experience

Volume: 1 Issue: 11

Date of Publication: 01-01-2020

Author(s): Hazel Skelsey Guest

Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section

Committee

Chair: Jane Henry ([email protected]) (Dec 2020- Oct 2025) 

Finance Lead / Deputy Chair: John Pegler (Jan 2022 – 2025)

Appointed Members

  • John Martin (Jan 2022 – 2025)
  • John Hughes (Jan 2025 – Jan 2028)
  • Deborah Biggerstaff (Jan 2024 – Jan 2027)
  • Peter Eastham (Jan 2025 – Jan 2028)
  • Nigel Colbert (Feb 2025 – Feb 2028)

Join

Membership of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section is only open to members of the British Psychological Society.

If you are not already a BPS member, you can join the Section at the same time as applying for membership of the society.

Apply to join the society

Benefits of belonging

Benefits of Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section Membership

  • Annual conference, study days and other events
  • Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Newsletter
  • Interdisciplinary dialogue
  • Network of academics, practitioners, students and others with similar interests 
  • Reduced registration fees for CEP conferences and events
  • Updates about developments in the field

Member Announcement Email List

The Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section uses its membership announcement email list to inform its members of activities and initiatives that are relevant to their interests and to make requests for engagement on topical issues. 

By becoming a member of the Section you are automatically added to the announcement list.

To receive these emails you will need to:

  1. become a member of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section
  2. opt into receiving email communication and provide a working email address

These preferences can be updated by logging into your member portal.

If you have any queries, please contact Member Network Services.

To assist us in responding to your query please make sure to include your membership number and quote 'Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section announcement email' in the subject line.

Getting involved with the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Committee

The Consciousness and Experiential Section relies on a wide range of people getting involved, and the work of the Section is largely achieved through the dedication of unpaid volunteers.

Our volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds, whether they be practitioners or academics, or full members or students members, and together form an open and inclusive community.