William Forde Thompson
Encyclopedia
William Forde "Bill" Thompson is a Professor
of Psychology
at Macquarie University
, where he conducts research on music
, emotion
, and performance
. He is Director of the Music, Sound and Performance lab.
From 2007 to 2009, he was President of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition. He is Associate Editor at Music Perception
, Editor of Empirical Musicology Review (2008–2010), and an Honorary Associate member of the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science.
Canadian-born Thompson holds a PhD
in Psychology from Queen's University
. He is the author of Music, Thought, and Feeling: Understanding the Psychology of Music
(Oxford University Press [USA], 2009).
In addition to his academic work, Thompson has composed and performed music for a number of films and plays, including several by his sister, Canadian playwright Judith Thompson
.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, where he conducts research on music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
, and performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
. He is Director of the Music, Sound and Performance lab.
From 2007 to 2009, he was President of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition. He is Associate Editor at Music Perception
Music Perception
Music Perception is a music journal published by University of California Press, in Berkeley, California. Published five times a year, Music Perception publishes empirical and theoretical papers on such topics as psychology, psychophysics, linguistics, neurology, neurophysiology, artificial...
, Editor of Empirical Musicology Review (2008–2010), and an Honorary Associate member of the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science.
Canadian-born Thompson holds a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Psychology from Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
. He is the author of Music, Thought, and Feeling: Understanding the Psychology of Music
Music, Thought, and Feeling
Music, Thought, and Feeling: Understanding the Psychology of Music is a book written by psychologist William Forde Thompson and published in 2009 by Oxford University Press.-Reviews:...
(Oxford University Press [USA], 2009).
In addition to his academic work, Thompson has composed and performed music for a number of films and plays, including several by his sister, Canadian playwright Judith Thompson
Judith Thompson
Judith Clare Thompson, OC is a Canadian playwright who lives in Toronto, Ontario. Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail once declared that "...in this country, a playwright as good as Judith Thompson is a miracle." She has twice been awarded the Governor General's Award for drama, and is the...
.