Dr Jo Cutler BSc, MSc, PhD

• PhD Psychology
• MSc Cognitive Neuroscience
• BSc Psychology (International)

Jo studied undergraduate Psychology at the University of Leeds and University of Sydney then completed an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. Her PhD in the Social Decision Lab at the University of Sussex focused on charitable giving and why people value the lives of others.

Jo finished her PhD at the end of 2019 and joined the Social Decision Neuroscience Lab as a Postdoc working with Dr Patricia Lockwood. The Lab was initially based at the University of Oxford then moved to the University of Birmingham in July 2020.

Jo’s research aims to answer questions such as: why are people altruistic? Which situations make people more prosocial? How do these decisions change across the lifespan? To answer these questions, Jo uses tools from psychology and neuroscience including fMRI, physiological measures, behavioural experiments, neuropsychological studies and computational modelling.

Consultancy for and collaboration with fundraising organisations.

Talks at fundraising conferences and charities.

Advisor for the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development Kindness Matters campaign.