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Paul Morrill

Bradford Research Space

Paul MorrillIndependent Researcher

Exploring human cognition, artificial intelligence, psychology, and the future of research.

Explore the research themesPublicationsORCID 0000-0003-3142-620XVerifiedGoogle ScholarVerifiedResearchGateVerifiedLinkedInVerified
Site type
Independent site — not an official University publication
Sources
Compiled from public records · checked 21 August 2026
Fig. 01 -Psychology, AI, Cognition, Vision

Primary sources

Career, qualifications and listed outputs on this page are drawn from the University of Bradford staff profile; the public description of current research interests is drawn from the ORCID record. Google Scholar lists the public publication record, ResearchGate lists the verified research profile, and LinkedIn is provided as a professional profile link. View the University of Bradford staff profile · ORCID 0000-0003-3142-620X · Google Scholar · ResearchGate · LinkedIn.

Research overview

Five areas, stated at their actual stage.

Two active areas around offloading and generative AI, and three developing methodological interests grounded in day-to-day work with student research.

  1. Active

    Executive Offloading

    How reliance on external tools and aids relates to executive functioning, decision-making and learning.

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  2. Active

    AI and Human Cognition

    The cognitive implications of generative AI and large language models for thinking, learning and judgement.

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  3. Developing

    Psychology Replication Crisis

    Methodological and statistical questions raised by replication failure, and what they imply for how student research is taught.

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  4. Developing

    Educational Technology

    Psychology-specific software, hardware and experiment design as they shape what students can actually learn and measure.

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All research areas

Research journey

A return to public research after nearly twenty years.

An active vision science career, a long absence shaped by serious illness, and a deliberate return to curiosity-driven work.

Read the research journey

Current projects

Work currently in progress.

Project status is described plainly; nothing is listed as accepted or forthcoming.

  1. Under submission

    Cognitive offloading, generative AI and executive functioning

    Current research examines cognitive/executive offloading and how reliance on external tools, including generative AI and large language models, may relate to executive functioning, critical thinking, learning and decision-making.

    Status

    Manuscript under submission

    Focus

    Cognitive and executive offloading; generative AI and large language models; executive functioning, critical thinking, learning and decision-making

    Transparency note

    Descriptive project label; the submitted manuscript’s title, venue, co-authors and findings are not disclosed here.

    Sources

    The ORCID record supports the public description of current interests; the under-submission status was supplied directly by Dr Morrill.

    Sources: ORCID public biography; status supplied by Dr Paul Morrill.

  2. Ongoing

    Psychology learning and technical support

    Current role in the Department of Psychology: supporting research methods teaching, dissertation students, statistics, experiment creation and psychology-specific software and hardware.

    Role

    Professional Services, Department of Psychology

    Teaching support

    Undergraduate and postgraduate labs in introductory, further and advanced research methods, cognitive psychology and biological psychology

    Student support

    Final-year undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation students, covering statistics and experiment creation

    Technical support

    Psychology-specific software and hardware; technical and programming support on refereed journal articles

    Source: University of Bradford staff profile.

Publications and outputs

Latest writing

Recent notes and commentary.

Short pieces on research reflections, psychology and higher education, and AI and cognition.

  1. Research reflections

    24 August 2026 · 9 min read

    When the Work Is the Title: Why Some Academics Reject Prestige

    Academia is unusually fond of titles and distinctions, yet some remarkable scholars have appeared suspicious of them. What happens when the symbol of accomplishment becomes confused with accomplishment itself?

  2. Research reflections

    23 August 2026 · 10 min read

    After Nearly 20 Years Away: Why I Am Trying to Publish Publicly Again

    After nearly two decades away from academic publishing, I reflect on why I am returning to public research now — shaped by health, recovery, and a persistent curiosity about psychology and research quality.

  3. Research reflections

    12 August 2026 · 6 min read

    What offloading actually costs

    Draft

    A working note on why "does offloading harm memory?" is the wrong question, and what a better one looks like when the tool in question writes fluent prose.

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