Queen’s Attentional Dynamics Laboratory

Studying the cognitive and social neuroscience of attention

Our Research

Our lab studies the dynamics of attention, which captures how attentional processes ebb & flow over time, resulting in differences in performance and separating the unique factors that make your attentional experience different from others.

To explore this, we use behavioural experiments, collaborative activities, eye tracking, EEG, & fMRI to uncover attentional dynamics within social situations, across internal thoughts, & in digital environments.

TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF ATTENTION

Within Social Situations

Our attention often gravitates towards social information like people, faces, and eyes due to their inherent importance within our everyday lives. However, a key question that we have yet to answer is what properties control how and when attentional dynamics manifest in social settings.

TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF ATTENTION

Across Internal Thoughts

Our attention often fluctuates between our external environment and our internal thoughts. Despite the frequent occurrence of these shifts though, we still do not have a complete understanding of why attentional dynamics occur and how and when they impact performance outcomes.

TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF ATTENTION

In Digital Environments

Our attention is often studied in controlled laboratory environments, which typically simplifies the rich diversity of attentional dynamics that we typically find within real, online, and virtual contexts.

Our Team

Principal Investigator

Dr. Effie J. Pereira

(she/her)

Effie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Director of the QuAD Lab. Before this, she completed her Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Waterloo & her PhD at McGill University.

Fun fact: Outside of the lab, Effie is a big TV & movie buff, and she credits her love of science to growing up as a Trekkie.

Madhumita Rajagopal

SWEP Research Coordinator

(she/her)

Madhumita is a third-year BScH Psychology major. She is working as a Research Coordinator in the QuAD Lab, and is excited to learn more about individual differences in attention!

Fun fact: In her free time, she loves Indian classical dancing.

SWEP Programmer

Nicole Hernandez

(she/her)

Nicole is a fourth-year Computing major and Math minor with an interest in AI. She is excited to help code an app for the lab’s research.

Fun fact: She would love to have a cheetah as a pet and likes to embroider.

NSERC-USRA Student

Isabella Persad

(she/her)

Isabella is a third-year BScH Biology-Psychology Specialization major. She is interested in learning more about the various lab techniques used to understand human attention.

Fun fact: She’s seen over 1000 movies (and counting!).

Maddison De Beaupre

Research Assistant

(she/her)

Maddison is a fourth-year student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Health Studies. She is looking forward to gaining hands-on experience in research and collaborating with the incredible people in the QuAD lab.

Fun fact: Outside of academics, she is passionate about figure skating.

Vishakha Desai

Research Assistant

(she/her)

Vishakha is a fourth-year BScH Physics major. She is passionate about interdisciplinary work and is looking forward to learning more about how attentional processes unfold over time in different environments. She’s particularly interested in exploring how concepts from physics can be applied in a psychology and neuroscience research environment.

Fun fact: She adores hiking, animals, and being out in nature!

Mia Popelas

Research Assistant

(she/her)

Mia is a third-year BAH Psychology major and a volunteer research assistant in the QuAD lab. She is excited to get hands-on experience in the lab and build the skills needed to explore how attention works in creative minds and social interactions.

Fun fact: Mia spends her free time taking photos, watching movies, and learning Irish!

Dilara Sanli

Research Assistant

(she/her)

Dilara is a second-year Psychology Specialization major at Queen’s University. She is eager to gain hands-on research experience and further develop her skills in the QuAD lab.

Fun fact: She has two playful Bengal cats named Leo and Sofia!

Directed Lab Students

Emma Jamieson (Winter 2025)

Aleah Williamson (Winter 2025)

Yvonne Pelau (Fall 2024)

Ryan Thompson (Fall 2024)

Izabela Veljkovic

Research Assistant

(she/her)

Izabela is a fourth-year Health Sciences major and a volunteer research assistant in the QuAD lab. She is fascinated by individual differences in attention and is excited to expand her knowledge through her work in the lab.

Fun fact: She has two miniature poodles named Sofie and Jo!