معرفی
Effie J. Pereira is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Queen's University within the Faculty of Arts and Science. Previously, she was an NSERC Banting postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Waterloo working with Dr. Daniel Smilek in the Vision & Attention Laboratory. Her research program focuses on attentional dynamics, examining how attentional processes fluctuate over time across social situations, internal thoughts, and digital environments.
Dr. Pereira earned her PhD in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Science from Queen's University in 2020, followed by a Master's degree in Psychology-Brain Behaviour and Cognitive Science in 2014, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Economics in 2008, all from Queen's University.
Her research investigates the "ebbs and flows" of attentional processes over time, challenging traditional views of attention as static. She employs a multidisciplinary approach combining behavioral experiments (attentional tasks, experience sampling, collaborative activities), psychophysiological methods (eye tracking, EEG, fMRI), and computational approaches (nonlinear analyses, machine learning). Her work has revealed that individual patterns of attentional fluctuations are stable and predictable, with meaningful implications for real-world outcomes.
Analysis of Dr. Pereira's recent publications shows a consistent focus on temporal dynamics of attention across contexts. Her research has evolved from examining basic attentional mechanisms to investigating attention in complex digital environments and social contexts. A notable trend is her increasing use of computational methods to analyze nonlinear patterns in attentional time series data, reflecting her technical expertise and innovative approach to cognitive science.
- NSERC Banting Postdoctoral Research Fellow
As a mentor, Dr. Pereira takes a scaffolded approach, working with students to identify short-term and long-term goals that support their development as independent researchers. She leads the Queen's Attentional Dynamics (QuAD) lab and is actively recruiting graduate students for Fall 2026 in the Cognitive Neuroscience and Social-Personality area, with a focus on Canadian students due to current funding restrictions. Her mentorship emphasizes technical skill development including programming in Python, JavaScript, R, and MATLAB, as well as experience with eye tracking, EEG, and fMRI systems.
Dr. Pereira directs the Queen's Attentional Dynamics (QuAD) lab, where she develops and applies innovative methodologies to study attentional fluctuations. She has created several specialized software platforms including TESSA (Temporal Experience Sampling Smartphone Application), VICTOR (Video Teleconferencing Platform), and MECO (Message Communication Platform) to study attention in naturalistic settings. Her lab also utilizes DAMARIS, EEGAN, FELIX, and EMMA for advanced analysis of attentional time series data.
