Julie Chow

Dr. Julie Chow is a Research Associate at the School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW). Her position focuses on conducting psychological research in the areas of attention, causal learning, and belief formation.

Dr. Chow's research primarily investigates how uncertainty and ambiguity affect attentional processes, causal learning, and belief formation. She is particularly interested in understanding how informational uncertainty guides attention, shaping what we learn and the decisions we make. This research is crucial for understanding how people form specific (sometimes false) beliefs in complex and variable environments. Her work employs a multifaceted approach including behavioral experiments, eye-tracking, and computational modeling. Additionally, she engages in applied research examining how cognitive biases in learning might underpin real-world pseudoscientific thinking and misinformation in health contexts.

Analysis of Dr. Chow's publication record reveals a strong focus on cognitive mechanisms underlying causal learning and belief formation. Her work consistently explores how uncertainty influences attentional priorities and how these attentional processes shape learning outcomes. A notable trend in her research is the investigation of illusions of causality and how they relate to pseudoscientific beliefs, particularly in health contexts. Her methodological approach combines rigorous experimental designs with computational modeling to provide comprehensive insights into these cognitive phenomena.

Dr. Chow has secured research funding as Primary Investigator on the Small Seed Grant Project "Uncertainty in Attention and Causal Learning," awarded by the UNSW Science Early Career Research Network. She also serves as Co-Primary Investigator on the Small Project Grant "From Beliefs to Behaviours: Exploring Sex and Community Dynamics in Sexual and Reproductive Health Beliefs," awarded by the Women's Wellbeing Academy, UNSW Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. These grants support her ongoing research into cognitive mechanisms of belief formation and their real-world applications.