Maria Isabel Nunez Pena

Maria Isabel Nunez Pena is a Full Professor at the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Psychology, affiliated with the Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology. She leads the Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group and co-leads the PSICOINVEST educational innovation group focused on improving methodological teaching in psychological research. Her work bridges cognitive neuroscience and educational psychology, particularly addressing math anxiety and spatial processing.

Education:

• Psychology Degree (Diplomatura/Llicenciatura), University of Barcelona (1991)
• Doctorate in Psychology, University of Barcelona (2001)

Research interests center on math anxiety's cognitive and neural mechanisms, spatial-numerical associations, and methodological advancements in behavioral research. Recent projects examine executive control in math-anxious individuals and the role of spatial abilities in academic performance.

Notable projects (2016-2025) include:

• "ANSIEDAD MATEMÁTICA: EL PAPEL DE LA HABILIDAD DE PROCESAMIENTO ESPACIAL" (MICINN, 2021-2024)
• "PSICOINVEST - Millora de la docència en dissenys i tècniques d’investigació psicològica" (UB, 2016-2025)

Publications focus on experimental paradigms linking anxiety to cognitive performance, with contributions to Acta Psychologica, Biological Psychology, and Frontiers in Psychology.

Labs/Teams: Active member of Brainlab (Cognitive Neuroscience Group) and PSICOINVEST methodological innovation team.