Nora McLean

Nora McLean is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Lake Forest College specializing in Biological Psychology, Stress, and Research Methods and Statistics. Her research investigates the interplay between psychosocial stress, hormonal responses, and decision-making processes, with particular focus on cortisol and testosterone dynamics in social contexts.

Education:

• PhD, University of Chicago
• MS, University of Chicago
• BS, University of Notre Dame

Research Focus: Dr. McLean's work centers on how acute psychosocial stressors trigger hormonal changes that subsequently influence cognitive and social behaviors. She examines sex differences in stress reactivity, the role of impulsivity in economic decision-making under stress, and how relationship status modulates hormonal responses to social interactions. Her research bridges biological psychology with social and cognitive domains through rigorous experimental paradigms including the Trier Social Stress Test.

Publication Trends: Her recent publications (2023-2024) increasingly focus on economic decision-making under stress and the moderating role of impulsivity, while maintaining foundational work on cortisol-testosterone interactions. Earlier research (2015-2019) established her expertise in chronobiology-stress connections and sociosexual behavior, demonstrating consistent methodological rigor through salivary hormone assays and controlled stress induction protocols.

Teaching: Dr. McLean teaches core psychology courses including Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods and Statistics, Psychology of Stress, and Comparative Psychology, emphasizing empirical research skills and biological bases of behavior.