Rachel Swainson

Rachel Swainson is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen, where she has been teaching since 2007. She serves as Staff Development Lead for the School of Psychology and is a member of the School's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Her academic career includes positions at the University of Nottingham (2000-2006), where she held a Leverhulme Special Research Fellowship (2002-2004) and her first lectureship (2004-2006).

Dr. Swainson received her BSc in Neuroscience (1994) from the University of Sheffield and her PhD (1998) from the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Prof. Trevor Robbins. Following her PhD, she worked with Prof. Barbara Sahakian at Cambridge (1998-1999) and with Prof. Georgina Jackson and Prof. Stephen Jackson at the University of Nottingham (2000-2006).

Her research focuses on human cognition and cognitive control mechanisms, particularly task-switching processes. Dr. Swainson investigates why switch costs occur when changing between tasks, examining whether preparation alone generates subsequent switch costs and what factors can abolish preparatory effects before they impact performance. Her work spans cognitive, social, and neuropsychological domains, using experimental paradigms to understand the flexibility and control of human behavior.

Analysis of her publication record reveals a consistent focus on task-switching mechanisms over two decades, with recent work expanding into social cognition aspects like how social categories influence emotion recognition. Her research employs various methodologies including behavioral experiments, electrophysiological measures (ERP), and studies of clinical populations.

• Leverhulme Special Research Fellowship (2002-2004)

As Staff Development Lead for the School of Psychology, Dr. Swainson contributes to faculty development initiatives. Her teaching responsibilities include Biological Psychology lectures for PS1009 (Introductory Psychology I) and PS3014 (Biological Psychology, focusing on Psychopharmacology). While specific grant funding isn't detailed in the provided information, her sustained publication record suggests successful research funding throughout her career.

Dr. Swainson's research appears to be conducted within the cognitive neuroscience and experimental psychology research groups at the University of Aberdeen's School of Psychology, collaborating extensively with colleagues like Dr. Martin and Dr. Yamaguchi on recent projects examining social cognition aspects of task performance.