![Associate Professor Alan Pegna](/sites/default/files/profiles/12924.jpeg)
Overview
Background
Associate Professor Alan Pegna is a neuropsychologist whose interests lie in the field of cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology. After receiving a Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and a second Masters degree in Human Physiology from University College London (UK), he obtained his PhD from the University of Geneva, using brain imaging techniques to study spatial processing in both healthy controls and brain-damaged patients.
He worked for over 20 years as a clinical neuropsychologist at Geneva University Hospital, and as an academic at the University of Geneva, where he supervised numerous research projects in the field of visual processing, again in healthy participants and in persons with focal brain lesions.
He joined UQ in 2015, where he now explores the neural basis of visual and spatial processing of emotional stimuli. More specifically, using EEG, he examines the brain's response to different facial expressions, as well as to faces that vary in their perceived approachability (e.g., their apparent trustwothiness). When possible, these studies are also carried out with brain-damaged individuals, in order to investigate the role of particular brain regions in these processes.
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Availability
- Associate Professor Alan Pegna is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Geneva
Works
Search Professor Alan Pegna’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Conference Publication
Effect of social comparison on effort-related cardiovascular measures
Framorando, D., Wang, Y. and Pegna, A.J. (2023). Effect of social comparison on effort-related cardiovascular measures. 21st World Congress of Psychophysiology (IOP 2023) of the International Organization of Psychophysiology, Geneva, Switzerland, 26-29 June 2023. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.05.075
2023
Journal Article
Hierarchical status is rapidly assessed from behaviourally dominant faces
Pegna, Alan J., Framorando, David, Yu, Zhou, Buhmann, Zak, Nelson, Nicole and Dixson, Barnaby J. W. (2023). Hierarchical status is rapidly assessed from behaviourally dominant faces. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 23 (5), 1267-1280. doi: 10.3758/s13415-023-01108-1
2023
Journal Article
Seeing in my way or your way: impact of intelligence, attention, and empathy on brain reactivity
Montandon, Marie-Louise, Rodriguez, Cristelle, Herrmann, François R., Eytan, Ariel, Pegna, Alan J., Haller, Sven and Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon (2023). Seeing in my way or your way: impact of intelligence, attention, and empathy on brain reactivity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17 1071676, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1071676
2023
Journal Article
Patterns of multiple brain network activation in dot perspective task
Montandon, Marie-Louise, Rodriguez, Cristelle, Herrmann, François R., Eytan, Ariel, Pegna, Alan J., Haller, Sven and Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon (2023). Patterns of multiple brain network activation in dot perspective task. Scientific Reports, 13 (1) 6793, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-33427-1
2023
Journal Article
Attentional capture by fearful faces requires consciousness and is modulated by task-relevancy: a dot-probe EEG study
Qiu, Zeguo, Jiang, Jiaqin, Becker, Stefanie I. and Pegna, Alan J. (2023). Attentional capture by fearful faces requires consciousness and is modulated by task-relevancy: a dot-probe EEG study. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17 1152220, 1152220. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1152220
2023
Journal Article
Event-related potentials index prediction error signalling during perceptual processing of emotional facial expressions
Baker, Kristen S., Johnston, Patrick, Yamamoto, Naohide and Pegna, Alan J. (2023). Event-related potentials index prediction error signalling during perceptual processing of emotional facial expressions. Brain Topography, 36 (3), 419-432. doi: 10.1007/s10548-023-00951-2
2023
Journal Article
Measures of subjective memory for people with epilepsy: a systematic review of measurement properties
Thompson, Kate, Lo, Ada H. Y., McGlashan, Hannah L., Ownsworth, Tamara, Haslam, Catherine, Pegna, Alan and Reutens, David C. (2023). Measures of subjective memory for people with epilepsy: a systematic review of measurement properties. Neuropsychology Review, 34 (1), 67-97. doi: 10.1007/s11065-022-09568-x
2023
Journal Article
Up close and emotional: electrophysiological dynamics of approaching angry faces
Yu, Zhou, Kritikos, Ada and Pegna, Alan J. (2023). Up close and emotional: electrophysiological dynamics of approaching angry faces. Biological Psychology, 176 108479, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108479
2023
Journal Article
Neural processing of lateralised task-irrelevant fearful faces under different awareness conditions
Qiu, Zeguo, Zhang, Jun and Pegna, Alan J. (2023). Neural processing of lateralised task-irrelevant fearful faces under different awareness conditions. Consciousness and Cognition, 107 103449, 103449. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103449
2022
Journal Article
Am I really seeing what's around me? An ERP study on social anxiety under speech induction, uncertainty and social feedback
Tipura, Eda, Zanesco, Julie, Clément, Fabrice, Renaud, Olivier and Pegna, Alan J. (2022). Am I really seeing what's around me? An ERP study on social anxiety under speech induction, uncertainty and social feedback. Biological Psychology, 169 108285, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108285
2021
Journal Article
Attention and prediction modulations in expected and unexpected visuospatial trajectories
Baker, Kristen S., Pegna, Alan J., Yamamoto, Naohide and Johnston, Patrick (2021). Attention and prediction modulations in expected and unexpected visuospatial trajectories. PLoS One, 16 (10 October) e0242753, e0242753. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242753
2021
Journal Article
Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on effort during a working-memory task
Framorando, David, Cai, Tianlan, Wang, Yi and Pegna, Alan J. (2021). Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on effort during a working-memory task. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 16399, 16399. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-95639-7
2021
Journal Article
Attention is prioritised for proximate and approaching fearful faces
Martin, Aimee, Becker, Stefanie I. and Pegna, Alan J. (2021). Attention is prioritised for proximate and approaching fearful faces. Cortex, 134, 52-64. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.10.011
2020
Journal Article
Early sensitivity of evoked potentials to surface and volumetric structure during the visual perception of three-dimensional object shape
Leek, E. Charles, Roberts, Mark V., Dundon, Neil M. and Pegna, Alan J. (2020). Early sensitivity of evoked potentials to surface and volumetric structure during the visual perception of three-dimensional object shape. European Journal of Neuroscience, 52 (11), 4453-4467. doi: 10.1111/ejn.14270
2020
Journal Article
Where the rubber meets the road in visual perception: High temporal-precision brain signals to top-down and bottom-up influences on perceptual resolution
Leung, Sumie, Johnston, Patrick, Pegna, Alan, Puce, Aina and Scott, Lisa (2020). Where the rubber meets the road in visual perception: High temporal-precision brain signals to top-down and bottom-up influences on perceptual resolution. European Journal of Neuroscience, 52 (11), 4403-4410. doi: 10.1111/ejn.15036
2020
Journal Article
Waist-to-hip ratio affects female body attractiveness and modulates early brain responses
Del Zotto, Marzia, Framorando, David and Pegna, Alan J. (2020). Waist-to-hip ratio affects female body attractiveness and modulates early brain responses. European Journal of Neuroscience, 52 (11), 4490-4498. doi: 10.1111/ejn.14209
2020
Journal Article
Interindividual differences in brain dynamics of early visual processes: impact on score accuracy in the mental rotation task
Ruggeri, Paolo, Nguyen, Nam, Pegna, Alan J. and Brandner, Catherine (2020). Interindividual differences in brain dynamics of early visual processes: impact on score accuracy in the mental rotation task. Psychophysiology, 57 (11) e13658, e13658. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13658
2019
Journal Article
Attention shifting and subliminal cueing under high attentional load: an EEG study using emotional faces
Tipura, Eda, Renaud, Olivier and Pegna, Alan J. (2019). Attention shifting and subliminal cueing under high attentional load: an EEG study using emotional faces. Neuroreport, 30 (18), 1251-1255. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000001349
2019
Journal Article
Patterns of electrical brain activation in response to socially-disputed perceptual judgments
Zanesco, Julie, Tipura, Eda, Clément, Fabrice and Pegna, Alan J. (2019). Patterns of electrical brain activation in response to socially-disputed perceptual judgments. Neuroreport, 30 (17), 1205-1209. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000001343
2019
Journal Article
Learning to trust a face: the time course of brain activation during a money game
Pegna, Alan J., Framorando, David, Menetre, Eric and Yu, Zhou (2019). Learning to trust a face: the time course of brain activation during a money game. Neuroscience Letters, 712 134501, 134501. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134501
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Alan Pegna is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Role of the amygdala in rapid emotional face processing
Evidence has shown that the amygdala is responsible for the rapid detection of threat and emotion, however hard evidence is lacking to confirm this idea. This project will examine the electrical brain response to emotional stimuli in healthy individuals as well as patients who have undergone surgical removal of their amygdala (amygdalectomies). The aim will be to establish whether the amydgala indeed contributes to the rapid processing of the visual stimuli.
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Role of the amygdala in attentional capture of emotional stimuli
Evidence has shown that the amygdala is responsible for the rapid detection of threat and emotion. One question that arises is whether this process is a prequisite for attention shifting. This project will investigate the electrical coorelate of attention-shifting in healthy individuals as well as patients who have undergone surgical removal of their amygdala (amygdalectomies). The project aims to determine if amydgala removal affects the automatic shift of attetion towards threatening stimuli..
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Effects of personal space on face processing: an ERP and VR study
It has been known for some time that different brain regions process stimuli according to whether they are situated in near (peripersonal) or far (extrapersonal) space. Furthermore, evidence has demonstrated the existence of a personal spatial boundary that, when crossed by another individual, creates a sense of discomfort. Using ERP in conjunction with Virtual Reality, this project will examine the brain response to neutral and emotionally expressive faces, as well as trustworthy and untrustworthy faces, situated within or beyond personal space.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Effects of oxytocin on the temporal dynamics of emotion processing
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Examining Stress, and Cognitive-Affective Processing in Emotion Disorders
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Relationship Between Prediction and Attention in Response to Emotional Stimuli in the Human Brain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Derek Arnold
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Master Philosophy
Exploring links between Human Eating Disorder pathology and the visual perception of foods.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr James Kesby
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Doctor Philosophy
Do Fearful Faces Attract Spatial Attention under Different Conditions of Visual Awareness?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefanie Becker
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Doctor Philosophy
Attraction vs suppression. Comparing EEG and eye-tracking to disentangle the mechanisms of attention.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jess Taubert
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of the amygdala in primate social intelligence.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amanda Robinson, Professor Eric Vanman, Associate Professor Jess Taubert
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Doctor Philosophy
The sensory make-up of virtual environments and its role in the effective transfer of learning to real-world tasks
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Guy Wallis, Associate Professor Stefanie Becker, Associate Professor Philip Grove
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the importance of VSTM in visual attention vs target identification
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefanie Becker
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Doctor Philosophy
Effectiveness of Memory Rehabilitation Techniques in Improving Memory Function in Patients with Epilepsy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Haslam
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Role of the Amygdala in the Early Processing of Emotional Faces and Threat Related Stimuli
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jess Taubert
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Rapid Visual Processing of Looming Emotional Faces
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ada Kritikos
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Influence of Agency on Space Representation and Social Threat
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ada Kritikos
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Preterm Birth and its Impact on the Maturation of Executive Function
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sailesh Kumar, Dr Samudragupta Bora
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Alan Pegna directly for media enquiries about:
- awareness
- blindsight
- brain
- brain damage
- brain-behaviour relation
- cognition
- cognitive function
- electrophysiology
- emotion
- epilepsy
- face
- face blindness
- Neuropsychology
- object recognition
- prosopagnosia
- space
- stroke
- vision
- visual perception
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