Associate Professor Alan Pegna
Associate Professor

Alan Pegna

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+61 7 336 56412

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

Cognitive and computational psychology Psychology

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Geneva

Search Professor Alan Pegna’s works on UQ eSpace

175 works between 1986 and 2024
All (175) Journal Article (145) Conference Publication (30)

21 - 40 of 175 works

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

Effect of social comparison on effort-related cardiovascular measures

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

Hierarchical status is rapidly assessed from behaviourally dominant faces

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

Seeing in my way or your way: impact of intelligence, attention, and empathy on brain reactivity

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

Patterns of multiple brain network activation in dot perspective task

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

Attentional capture by fearful faces requires consciousness and is modulated by task-relevancy: a dot-probe EEG study

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

Event-related potentials index prediction error signalling during perceptual processing of emotional facial expressions

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

Measures of subjective memory for people with epilepsy: a systematic review of measurement properties

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

Up close and emotional: electrophysiological dynamics of approaching angry faces

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

Neural processing of lateralised task-irrelevant fearful faces under different awareness conditions

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

Am I really seeing what's around me? An ERP study on social anxiety under speech induction, uncertainty and social feedback

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

Attention and prediction modulations in expected and unexpected visuospatial trajectories

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

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on effort during a working-memory task

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

Attention is prioritised for proximate and approaching fearful faces

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

Early sensitivity of evoked potentials to surface and volumetric structure during the visual perception of three-dimensional object shape

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

Where the rubber meets the road in visual perception: High temporal-precision brain signals to top-down and bottom-up influences on perceptual resolution

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

Waist-to-hip ratio affects female body attractiveness and modulates early brain responses

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

Interindividual differences in brain dynamics of early visual processes: impact on score accuracy in the mental rotation task

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

Attention shifting and subliminal cueing under high attentional load: an EEG study using emotional faces

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

Patterns of electrical brain activation in response to socially-disputed perceptual judgments

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

Learning to trust a face: the time course of brain activation during a money game

Past funding

  • 2016
    A brain physiology laboratory for neuropsychological research in the new Queensland Neuropsychology Research Centre
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Alan Pegna is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • 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.

  • 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..

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Effects of oxytocin on the temporal dynamics of emotion processing

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Examining Stress, and Cognitive-Affective Processing in Emotion Disorders

    Principal Advisor

  • 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

  • Master Philosophy

    Exploring links between Human Eating Disorder pathology and the visual perception of foods.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr James Kesby

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Do Fearful Faces Attract Spatial Attention under Different Conditions of Visual Awareness?

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefanie Becker

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Attraction vs suppression. Comparing EEG and eye-tracking to disentangle the mechanisms of attention.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Jess Taubert

  • 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

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigating the importance of VSTM in visual attention vs target identification

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefanie Becker

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Effectiveness of Memory Rehabilitation Techniques in Improving Memory Function in Patients with Epilepsy

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Catherine Haslam

Completed supervision

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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