MISS PEPITA ALEX

Biography

I am a PhD student in Psychology at the University of Aberdeen, supervised by Dr Anastasia Klimovich-Gray, Dr Agnieszka Konopka, Prof Ben Tatler, and Dr Julia Schwarz (BCBL; external).

My research is grounded in the predictive processing framework, exploring how predictive mechanisms underpin cognitive flexibility within a Bayesian brain perspective. In particular, my PhD focuses on how goals shape reading processes through developing a pipeline that combines EEG and eye-tracking during naturalistic reading.

I hold a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (2020-2023), where I also worked as a Research Assistant (2023-2024) and currently as an Affiliated Researcher (2024-present). I also hold an MRes in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen (2024-2025).

Affiliations:

NeuroCogSLab (University of Aberdeen)

Brain, Language and Bilingualism Lab (University of Cambridge)

Prizes and Awards

- ESRC-SGSSS Studentship Award (1+3.5), 2024-2029

- John Shepherd Prize for Best Thesis in the MRes Psychology, 2024-2025

- Anderson Prize for Highest Performance in the MRes Psychology, 2024-2025

Research Overview

My research is grounded in the predictive processing framework, exploring how predictive mechanisms underpin cognitive flexibility within a Bayesian brain perspective. My PhD focuses on how goals shape reading processes through developing a pipeline that combines EEG and eye-tracking during naturalistic reading.

Current Research

NeuroCogSLab

- Goal-oriented reading/speech processing: investigates how language processing at multiple levels (perceptual, lexico-semantic, syntactic) is shaped by the listener’s/reader's goals using EEG and naturalistic story listening/reading

- Conditioned delusions: using eye-tracking to explore how reading behaviour changes when bottom-up input conflicts with top-down expectations, and how readers balance this with updating their beliefs

- Ambiguous speech processing and AQ: examines how autistic traits correlate with vocoded speech perception, specifically testing how flexibly individuals use their priors

Brain, Language and Bilingualism Lab

- Auditory selective attention in bilinguals: examines how AoA shapes auditory selective attentional control during a dichotic listening task

- L2 learning in adolescents: exploring intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing L2 proficiency in adolescent learners

Past Research

Theron-Grimaldi, S., Schwarz, J., Alex, P., & Bozic, M. (2025). Language usage modulates the neural mechanisms of selective attention in bilinguals [Preprint]. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.26.690745

Bozic, M., Smolka, E., Alex, P., McManus, F., & Schwarz, J. (2025). UNDER-STANDING the effects of semantic transparency, affix position and task on the processing of complex German words. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 40(9), 1232–1251. https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2025.2522269

Teaching Responsibilities

L1 tutor: PS1011 (Introductory Psychology I: Methods And Applications)

L2 tutor: PS2017 (Advanced Psychology A - Concepts And Theory)

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

- Supervision/training of undergraduate RAs (EEG, eye-tracking) 

- Co-supervision of L4 undergraduate thesis (PI: Dr Agnieszka Konopka)