Megan St. Peters

My research interests loosely center around the physiological basis of thoughts and behaviors. For instance, I examine the impact of stress and anxiety on memory and attention along with the potential benefits of biofeedback (e.g., HRV, respiration, temperature, EEG), and how/why this varies from person to person. I’m also interested in examining the biological correlates of individual factors (e.g., grit, motivation, unconscious bias, sleep quality, and sleep duration) and relationships to performance and life satisfaction. A third area of interest is in the neurological basis of perceptions (e.g., social interactions, teaching methods, marketing).

Here are a few student-led projects I’ve directed over the years:

• Impact of nostalgia on loneliness during COVID

• Timing of workouts on sleep quality and quantity

• Sleep deprivation and memory, attention, and reaction time

• Effects of neurofeedback on cognition in college students

• Relationship between extraversion and cortisol levels when giving an oral presentation

• Effects of adventure therapy on anxiety and mood in college students