PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

DR. DEANA VITRANO, PHD

I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Western New England University. I received my Ph.D. and M.A. in Cognitive Psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY, my M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Saint Joseph’s University, and my B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology from Dickinson College. My research interests focus mainly on learning and memory, including the testing effect, test-potentiated learning, and false memory formation. Additionally, I conduct research on the psychology of creativity, examining how creative thinking relates to the ability to produce word associations. When I'm not conducting research or teaching, you can often find me baking sourdough bread, doing a variety of arts and crafts, obsessing over my dog (see pictures below), and spending time with friends and family.

Research Gate

Google Scholar

STUDENT MEMBERS

Natalie Bruneau

I am currently a Senior Psychology major with a minor in Neuroscience at Western New England University. My research interests include the various aspects of cognition such as attention, memory, decision-making, and motivation. Outside of research, I work as a Behavior Technician and enjoy exploring how cognitive and neuroscientific principles apply to real world behavior.

Ciara Carey

My name is Ciara, and I am pursuing a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice, along with a minor in Forensic Science. I am from the small town of Carver, Massachusetts, and chose to continue my education at Western New England University, where I am currently a Junior. On top of serving as a Research Assistant in psychology, I am also a peer tutor who helps students struggling with understanding topics. While I love psychology altogether, my special interests include individual behavior, human interaction, and relationships. As for outside of the classroom, I am the President of the Ski Club here on campus!

Matt Hutchings

Shea McDaniel

My name is Shea McDaniel, and I am currently a Senior Psychology major, B.S, with a minor in education. I am originally from Seymour, Connecticut, and I am completing my undergraduate degree at Western New England University. In addition to being a research assistant, I am also a member of the softball team at WNE, a student ambassador, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Captains' Council, a Crisis Text Line volunteer, and a Fall 2025 intern at Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital. My research interest includes cognitive psychology, more specifically, memory and perception. I also have an interest in Clinical Psychology.

Kyle Poccia

I am currently a Junior Psychology student at Western New England University and the captain of the tennis team. Having lived my entire life in the small town of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, I graduated from East Greenwich High School before beginning my undergraduate studies at WNE. My research interests lie in the realm of cognitive psychology, particularly with a focus on memory and perception.

Emily-Jane Sullivan

I am from Wilbraham, MA and currently a senior psychology major at Western New England University pursuing my undergraduate degree. In addition to being a research assistant, I also work in the psychology department on campus, I am the secretary for the Psych Club E-Board, and I work part-time at Big Y in the Bakery Department. Some of my research interests include cognitive psychology, creativity, and human behavior.

COLLABORATORS

STEPHANIE CROCCO, PHD

Dr. Stephanie Crocco is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Skidmore College.

Dr. Crocco's Cognition Lab

JEANETTE ALTARRIBA, PHD

Dr. Jeanette Altarriba is the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University at Albany, SUNY. She is also the Director of the Cognition and Language Laboratory at the University at Albany, SUNY.

Cognition & Language Lab

DENIZ LEBLEBICI-BASAR, PHD

Dr. Deniz Leblebici-Basar is an Assistant Professor in the Industrial Product Design Department at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Istanbul, Turkey.

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