About Dr Laura Sexton
I completed a BSc in Psychology at the University of Manchester in 2008, followed by an MSc in Health Psychology in 2015, and a PhD in Cognitive Psychology in 2022, both from Teesside University. I joined the University of Sunderland as a Lecturer in January 2023.
My research focuses on face perception and recognition. My PhD used eye-tracking and behavioural methods to explore the impact of biological motion on face recognition in both typical perceivers and individuals with developmental prosopagnosia, a common disorder of face recognition. My more recent research focuses on how facial ageing impacts identity judgments, and examines the impact of gastrointestinal conditions on face and emotion recognition.
Teaching and supervision
I am module leader for the following undergraduate and postgraduate modules:
- PSYC202: Human Development and Cognition: Developmental, Cognitive and Quantitative Psychology
- PSYM114: Understanding Growth and Change: Developmental Psychology
- PSYM115: Ordinary and Extraordinary Minds: Cognitive Psychology
I also teach on the following modules:
- PSYC101: Mind and Social World
- PSYM111: Brain and Behaviour: Biological Psychology
- PSYM118: Research Project
I am also Deputy Programme Leader for the undergraduate psychology programme
Interests
I would be interested in supervising projects in any aspect of face perception and recognition. In particular, I am interested in examining the effect of ageing on face recognition, and the development of expertise in face perception.
Research
I am primarily interested in face perception and recognition.
My PhD research examined the facilitative effect of motion during face recognition in typical recognisers and individuals with Developmental Prosopagnosia. More recently, my research has focused on examining the impact of facial ageing on face perception in typical recognisers, super-recognisers, and forensic facial examiners.