Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychological disorders experienced, often emerging in adolescence and are more commonly reported in women than in men. For my doctoral research I am investigating both sex and developmental differences in how animal models of anxiety respond in common tests of anxiety-like behaviour. I also have an interest in the role that gonadal hormones, such as estrogen, have to play in affecting such behaviours.

Further to this, I am also interested in taking a more cognitive approach to measuring 'emotional' concepts in animals, using interpretive bias as a bivalent and less ambiguous measure of 'emotion' than movements around a novel, stressful environment. Such test may prove to be useful in a preclinical context, as well making positive contributions to animal welfare. I am also interested in the development of interpretive bias in humans, specifically relating to anxiety, considering the differences between what human and animal methodologies may actually measure or model.

I am supervised by Dr Gillian Brown, with secondary supervision from Dr Barbara Dritschel. I am funded by a studentship from the School of Psychology.