50 Applications: PSYC100 Alumni in Cognitive Psychology
By Effie J. Pereira, Riley J.T. Bonar, and Meghan E. Norris
Cognitive science can be applied in many ways. A current “hot” topic is the application of cognitive science, and psychology more broadly, to the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Psychology is a discipline that includes the science of learning, memory, language, user experience, relationships, ethics, cross-cultural considerations, bias, judgement and decision making, and more! Psychological scientists are also well trained in research, data management and analysis. It should be no surprise that psychologists are at the forefront of this emerging field.
Further demonstrating the importance of psychological science for AI, the Canadian Psychological Association published a briefing paper on Artificial Intelligence and Psychology in 2024, hosted a dedicated satellite conference on AI-related topics in 2025 in collaboration with the University of British Columbia, and recently published a formal policy statement on Artificial Intelligence in Psychology (2026). We share the policy statement with you below for your easy reference:
“The Canadian Psychological Association supports the careful and informed use of new and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance the research, practice, and training of psychology in Canada. All psychologists, regardless of occupational context or present role, must ensure that the adoption of any new technology is done in accordance with ethical principles, values, and standards that prioritize the protection of the public and protect against the misuse of psychological knowledge. The Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists outlines minimum ethical principles that should be considered, but responsible and effective use of AI requires that psychologists go beyond this minimum prescription. This requires a commitment to remain informed about the technologies that they are using so that they may be attentive to its risks and can act in such a way as to minimize these risks wherever possible. The presence and use of AI is becoming ubiquitous across a variety of settings; in situations where AI influences, or makes, decisions affecting people’s access to care, safety, or rights, psychologists must ensure human judgment remains primary and aligns with human-rights principles, which includes ensuring that disproportionate harms to racialized and minority groups are avoided.”
AI is of course only one area where you will find cognitive psychology. As we continue learning about topics related to cognitive psychology, we are excited to share the journey of a PSYC100 alumnus with you who is currently leading discovery in the field of cognitive science!
Introducing, Dr. Effie J. Pereira!
Dr. Effie J. Pereira is an Assistant Professor here at Queen’s University, who graduated from Queen’s in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology! For the longest time, Effie never really saw herself in academia. Effie’s intersectionality as a woman, an immigrant, a first-generation scholar, a member of a visible minority group, and a member of the queer community, always made her feel like an ‘outsider’, because growing up, Effie never saw scholars who looked like her or sounded like her. And so, Effie kept taking classes that interested her even though she didn’t really know where it was going to lead to. Specifically, Effie would continue to learn more about statistics (even though it wasn’t always easy) and discovering more research about why we as humans can do the cool things we do. Effie says that she was really lucky to have some great mentors early on, who showed her that even if she felt like she didn’t belong, and that if she wanted to keep being here, that Effie could carve out a space for her where she felt like she fit. And this was really key to Effie’s pursuit of a career in academia – knowing that if we keep pushing against the systemic barriers and structural inequities that make us feel othered, that we can hold space for those who come after us so that they get to see themselves thriving within academia.
A typical day in the life of Effie as an academic is anything but typical. There are always deadlines that pop up or meetings that run late or equipment that breaks down or grading that takes longer than expected, which can sometimes make the job feel chaotic or feel exciting. But across any “random” workday, Effie usually likes starting early at 7am (despite having been a night owl her entire life) since she really enjoys the peace and quiet while she catches up on emails. On days when Effie teaches, she usually spends some time reading over materials or prepping her notes for discussion points before giving a 1½ – 2hr lecture or facilitating a 3hr seminar discussion. On days when Effie doesn’t teach, she uses her mornings for dedicated work time, where she can spend a few hours writing a paper or programming some data analysis. Effie’s afternoons are then spent with members of her research team, the Queen’s Attentional Dynamics Lab, where they have one-on-one or group meetings to talk about research ideas, study design, data collection progress, or just chat about questions they have about life in academia. Effie admits to being highly biased here, but she believes her research team is the best and that being able to spend time co-creating their work and thinking up fun new projects is usually the highlight of her day. To wrap, Effie usually ends all her workdays by scratching off what she has completed for the day to feel accomplished about her work. Effie then prepares her to-do list and blocking off time in her calendar for the day or week after. Effie is a big scheduler, so spending the last part of her day by offloading her work onto paper and into her calendar helps her feel like she has a handle on whatever comes next.
By taking PSYC 100, you join a vast community that contains members who have graduated and had a variety of experiences! We caught up with Effie and asked what her favourite memory from PSYC 100 was. Effie told us that back when she took the course in 2004, she was in “super psyc,” where herself and friends would walk all the way over to West Campus every Wednesday evening for a 3hr lecture. As much as she remembers, her favourite lecture topics were in social and cognitive psychology, and hearing about patient case studies like H.M. Effie’s favourite memories come from her journey in just getting to PSYC100 each week, as it was such a fun bonding activity with friends!
Effie also offered some advice about careers to students currently taking PSYC 100 and she recommends talking to your professors and TAs, as most would be thrilled to chat about how they got here, what excites them about their work, and what their day-to-day involves! This often puts into perspective that science is never about just a single individual – it’s a continuation of the knowledge and ideas that have existed for thousands of years and one that has been shaped by countless people and cultures and civilization all around the globe. And understanding this gives you a better sense of how you want to exist in this space to help build the knowledge that will continue to live in our world!
References:
Canadian Psychological Association (2026). Policy Statement on Artificial Intelligence In Psychology. https://cpa.ca/aboutcpa/policystatements/#AI
Sandford, A., Mulligan, B., Gittens, E., Norris, M. E., Fernandes, M. (2024). Briefing Note: Artificial Intelligence and Psychology. Canadian Psychological Association. https://cpa.ca/docs/File/CPD/Artificial%20Intelligence%20and%20Psychology%20EN%202024.pdf
University of British Columbia Department of Psychology (2025, October 21). Inside the CPA’s first satellite conference on AI in psychology. University of British Columbia, Department of Psychology. https://psych.ubc.ca/news/cpa-satellite-conference-ai/
How to cite this resource:
Pereira, E.J., Bonar, R.J.T., & Norris, M.E. (2026). Applications: PSYC100 Alumni in Artificial Intelligence. In PSYC 100: Principles of psychology. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/testbookje/chapter/applications-psyc100-alumni-in-artificial-intelligence/
