Dr Miriam Tresh

Dr Miriam Tresh is Assistant Professorial Lecturer and Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning) in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE. Her research focuses on how individuals’ social experiences are shaped and supported by social cognitive functions, which are grounded in the brain’s modality-specific networks.

Initially, Miriam explored these links amongst individuals with "impaired" social skills, using various experimental research techniques, including behavioural measures (accuracy and reaction time), eye-tracking and EEG/ERPs. Her PhD research focused more specifically on the embodied cognition of language comprehension and communication, before exploring how other aspects of social interaction are underpinned by cognitive functions (eg, language ability, imitation, executive functions).

More recently, Miriam's research interests have broadened to explore the influence of societal-level factors on social interaction and behaviour. She is particularly interested in the impact of broader social-political and economic dynamics, such as armed conflict, on behavioural outcomes. For instance, she has studied the impact of armed conflict in Libya on citizens’ perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of coping strategies (eg, coping self-efficacy and social support). Her current work continues to explore these themes.

Miriam holds a BSc in Psychology, an MSc in Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology, and a PhD in Cognitive Psychology, all from the University of Kent. She has extensive experience teaching psychology and research methods at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. At LSE, she teaches across a range of courses, including behavioural science, research methods, and biological and developmental psychology.

Expertise

Cognitive psychology; Experimental psychology; Social cognition