Sara Garofalo

About

I am an Associate Professor of Psychometrics, with specific expertise in neurophysiological measures and Cognitive Neuroscience. I use advanced statistical approaches - such as Bayesian models, estimation, informative hypothesis, meta-analysis, multiverse analyses, and computational models - to investigate the human brain and behavior. My research mainly focuses on how external reward-associated cues influence decision-making and modulate neural activity in healthy and unhealthy participants. I am head of the “NeuroMetrics” research group, an interdisciplinary group which stems from a bridge between psychometrics and neuroscience, aiming to develop a unified framework for understanding, modelling, and measuring human cognition and behaviour.
I think that many other activities beyond research are a crucial part of scientific development. Most importantly, I believe in the importance of public awareness of science, to which I contribute with books, articles, media content, and outreach activities. Within the academic world, I am quite active in mentoring students, lab management, peer-reviewing for international journals, and contributing to international conferences as both organizer and speaker.
In line with my mission to foster Open Science and Best Research Practices, I'm proud to serve as Editor for Collabra Psychology, PCI Registered Reports, and PCI Neuro.

Employment

• University of Bologna
  2018 - Present
• Giunti Psychometrics Researcher
  2018 - 2018
• IRCCS Neuromed Post-doctoral researcher
  2017 - 2018
• Università degli studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli Dipartimento di Psicologia Assistant Professor (non tenure track)
  2016 - 2018
• University of Cambridge Research Associate
  2015 - 2015

Education

• University of Bologna Joint International PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience
  2012 - 2016
• Università degli studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli Dipartimento di Psicologia Master and Bachelor Degree
  2006 - 2011

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (25)

• Bayesian networks to evaluate and test the Raven's colored progressive matrices
  Intelligence 2025 DOI: 10.1016/J.INTELL.2025.101964
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• PsycAssist: A Web-Based Artificial Intelligence System Designed for Adaptive Neuropsychological Assessment and Training
  Brain Sciences 2024 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020122
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• Unifying Evidence on Delay Discounting: Open Task, Analysis Tutorial, and Normative Data from an Italian Sample
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042049
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• Visuo-motor integration, vision perception and attention in mTBI patients. Preliminary findings
  PLOS ONE 2021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250598
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• Modulation of cue-guided choices by transcranial direct current stimulation
  Cortex 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.01.004
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• Cognitive Functions in Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
  Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Neuropsychiatric Disorders 2021 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-76136-3_26
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• ALTERED SUBCORTICAL EMOTIONAL SALIENCE PROCESSING AND A 'JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS' BIAS IN PARKINSON'S PATIENTS WITH PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS
  Schizophrenia Bulletin 2020
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• Using Two-Step Cluster Analysis and Latent Class Cluster Analysis to Classify the Cognitive Heterogeneity of Cross-Diagnostic Psychiatric Inpatients
  Frontiers in Psychology 2020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01085
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• State-Dependent TMS over Prefrontal Cortex Disrupts Fear-Memory Reconsolidation and Prevents the Return of Fear
  Current Biology 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.091
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• Preliminary Validation of the CI-FRA Checklist: A Simple Screening Tool for Measuring the Early Signs of Reading and Spelling Disorders in Italian Primary Students
  Frontiers in Psychology 2020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.516424
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