Neil McLean

BA, MA (Melbourne)

Lecturer

telephone   +61 8 6488 3580

email    neil@psy.uwa.edu.au

Research interests
A national program for the treatment of Fear of Flying provides the vehicle for a research program focusing on the nature and management of anxiety. Studies completed within this treatment and research program have focused on risk evaluation and anxiety, the role of heuristics in assessing risk, self schema change after treatment for anxiety, and the cognitive processes associated with high trait anxiety.

Related research focuses on the psychological factors influencing human performance and participation in sport and the performing arts. Thought processes which influence performance of professional athletes and musicians have been identified and intervention programs to address theses factors are under evaluation. Other research has focused on factors which inhibit people from adopting and maintaining exercise.

A second strand of research centres on the cognitive processes underlying disorders of appetite. Studies have looked at the social and intra-personal factors at the basis of eating disorders with a particular emphasis on eating problems in elite athletes. Other research has been directed to the development of programs designed to help people modify their alcohol consumption.