Performance and Exercise Psychophysiology Lab

Director: Matt Miller, Ph.D.

Research Focus: Uncover the bases of motor learning and performance to enhance learning and performance.

When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids running/hiking/enjoying the great outdoors, watching sports, and reading for pleasure.

Doctoral Student Alumni

JULIANA PARMA (SUMMER 2023)

Dissertation Title: “I made it! Effects of perceptions of success and enhanced expectancies on motor learning and its underlying mechanisms”

Initial Placement: Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA

DANIEL CABRAL (FALL 2022)

Dissertation Title: “The effects of implicit learning, practicing with the expectation of teaching, and anxiety training on moto performance under psychological pressure”

Initial Placement:  Post-doctoral Researcher, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA

MARIANE BACELAR (SUMMER 2022)

Dissertation Title: “What moves you? The role of enhanced expectations and reward processing in motor performance and learning”

Initial Placement: Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Boise State University, Boise, ID

JENCE RHOADS (SUMMER 2019)

Dissertation Title: “Distinguishing the effects of verbalizing a skill on performance and learning in novice and skilled populations”

Initial Placement: USA Team Handball

MARCOS DAOU (SUMMER 2018)

Dissertation Title: “The effects of practicing a motor skill with the expectation of teaching it: Benefits to skill learning, potential underlying mechanisms, and effects on skill performance under psychological pressure”

Initial Placement: Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Coastal Carolina University

FORD DYKE (SUMMER 2017)

Dissertation Title: “Trait mindfulness as a moderator of green exercise and attention.”

Initial Placement: Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Kinesiology, Auburn University.

KIRK GRAND (SUMMER 2016)

Dissertation Title: “Red or blue: Does the choice of hue influence the way you learn the things you do? A mechanistic account of the effects of incidental choice on motor learning”

Initial Placement: Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach as well as Adjunct Professor (Kinesiology), Auburn University

ANDREW THOMPSON (SUMMER 2016)

Dissertation Title: “The influence of dispositional mindfulness on state anxiety and motor choking under pressure”

Initial Placement: Post-doctoral researcher, Tufts University/U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center

PEP Lab Director and Doctoral Students in boldface.

Cabral, D. A. R., Parma, J. O., Morris, D. L., & Miller, M. W. (2024). Conquering pressure! The effects of mild anxiety-training on motor performance under pressure during early motor learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 50, 178 -192.

Bacelar, M. F. B., Parma, J. O., Murrah, W. M., & Miller, M. W. (2024). Meta-analyzing enhanced expectancies on motor learning: positive effects but methodological concerns. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 17(1), 587 - 616.  https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2022.2042839

Parma, J. O., Bacelar, M. F. B., Cabral, D. A. R., Recker, R. S., Orsholits, D., Renaud, O., Sander, D., Krigolson, O. E., & Miller, M. W., Cheval, B., & Boisgontier, M. P. (2023). Relationship between reward-related brain activity and opportunities to sit. Cortex, 167, 197 - 217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.011. 

Cabral, D. A. R., Daou, M., Bacelar, M. F. B., Parma, J. O., & Miller, M. W. (2023). Does learning a skill with the expectation of teaching it impair the skill’s execution under psychological pressure if the skill is learned with analogy instructions? Psychology of Sport and Exercise,66, 102323.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102323

Parma, J. O., Bacelar, M. F. B., Cabral, D. A. R., Lohse, K. R., Hodges, N. J., & Miller, M. W. (2023). That looks easy! Evidence against the benefits of an easier criterion of success for enhancing motor learning. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 66, 102394.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102394

Bacelar, M. F. B., Parma, J. O., Cabral, D. A., Daou, M., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2022). Dissociating the contributions of motivational and information processing factors to the self-controlled feedback learning benefit. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 59, 102119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102119

Cabral, D. A. R., Wilson, A. E., & Miller, M. W. (2022). The effect of implicit learning on motor performance under psychological pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology,11(3), 245-263. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000286

Cheval, B., Cabral, D. A. R., Daou, M., Bacelar, M. F. B., Parma, J. O., Forestier, C., Orsholits, D., Maltagliati, S., Sander, D., Boisgontier, M. P., & Miller, M. W. (2021). Inhibitory control elicited by physical activity and inactivity stimuli: An EEG study. Motivation Science, 7(4), 386–399. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000236

Miller, M. W., Bacelar, M. F. B., Feiss, R. S., Daou, M., Alderman, B. L., & Ekkekakis, P. (2020). P3b as an electroencephalographic index of automatic associations of exercise-related images. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 158, 114–122.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.10.004

Cheval, B., Daou, M., Cabral, D. A. R., Bacelar, M. F. B., Parma, J. O., Forestier, C., Orsholits, D., Sander, D., Boisgontier, M. P., & Miller, M. W. (2020). Higher inhibitory control is required to escape the innate attraction to effort minimization. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 51, 101781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101781

Bacelar, M. F. B., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2020). The effect of rewards and punishments on learning action selection and execution components of a motor skill. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 8, 475–496.  https://doi.org/10.1123/jmld.2019-0039

Lohse, K. R., Miller, M. W., Daou, M., Valerius, W., & Jones, M. (2020). Dissociating the contributions of reward-prediction errors to trial-level adaptation and long-term learning. Biological Psychology, 149. https://doi.org/10.1016./j.biopsycho.2019.107775

Cheval, B., Boisgontier, M. P., Bacelar, M. F. B., Feiss, R., & Miller, M. W. (2019). Opportunities to sit and stand trigger equivalent reward-related brain activity. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 141, 9 – 17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.04.009

Daou, M., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2018). Does practicing a skill with the expectation of teaching alter motor preparatory cortical dynamics? International Journal of Psychophysiology, 127, 1-10.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.02.013

Daou, M., Rhoads, J. A. , Jacobs, T., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2019). Does limiting pre-movement time during practice eliminate the benefit of practicing while expecting to teach?  Human Movement Science, 64, 153–163.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2018.11.017

Daou, M., Sassi, J. M., Miller, M. W., & Gonzalez, A. M. (2019). Effects of a multi-ingredient energy supplement on cognitive performance and cerebral-cortical activation. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 16(2), 129-140.  https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2018.1440686

Rhoads, J. A., Daou, M., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W.  (2019). The effects of expecting to teach and actually teaching on motor learning. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 7(1), 84–105.  https://doi.org/10.1123/jmld.2017-0052

Daou, M., Hutchison, Z., Bacelar, M., Rhoads, J. A., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2019). Learning a skill with the expectation of teaching it impairs the skill’s execution under psychological pressure. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 25(2), 219–229.  https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000191

Grand, K. F., Daou, M., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2017). Investigating the mechanisms of an incidental choice on motor learning. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 5(2), 207–226.  https://doi.org/10.1123/jmld.2016-0041

Daou, M., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2017). To take the stairs or not to take the stairs? Employing the Reflective-Impulsive Model to predict spontaneous physical activity. Sports, 5(4), 75.  https//doi.org/10.3390/sports5040075

Daou, M., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2016).  Expecting to teach enhances motor learning and information processing during practice. Human Movement Science, 49, 336-345.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2016.08.009

Meadows, C. C., Gable, P. A., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2016). Motivation and motor cortical activity can independently affect motor performance. Neuroscience, 339, 174-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.09.049

Iso-Ahola, S. E., Dotson, C. O., Clark, L. L., Jagodinksy, A. E., Smallwood, L. L., Wilburn, C., Weimar, W. H., & Miller, M. W. (2016). Improving performance by anchoring movement and “nerves”. Human Movement Science, 49, 239-247.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2016.07.008

Iso-Ahola, S. E., & Miller, M. W. Contextual priming of a complex behavior: Exercise. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 3(3), 258-269.  https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000078

Meadows, C. C., Gable, P. A., Lohse, K. L., & Miller, M. W. (2016). The effects of reward magnitude on reward processing: An averaged and single trial event-related potential study. Biological Psychology, 118, 154-160.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.06.002

Daou, M., Buchanan, T. L., Lindsey, K. R., Lohse, K. R., & Miller, M. W. (2016). Expecting to teach enhances learning: Evidence from a motor learning paradigm. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 4, 197-207.  https://doi.org/10.1123.jmld.2015-0036

Leiker, A. M., Miller, M. W., Brewer, L. E., Nelson, M., & Lohse, K. R. (2016). The relationship between engagement and neurophysiological measures of attention in motion-controlled video games: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research: Serious Games, 4(1), e4. https://doi.org/10.2196/games.5460

Grand, K. F., Bruzi, A. T., Dyke, F. B., Godwin, M. M., Leiker, A. M., Thompson, A. G., Buchanan, T. B., & Miller, M. W. (2015). Why self-controlled feedback enhances motor learning: Answers from electroencephalography and indices of motivation. Human Movement Science, 43, 23-32.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2015.06.013

Dyke, F. B., Leiker, A. M., Grand, K. F., Godwin, M. M., Thompson, A. G., Rietschel, J. C., McDonald, C. G., & Miller, M. W.  (2015). The efficacy of auditory probes in indexing cognitive workload is dependent on stimulus complexity.  International Journal of Psychophysiology, 95(1), 56-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.12.008

Dyke, F., Godwin, M. M., Goel, P., Rehm, J., Rietschel, J. C., Hunt, C. A., & Miller, M. W. (2014).  Cerebral cortical activity  associated with nonexperts’ most accurate motor performance. Human Movement Science, 37, 21-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2014.06.008

Miller, M. W., Pressaco, A., Groman, L. J., Bur, S., Rietschel, J. C., Gentili, R. J., McDonald, C. G., Iso-Ahola, S. E., & Hatfield, B. D. (2014). The effects of team environment on cerebral cortical processes and attentional reserve. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 3(1), 61-74. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000001

Palmer, K. K., Miller, M. W., & Robinson, L. E. (2013).  Acute exercise enhances preschoolers’ ability to ability to sustain attention. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 35(4), 433-437.  https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.35.4.433

Miller, M. W., Groman, L. J., Rietschel, J. C., McDonald, C. G., Iso-Ahola, S. E., & Hatfield, B. D. (2013).  The effects of team environment on attentional resource allocation and cognitive workload. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 2(2), 77-89.  https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030586

Rietschel, J. C., Miller, M. W., Gentili, R. J., Goodman, R. N., McDonald, C. G., & Hatfield, B. D. (2012).  Cerebral-cortical networking and activation increase as a function of task difficulty. Biological Psychology, 90(2), 127-133.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2012.02.022

Miller, M. W., Rietschel, J. C., McDonald, C. G., & Hatfield, B. D. (2011).  A novel approach to the physiological measurement of mental workload. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 80(1), 75-78.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2011.02.003

SEE MORE PUBLICATIONS CO-AUTHORED BY THE PEP LAB>

• Much of our data is available under the same ResearchGate profile as our publications. If you are interested in data that is not on ResearchGate, please email Matt Miller, Ph.D..
• Most of our newer work (pre-registrations, experimental materials, data, and pre-prints) is available on Open Science Framework..
• Our older pre-registrations can be found on Aspredicted.org.