Zoë Senior

I am a master’s student in Theoretical and Experimental Psychology at Ghent University, completing my internship at the GHEP lab from September 2025 to March 2026. My main interests lie in supporting clinical populations through research, with a particular focus on neuroimaging and neurostimulation techniques. During my internship, I will work with EEG as well as methods such as transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

My research investigates the potential of tVNS as a treatment for depression in older adults (65+). The study focuses on behavioral outcomes (such as accuracy and reaction time) on a visual oddball task as a measure of attention. This internship gives me the chance to deepen my neuroscience expertise while contributing to work with real clinical relevance..

In contrast to the neuro-focused nature of my internship, my master’s thesis explores a social-psychological topic: how experiences of social exclusion or ostracism influence belief in conspiracy theories. This work examines the role of social experiences in shaping how individuals form beliefs.