Unlocking Cognitive Flexibility with the Stroop Task: A Workshop with Dr. Jackie Berry

I had the privilege of attending the Cognitive Psychology Research Basics Workshop part 2 led by Dr. Jacquelyn H. Berry, Ph.D. at The American University in Cairo (AUC). Hosted at Egypt’s first Experimental Psychology Lab—GameChanger Research Solutions, this event provided hands-on training in key cognitive research tools, including the Stroop Task. Dr. Jackie, a cognitive scientist, Fulbright Scholar, and best-selling author, has been at the forefront of pioneering research in learning, human-computer interaction, and cognitive psychology.

Dr. Jackie is not only the co-founder of Artificial Intelligence for Afrika, but she is also an Assistant Professor of Psychology at AUC. Her impressive background includes being the first POC to earn a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from SUNY Albany. Dr. Jackie’s mission is to improve how people engage with science and technology, regardless of language or educational background.

The Stroop Task was a central part of our training, offering insight into selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and processing speed. In this task, participants are asked to identify the ink color of words that often conflict with the written word itself (for example, the word "blue" written in red ink). The challenge lies in ignoring the automatic tendency to read the word, thus measuring how our brain processes competing information. This exercise has broad applications in diagnosing attention disorders and understanding cognitive processes.

With the help of Salma Magdi Elhabashi, who translated the sessions, Dr. Jackie made the material accessible to over 50 trainees, including students from fields as diverse as psychology, psychiatry, and even computer engineering. Participants from universities such as AUC, Ain Shams University, and Cairo University benefited greatly from the workshop. I can confidently say that my experience in this workshop was both enlightening and transformative.

Dr. Jackie's workshop was a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience with cognitive tasks that are critical in research. I am deeply grateful for the chance to learn directly from such an accomplished figure and would highly recommend anyone interested in cognitive psychology to explore Dr. Jackie's future workshops.

To learn more about Dr. Jackie Berry and her groundbreaking work, visit www.jacquelynhberry.com.

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