Sara Bengtsson is a cognitive neuroscientist, and joined the school of Psychology as a senior lecturer in 2017. She has an MSc in Chemistry from Lund University (2000) and a PhD in Brain Imaging from Karolinska Institutet (2005). After obtaining her PhD, Sara worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL. She then joined Karolinska Institutet as an assistant professor in 2010. Her research interests include error monitoring, working memory, motivation, and social cognition.

Indicative Publications

Schiffler, B. C., Almeida, R., Granqvist, M., & Bengtsson, S. L. Memory-reliant post-error slowing is associated with successful learning and fronto-occipital activity. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 28.10 (2016):1539-52.

Appelgren, A., Penny, W., & Bengtsson, S. L. Impact of feedback on three phases of performance monitoring. Experimental psychology. 61.3 (2014):224-33.

Bengtsson, S. L., Dolan, R. J., & Passingham, R. E. Priming for self-esteem influences the monitoring of one’s own performance. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience 6.4 (2010): 417-425.

Bengtsson, S. L., Lau, H. C., & Passingham, R. E. Motivation to do well enhances responses to errors and self-monitoring. Cerebral Cortex 19.4 (2008): 797-804.

Lecturer PSY-5017B: Cognitive Psychology (2nd Year)
Project Supervisor:  Research Project (3rd Year)

I welcome Y3, Master, intern, PhD students who are interested in the following, or related topics;

role of motivation, confidence, self-image, feedback, or motor actions on learning and cognitive performance. Studies are typically lab-based behavioural and/or brain imaging experiments.

PhD Supervisor

Current PhD students:

Mr Andreas Lidström, UEA

Former PhD students:

Dr Björn Schiffler, Karolinska Institutet

Dr Alva Appelgren, Karolinska Institutet

Dr Pär Flodin, Karolinska Institutet (co-supervisor)

PGT and PGR Admissions

Sara Bengtsson is affiliated to the Neurophysiology Unit, Dept Clin Neurosci, Karolinska Institutet