BSc, BSc Honours, PhD (Canterbury [Psychology]), MD (Shaikh Zayed)
Lecturer
I serve as a lecturer in the Religion Programme | Mātai Wairuataka, where I teach the Psychology of Religion, Religion and Human Behaviour, and the Scientific Study of Religion.
My research explores how religious beliefs and practices shape human cognition, behaviour, and social dynamics. I employ a mix of quantitative, qualitative, and experimental (behavioural and neuroscientific) methods, with a particular interest in the psychology of religious experiences and how contemplative and ritual practices influence wellbeing, resilience, and human flourishing.
As the Principal Investigator of the Muslim Diversity Study, I lead research examining the impact of religion on social attitudes, values, and flourishing within Muslim communities in Aotearoa New Zealand, drawing comparisons with other religious groups. My work in this area includes a collaborative role in the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, a 20-year longitudinal quantitative panel study of adult New Zealanders.
View the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study
I have published scientific articles on Islamophobia and shifting attitudes towards Muslims in recent years.
I hold a PhD in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, with my doctoral research focusing on memory suppression and utilising brainwave (EEG/ERP) data to investigate the possession of concealed criminal knowledge. My broader research interests include contemplative neuroscience, examining the neural correlates of rituals, meditation, and other contemplative practices.
I am passionate about advancing open science, addressing questionable research practices, and promoting ethical publishing standards in science. To this end, I actively use and advocate for open science tools like GitHub and OSF. I code primarily in R using Quarto, with experience in Matlab and Python. Additionally, I am eager to explore the applications of generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Copilot, in academic research.
My lifelong dedication lies in conducting rigorous, impactful science, and nurturing a greater understanding between scientific and religious communities.
Grants and awards
- Templeton Religion Trust Research Grant (2023)
- Georgina Carvell Memorial Prize (2022)
Publications
Afzali, M. U., Jones, R. D., Seren-Grace, A. P., Palmer, R. W., Makarious, D., Rodrigues, M. N. B., & Neumann, E. (2023). Classification accuracy of the ERP-based Brain Fingerprinting and its robustness to direct-suppression and thought-substitution countermeasures. Applied Cognitive Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/acp.4050 Journal - Research Article
Afzali, M. U., Seren-Grace, A. P., Palmer, R. W., Neumann, E., Makarious, S., Wilson, D., & Jones, R. D. (2022). Detection of concealed knowledge via the ERP-based technique Brain Fingerprinting: Real-life and real-crime incidents. Psychophysiology, 59, e14110. doi: 10.1111/psyp.14110 Journal - Research Article
Rucklidge, J. J., Afzali, M. U., Kaplan, B. J., Bhattacharya, O., Blampied, F. M., Mulder, R. T., & Blampied, N. M. (2021). Massacre, earthquake, flood: Translational science evidence that the use of micronutrients postdisaster reduces the risk of post-traumatic stress in survivors of disasters. International Perspectives in Psychology, 10(1), 39-54. doi: 10.1027/2157-3891/a000003 Journal - Research Article
Blampied, N. M., Mulder, R. T., Afzali, M. U., Bhattacharya, O., Blampied, M. F., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2020). Disasters, policies and micronutrients: The intersect among ethics, evidence and effective action. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1508), 8-11. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal Journal - Research Other