PhD (Southern Cross University), BPsych (Southern Cross University) Dr Leigh D. Grant is a Lecturer in Psychology at Charles Sturt University. He completed a Bachelor of Psychology with First Class Honours at Southern Cross University, followed by a PhD examining cognitive biases in gambling. His work is grounded in experimental cognitive psychology and reflects a sustained interest in how thinking processes shape behaviour and wellbeing. He has collaborated on research with populations experiencing high and complex needs, including participants within the National Disability Insurance Scheme, US veterans with PTSD, and clients of NSW Health Gambling, and Drugs and Alcohol Services. His academic focus integrates cognitive science with applied questions about vulnerability and flourishing. Across teaching and research, he maintains a commitment to scientific rigour and to helping students and the broader community distinguish robust psychological evidence from pseudoscientific claims. Leigh teaches across core areas of psychology: Biopsychology, Personality, Addiction, Learning and Cognition, and Advanced Research Methods and Statistics. His teaching emphasises conceptual clarity, methodological precision, and the disciplined evaluation of evidence. He places particular importance on science-based reasoning, a framework that extends beyond the evidence-based approach to incorporate prior plausibility and theoretical coherence when evaluating claims. Students in his subjects engage with ideas that sharpen their understanding of the distinction between science and pseudoscience in psychology, while developing their skills in evaluating psychological claims with scientific skepticism and intellectual care. Leigh's research sits at the intersection of experimental cognitive psychology, metacognition, and positive psychology. He investigates how people monitor and regulate their own thinking, and how these metacognitive processes shape wellbeing and flourishing. His current projects examine metacognitive monitoring and control in positive contexts, including savouring, gratitude, and sustained engagement, with particular attention to their roles in resilience, purpose, and happiness. His earlier work on cognitive biases in gambling continues to inform a broader interest in how distortions in thinking contribute to maladaptive behaviour. Leigh is currently leading laboratory-based research examining the neural correlates and psychophysiological markers linked with metacognitive processes that underpin wellbeing. This work aims to clarify the metacognitive mechanisms that support adaptive functioning across both vulnerable and thriving populations..
Professors and Lecturers4546646
Dr Leigh Grant
Lecturer
Port Macquarie
Building 802 Room 2154
Teaching
Research