Research Interests
Computer Perception, Memory and Attention Computer-Human Interaction Experimental Psychology Forensic Psychology General Psychology & Cognitive Sciences Human Factors Psychology Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Sensory Processes, Perception and Performance Vision Science Neuroscience, Behaviour and Brain HealthDr Daniel Carragher
Lecturer
School of Psychology
College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I am a Lecturer and Research Fellow in the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide, where I study face perception and identification. I'm interested in how we recognise faces, their emotional expressions, make first impressions from facial appearance. My current research investigates how humans perform identity matching tasks, including with assistance from facial recognition technologies. With my background in cognitive and experimental psychology, I have broad interests in visuospatial attention, ensemble coding, memory, and decision-making.
My recent research interests centre around how we identify human faces. That is, if we are shown two faces, how are we able to tell whether they show the same person or two different people? This type of face matching task is surprisingly common in the real world, yet the average person is somewhat error prone when making these decisions. Recently, I have been investigating how humans perform these face matching tasks when assisted by facial recognition technology. I have also led a number of projects about how COVID-19 face masks affect the face identification accuracy of both humans and algorithms. My previous research has also included studying the first impressions we make from facial appearance, how we process complex visual scenes, and asymmetries in visuospatial attention.
Student Projects 2026
I'll likely be offering several honours projects in 2026 that revolve around human performance on one-to-one face matching tasks when assisted by (simulated) facial recognition technologies. These tasks are common in every day life, such as when you are asked to show photo ID (e.g., a driver's licence) at a store or when travelling through airports. Yet humans often struggle to decide whether photo ID matches the person presenting it for inspection! In some situations, humans may be asked to evaluate decisions from facial recognition technology. But what do we do when we disagree with the output from this technology? Do we change our mind, or overturn the decision from the system? My recent research has been investigating these types of questions. You can find links to my most recent work in this area through the link to Google Scholar on my profile (below).
Please contact me via email for further information.
Similar projects are available for interested PhD students. Please email me to discuss. But please note, these projects are primarily based in Psychology, not Computer Science or Machine Learning. These projects will investigate how human decision-making, in the context of face verification tasks, is influenced by algorithm outputs - as opposed to creating new algorithms.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | DECRA Research Fellow | University of Adelaide |
| 2021 - ongoing | Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2020 - 2021 | Post-doctoral Researcher | University of Stirling |
| 2019 - 2019 | Post-doctoral Researcher | Monash University |
| 2019 - 2019 | Casual Lecturer | Flinders University |
| 2016 - 2019 | Casual Tutor | Flinders University |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 - 2019 | Flinders University | Australia | PhD |
| 2011 - 2014 | Flinders University | Australia | Bachelor of Psychology (hons) |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Hua, A. J., Hancock, P. J. B., & Carragher, D. J. (2025). Time Pressure Increases Automation Reliance in a Face Matching Task. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 13 pages. |
| 2024 | Ritchie, K. L., Carragher, D. J., Davis, J. P., Read, K., Jenkins, R. E., Noyes, E., . . . Hancock, P. J. B. (2024). Face masks and fake masks: the effect of real and superimposed masks on face matching with super-recognisers, typical observers, and algorithms.. Cogn Res Princ Implic, 9(1), 5. Scopus9 WoS8 Europe PMC3 |
| 2024 | Carragher, D. J., Sturman, D., & Hancock, P. J. B. (2024). Trust in automation and the accuracy of human–algorithm teams performing one-to-one face matching tasks. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 9(1), 17 pages. Scopus6 WoS6 |
| 2024 | Bartlett, M. L., Carragher, D. J., Hancock, P. J. B., & McCarley, J. S. (2024). Benchmarking automation-aided performance in a forensic face matching task. Applied Ergonomics, 121, 104364. Scopus2 WoS1 |
| 2024 | Carragher, D. J., & Hancock, P. J. B. (2024). The Wisdom of the Crowd Can Unmask Faces. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 38(5), 10 pages. Scopus1 WoS1 |
| 2024 | Mueller, M., Hancock, P. J. B., Cunningham, E. K., Watt, R. J., Carragher, D., & Bobak, A. K. (2024). Automated face recognition assists with low-prevalence face identity mismatches but can bias users. British Journal of Psychology, 18 pages. Scopus2 WoS2 |
| 2023 | Carragher, D. J., & Hancock, P. J. B. (2023). Simulated automated facial recognition systems as decision-aids in forensic face matching tasks.. Journal of experimental psychology. General, 152(5), 1286-1304. Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC4 |
| 2022 | Carragher, D. J., Towler, A., Mileva, V. R., White, D., & Hancock, P. J. B. (2022). Masked face identification is improved by diagnostic feature training. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 7(1), 1-12. Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC10 |
| 2022 | Carragher, D. J. (2022). Examining the cheerleader effect. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(6), 316. Scopus1 WoS1 |
| 2021 | Hsieh, J. Y. J., Gwinn, O. S., Brooks, K. R., Stephen, I. D., Carragher, D. J., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2021). The “cheerleader effect” in facial and bodily attractiveness: A result of memory bias and not perceptual encoding. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74(5), 972-980. Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC5 |
| 2021 | Ciricugno, A., Bartlett, M. L., Gwinn, O. S., Carragher, D. J., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2021). The effect of cognitive load on horizontal and vertical spatial asymmetries. Laterality, 26(6), 706-724. Scopus14 WoS12 Europe PMC9 |
| 2021 | Carragher, D. J., Thomas, N. A., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2021). The dissociable influence of social context on judgements of facial attractiveness and trustworthiness.. British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953), 112(4), 902-933. Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC7 |
| 2020 | Carragher, D. J., Thomas, N. A., Gwinn, O. S., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2020). The cheerleader effect is robust to experimental manipulations of presentation time. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 32(5-6), 553-561. Scopus10 WoS9 |
| 2020 | Carragher, D. J., & Hancock, P. J. B. (2020). Surgical face masks impair human face matching performance for familiar and unfamiliar faces.. Cognitive research: principles and implications, 5(1), 59. Scopus134 WoS119 Europe PMC87 |
| 2019 | Carragher, D. J., Thomas, N. A., Gwinn, O. S., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2019). Limited evidence of hierarchical encoding in the cheerleader effect.. Scientific reports, 9(1), 9329. Scopus17 WoS16 Europe PMC9 |
| 2018 | Carragher, D. J., Lawrence, B. J., Thomas, N. A., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2018). Visuospatial asymmetries do not modulate the cheerleader effect. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 2548. Scopus20 WoS20 Europe PMC9 |
| 2018 | Carragher, D. J., Thomas, N. A., & Nicholls, M. E. R. (2018). Is trustworthiness lateralized in the face? Evidence from a trust game. Laterality, 23(1), 20-38. Scopus14 WoS13 Europe PMC10 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Searston, R. A., & Carragher, D. J. (2025). Identity in the Spotlight: Matching Faces Without Overlapping Features. DOI |
| 2025 | Carragher, D. J., & Hancock, P. (2025). Two out of three ain’t bad: Aggregating multiple identification decisions from the same observer improves unfamiliar face matching performance. DOI |
| 2024 | Hua, A., & Carragher, D. J. (2024). Validating a New Trial Procedure for Assessing Human-Algorithm Teaming in One-to-One Face Matching Tasks. DOI |
| 2023 | Carragher, D. J., & Hancock, P. (2023). The Wisdom of the Crowd Can Unmask Faces. DOI |
| 2023 | Carragher, D. J., Sturman, D., & Hancock, P. (2023). Trust in Automation and the Accuracy of Human-Algorithm Teams Performing One-to-One Face Matching Tasks. DOI Europe PMC1 |
| 2023 | Bartlett, M. L., Carragher, D. J., Hancock, P., & McCarley, J. (2023). Benchmarking Automation-Aided Performance in a Forensic Face Matching Task. DOI Europe PMC1 |
| 2021 | Carragher, D. J., Towler, A., Mileva, V. R., White, D., & Hancock, P. (2021). Masked face identification is improved by diagnostic feature training. DOI |
| 2020 | Carragher, D. J., & Hancock, P. (2020). Surgical face masks impair human face matching performance for familiar and unfamiliar faces. DOI |
| 2019 | Carragher, D. J., Thomas, N., Gwinn, S., & Nicholls, M. (2019). The cheerleader effect is robust to experimental manipulations of presentation time. DOI |
| 2019 | Carragher, D. J., Thomas, N., Gwinn, S., & Nicholls, M. (2019). Limited evidence of hierarchical encoding in the cheerleader effect. DOI |
| Year | Project | Investigators | Award / Funding Body | Amount (AUD) |
| 2025 - 2028 | Improving face identification by human-algorithm teams | Carragher, D. J. | Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Australian Research Council (DE250101196) | $478,861 |
| 2025 | Face representations pilot | Ngiam, W. X. Q., Nelson, N. L., & Carragher., D. J. | Early Grant Development - School of Psychology, University of Adelaide | $8,292 |
| 2024 | Human-algorithm teaming under time pressure | Carragher, D. J. | Early Career Researcher Small Grants Scheme - School of Psychology, University of Adelaide | $2,874 |
| 2023 | Human-algorithm teaming for identity verification | Carragher, D. J. | Building Research Leaders - School of Psychology/Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide | $29,000 |
| 2023 | A novel face identification task | Searston, R. A., & Carragher, D. J. | Early Career Researcher Small Grants Scheme - School of Psychology, University of Adelaide | $5,000 |
Course Co-ordination:
| Year | Course | Level |
| 2022-2024 | Perception & Cognition (PSYCHOL 3023) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2022-2024 | Advanced Career and Research Skills in Psychology - A (PSYCHOL 3011A) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2022 | Doing Research in Psychology: Advanced (PSYCHOL 3020) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
Teaching:
| Year | Course | Level |
| 2024 | Honours Thesis in Psychology Part I (PSYCHOL 4300A) | Undergraduate (Level IV / Honours) |
| 2022 - Present | Advanced Career and Research Skills in Psychology - A (PSYCHOL 3011A) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2022 - 2024 | Perception & Cognition (PSYCHOL 3023) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Principal Supervisor | Investigating the Development of Expertise in Automation Aided Face Matching | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Jasmine Cooper |
| 2024 | Principal Supervisor | Individual Differences in Face Identification Strategies | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Alysha Jay Hua |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Location | Program | Supervision Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Principal Supervisor | TBA | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Amna Saad |
| 2024 - 2024 | Principal Supervisor | The Relationship Between Face Perception and Deepfake Detection: An Investigation of Individual Differences | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Devon Ankers |
| 2024 - 2024 | Principal Supervisor | The Effects of Facial Hair on Unfamiliar Face Identification Performance in a Face Matching Task and a Facial Array Task | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Olivia Bridgland |
| 2024 - 2024 | Principal Supervisor | A Bearded Disguise: Examining the Role of Beards and Face Masks in Face Matching Performance | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Emily Salvatore |
| 2024 - 2024 | Principal Supervisor | Investigating the optimal level of human involvement when using automated facial recognition systems | University of Adelaide | - | Master | Full Time | Rachel Min |
| 2023 - 2023 | Principal Supervisor | The Effect of Perceived Task Difficulty on Reliance on Automated Facial Recognition Systems as Decision Aids | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Sana Vohra |
| 2023 - 2023 | Principal Supervisor | The Effect of Perceived Task Role on Reliance on Artificial Intelligence in Unfamiliar Face Matching Tasks | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Jordan Anthony |
| 2023 - 2023 | Principal Supervisor | The Effects of Making Independent Judgements and Time Pressure on Human Use of Automated Facial Recognition Systems | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Alysha Hua |
| 2022 - 2022 | Principal Supervisor | The effect of face familiarity on boundary errors | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Rachel Min |
| 2022 - 2022 | Principal Supervisor | Boundary Errors Elicited by Trait First Impressions | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Eleni Kasimidou |
| 2022 - 2022 | Principal Supervisor | The Effect of Faces, Facial Expressions and Trait Anxiety on Boundary Judgement Errors | University of Adelaide | - | Honours | Full Time | Kareena Brand |
Connect With Me
External Profiles
