EDUCATION
EDUCATION
PhD in Psychology, University of Cambridge, Trinity College
in collaboration with Multi-BAFTA Award-Winning Studio Ninja Theory
CURRENT COLLABORATIONS WITH MAJOR FILM STUDIOS CREATING STIMULI FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS
PIT: VIRTUAL REALITY
Virtual reality experiment experience for PIT (Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer) learning designed in collaboration with Ninja Theory at the University of Cambridge to investigate goal-directed and outcome-general learning to better understand maladaptive habit formation.
THEO: VIRTUAL REALITY
Virtual reality experiment experience for THEO (Threat and Hedonic Emotional Influences on Outcomes in Fear Conditioning) learning designed in collaboration with Spiderwood Studios at the University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School to investigate emotion-modulated contextual learning in fear conditioning.
cinematic neuroscience
What if immersive horror environments can help us learn about how maladaptive BEHAVIOUR in people with conditions such as Obessive-compulsive disorder and POST-TRAUMATIC-STRESS DISORDER?
This is the question we asked and the main focus of my PhD work at the University of Cambridge. Graphics design artists at Ninja Theory designed bespoke horror scenarios that were administered to people with high contamination fears to measure learning under threat.
Participants were placed in a fictional ‘Zombie Apocalpyse’ scenario and their learning was observed whilst in this threatening context.
Together with biomarkers such as salivary alpha amylase and heart rate measures, we were able to successfully induce and measure threat related influences in learning using this methodology. This research proposes avenues for innovation in behavioural neuroscience, where experiments are usually two-dimensional, abstract and overly artificial.
What if there was a way to make experiments more cinematic, thus increasing participant engagement and behave naturally in these highly controllable, immersive environments.
PUBLICATIONS
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
2026
Berg, S., Morein-Zamir, S., Robbins, T. W., Amorim, F. E., Breese, E., Yew, A., Shea, A., Hardman, T., Zatyczyc, Z., Krishnan, S., & Milton, A. L. (2026). Dawn of the Dread: Threatening Cinematic Virtual Reality Environments Enhance General but not Specific Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer [Accepted for Publication in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience].
Berg, S., Milton, A. L., Robbins, T. W., & Fletcher, P. C. (2026). From Facing Fears to Experimental Frontiers: Immersive Virtual Reality Environments as a Catalyst for Innovation in Behavioural Neuroscience. [Submitted for Publication].
Berg, S., Cisler, J. (2026). The Shape of Fear: Exploring How Extreme Trauma Reshapes Neurocircuitry Habituation to Fearful Stimuli. [in Prep for Publication].
Berg, S.*, Healy, M.*, Milton, & Robbins, T. W. (2026). There Will Be Habits: Altered Motivational Control in Adolescent OCD Associated with Loss of Neurochemical Balance in Anterior Cingulate Cortex Using Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy at 7T. [in Prep for Publication]. *Joint first authors.
Berg, S., Amorim, F. E., Robbins, T. W., Milton, A. L., & Morein-Zamir, S. (2026). Lost in Translation: Improving Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer Procedures Across Human Experimental Designs for Cross-Species Translatability. [in Prep for Publication].
2024
Berg, S., Amorim, F., Hardman, T., Zatyczyc, Z., Krishnan, S., Breese, E., Robbins, T., Morein-Zamir, S., & Milton, A. (2024). Investigating the Influences of Evoked Threat on Learning in People with Contamination Fears in Virtual Reality. [Preregistration]. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/Z587C.
Berg, S., Amorim, F., Shea, A., Breese, E., Robbins, T., Milton, A., & Morein-Zamir, S. (2024). Investigating the Role of Sensory Modality and Trait Differences in Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer Effects. [Preregistration]. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/EYT6R.
2023
Berg, S., Amorim, F., Hardman, T., Zatyczyc, Z., Krishnan, S., Breese, E., Robbins, T., Morein-Zamir, S., & Milton, A. (2023). Exploring the Role of Threatening Contexts in Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer Effects in Virtual Reality [Preregistration]. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/TZM4W.
2022
Berg, S., Robbins, T. W., Morein-Zamir, S., Amorim, F. E., & Milton, A. L. (2022). Systematic Literature Review: Human Appetitive Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer. [Preregistration]. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/2YWFQ.
2021
Shafiullah, M., Berg, S., Schaik, P.V., McDonald, L., & D. Allbutt, J. (2021). The Effect of Auditory Distraction on the Auditory Word Repetition Performance of Children with ADHD. Universal Journal of Psychology, 9, 1-7.
Berg, S. & Shafiullah, M. (2021). Applying Dynamic Negative Feedback to Improve Therapeutic Alliance in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. In G. Buela-Casal (Ed.), Advances in Clinical Psychology (pp. 940-950). Granada: Spanish Association of Behavioural Psychology.
Shafiullah, M. & Berg, S. (2021). Facial Action Coding Systems for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications in Mental Health. In G. Buela-Casal (Ed.), Advances in Clinical Psychology (pp. 951-961). Granada: Spanish Association of Behavioural Psychology.
CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTIONS
2026
‘Exploring How Extreme Trauma Reshapes Neurocircuitry Habituation to Fearful Stimuli.’. Poster. Society of Biological Psychiatry, Manhattan, New York, USA, 30 April-2 May.
2024
‘Investigating the Influences of Evoked Threat on Learning in People with Contamination Fears in Virtual Reality’. Poster. Pavlovian Society, Indianapolis, USA, 26-28 September.
‘Zombies and Learning: Capturing Maladaptive Habit Formation and Trait OCD Using Virtual Reality’. Presentation Speaker. Cambridge Memory Meeting, Cambridge, UK, 9 May.
‘Exploring the Role of Threatening Contexts in Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer Effects in Virtual Reality’. Poster (Shortlisted for Poster Prize).Cambridge Neuroscience Seminar, Cambridge, UK, 5 April.
2023
‘Investigating the Role of Sensory Modality and Trait Differences in Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer Effects’. Poster. British Neuroscience Association, Brighton, UK, 23-26 April.
2021
A Revised Functional Body Model: The Relationship Between Phantom Limbs and the Stability of the Body Representation’. Poster. World Psychiatric Association Bangkok, Thailand 10-13 March.
‘The Effect of Auditory Distraction on the Auditory Word Repetition Performance of Children with ADHD’. Poster. World Psychiatric Association, Bangkok, Thailand 10-13 March.
‘The Relationship Between Postural Sway and Trait Anxiety While Viewing Aversive Stimuli’. Poster. International Neuropsychological Society, San Diego, CA, USA 2-5 February.
2020
‘Facial Action Coding Systems for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications in Mental Health’. Poster and Book Chapter. International Congress of Clinical Psychology, XIII Congreso Internacional y XVIII Congreso Nacional de Psicología Clínica: Book of Abstracts. ISBN: 978-84-09-19789-7. 11-14 November.
‘Applying Dynamic Negative Feedback to Improve Therapeutic Alliance in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy’. Poster and Book Chapter. International Congress of Clinical Psychology, XIII Congreso Internacional y XVIII Congreso Nacional de Psicología Clínica: Book of Abstracts. ISBN: 978-84-09-19789-7. 11-14 November.
BOOKS
2026
Berg, S. (2026). The Heimdall Project. [Manuscript in Preparation for Release]
2026
Berg, S. (2026). Gaslight. [Off-West End Award-Nominated Theatrical Play].
AWARDS
2025
World Indie Film Awards - Best Drama Short Quarter-Finalist - ‘Gaslight’ written by Shaira Berg
UK Film Awards - Honourable Mention - ‘Gaslight’ written by Shaira Berg
2024
Guarantors of Brain Research Travel Award
Rouse Ball Research Award, Trinity College, Cambridge
Shortlisted for Poster Prize at the Cambridge Neuroscience Seminar (CNS 2023: Sleep, Consciousness and Cognition), Exploring the Role of Threatening Contexts in Pavlovian-Instrumental Transfer Effects in Virtual Reality, April 5, 2024.
Off West-End Award Nominee for own Written, Performed and Produced Stage Play
2021
Recipient of the Trinity External Research Studentship, Trinity College, Cambridge
Recipient of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation Doctoral Scholarship, Studienstiftung, Germany
2019
Miss England 2019 Semi-Finalist for Humanitarian Contributions to Mental Health
2018
Shortlisted at the TalentScreen Short Film Competition as Writer and Videographer Zurich, Switzerland
2015
Rosenberg Literary Prize Winner for Short Stories, Institut auf dem Rosenberg, St. Gallen, Switzerland
2014
Rosenberg Literary Prize Winner for Short Stories, Institut auf dem Rosenberg, St. Gallen, Switzerland