Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Psychology, North Dakota State University, 2020
  • B.A., Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Notre Dame, 2016
Academic Appointments
  • Graduate Student Instructor of Record, Attention and Thinking, North Dakota State University, 2019

Dr. McManus is a cognitive psychologist with expertise in attention, perception, and action affordance. He has experience using both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze how people perceive and interact with their surroundings. 

These methods include eye tracking, behavioral measurements, memory assessments, and surveys, as well as numerous statistical procedures. He is currently a member of the Phoenix User Research Center, where he is applying this expertise to assess user experience with different products.

Dr. McManus received his Ph.D. from North Dakota State University, where he investigated embodied cognition. He studied how interacting with tools, ranging from simple hand-held tools to complex remotely operated drones, alters gaze behavior and target detection. He has also used eye tracking methods to measure and identify mind wandering in educational settings.