Anne McMahon traces her family connection to Tasmania back to her great-great grandfather and his siblings who were transported to what was then Van Diemen’s Land during the Irish famine. Their crime? Faced with starvation, they stole a sheep wandering on a mountain slope in County Clare. Learning this history, it is little wonder Anne developed an interest in the human mind and ethics.
After completing her Honours in Psychology at the University of Tasmania, Anne moved interstate to complete her master’s and to pursue a career in academia. She taught professional ethics in psychology at the University of Canberra, where she became Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science.
On her retirement, still passionate about her profession, she decided to endow an award for an outstanding publication in psychology in the University of Tasmania’s PhD program. Among the goals she had in mind was to encourage students to join their professional association.
“Publication is the gateway to membership in the Australian Psychological Society,” Anne said.
The inaugural recipients of the Anne McMahon Prize were Eamon Garrett and Max Kucina. The 2024 recipient is Simon Weber.
Simon’s paper examined the tests psychologists use to measure inhibitory control — a core executive function that helps people think before they act.
“Inhibitory control is a fascinating field of study because it involves trying to quantify the movements we don't make.”
Simon Weber
“Choosing not to make a movement, or suppressing an impulse, are key aspects of how we navigate the world; nonetheless, the way this is mediated by the nervous system is incompletely understood,” he said.
“Having well-designed behavioural tests is important for understanding the changes to neurology and cognition that occur in certain psychological disorders, as well as in normal ageing.
“My research highlighted how variability in test design influences a psychologist’s observations.
“It is helping to improve the assessment of executive function and movement in both clinical and non-clinical populations.”
On a personal level, Simon said the prize provided additional motivation to further publish his research. “The prospect of contributing to a field of research with so many unanswered questions is both exciting and intriguing,” he said.
Read more stories from Impact 2024
Learn more about Giving at the University of Tasmania