My research sits at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, auditory perception, and social cognition, with a central focus on how humans extract meaning, identity, and social information from voices. I investigate how paralinguistic cues (such as speaker identity, emotion, and accent) are represented across hierarchical stages of processing, why these representations vary across individuals, and how they shape behaviour. Methodologically, I combine behavioural experiments and neuroimaging (EEG/ERPs, fMRI) with sound morphing and adaptation designs.

One current line of work examines regional accents as powerful social signals that bias behaviour. Using implicit measures and neuroimaging, I show that subtle accent variation is rapidly mapped onto social categories, producing robust in‑group preferences and engaging networks sensitive to social relevance. This work links accent‑based group membership to judgement and decision‑making even between mutually intelligible speakers.

More broadly, I’m interested in the malleability of auditory perception, i.e. how what we hear is reshaped by exposure, context, and social expectations. To this end, I have branched out into studying speech perception in adverse listening conditions, foregrounding context as a cue for comprehension when signals are noisy. I am interested in how minimal context boosts recognition of ambiguous targets, how these benefits interact with low‑level auditory abilities (e.g., pitch/rhythm perception) and cognitive resources (e.g., working memory), and why individuals differ in their efficiency of using context.

I am a member of the Bangor Imaging Unit ().

I teach the Year‑3 core module Cognitive Neuroscience and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate projects on sound perception. My interests include the perception of speaker identity and regional accents; affective neuroscience across face, voice, speech prosody and music; and the malleability of perception, i.e. how adaptation, context and learning reshape what we hear.

2024

• E-pub ahead of print
  Bestelmeyer, P., 13 Oct 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Language and Social Psychology. 43, 5-6, p. 651-669 19 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Stefanou, M.-E., Dundon, N. M., Bestelmeyer, P., Biscaldi, M., Smyrnis, N. & Klein, C., 5 Aug 2024, In: Frontiers in Neuroscience. 18, 1390696.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2022

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. & Mühl, C., Nov 2022, In: Neuroimage. 263, 119647.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2021

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. & Mühl, C., May 2021, In: Cognition. 210, 104582.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

• Published
  Stefanou, M.-E., Dundon, N. M., Bestelmeyer, P., Ioannou, C., Bender, S., Biscaldi, M., Smyrnis, N. & Klein, C., 30 Sept 2020, In: Scientific Reports. 10, 1, 16157.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2019

• Published
  Muhl, C. & Bestelmeyer, P., 1 Jul 2019, In: Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. 72, 7, p. 1657-1666
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Stefanou, M. E., Dundon, N., Bestelmeyer, P., Koldewyn, K., Saville, C., Fleischhaker, C., Feige, B., Biscaldi, M., Smyrnis, N. & Klein, C., Mar 2019, In: Biological Psychology. 142, p. 132-139
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2018

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P., Williams, B., Lawton, J., Stefanou, M.-E., Koldewyn, K., Klein, C. & Biscaldi, M., May 2018, In: Clinical Psychological Science. 6, 3, p. 372-381
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P., 6 Dec 2018, The Oxford Handbook of Voice Perception. Frühholz , S. & Belin, P. (eds.). Oxford University Press
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E. G., Davis, N. J., Poliva, O. & Rafal, R. D., 1 Sept 2018, In: Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology. 31, 3, p. 151-155
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2017

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P., Kotz, S. A. & Belin, P., 25 Apr 2017, In: Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Welling, L., Bestelmeyer, P., Jones, B., DeBruine, L. & Allan, K., Dec 2017, In: Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology. 3, 4, p. 337-350
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Muhl, C., Sheil, O., JarutytÄ—, L. & Bestelmeyer, P., Nov 2017, In: Behavior Research Methods. 2017, p. 1-9
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2015

• Published
  Sammler, D., Grosbras, M. H., Anwander, A., Bestelmeyer, P. E. & Belin, P., 5 Nov 2015, In: Current Biology. 25, 23, p. 3079-3085
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Pye, A. & Bestelmeyer, P. E., 12 Jan 2015, In: Cognition. 134, p. 245–251
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Poliva, O., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Hall, M., Bultitude, J., Koller, K. & Rafal, R. D., 1 Jul 2015, In: Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology. 28, 3, p. 160-180
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Pernet, C. R., McAleer, P., Latinus, M., Gorgolewski, K. J., Charest, I., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Watson, R. H., Fleming, D., Crabbe, F., Valdes-Sosa, M. & Belin, P., 18 Jun 2015, In: Neuroimage. 119, 1, p. 164–174
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2014

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Maurage, P., Rouger, J., Latinus, M. & Belin, P., 11 Jun 2014, In: Journal of Neuroscience. 34, 24, p. 8098-105
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Belin, P. & Ladd, D. R., 1 Dec 2014, In: Cerebral Cortex.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Salvia, E., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Kotz, S. A., Rousselet, G. A., Pernet, C. R., Gross, J. & Belin, P., 22 Dec 2014, In: Frontiers in Neuroscience. 8
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2013

• Published
  Maurage, P., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Rouger, J., Charest, I. & Belin, P., 29 Aug 2013, In: NeuroImage: Clinical. 3, p. 218-225
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Latinus, M., McAleer, P., Bestelmeyer, P. E. & Belin, P., 23 May 2013, In: Current Biology. 23, p. 1075-80
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2012

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Latinus, M., Bruckert, L., Rouger, J., Crabbe, F. & Belin, P., 1 Jun 2012, In: Cerebral Cortex. 22, 6, p. 1263-1270
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Watson, R., Latinus, M., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Crabbe, F. & Belin, P., 2 Apr 2012, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 3, 89
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., 15 May 2012, In: Psychiatry Research. 197, 1-2, p. 140-144
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2011

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Belin, P. & Grosbras, M. H., 25 Oct 2011, In: Current Biology. 21, 20, p. R838-R839
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Belin, P., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Latinus, M. & Watson, R., 1 Nov 2011, In: British Journal of Psychology. 102, 4, p. 711-725
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2010

• Published
  Jones, B. C., Feinberg, D. R., Bestelmeyer, P. E., DeBruine, L. M. & Little, A. C., 1 Aug 2010, In: Psychonomic Bulletin and Review. 17, 4, p. 522-528
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Rouger, J., DeBruine, L. M. & Belin, P., 1 Nov 2010, In: Cognition. 117, 2, p. 217-223
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Della Sala, S., van der Meulen, M., Bestelmeyer, P. E. & Logie, L. H., 1 Sept 2010, In: Journal of Neuropsychology. 4, 2, p. 147-166
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bruckert, L., Bestelmeyer, P. E., Latinus, M., Rouger, J., Charest, I., Rousselet, G. A., Kawahara, H. & Belin, P., 26 Jan 2010, In: Current Biology. 20, 2, p. 116-120
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2009

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Jones, B. C., DeBruine, L. M., Little, A. C., Schneider, A. W. & Conway, C. A., 19 Mar 2009, In: Visual Cognition. 18, 2, p. 255-274
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Phillips, L. H., Crombie, C., Benson, P. J. & St.Clair, D., 30 Oct 2009, In: Psychiatry Research. 169, 3, p. 212-219
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Welling, L. L., Jones, B. C., Bestelmeyer, P. E., DeBruine, L. M., Conway, C. A. & Little, A. C., 1 Jan 2009, In: Perception. 38, 1, p. 133-141
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E. & Ritsner, M. S. (Editor), 1 Jan 2009, The Handbook of Neuropsychiatric Biomarkers: Endophenotypes and Genes: Volume I: Neuropsychological Endophenotypes and Biomarkers. 2009 ed. Springer, p. 221-226
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

2007

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Jones, B. C., DeBruine, L. M., Little, A. C., Perrett, D. I., Schneider, A., Welling, L. L. & Conway, C. A., 17 Sept 2007, In: Cognition. 107, 1, p. 353-365
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2006

• Published
  Bestelmeyer, P. E., Tatler, B. W., Phillips, L. H., Fraser, G., Benson, P. J. & St.Clair, D., 1 Oct 2006, In: Schizophrenia Research. 87, 1-3, p. 212-222
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2004

• Published
  Carey, D. P. & Bestelmeyer, P. E., 12 Apr 2004, In: Neuropsychologia. 42, 9, p. 1162-1167
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Qualifications

• BSc University of Aberdeen
• MRes University of Aberdeen
• PhD University of Aberdeen
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy FHEA ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥