McCall Sarrett, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Psychology

Dr. Sarrett (she/her) is a Nashville native and completed her BA in Neuroscience and the Perception of Language at the University of Tennessee, and her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa. Her work examines multiple issues is spoken language...

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McCall Sarrett, Ph.D.

Contact Information

  • Fall 2024
    Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3:05-4:05 p.m.
    Wednesdays, 2-4 p.m.
  • (509) 313-4716

Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa

B.A., College Scholars: Neuroscience and the Perception of Language, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Courses Taught

PSYC 202: Statistics for Psychology

PSYC 300: Biological Psychology

Dr. Sarrett (she/her) is a Nashville native and completed her BA in Neuroscience and the Perception of Language at the University of Tennessee, and her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa. Her work examines multiple issues is spoken language processing and second language learning. To address these issues, her lab uses a variety of techniques, including eye-tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), and machine learning. The goal of this work is to better characterize the neural and cognitive mechanisms that support language processing with the hope of better informing treatments and approaches in the classroom (for language learners) and the clinic (for those with hearing loss or other language difficulties). In her spare time, she enjoys climbing, whistling, and making ice cream.

Sarrett, M.E. & Toscano, J.C. (forthcoming). Decoding speech sounds from neurophysiological data: practical considerations and theoretical implications.

Kocsis, Z., Jenison, R.L., Cope, T.E., Taylor, P.N., McMurray, B., Rhone, A.E., Sarrett, M.E., Kikuchi, Y., Gander, P.E., Berger, J.I., Kovach, C.K., Calmus, R.M., Choi, I., Greenlee, J.D., Kawasaki, H., Griffiths, T.D., Howard III, M.A., & Petkov, C.I. (forthcoming). Immediate neural network impact after the loss of a semantic hub.

McMurray, B., Sarrett, M.E., Chiu, S.L., Black, A.K., Wang, A., Canale, R., and Aslin, R.N. (2022). Decoding the temporal dynamics of spoken word and nonword processing from EEG. NeuroImage. DOI:

Sarrett, M.E., Shea, C., and McMurray, B. (2021). Within- and between-language competition in adult second language learners: implications for language proficiency. Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience. DOI:

Sarrett, M.E., McMurray, B., and Kapnoula, E. (2020). Dynamic EEG analysis during language comprehension reveals continuous and interactive cascades between perceptual processing and sentential expectations. Brain and Language, 211. DOI:

  • Speech perception
  • Language acquisition
  • Bilingualism
  • Cognitive neuroscience