Dr McKenna’s research interests are interdisciplinary and broadly relate to technology and the various ways it can affect people’s lives. This includes (but is not limited to) the psychology of misinformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and human–robot interaction. He also teaches and researches cutting-edge research methods to keep pace with developments in statistical analysis and research methodology.

As Co-Investigator on the interdisciplinary TAS Node in Trust Project (https://trust.tas.ac.uk/), he studies whether giving a robot human-like behaviours (e.g. by mimicking developmental processes such as theory of mind) helps to build trust between users and robots. His first empirical paper from this project was nominated Best Paper runner-up at the RO-MAN Conference 2022 in Naples. He has since published a meta-analysis on user vulnerability and trust in robots and AI in the esteemed ACM Transactions on Human–Robot Interaction (Impact Factor: 4.2 | Cite Score: 7.8).

Currently, he is extending his studies of trust into the domain of misinformation. With colleagues, he is supervising a student project investigating information source characteristics (e.g. prestige and trustworthiness) and how they affect people’s beliefs and sharing behaviour. He recently attended the Symposium on Opinion Shift, Social Influence, and External Manipulation (2025), refreshing his knowledge of the subject.

Through his connections with Heriot-Watt Engage, Panmure House, and the National Robotarium, he has organised and participated in several AI and robotics-related outreach events. In 2024, he planned and delivered an Edinburgh International Science Festival event at Panmure House titled Two Truths and a Robot Lie, challenging visitors’ ethical and moral evaluations of AI. In early 2025, he discussed the threat of social media and misinformation with Scotland’s first AI Youth Panel.

Dr McKenna is Assistant Professor in Social and Behavioural Research Methods. His primary responsibilities involve designing and delivering research methods training for undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts in the social sciences.

He is the course lead for two postgraduate modules:

1. Advanced Statistics using R (C91AR) – focusing on enhancing students’ data science and analysis skills using the R programming language.
2. Advanced Experimental Design (C91ED) – covering contemporary methods for modern social science experiments.

He is the SoSS PGR Workshop Programme Lead, responsible for designing and coordinating professional development workshops for Heriot-Watt and Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS) PGR students. These workshops cover all aspects of postgraduate life, from applying for postdoctoral positions to conducting thematic analysis.

He also serves as the EPSRC Vacation Internship Representative for SoSS, liaising with staff to recruit undergraduate summer interns as part of the EPSRC’s skills development remit.

Academic journey

Peter earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. His initial motivation to study psychology stemmed from a high school interest in autism spectrum disorder (henceforth, autism).

Throughout his academic career, Peter pursued several autism-related projects, including studies on language comprehension, motor skill development, and robot-assisted therapy. These experiences led him to focus on technology—its potential to improve lives and the challenges it presents.

Since becoming a father, Peter has been driven to use his research skills to help build a better future for his children. This motivation underpins his current work on misinformation, aiming to equip future generations with the critical thinking skills needed to navigate falsehoods.

Teaching philosophy

Peter enjoys teaching statistics and programming, particularly the challenge of introducing R to novice programmers. He advocates for immersive engagement with research data to fully understand its significance—and admits he probably spends too long designing plots.

His courses emphasise co-design and case-based learning. For example, on C91ED, students contribute weekly to an online annotated bibliography, with each week’s topic chosen by a different student to support their research.

Engagement

Peter has collaborated with several organisations for research and development. He was a consultant for Data Driven Innovation (https://ddi.ac.uk/), teaching introductory R programming and data visualisation skills.

He has also worked with Autism Initiatives (https://autisminitiatives.org/) and ENABLE Scotland (https://www.enable.org.uk/) on autism-related studies.

For the past two years, he has served as Review Associate Chair for the Human-Agent Interaction conference and regularly reviews submissions for Transactions on Human–Robot Interaction.

Interests

Outside of work, Peter is an avid reader with a particular interest in science fiction, war history, and emotionally resonant fiction. He also plays guitar, enjoys running, and is a keen squash player.