Francisco Garre-Frutos

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER·EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Madrid, Spain

fgfrutos@gmail.com·fgarrefrutos.com·Scholar·ORCID·OSF·Bluesky

Education

PhD in Psychology
Granada, Spain
University of Granada
2021 – 2025
Thesis: Awareness, Control, and Automaticity in Value-Modulated Attentional Capture.
Supervisors: Juan Lupiáñez and Miguel A. Vadillo.
Distinction: International Doctorate; cum laude.
MSc in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience
Granada, Spain
University of Granada
2020 – 2021
Thesis: Inhibition of return and learned value.
Supervisor: Juan Lupiáñez.
BSc in Psychology
Murcia, Spain
University of Murcia
2016 – 2020

Research Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher
Madrid, Spain
Autonomous University of Madrid · Cognition, Attention & Learning Lab (CALL)
Since 2026
Postdoctoral Researcher
Granada, Spain
University of Granada · Mind, Brain & Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC)
2026
Predoctoral Researcher (FPU Fellow)
Granada, Spain
University of Granada · Mind, Brain & Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC)
Nov. 2021 – Dec. 2025
Supervisors: Juan Lupiáñez and Miguel A. Vadillo.
Visiting Researcher
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam · Jan Theeuwes Lab
Sept. 2024 – Dec. 2024
Host: Jan Theeuwes.
Research: Statistical learning and reward-driven attentional biases; funded by an FPU short research stay grant (EEBB).

Awards & Fellowships

Bridging Postdoctoral Contract
Granada, Spain
University of Granada · UGR–Santander Bridging Contracts Programme
2026
FPU Predoctoral Fellowship
Ministry of Universities, Government of Spain
2021 – 2025
Science Outreach Grant
Spanish Society for Experimental Psychology (SEPEX)
2025
Research Initiation Scholarship
Granada, Spain
University of Granada · Plan Propio de Investigación
2020 – 2021
Extraordinary End-of-Degree Award
Murcia, Spain
University of Murcia
2020
Collaboration Scholarship
Murcia, Spain
Spanish Ministry of Education · University of Murcia
2019 – 2020

Publications

Outreach publication

Ongoing Work

Methods & Technical Expertise

Quantitative
Multilevel modelling, psychometrics, reliability analysis, meta-analysis, signal detection theory, computational modelling, reinforcement learning, multiverse inference.
Programming
R, Python, JavaScript, Julia, Stan.
Language Models
Text embeddings for the analysis of qualitative reports; LLM-assisted screening in editorial workflows.
Experimental Tools
PsychoPy, E-Prime, OpenSesame, jsPsych, online behavioural testing, JASP, Jamovi.
Reproducibility
OSF, preregistration, Quarto/Markdown, Git/GitHub workflows, open materials and data sharing.

Funded Projects

Understanding the Learning and Unlearning Dynamics of Myths about (Cyber)Violence Against Women
EUR 2,000
María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence – CIMCYC · UNLEARN-CVAW
Since 2026
Role: Co-PI.
Visiting Scholars Programme
EUR 12,000
University of Granada Visiting Scholars Programme · PPVS2025-01
2025 – 2027
Visiting scholar: Jan Theeuwes.
Responsible researcher: María Ruz Cámara.
Team: Juan Lupiáñez, David Richter, and Francisco Garre-Frutos.
Let's ROC: A generalization of Signal Detection Theory for the study of unconscious mental processes
EUR 150,000
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI) · PID2023-150830NB-I00
Since 2024
Role: Research team.
PI: Miguel A. Vadillo, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Conceptual Analysis of Vigilance Decrement: Attentional Resources, Cognitive Control, and Mind-Wandering
EUR 177,250
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI) · PID2023-148421NB-I00
Since 2024
Role: Research team.
PI: Juan Lupiáñez, University of Granada.
Experimentally investigating the formation of new habits in humans
EUR 109,868
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI) · PID2021-126767NB-I00
2022 – 2025
Role: Research team.
PI: David Luque, University of Málaga.
Incentive salience and resistance to extinction in action control and selection
EUR 50,009
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI) · PID2021-127985NB-I00
2021 – 2025
Role: Research team.
PI: Felisa González, University of Granada.
Theoretical, behavioral, and functional analysis of executive and vigilance and its implementation in neural networks
EUR 157,300
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI) · PID2020-114790GB-I00
2021 – 2024
Role: Research team.
PI: Juan Lupiáñez, University of Granada.

Conference Presentations

Oral presentations
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Martínez-López, P., Ariza, A., Rey-Sáez, R., Luque, D., Vadillo, M. A., & González, F. (2026). Explicit knowledge modulates Pavlovian attentional biases. Invited talk, symposium Current Debates in Research on Habits, XV SEPEX & II Joint Meeting SEPEX–BAPS, Valencia, Spain, September 9–11.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Franco-Martínez, A., Vadillo, M. A., & Rey-Sáez, R. (2026). A multilevel signal detection framework for unconscious processing research. Invited talk, symposium Experimental Psychometrics, XV SEPEX & II Joint Meeting SEPEX–BAPS, Valencia, Spain, September 9–11.
  • Franco-Martínez, A., Ferrer-Mendieta, A., Peiró Lanchares, C., Vadillo, M. A., & Garre-Frutos, F. (2026). What do we mean by “validity” in experimental measures? An illustrative study with the Perceptual Awareness Scale (PAS). Invited talk, symposium Experimental Psychometrics, XV SEPEX & II Joint Meeting SEPEX–BAPS, Valencia, Spain, September 9–11.
  • Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., & Luque, D. (2026). Advancing credibility in habit research: No trust without valid measurement. Invited talk, symposium Experimental Psychometrics, XV SEPEX & II Joint Meeting SEPEX–BAPS, Valencia, Spain, September 9–11.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Martínez-López, P., Rey-Sáez, R., Luque, D., Vadillo, M. A., & González, F. (2026). Explicit knowledge modulates Pavlovian attentional biases. APS Annual Convention, Barcelona, Spain, May 28–30.
  • Martínez-López, P., León, J. J., Garre-Frutos, F., Vázquez-Millán, A., Molinero, S., Giménez-Fernández, T., Vadillo, M. A., & Luque, D. (2026). Temporal stability in the expression of laboratory-based habits. Invited talk, symposium Mechanisms of Habit Formation and Expression: Cognitive, Neural, and Clinical Perspectives, APS Annual Convention, Barcelona, Spain, May 28–30.
  • Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., León, J. J., Vázquez-Millán, A., Molinero, S., Pérez-Velasco, N., Vadillo, M. A., & Luque, D. (2025). Lingering habits: Testing the temporal stability of habits. XXXV International Congress of the Spanish Society for Comparative Psychology, Donostia / San Sebastián, Spain, October 1–3.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Solana, P., Martínez-López, P., Lupiáñez, J., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). Reliability and validity of experimental measures of value-driven attention: A meta-analysis on individual differences studies. XI Conference of the European Association of Methodology, Tenerife, Spain, July 23–25.
  • Franco-Martínez, A., Ferrer-Mendieta, A., Peiró-Lanchares, C., Garre-Frutos, F., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). Choose your own PAS? Studying the validity of the Perceptual Awareness Scale. XI Conference of the European Association of Methodology, Tenerife, Spain, July 23–25.
  • Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., Luque, D., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). A systematic review and an internal consistency analysis of behavioral habit measures. XI Conference of the European Association of Methodology, Tenerife, Spain, July 23–25.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Luque, D., Martínez-López, P., Lupiáñez, J., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). Modelling learned attentional biases through Pavlovian learning. 14th Reunión Científica sobre Atención, Madrid, Spain, April 3–4.
  • Rey-Sáez, R., Garre-Frutos, F., & Vadillo, M. A. (2024). What psychometrics can offer to experimental psychology: The multilevel model as an heir of the factorial approach. XVIII Conference on Methodology of Social and Health Sciences, Seville, Spain, September 3–6.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., & Lupiáñez, J. (2024). An online replication and multiverse reliability analysis of value-modulated attentional capture. XIV SEPEX Conference, Almería, Spain, October 23–25.
  • Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., & Luque, D. (2024). Evaluation of the permutation-based split-half reliability in experimental paradigms for habit induction in humans. XIV SEPEX Conference, Almería, Spain, October 23–25.
Poster presentations
  • Martínez-López, P., León, J. J., Garre-Frutos, F., Vázquez-Millán, A., Molinero, S., Giménez-Fernández, T., Vadillo, M. A., & Luque, D. (2026). Do we learn habits at the same rate in November as in March? Habits: Behaviour, Neurons and Clinical Evidence — First Meeting of the Experimental Psychology Network to Study Habits (REHPE), Madrid, Spain, June 15.
  • León, J. J., Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., & Luque, D. (2026). Multiverse analysis of habit measurements in the forced-response task. Habits: Behaviour, Neurons and Clinical Evidence — First Meeting of the Experimental Psychology Network to Study Habits (REHPE), Madrid, Spain, June 15.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., Theeuwes, J., Van Moorselaar, D., & Lupiáñez, J. (2025). Selective attention and explicit awareness independently contribute to the learning process of reward-related attentional biases. 28th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, Heraklion, Greece, July 6–9.
  • Rey-Sáez, R., Garre-Frutos, F., Franco-Martínez, A., Castillejo, I., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). Addressing methodological challenges in unconscious process research: A hierarchical modeling approach. 28th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, Heraklion, Greece, July 6–9.
  • Rey-Sáez, R., Garre-Frutos, F., Franco-Martínez, A., Castillejo, I., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). Hierarchical models in experimental psychology: A solution for measuring unconscious psychological processes. 14th Reunión Científica sobre Atención, Madrid, Spain, April 3–4.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., Theeuwes, J., Van Moorselaar, D., & Lupiáñez, J. (2025). Selective attention and explicit awareness independently contribute to the learning process of reward-related attentional biases. Meetings of the Alhambra: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness, Granada, Spain, April 25–26.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Luque, D., Martínez-López, P., Lupiáñez, J., & Vadillo, M. A. (2025). Modelling Pavlovian attentional biases through reinforcement learning. Reinforcement Learning and Decision-Making Conference, Dublin, Ireland, June 11–14.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., Martínez-López, P., Ariza, A., González, F., & Lupiáñez, J. (2025). Implicit learning effects on attentional control and capture. VII Jornadas de Investigación CIMCYC, Granada, Spain, June 5.
  • Ariza, A., Garre-Frutos, F., & González, F. (2025). Persistence of incentive salience: Devaluation of Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) and reversal of value-modulated attentional capture (VMAC). XXXV International Congress of the Spanish Society for Comparative Psychology, Donostia / San Sebastián, Spain, October 1–3.
  • Ariza, A., Garre-Frutos, F., & González, F. (2024). Persistence of the value-modulated attentional capture (VMAC) effect using a reward-only variant task and specific extinction of the increase-signal in reward magnitude. XXXIV International Conference of the Spanish Society for Comparative Psychology, Baeza, Spain, September 25–27.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Vadillo, M. A., Botta, F., & Lupiáñez, J. (2024). The role of informational value on value-modulated attentional capture. 27th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, Tokyo, Japan, July 2–5.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Lupiáñez, J., & Vadillo, M. A. (2024). Is there value in value-driven distraction? A meta-analysis of studies on individual differences. XIV SEPEX Conference, Almería, Spain, October 23–25.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Lupiáñez, J., & Vadillo, M. A. (2024). Value-modulated attentional capture depends on explicit awareness. XIV SEPEX Conference, Almería, Spain, October 23–25.
  • Ariza, A., Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., Luque, D., Vadillo, M. A., & González, F. (2024). Explicit knowledge modulates reversal learning in value-modulated attentional capture. XIV SEPEX Conference, Almería, Spain, October 23–25.
  • Martínez-López, P., Vázquez-Millán, A., Garre-Frutos, F., & Luque, D. (2024). Using a forced-response task to measure habit formation in humans. XIV SEPEX Conference, Almería, Spain, October 23–25.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., & Lupiáñez, J. (2023). Inhibition of return and learned value. 23rd Conference of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology, Porto, Portugal, August 24–27.
  • Manini, G., Garre-Frutos, F., Botta, F., Martín-Arévalo, E., & Lupiáñez, J. (2023). Interference vs. distraction: Qualitatively different attentional capture effects depending on distractor relevance. 23rd Conference of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology, Porto, Portugal, August 24–27.
  • Ariza, A., Martínez-López, P., Garre-Frutos, F., & González, F. (2023). Incentive salience and action control and selection: Individual differences. Jornadas de Investigación 10º Aniversario CIMCYC: Pasado, Presente y Futuro, Granada, Spain, May 11.
  • Garre-Frutos, F., Hinojosa-Aguayo, I., González, F., Vadillo, M. A., & Lupiáñez, J. (2022). A VMAC online replication and multiverse reliability analysis. International APPE–SEPEX Meeting, Faro, Portugal, May 5–7.

Academic Events Organized

How do I preregister my study? A hands-on workshop
Valencia, Spain
Workshop · XV SEPEX & II Joint Meeting SEPEX–BAPS
2026
II CIMCYC Workshop on computational modelling of behavioral data
Granada, Spain
Workshop · Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center
2025
CIMCYC Workshop on Learning and Attention
Granada, Spain
Workshop · Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center
2025
Measuring individual differences with experimental tasks: current pitfalls and future directions
Almería, Spain
Symposium · XIV Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Psicología Experimental
2024

Teaching

Attention and Memory
6 ECTS
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
2025 – 2026
Degree: BSc Psychology.
Behavioural Analysis and Motor Development in Physical Activity
4 ECTS
University of Granada
2024 – 2025
Degree: BSc in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences.
Perception and Attention
3 ECTS/year
University of Granada
2022/23 – 2023/24
Degree: BSc Psychology.

Student Supervision

María López Machuca
University of Granada
BSc student mentoring
2026
Project: Continuous-tracking of subjective report methods of conscious experience.
Supervisors: Daniel Sanabria and Francisco Garre-Frutos.
Pablo Martínez-López
University of Granada
MSc thesis supervision
2023
Project: Within-Subjects Experimental Study of Individual Differences in Value-Modulated Attentional Capture (VMAC) and its Reversal.
Supervisors: Felisa González and Francisco Garre-Frutos.
Adriana Ariza
University of Granada
MSc thesis supervision
2023
Project: Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer and Implicit Emotion Regulation.
Supervisors: Felisa González and Francisco Garre-Frutos.

Specialized Training

Tenth Summer School on Statistical Methods for Linguistics and Psychology (SMLP): Advanced Methods in Frequentist Statistics with Julia
Aug. 2026
University of Potsdam, Germany · 40 hours
Barcelona Summer School on Advanced Modeling of Behavior (BAMB 2026)
Jul. 2026
Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM), Barcelona · 92.5 hours
Electroencephalography (EEG): Preprocessing and Introduction to Univariate and Multivariate Analyses
Mar. 2025
Escuela de Doctorado de Ciencias de la Salud, University of Granada · 21 hours
Annual JAGS Workshop: Bayesian Modeling for Cognitive Science
Jul. 2024
Psychological Methods Group, University of Amsterdam · 140 hours
Seventh Summer School on Statistical Methods for Linguistics and Psychology (SMLP): Advanced Bayesian Data Analysis
Sept. 2023
University of Potsdam, Germany · 40 hours
CIMCYC Workshop on Computational Modelling of Behavioral Data
Jun. 2022
Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada · 9 hours

Academic Service & Professional Memberships

Junior Editor
Psicológica
Editorial service
Since 2025
Role: Support the journal's peer-review and editorial workflow, including the adoption of LLM-based screening tools.
Ad hoc reviewer
5 journals
Peer review
Since 2025
Journals: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, Psychological Research, Behavior Research Methods, Learning & Motivation, and Frontiers in Cognition.
Professional Societies
Professional memberships
Memberships: Association for Psychological Science; Sociedad Española de Psicología Experimental; Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness.

Outreach Activities

Psychobeers
Public engagement
Role: Organizing committee member for public engagement events connecting cognitive science and psychology with general audiences.
European Night of the Researchers
Science communication
Activity: Participant in así funciona tu atención (y así te engaña), focused on communicating attention research to the public.