Human Factors Research Labs
On this page:
- Kevin Bennett
- Herbert Colle
- Robert Gilkey
- Assaf Harel
- Ion Juvina
- Tamera Schneider
- Valerie Salin
- Pamela Tsang
- Scott Watamaniuk
Kevin Bennett
Cognitive Systems Engineering Lab
The lab’s primary interests are in ecological display and interface design as a form of decision making and problem-solving support. The design framework used is referred as cognitive system engineering and the lab has applied it to a variety of application domains: military command and control, process control, and aviation. The current focus of the lab is cyber operations.
Graduate Students
Christen Sushereba; Christopher Edman
Recent Publications
Bennett, K. B. (2017). Ecological interface design and system safety: One facet of Rasmussen's legacy. Applied ergonomics, 59, 625-636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2015.08.001
Fox, O. M., Harel, A., & Bennett, K. B. (2017). How configural is the configural superiority effect? A Neuroimaging Investigation of Emergent Features in Visual Cortex. Frontiers in psychology, 8: 32. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00032
Recent Conference Presentations
Hutton, R., Blackford, H., Jones, N., Fisher, A., & Bennett, K.B. (2017). Challenging the limits of cognitive systems engineering and ecological interface design: Commander’s cyber situational awareness. Proceedings of the IEHF Annual Conference, Daventry, UK: IEHF. April.
Cognition: Spatial Knowledge, Measurement, & Memory Acquisition Lab
The lab examines how people acquire spatial knowledge of the layout during navigation in virtual environments, and innovative methods for measuring this configural spatial knowledge. For example, we have studied map learning, showing how people can learn from and use North-Up maps in GPS systems easily and effectively while driving, as well as perceptual experiments showing the importance of the visual periphery for learning spatial information from virtual building environments. The lab’s research areas include spatial cognition, mental workload, and working memory.
Graduate Students
Robert May
Undergraduate Students
Areille Stephenson (Undergraduate Lab Manager) & 5 undergraduate RAs
Recent Publications
Rizzardo, C. A., & Colle, H. A. (2013). Dual-coded advisory turn indicators for GPS navigational guidance of surface vehicles: Effects of map orientation. Human Factors, 55(5), 935-945. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720813478017
Rizzardo, C. A., Colle, H. A., McGregor, E. A., & Wylie, D. (2013). Using a single map display both for navigational planning and for turn-by-turn vehicle guidance: Configural spatial knowledge acquisition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 19(4), 301-319. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0034622 (awarded as Division 3 New Investigator Awards)
Recent Conference Presentations
Hoelscher, S., & Colle, H. A. (2014, May 1). Sketch Map Measures of Configural Spatial Knowledge: Manipulation of Self-Drawn Context. Poster presented at Midwestern Psychology Assoc. meetings, Chicago, IL
Knipper, J., & Colle, H. A. (2014, May 1). How do People Sketch Maps? Evidence for Top-down versus Bottom-up Processing. Poster presented at Midwestern Psychology Assoc. meetings, Chicago, IL.
Signal Detection Lab
Dr. Gilkey's research concerns the mechanisms underlying sound localization and masking for the development of efficient 3-dimensional auditory displays and compelling virtual environments. Masking has important implications for basic auditory theory, for the specification and optimization of human performance in noisy environments, and for individuals with impaired hearing. These research projects include modeling efforts employing both neural networks and traditional signal processing models of the audition.
Graduate Students
Michelle Wang
Recent Publications
McIntire, J.P., Havig, P.R., Watamaniuk, S.N.J., and Gilkey, R.H. (2010). Visual Search Performance with 3D Auditory Cues: Effects of Motion, Target Location, and Practice. Human Factors, 52, 41-53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720810368806
Davidson, S.A., Gilkey, R.H., Colburn, H.S., and Carney, L.H. (2009). An evaluation of models for diotic and dichotic detection in reproducible noises. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 124, 1906-1925. doi:10.1121/1.3206583
Davidson, S.A., Gilkey, R.H., Colburn, H.S., and Carney, L.H. (2009). Diotic and dichotic detection with reproducible chimeric stimuli. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 124, 1889- 1905. doi: 10.1121/1.3203996
Recent Conference Presentations
Rothwell, C.D., and Gilkey, RH. (2014). Predicting perceived lateral position for large interaural time delays and straightness sensitivity: A comparison of three models. Accepted for presentation at the 37th Annual Midwinter Meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, San Diego, CA, February.
Human Neuroscience and Visual Cognition Lab
The lab employs a host of cognitive neuroscience techniques, including EEG, fMRI, psychophysics, and eye tracking to study how people perceive and think about the world around them, and how these processes are substantiated in the brain. The goal of the Human Neuroscience and Visual Cognition Lab is to promote a highly interdisciplinary research that will bridge diverse theoretical, experimental and applied approaches to uncover how brain activity gives rise to high-level vision in the real world.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Jeff Nador, Ph.D.; Mariateressa Sestito, Ph.D.
Graduate Students
Joey Borders; Olivia Fox; Natalia Hansen; Birken Noessen;
Recent Publications
Harel, A. (2016). What is special about expertise? Visual expertise reveals the interactive nature of real-world object recognition. Neuropsychologia, 83, 88-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.06.004
Harel, A., Groen, I. I., Kravitz, D. J., Deouell, L. Y., & Baker, C. I. (2016). The Temporal Dynamics of Scene Processing: A Multifaceted EEG Investigation. eneuro, 3(5), ENEURO-0139. https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0139-16.2016
Recent Conference Presentations
Mzozoyana, M., Lowe, M., Groen, I., Cant, J., & Harel, A. (2017). Artificially-generated scenes demonstrate the importance of global scene properties for scene perception. Journal of Vision, 17(10), 312-312.
Adaptive Strategic Thinking and Executive Control of Cognition and Affect (ASTECCA) Lab
The ASTECCA laboratory studies higher-order thinking that balances costs and benefits, short- and long-term interests, and individual and social motives. We want to advance our understanding of how humans use their own minds while interacting with their environment and other intelligent agents. Our favorite method is computational cognitive modeling, which uses mathematical and computer-based tools to develop theories of how the mind works and cognitive agents that are able to behave like humans and interact with humans and among themselves in a range of task environments. Recent projects in our lab have been concerned with trust in strategic interaction, peer-assisted learning, attentional control, information foraging, and human-machine forecasting.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Othalia Laura, Ph.D.; Jeff Nador, Ph.D.
Graduate Students
Michael Collins; Peter Crowe; Alexander Hough; Kevin O’Neill
Undergraduate Students
John Foster, Ritu Ghose
Recent Publications
Juvina, I., Larue, O., & Hough, A. (2017). Modeling valuation and core affect in a cognitive architecture: The impact of valence and arousal on memory and decision-making. Cognitive Systems Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsys.2017.06.002
Collins, M. G., Juvina, I., & Gluck, K. A. (2016). Cognitive Model of Trust Dynamics Predicts Human Behavior within and between Two Games of Strategic Interaction with Computerized Confederate Agents. Frontiers in psychology, 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00049
Juvina, I., Lebiere, C., & Gonzalez, C. (2015). Modeling trust dynamics in strategic interaction. Journal of applied research in memory and cognition. 4(3): 197-211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2014.09.004
Recent Conference Presentations
Larue, O., Hough, A., & Juvina, I. (2017). A core affect model of decision making in simple and complex tasks. In G. Gunzelmann, A. Howes, T. Tenbrink, & E. Davelaar (Eds.), Computational Foundations of Cognition: Proceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 718-723). London: Cognitive Science Society.
Juvina, I., Collins, M.G., Larue, O., & de Melo, C. (2016). Toward a unified theory of learned trust. In D. Reitter & F. E. Ritter (Eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling (pp. 188-193). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Social/Health Psychophysiology Lab
The Social/Health Psychophysiology lab studies the effects of psychosocial stress on psychological, psychophysiological, and behavioral outcomes, the influence of persuasion on driving behavior change, and the influence of persons that can benefit teamwork (e.g., trust, emotional and social intelligence, human-machine teaming).
Graduate Students
Jenny Baumgartner; Morgan Borders; August Capiola; Sarah Jessup
Recent Publications
Flinn, J. T., Miller, A., Pyatka, N., Brewer, J., Schneider, T., & Cao, C. G. (2016). The effect of stress on learning in surgical skill acquisition. Medical teacher, 38(9), 897-903. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2015.1114597
Hillard, A. L., Schneider, T. R., Jackson, S. M., & LaHuis, D. (2014). Critical mass or incremental change? The effects of faculty gender composition in STEM. In Vasilikie Demos, Catherine White Berheide , Marcia Texler Segal (ed.) Gender Transformation in the Academy (Advances in Gender Research, Volume 19) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.355 - 374
Recent Conference Presentations
Baumgartner, J. N., & Schneider, T. R. (April, 2017). A RCT shows that mindfulness promotes success in college students. Paper presented at Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Schneider, T.R., Griffin, K.W., & Borders, M. (May, 2017). Social and Emotional Intelligence Training to Promote Diverse and Inclusive STEM Departments and Climates. Poster presented at Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.
Schneider, T.R., Jessup, S., Stokes, C., Lohani, M., & McCoy, M. (May, 2017). The Influence of Trust Propensity on Trust Behaviors. Poster presented at Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.
Capiola, A., & Schneider, T.R. (March, 2018). The Role of Message Elaboration in the Biobehavioral Model of Persuasion. Poster to be presented at Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Workplace Cognition Lab
The lab’s research concerns planning and communication processes in coordinated work and corresponding workplace technology for: space exploration, medicine and surgery, disaster response, and manual labor.
Graduate Students
Beth Bullemer; Jasmine Duran; Drew Hampton; Clayton Rothwell; Claire Shah
Recent Publications
Hampton, A. J., & Shalin, V. L. (2017). Sentinels of breach: Lexical choice as a measure of urgency in Social media. Human Factors, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720817691612. Winner of the 2016 Human Factors Prize.
Lippa, K.D., Feufel, M.A., Robinson, F.E. & Shalin, V.L. (2016). Navigating the decision space: Shared medical decision making as distributed cognition. Qualitative Health Research, 1-14, doi: 1177/1049732316665346.
Recent Conference Presentations
Rothwell, C.D., Shalin, V.L. & Romigh, G.D. (2017). Quantitative models of human-human conversational grounding processes. In: Proceedings of the Cognitive Science Society Conference.
Pamela Tsang
Engineering Psychology Lab
The lab studies attention and complex performance, extralaboratory-developed expertise, cognitive aging, and aviation psychology. A recent focus of the lab is the study of expertise and automation. The lab is interested in the application of these research topics to a variety of domains that include aviation, surface transportation, and medicine.
Recent Publications
Vidulich, M.A., Tsang, P. S., & Flach, J. M. (Eds.) (2017). Advances in aviation psychology: Volume 2. New York: Routledge.
Wickens, C. D., & Tsang, P. S. (2015). Workload. In D. A. Boehm-Davis, F. T. Durso, & J. D. Lee (Eds.), Handbook of human-systems integration (pp. 277-292). Washington, DC: APA.
Vidulich, M. S., & Tsang, P. S. (2015). The confluence of situation awareness and mental workload for adaptable human-machine systems. Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, 9, 95-97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1555343414554805
Tsang, P. S. (2013). Aging and attentional control. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 66, 1517-1547.
Recent Conference Presentations
Tsang, P. S., & Hildenbrandt, C. S. (2016, September). Spatial decisions as a function of age and expertise. Presented at the 32nd International Conference of the European Association for Aviation Psychology, Cascais, Portugal.
Vidulich, M. A., & Tsang, P. S. (2016, September). Expert performance and time pressure: Implications for automation failures in aviation. Presented at the 32nd International Conference of the European Association for Aviation Psychology, Cascais, Portugal.
Archambault, M. K., & Tsang, P. S. (2015). Time course of cerebral oxygenation during working memory task performance. Poster presented at the 123rd American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Toronto, Canada.
Eye Movement & Motion Psychophysics Lab
The lab studies the capabilities and limitations of the human visual system to process motion information (e.g. direction, speed, acceleration) and how that motion information guides eye and hand movement. Current research is focused on how motion is used to segregate the visual environment and how fixational eye movements impact the distribution of attention during a task. Other research investigates how human smooth pursuit eye movements and reaching movements respond to complex motion stimuli to shed light on the sensory-motor interface transforming visual motion information into motor commands. Undergraduate Students: Dorothy Ayres; Vanessa Boateng
Recent Publications
Watamaniuk, S.N.J., Bal, J., & Heinen, S.J. (2017). A subconscious interaction between fixation and ocular pursuit. Journal of Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2186-17.2017
Ma, Z., Watamaniuk, S.N.J., Heinen, S.J. (2017). Illusory motion reveals velocity matching, not foveation, drives smooth pursuit of large objects. Journal of Vision, 17(12):20, doi:10.1167/17.12.20
Heinen, S.J., Potapchuk, E., & Watamaniuk, S.N.J. (2016). A foveal target increases catchup saccades frequency during smooth pursuit. Journal of Neurophysiology, 115, 1220-1227, https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-016-0030-7
Recent Conference Presentations
Watamaniuk, S.N.J., Badler, J., & Heinen, S.J. (2017). Foveation engages the saccadic system with or without a stimulus. Society for Neuroscience annual meeting (60.12), November 11-15, Washington, DC.
