Computational Cognition

• Members

• Research

• Tour Lab

• Publications

• Posters

• Collaborators

Cognition & Communication

• Members

• Research

• Tour Lab

• Publications

• Posters

• Collaborators

Research Studies & Opportunities

• Older Adults

• Young Adults

• Get Involved

• Open Positions

Downloads

• Software

• Norms

Computational Cognition Laboratory

Cognitive Aging
Visual Attention
Language Processing
Research Funding

Cognitive Aging

Virtually all projects in the lab relate in some way to the general question of how cognitive processing changes as a result of the aging process.  This is tackled in several ways including standard laboratory experiments, eye tracking, and computational modeling.  We (and others) are interested in cognitive aging for two very different reasons.  First, we all get older (if we're lucky) and there is some inherent interest in understanding the influence of aging on cognition.  Second, theories in cognitive psychology will be more complete to the extent that we understand the developmental trajectory of cognition across the lifespan. 

In trying to add such a developmental perspective, we often find that the original cognitive theory needs substantial modification.  Thus, consideration of aging has benefits even for researchers interested solely in cognitive science.  Underlying all of this is an assumption that cognition is not just the stuff that happens in 18 to 21 year old college students that are the participants in the vast majority of cognitive psychological studies. 

This focus is shared by many other faculty in the School of Psychology at Georgia Tech. Click on the link below to learn more about the Cognitive Aging Program.

Visual Attention

What are the processes that allow individuals to select relevant information sources in the environment and ignore or inhibit other competing information and how are these processes influenced by aging? 

Projects in this area range from some of the simplest cognitive paradigms such as two choice response time tasks, traditional visual search tasks on up to considerably more complex visual scene processing. 

Language Processing

Communication is obviously central to almost everything we do during our waking hours.  Our interest is in how processes of language comprehension and production are influenced by the aging process.  This turns out to be an extremely interesting issue.  Much of cognitive aging basically asks "How badly does aging influence process X?"  However, as individuals age, their linguistic knowledge frequently increases as does their expertise in a particular area.  This has a hugely beneficial impact on communicative ability that may largely offset the influence of age-related decline in some of the component processes of production.

Studies within this area examine single visual word recognition, semantic priming, word and sentence production.  Some of this research is carried out in collaboration with Zenzi Griffin, also at Georgia Tech.