Aging Lab

 

Our lab (along with several others in the department) recently received COBRE funding from NIH to create a Center on Plasticity!

 

We are focusing our research on age-related changes in event cognition. Specifically, we are evaluating the role of semantic knowledge in individuals' scripts of everyday activities. We are interested in how this knowledge influences individuals' event segmentation abilities, which in turn may affect their memory. Additionally, we want to evaluate how those abilities may be affected by other cognitive processes, including working memory, processing speed, and inhibition.
 

• The first several studies in this project will use behavioral methods to evaluate how knowledge influences age-related differences in the segmentation and memory for everyday activities (e.g., making breakfast, gardening, ironing). We will evaluate these variables using a variety of media such as short videos, still frames and narratives.

• We will also use eye-tracking to assess ocular motor variables that influences segmentation and memory for everyday activities.

• Future studies will use fMRI and EEG to investigate brain activity involved in the activation of relevant knowledge during event segmentation and memory for everyday activities.

• The ultimate goal is to work toward an intervention that will be used to improve individuals' segmentation abilities, leading to improved memory and better daily functioning.

 

Memory Lab

 

This section of our lab focuses on working memory, strategies for improving working memory, and long-term memory. Like the Aging Lab, it has also recently expanded to include event segmentation.
 

• Working memory performance is often associated with fluid intelligence. We are evaluating the role that strategic behavior plays in this relationship.

• Prior knowledge may influence our understanding of and memory for events, in addition to event model construction. We are investigating event segmentation and it's relationship with context and perspective-taking. This research is highly related to the aging research described above and may fall into both "categories."
   

Misc.

After working in the lab for a period of time, some of our students choose to complete Independent Projects. We also have a student who was recently named a McNair Scholar. She has created her own research project as well. 

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• Some of the current studies include the effects of nature on cognitive abilities, the perception of hearing aids, and the influence of emotional content on segmentation and memory. One of the previous studies investigated the influence of fitness on cognition in older adults.