About

Cognitive control refers to the set of processes by which we direct our actions toward a specific goal. At the most basic level, control processes allow us to translate a presented stimulus into an appropriate motor action. However, these processes and representations quickly become more complex when trying to understand more involved behaviors such as learning peoples names or watching and understanding films. Research in our lab investigates both the cognitive and the neuroscientific aspects of the processes and representations required to carry out flexible behavior across a wide variety of domains.

About

My early research examined neural mechanisms of sensory-based recollections. I have also become interested in understanding how memory operates under varying demands on attention, and how we arrive at decisions that are based on our memories and perceptions. The lab has been studying perceptual decision making in order to identify neural signals related to different stages of the decision process. We have recently been building from our early research in this area to study how memory, attention, and decision-making abilities change in healthy aging. We use psychophysical, modeling, and brain imaging approaches to study these topics. Recently, our research has been funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Science Foundation.

About

My overarching goal is to ensure that technology is developed with the end user in mind. All aspects of design, implementation, adoption, and use of a system or device can be enhanced by considering the perceptual, cognitive, and social needs and abilities of those who will use it. Research in my Sonification Lab focuses on three main areas:

1. Sonification and auditory displays. 
Determining which type of display is appropriate for a system, and then how best to implement it, is a growing challenge, especially as devices continue to shrink in size. The use of sound to communicate information has become more common, but there is little theory to guide auditory display designers. Therefore, we study the perception and understanding of auditory displays, and helping to build up both the theoretical and practical foundations. In particular, our lab studies sonification, the use of sound to display and analyze scientific data. Our findings about how listeners interpret these auditory graphs is leading to more effective data exploration tools, for both sighted and visually impaired researchers and students. 

2. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in Non-Traditonal Interfaces.
In situations where there is not necessarily a monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc., what are the best ways to create a successful interaction between the user and the system? Designers need to "think outside the box" and utilize novel interaction style, non-traditional interfaces, and make use of all sensory modalities. Certainly auditory displays fit into this category. However, tactile, voice, and vibration interfaces also apply, as do many others we have not even imagined yet! 

3. Psychological and social factors in the adoption and use of technology.
When first introduced, any new technology will raise both fears and excitement. What are the traits that help a new technology to become accepted and adopted by users so much that it becomes part of our daily lives (e.g., telephones, microwaves, electronic mail)? I am beginning to examine the many factors that contribute to the evolution of a device from "new technology" to "household appliance".

Some other areas of my recent research include: HCI in unique task environments such as the International Space Station; delivery of government services through various channels (Web, telephone, and touch-screen kiosks); stimulus-response compatibility in the design of interface controls; and the use of sound in the teaching of statistical concepts.

About

My recent work involves the study of mindfulness as a trait and a state. See my book on the effects of mindfulness on brain, mind, and life. In our research, we're interested in a new, broader definition of mindfulness, which includes self-awareness, self-regulation, as well as self-transcendence. We're particularly interested in how these aspects foster not just personal wellbeing, but can also be of benefit to others, by fostering wisdom, virtue, compassion, and social justice.

Historically, most of the work in our lab has centered around cognitive aging: What happens to people's minds as they grow older? Much of my meta-analytic work boils down to the question of the dimensionality of cognitive aging: Does it all go together when it goes?

Much of our experimental work on aging has focused on cognitive control. Cognitive control concerns dealing with complex tasks in a complex environment, which includes: (a) making sure that only the appropriate stimuli from the environment enter into consciousness; (b) continuously updating the content of working memory; (c) switching between different tasks; (d) coordinating the different actions that need to be performed; and (e) switching back and forth between relevant stimuli. Some of these aspects seem to be more susceptible to aging than others (b, c, and d); some have different effects of speed and accuracy (e).

We also conducted research on working memory per se. We are very interested in working memory dynamics. How (or even when) do people search working memory? Can we distinguish different subsystems in working memory depending on the retrieval dynamics? Are the memory processes in working memory cognitive primitives, or are they subsumed under known mechanisms of attentional control?
A fourth research interest is creativity, more specifically the link between creativity (or, as we like to think of it, mental play), mood disorder, and different types of rumination.

About

The fundamental premise of my work is that computational models from cognitive psychology and cognitive science can be adapted to provide testable process models of decision-making phenomena and optimized to support the decision-making of professionals. I direct the Decision Processes Laboratory (DPL). The DPL utilizes a range of experimental methodologies (behavioral, eye-tracking, EEG) and computational techniques (statistical, mathematical, neural networks) to investigate decision-making phenomena. Much of our applied work concerns the study and measurement of expertise; primarily in the areas of performance evaluation and the development of decision support tools. One area of specialization is the development of computational models that describe how people, generate hypotheses to explain patterns of data, which is common in everyday problem solving; and it is the basis for decision-making in many disciplines, such as medical diagnosis, criminal investigation, intelligence sensemaking, software debugging, and scientific discovery. We also seek to optimize models of human hypothesis generation to serve as decision support tools to aid the diagnostic decision-making of professionals and to improve the robustness of existing applications of artificially intelligent classification systems.

About

Dr. Christopher Stanzione is a Senior Academic Professional and serves as the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies in the School of Psychology. Dr. Stanzione is a trained Educational Psychologist with over 10 years of experience in higher education. He is a well-respected teacher having received several teaching awards during his tenure (Undergraduate Educator Award, 2018; Eric R. Immel Award, 2018; Geoffrey G. Eichholz Teaching Excellence Award, 2024). His research area includes studying language and cognitive development in both at-risk and deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Furthermore, Dr. Stanzione and his colleague Dr.  Babcock have led efforts to reduce the financial burden of textbooks by implementing a grant-funded pilot program using Open Educational Resources in General Psychology. As an administrator, Dr. Stanzione has worked with a team of likeminded faculty to identify new degree opportunities for students. For example, he received the GT-AMP grant to begin a new internal internship program, helped to implement two minor programs in Mental Health & Well-Being and Computation & Cognition, and created a 5-year BSMS program.

About

I received my degree from Washington University in St. Louis. After moving around a bit (Binghamton University and Stanford University)I arrived at Georgia Tech in 2001. I'm a member of the Cognition and Brain Science, Cognitive Aging, and Quantitative Psychology areas of the department.  

About

My area of expertise is in the cognitive neuroscience of aging. My specialties include the application of functional and structural neuroimaging methods to understand cognitive and brain aging as well as behavioral endocrinology. I have devoted much of my career to the study of the effects of steroid hormones on behavior and brain function. Among my contributions to this field are studies assessing the effect of gonadal steroids on spatial cognition, hemispheric asymmetry and interhemispheric communication. Most recently my work has focused on the cognitive and neurological actions of stress and cortisol in elderly humans. I have been at the forefront of developing and using virtual environment technology to assess spatial memory in elderly individuals and have completed numerous behavioral and functional/structural neuroimaging studies investigating the effects of age on the neural systems supporting human spatial memory.