Spatial Cognition
I am a spatial cognition researcher who spans the subfields of cognitive psychology, visual perception and action, and environmental psychology. At the core of my research agenda is a focus on the person-environment relationship, and I address this topic from two different perspectives.
First, I investigate how people perceive, remember, and navigate through spaces. Humans are inherently spatial individuals; we explore our surroundings to determine what actions are and are not possible, and to plan for future interactions. Our abilities to reason about space are useful for everyday tasks such as remembering where you left your cell phone and finding your way around town. I have published research on how are bodies are used to scale physical spaces, and more recently investigate individual differences in spatial cognition.
Second, I study how physical spaces affect well-being. Decades of research support that natural spaces are particularly beneficial to well-being; for example, access to nature reduces stress, improves mood, and may improve attention (e.g., Hartig, Mitchell, de Vries, & Frumkin, 2014). These health benefits arise from exposure to natural resources such as a secluded forest, to more modest exposure such as a rooftop garden. In published manuscripts, I have modeled individual differences in perceptions of physical spaces.
I also investigate how to improve statistical models for cognitive and perceptual data such as perceived distance and situation awareness.
In a fourth line of research, I focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning, particularly in attitudes toward and adoption of free, open-access educational materials, and in using open science tools to improve collaborative classroom experiences.
Applied Perception and Cognition
I have previously collaborated with various organizations and companies to apply basic psychological research to real-world problems. Projects we have undertaken include:
How does control over a simulated weapons camera affect infantrymen's spatial knowledge of a novel environment?
How do immersion, content, and multisensory input influence the restorative effects of digitial environments? Can we apply these findings to create an optimal and accessible restorative environment interface for office workers?
How would increasing the amount of legal window tint on a vehicle affect police officers' abilities to accurately see into a vehicle and detect potential threat?
Does the installation of virtual windows into windowless hospital rooms improve patient outcomes?