Projects

Numerical processing in infants, children, and adults.

We use both habituation and choice paradigms to investigate the development of numerical cognition across the human lifespan. We are particularly interested in whether multisensory information enhances our abilities to discriminate between and perform computations on number.

Numerical cognition in animals.

Is numerical thought possible in other species, which lack language?  We are currently testing the numerical abilities of coyotes at USU's Predator Ecology Research Center in collaboration with Dr. John Shivik.  We're particularly interested in the development of coyotes' quantitative concepts relative to food resources.  We are also probing numerical cognition in dogs in collaboration with Walker Dog Training (Alyssa Walker, Dog Trainer & Behavior Consultant,  www.WalkerDogTraining.com).

Emotion and quantitative processing.

It has been demonstrated that emotion affects a person’s estimation of time. In addition to further exploring such findings, we are conducting studies that investigate possible effects of emotion on numerical processing in children and adults.

Videogame playing and multisensory processing.

The effects of videogame playing on cognition and perception are only beginning to be identified. This study looks at the effects of videogame playing on adults' numerical abilities.