Qualifications
Master of Arts (University of Canterbury)
Research Interests
I have a particular interest in attention capture; how events that are not currently controlling behaviour can usurp control even when that may be counterproductive, and the converse where seemingly conspicuous events appear to be completely ignored even when it may be costly to ignore them. Related are vigilance situations where people are required to monitor their environment for critical target events over prolonged periods. It is well established that probability of detection of critical events declines the longer one performs the task (vigilance decrement). We are currently exploring factors that enhance or ameliorate this decrement, and seek to apply insights from research on attention capture and executive control to the domain of sustained attention and vigilance decrement.
- Attention and attention capture
- Sustained attention and vigilance decrement
Recent Publications
- Bedi A., Russell PN. and Helton WS. (2023) Go-stimuli probability influences response bias in the sustained attention to response task: a signal detection theory perspective. Psychological Research 87(2): 509-518. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00426-022-01679-7.
- Blakely MJ., Smith SL., Russell PN. and Helton WS. (2022) The impact of cognitive load on kayaking and kayaking on cognitive performance. Applied Ergonomics 102 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103747.
- Blakely MJ., Smith SL., Russell PN. and Helton WS. (2021) The impact of cognitive load on climbing and climbing on cognitive performance. Applied Ergonomics 94 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103413.
- Epling SL., Edgar GK., Russell PN. and Helton WS. (2019) Is Semantic Vigilance Impaired by Narrative Memory Demands? Theory and Applications. Human Factors 61(3): 451-461. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0018720818805602.
- McLennan KS., Neumann E. and Russell PN. (2019) Positive and negative priming differences between short-term and long-term identity coding of word-specific attentional priorities. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics 81(5): 1426-1441. http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13414-018-01661-9.
