Current research conducted in the Memory & Cognition Laboratory focuses on the following two broadly defined topic areas:


MEMORY: In the past few years, the main focus of our memory research has been on prospective memory, which is the ability to formulate intentions, plans and promises, to retain them, and to execute them in the appropriate context or at the appropriate time. Prospective memory is required for remembering to buy groceries on the way home from work, or for meeting a friend at the agreed upon time and place. We are currently conducting a variety of studies in order to answer the following kinds of questions: What mind/brain processes/structures are engaged for episodic prospective memory task performance? What mind/brain processes/structures differentiate between episodic prospective memory task performance and explicit episodic retrospective memory task performance? What mind/brain processes/structures underlie adult lifespan changes in the performance of episodic pro- and retro-spective memory tasks? What planning strategies might be used to improve performance on prospective memory tasks? What factors account for individual differences in prospective memory task performance? Are there special populations of individuals with selectively impaired prospective memory abilities? What are the implications of failures in episodic pro- and retro-spective memory?


TECHNOLOGY USABILITY: The overall goal of our usability research is to identify barriers to access -- usability problems, as well as the factors that cause them, that are experienced by normal healthy elderly users or potential users of handheld communications and computing devices, such as smart phones and personal digital assistants. We view this work and a more complete understanding of usability problems and of their causes as a critical first step toward creating devices that are better adapted to the abilities and needs of the elderly, and toward eliminating the digital divide so that the benefits of the information society can be more equitably distributed. Our work in this domain is part of the Aphasia project, a UBC based undertaking focused on developing handheld computer based aids and assistive devices (e.g. an appointment calendar, an electronic cookbook) primarily for individuals with aphasia.



RESEARCH FUNDING:

Funding for our ongoing research comes primarily from the Natural Sciences and Research Council of Canada, the UBC Hampton Foundation Fund, and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the Canadian Institute for Health Research.