Dr. Richard Jagacinski (jagacinski.1@osu.edu)
The structure of action can provide insights into underlying cognitive processes such as attention, perception, and memory. This lab is developing new measurement techniques and mathematical models so that these underlying dynamic processes can be understood in greater detail. Research assistant opportunities are available for graduate and undergraduate students with at least two courses in statistics, some computer programming experience and willingness to learn more, and who can participate for at least three semesters. Examples of research projects involving different varieties of action are shown below.
Measuring William James’s “Specious Present” — Spatially Distributed Attention to Roadway Preview and Memory for the Recent Past in a Simulated Driving Task
Steering a car is an example of a tracking task that involves both preview of the upcoming roadway and correction of unintended deviations from the center of the driving lane. Spatially distributed attention can be measured by introducing small perturbations to the previewed roadway and measuring which perturbations are evident in the driver’s motion patterns. Memory for roadway in the recent past can be measured by modeling the rate at which new information about the roadway decays within the feedback loop for error correction.
One second of previewed roadway; + is roadway center; o is vehicle position
Task structure involving anticipatory response to preview and error correction.
Jagacinski, R. J., Hammond, G. H.., & Rizzi, E. (2017). Measuring memory and attention to preview in motion. Human Factors, 59, 796-810.
Daily variability in spatially distributed attention during simulated driving can be modeled with a reaction-diffusion model involving attention (A) and inhibition (I). This dynamic relation can generate oscillatory spatial patterns of attention.
Jagacinski, R. J., Rizzi, E., Bloom, B. J., Turkkan, O. A., Morrison, T. N., Su, H., & Wang, J. (2019). Drivers’ attentional instability on a winding roadway. IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, 49(6), 498-507.
Evidence for distributed attention from independent limb control in musical performance and sports
Can drummers attend to and control their limbs relatively independently? Can golfers attend to and control the timing of their weight shift and swing independently? We infer the answers to these questions by analyzing movement patterns. A very low correlation between the movements of two limbs indicates parallel, relatively independent control and a form of distributed attention referred to as “streaming.” Hand-foot independence (perceptual-motor streaming) is found in both drummers and golfers. A goal is to apply reaction-diffusion modeling (above) to these instances of distributed attention. In contrast, the two hands generally function as a single integrated unit with tightly coupled timing.
Rhythmic Tapping
Tapping Rate (Cycles per Minute)
Jagacinski, R. J., Rizzi,E., Kim, T., Lavender, S. A., Speller, L. F., & Klapp, S. T. (2016). Parallel streams vs. integrated timing in multi-limb pattern generation: A test of Korte’s Third Law. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 42, 1703-1715.
Golf Swing
Kim, T., Jagacinski, R. J., & Lavender, S. A. (2011). Age-related differences in the coordinative structure of the golf swing. Journal of Motor Behavior, 43, 433-444.
An oscillatory model of spatially distributed attention is presented in:
Jagacinski, R. J., Ma, A., & Morrison, T. N. (Sept., 2024). Measuring the velocity of spatio-temporal attention waves. Journal of Mathematical Psychology