The Catholic University of America - Psychology Department

Welcome to The Cognitive Science Laboratories (CSL) at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.! Established in 1984 by its current Director, Raja Parasuraman, Professor of Psychology, the CSL encompasses an interdisciplinary suite of labs on the University campus. The CSL conducts basic and applied studies in cognitive science with a special focus on attention, performance, and cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive science is the study of the components and functions of mental processes such as memory, attention, decision making, and language. The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes and the role of cognition in human behavior at work represent additional areas of research within cognitive science.

Research at the CSL focuses on basic studies in Cognitive Neuroscience and applied studies in Human Factors. Cognitive Neuroscience at the CSL examines the ways in which cognition changes over the course of the life cycle and how these changes relate to differences in brain function. Human Factors research is currently centered around aviation research: problems being investigated include how pilots' performance and attention vary as a function of which tasks are automated, and the impact of new aviation technologies on air traffic control. A Third and newly emerging area, Neuroergonomics, represents the merger of cognitive neuroscience and human factors. Neuroergonomics is concerned with the study of brain and behavior at work.

The mission of the CSL is to create, advance, and disseminate knowledge in these areas through publications in scholarly journals and books, presentations at meetings of professional societies, and the sponsorship and organization of national and international conferences. An equally important aspect of the mission of the CSL is to advance applications of its research in transportation, industry, medicine, education, and other domains. A second major goal is to train undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scientists in the theories and methods of cognitive neuroscience and human factors and their applications to important societal problems.

cua-csl@cua.edu