There are four main research themes in the ACTION lab.
I. Adaptation to Information Proliferation
How do people across the lifespan learn new knowledge outside of the classroom? How do people across the lifespan search and assess the “evidence” needed to make complex judgments?
The research program aims at advancing basic knowledge in cognitive sciences about how human minds across the lifespan adapt to contemporary information environments through self-regulated processes, such as information search and uptake, for complex information goals, including decision-making and knowledge acquisition.
II. Coupling Cognitive Systems
How do people + machine work together to perform complex cognitive tasks? How can we build a system to help both machine and human learn new knowledge?
The research program aims at translating theories in cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction and machine learning to design information technologies that support complex cognitive processes (such as decision-making and learning) for adults across the lifespan.
III. Easy-to-Understand and Actionable Health Information for All
How can we identify user-generated health misinformation? How can we translate health knowledge from experts to practitioners, and to layman?
The research program aims at building socio-technical solutions to promote the dissemination of reliable, useful and accurate health information for all stakeholders, including scientific communities, practitioners and layman.
IV. Innovative and Accessible Health Care for All
How can we use innovative technologies to help older adults to stay healthy and independent at home? How can we use innovative technologies to deliver healthcare service to people in the rural area?
The research program aims at developing innovative, accessible and scalable socio-technical solutions to deliver health care service to the population/patients with diverse backgrounds for addressing health disparities and facilitating health promotion.