Innovations in neuropsychology
Numerous technological advances are highly suitable for applications in neuropsychology. We study how diagnostic tests and treatment protocols can be optimized by means of digital tools, such as touch screens, virtual and augmented reality displays, and serious gaming applications. In addition to assessing the quality of the outcome of such tools, we take into account individual factors affecting outcomes, such as age, gender, and cognitive skillset.
Navigation ability
Navigation ability is typically characterized by large variation between individuals. We study how factors like age and gender, but also spatial experience and spatial anxiety affect navigation performance.
We also study navigation impairment. Over the years, we found that especially after acquired brain injury, getting lost is a frequent problem. Very little standardized tools are available for this cognitive deficit. Our goal is to provide such tools, with our Wayfinding Questionnaire for subjective navigation complaints, our online navigation test for objective navigation performance, and our Wayfinder Navigation Training, a serious game to improve navigation ability after acquired brain injury.
Aging and dementia
Moreover, as one of the first cognitive abilities to decline with age in both healthy and pathological aging, we focus on aging effects in navigation impairment. With our standardized testing material, we aim to contribute to early detection of pathological aging.
Spatial abilities
Large individual variation is also present for spatial abilities in general. We study which factors predict these individual differences and how they can be used in an applied sense. We collaborate with various partners in (higher) education, healthcare, and technology to assess and accommodate for such effects. Of particular interest is the growing application of virtual and augmented reality in a range of educational and clinical settings. There is a large variation in how well individuals can process the spatial features of such environments. We are working on training protocols to increase the learning effects in virtual and augmented study protocols.
Gender is often considered one of the main causes of this large individual variation in spatial abilities. This results in strong stereotypes and biases in self-reported performance. We study the relation between self-reported and observed spatial performance and examine factors that impact this relation, such as gender, gender identification, age, and stereotype threat/boost.