Lecturer in Psychology

Research

I am interested in theoretical and applied issues in human perception and cognition. I use a variety of techniques to investigate the way the brain integrates and selects sensory information in different tasks and situations. My current projects include an fMRI study exploring neural plasticity in response to training with video displays. I am also using behaviourial techniques to contrast search efficiency for single and multiple targets in complex visual displays. Other projects investigate:

• Temporal modulations of object recognition in response to shifts in bottom-up and top-down attention
• Cue combination in visual working memory
• The neural correlates of auditory selection
• Selective attention to auditory non-spatial and spatial attributes
• Multi-modal deficits of spatial awareness in hemi-spatial neglect
• Multi-modal cueing effects in temporal order judgement tasks

Sponsors and collaborators
 
2009, Nuffield Science Foundation, a project entitled; “Assessing the locus of cross-modal selective attention: independent or superadditive effects?”

2008, Nuffield Science Foundation, a project entitled; “Bottom-up and Top-down Attentional Bias in Object Recognition.”

2006, Deafness UK, a project entitled “Selective attention to auditory spatial and non-spatial attributes” (with Dr Deb Hall, Jo Archer and Mark Edmonson-Jones at the Medical Research Council’s Institute of Hearing Research).

2003-06, Medical Research Council, a project entitled “Multi-modal deficits in patients with visual hemispatial neglect” (with Dr Deb Hall at the Medical Research Council’s Institute of Hearing Research).

2003-06, Medical Research Council, a project entitled “Response properties for what and where in human non-primary auditory cortex” (with Dr Deb Hall at the Medical Research Council’s Institute of Hearing Research).

2002-03, US Transport Security Administration, a project entitled “Visual search in complex displays” (with Dr Nick Donnelly and Dr Tammy Meneer at the Visual Cognition Unit, The University of Southampton and Dr Kyle Cave at The Psychology Department, Massachusetts, Amherst).
 
External academic and professional activity
 
I have reviewed a number of articles for the Journal of Experimental Psychology, Psychonomic Bulletin and Review and the European Journal of Neuroscience.
 
Information for prospective research students
 
I would be interested in supervising any projects investigating aspects of selective attention and performance. This includes uni- and multi-modal (visual and auditory) attention, and the way selective mechanisms mediate behaviour in different tasks and environments (e.g. in response to changes in the physical environment and the cognitive demands made by the task). I would also be interested in experimental investigations of behaviourial and cognitive performance in different clinical populations, or among individuals in response to challenging situations such as those experienced by military pilots.

Recent Publications

Publications

Barrett, DJK, Edmondson-Jones, AM., & and Hall, DA. (2010) Attention in neglect and extinction: Assessing the degree of correspondence between visual and auditory impairments using matched tasks. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 32(1), 71-80.

Spenwyn, J, Barrett, DJK, Griffiths, MD (2010). The role of lights and music in gambling behavior: An empirical pilot study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 8, 107-118.

Palmer, AR., Hall, DA., Sumner, C. Barrett, DJK., Jones, S., Nakamoto, K., & Moore, DR. (2007) Investigations into non-passive listening. Hearing Research 299(1-2): 148-157.

Meneer, T., Barrett, DJK., Phillips, L., Donnelly, N & Cave, KR. (2007) Costs in searching for two targets: dividing search across target types could improve airport security screening Applied Cognitive Psychology, 21(7): 915-932.

Barrett, DJK., & Hall, DA. (2006). Response preferences for ‘what’ and ‘where’ in human non-primary auditory cortex. NeuroImage, 32: 968-977.

Hall DA, Barrett DJK, Akeroyd MA, Summerfield AQ (2005). Cortical representations of temporal structure in sound. Journal of Neurophysiology, 94: 3181-3191.

Meneer, T., Barrett, DJK., Phillips, L., Cave, KR., & Donnelly, N. (2004) Search Efficiency for Multiple Targets.  International Journal of Cognitive Technology, 9(2): 22-25.

Barrett, DJK., Bradshaw, MF., & Rose. D. (2003).  Endogenous shifts of attention operate within multiple coordinate frames: evidence from a feature- priming task.  Perception, 32: 41-52.

Barrett, D. J. K., Bradshaw, MF., Rose. D., Simpson, P. J. (2001).  Reflexive shifts of attention operate in an egocentric coordinate frame.  Perception, 30: 1083-1091.

Kuntsi. J., Barrett, D., Canning, E., Karia, N., & Stevenson, J. (2000).  The connors rating scale (CTRS-28) applied to a U.K. sample.  Journal of Attention Disorders, 3: 229-237.

Conference Proceedings

Barrett, DJK, & Young, HR. Semantic Priming Does Not Turn Back The Clock: Evidence Against Prior Entry for Semantically Primed Words and Pictures. British Psychological Society: Cognitive Section, Southampton (2008).

Barrett, DJK, Edmondson-Jones, M & Hall, D. Attention in hemi-neglect: assessing the degree of correspondence between visual and auditory impairment. Experimental Psychology Society, Edinburgh (2007).

Barrett, DJK, Archer, J., Edmondson-Jones, M & Hall, D. Selective Attention to auditory spatial and non-spatial attributes. British Society of Audiology, Cambridge (2006).

Barrett, DJK & Hall, D. An fMRI investigation of the cortical origins of the dual pathway model in humans. fMRI Experience, Birmingham (2005).

Barrett, DJK., Hall, DA., Akeroyd, M & Summerfield AQ. The role of Heschl’s Gyrus (HG) in the analysis of pitch and spatial compactness. Cognitive Neuroscience, New York (2005).

Meneer, T., Barrett, DJK., Phillips, L., Cave, KR., & Donnelly, N.  Limits on the Top-Down Guidance of Visual Search for Multiple Targets.  Psychonomics, Toronto (2005).

Hall, DA., & Barrett, DJK.  The role of HG in the analysis of temporal iteration and interaural correlation.  Organisation of Human Brain Mapping, Budapest (2004).

Meneer, T., Barrett, DJK., Phillips, L., Cave, KR., & Donnelly, N.  The effect of Training on Search for Complex Stimuli.  Vision Sciences Society, Sarasota (2004).

Barrett, DJK., & D, Rose.  Scene-based and object-centred facilitation: evidence for attention at multiple levels of spatial description. European Conference on Visual Perception, Paris (2003).

Barrett, DJK., & D, Rose.  Spatio-temporal constraints on object-based priming.  Experimental Psychology Society Workshop on the Cognitive Neuroscience of Visual Attention, Gregynog (2003).

Barrett, DJK., & Rose, D.  The spatio-temporal constraints of object-based priming. Vision Sciences Society, Sarasota (2003).

Meneer, T., Barrett, DJK., Phillips, L., Cave, K. R., & Donnelly, N.  The breakdown of efficient search when either of two colour targets can appear.  Vision Sciences Society, Sarasota (2003).

Barrett, DJK., Meneer, T., Phillips, L., Cave, KR., & Donnelly, N.  The breakdown of efficient search for multiple, same dimension targets.  Experimental Psychology Society Easter Meeting, Exeter (2003).

Barrett, DJK., Bradshaw, MF., Rose. D., Simpson, P J.  Reflexive shifts of attention operate in an egocentric coordinate frame.  Foursites Fifth Vision Research Symposium, Brunel University (2001).

Barrett, DJK., Bradshaw, MF., Everatt, J., Rose. D., & Hibbard, PB.  Spatial selective attention operates in environment centred and retinotopic coordinate frameworks.  European Conference on Visual Perception, Groningen (2000).

Barrett, DJK., Bradshaw, MF., Everatt, J., Rose. D., & Hibbard, PB.  Photopic and scotopic performance of dyslexics and normals on stereo and motion tasks.  Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale (1999).