Dr. Shannon Robertson

Associate Professor
23 Ayers Hall
(256) 782-5804
srobertson3@jsu.edu

Dr. Robertson has been at Jax State since 2009. His expertise is in gerontology (the scientific study of processes and issues associated with growing older), with an emphasis on cognitive aging (the study of how mental abilities, like attention and memory, change with age). His past research has focused on age differences in the capacity and variability of cognitive performance. He has also collaborated on research pertaining to economic decision making, or behavioral economics. More recently, he has begun research related to the psychology of music, focusing on music cognition and perception, and their relationships with age and other demographic factors.

Shannon Robertson

Courses Taught

  • PSY 201- Principles of Psychology
  • PSY 383 - Biological Psychology
  • PSY 366 - Cognitive Psychology
  • PSY 323 -  Adult Development and Aging
  • PSY 303 - Psychology Topics
  • PSY 320 - Psychological Research Methods I
  • PSY 321 - Psychological Research Methods II (WI)

Academic/Research Interests

Much of my past research centered on various issues pertaining to cognitive aging, especially age differences in the variability of cognitive performance. More specifically, I have examined age-differences in the moment-to-moment inconsistency in performance on tasks of speeded decision making, visual search, and working memory.

I have also been involved in behavioral economics research exploring risky and impulsive choices. In this area, I am currently developing a novel method of collecting and analyzing delay and probability discounting data.

My most recent research involves numerous projects related to the psychology of music, especially as it pertains to cognition, perception, and age.

Areas of Concentration

  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Aging
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Psychology of Music

Education

  • B.A., Texas A&M - Kingsville, Psychology and Sociology, 1999
  • M.S., Texas A&M - Kingsville, Gerontology, 2001
  • M.A., Washington University in St. Louis, Psychology, 2004
  • Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, Psychological Science, 2009

Publications

  • Myerson, J., Robertson, S., & Hale, S. (2007). Aging and intraindividual variability in performance: Analyses of response time distributions. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 88, 319-337.
  • Robertson, S., Myerson, J., & Hale, S. (2006). Are there age differences in intra-individual variability in working memory performance? Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 61B, P18-P24 .
  • Robertson, S. (2010, July). Visitor attention from the perspective of a cognitive psychologist. Paper presented at the 23 rd Annual Visitors Studies Association Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
  • Robertson, S. (2010, April). Age differences in fluctuations of executive control revealed by performance on prospective memory tasks. Poster session presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Robertson, S., Myerson, J., & Hale, S. (2008, April). Between-subject and within-subject variability in the performance of speeded visuospatial tasks by younger and older adults. Poster session presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Robertson, S., Myerson, J., & Hale, S. (2006, November). Does intra-individual variability in response times increase with age or when more shifts of attention are required? Poster session presented at the Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Houston, TX.
  • Robertson, S., Myerson, J., & Hale, S. (2006, April). Limitations on application of the EZ-Diffusion model to age differences in response times . Poster session presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Robertson, S., Myerson, J., & Hale, S. (2004, April). Are there age differences in intra-individual variability in working memory performance? Poster session presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Hale, S., Myerson, J., Robertson, S., & Zar-Kessler, C. (2002, April) Response time distributions and conditional accuracy functions of younger and older adults performing a same-different judgment task. Poster session presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.