Welcome to the Geocognition Lab at Auburn University

Geocognition

The study of how people think and learn about the geosciences. It is a component of the geoscience education research field which includes the investigation of teaching and learning about the Earth and its processes.

Research Overview

Our work in the Auburn Geocognition and Geoscience Education research lab includes a focus on geoscience education and complex Earth systems (e.g., global change). Specifically, we are interested in addressing questions that examine how to engage individuals in geoscience related materials, the misconceptions and mental models do people hold about complex systems, the psychomotor responses (e.g., eye movements, skin conductance) that occur when people are exposed to geoscience related materials and experiences, and best practices in teaching and learning about the Earth's systems.

Importance

Our work is important to science and society alike. As we learn what people know, understand, misunderstand, engage in, perceive, and interpret, we also gain insights to and can test communication and teaching strategies that emphasize the Earth's systems and the associated processes, dynamics, and complexities. By working to close the communication gap between scientists and the public, we come closer to discovering global change solutions that can be implemented by an informed citizenry. Additionally, we learn best practices in engaging a diverse audiences in the geosciences.