William S Helton

Current Research

• Vigilance
• Response Inhibition
• Disaster and Emergency Response
• Interaction of Cognitive and Physical Performance
• Wearable Interfaces
• Working Dogs

Selected Publications

Selected Journal Publications Since 2016

Epling, S.L., Edgar, G.K., Russell, P.N., & Helton, W.S. (in press). Is semantic vigilance impaired by narrative memory demands? Theory and applications. Human Factors.

Satterfield, K., Harwood, A.E, Helton, W.S., & Shaw, T. (in press). Does depleting self-control result in poorer vigilance performance? Human Factors.

Melrose, A., Nelson, X.J., Dolev, Y., & Helton, W.S. (in press). Vigilance all the way down: Vigilance decrement in jumping spiders resembles that of humans. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Nelson, X. J., Helton, W. S., & Melrose, A. (2019). The effect of stimulus encounter rate on response decrement in jumping spiders. Behavioural Processes, 159, 57-59.

Humphrey, B., Helton, W. S., Bedoya, C., Dolev, Y., & Nelson, X. J. (2018). Psychophysical investigation of vigilance decrement in jumping spiders: overstimulation or understimulation? Animal Cognition, 21(6), 787-794.

Epling, S. L., Blakely, M. J., Edgar, G. K., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2018). Memory impairment during a climbing traverse: implications for search and rescue climbing. Experimental Brain Research, 236(11), 3043-3052.

Dang, J.S., Figueroa, I.J., & Helton, W.S. (2018). You are measuring the decision to be fast, not inattention: the Sustained Attention to Response Task does not measure sustained attention. Experimental Brain Research, 236, 2255–2262.

Kemp, S., Chan, M., Chen, Z., & Helton, W.S. (2018). Risk attitude, perceived returns and investment choice in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 47, 23-29.

Wilson, K. M., de Joux, N. R., Finkbeiner, K. M., Russell, P. N., Retzler, J. R., & Helton, W. S. (2018). Prolonging the response movement inhibits the feed-forward motor program in the sustained attention to response task. Acta Psychologica, 183, 75-84.

Head, J., & Helton, W. S. (2018). The troubling science of neurophenomenology. Experimental Brain Research, 236(9), 2463-2467.

Head, J., Tenan, M.S., Tweedell, A.J., LaFiandra, M.E., Morelli, F., Wilson, K.M., Ortega, S.V., & Helton, W.S. (2017). Prior mental fatigue impairs marksmanship decision performance. Frontiers in Physiology.

Rees, A., Wiggins, M. W., Helton, W. S., Loveday, T., & O'Hare, D. (2017). The impact of breaks on sustained attention in a simulated, semi‐automated train control task. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 31(3), 351-359.

Brouwers, S., Wiggins, M. W., Griffin, B., Helton, W. S., & O’Hare, D. (2017). The role of cue utilisation in reducing the workload in a train control task. Ergonomics, 60(11), 1500-1515.

de Joux, N. R., Wilson, K. M., Russell, P. N., Finkbeiner, K. M., & Helton, W. S. (2017). A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study of the effects of configural properties on sustained attention. Neuropsychologia, 94, 106-117.

Helton, W. S., & Russell, P. N. (2017). Rest is still best: The role of the qualitative and quantitative load of interruptions on vigilance. Human Factors, 59, 91-100.

Epling, S. L., Blakely, M. J., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2017). Interference between a fast-paced spatial puzzle task and verbal memory demands. Experimental Brain Research, 6(235), 1899-1907.

Hancock, N. J., Joux, N. R., Wingreen, S. C., Kemp, S., Thomas, J., & Helton, W. S. (2017). Positive post‐disaster images: A daydream machine? British Journal of Psychology, 108(3), 528-543.

Head, J. R., Tenan, M. S., Tweedell, A. J., Price, T. F., LaFiandra, M. E., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Cognitive fatigue influences time-on-task during bodyweight resistance training exercise. Frontiers in Physiology,7.

Epling, S. L., Blakely, M. J., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Free recall and outdoor running: cognitive and physical demand interference. Experimental Brain Research, 234, 2979-2987.

Buckley, R. J., Helton, W. S., Innes, C. R., Dalrymple-Alford, J. C., & Jones, R. D. (2016). Attention lapses and behavioural microsleeps during tracking, psychomotor vigilance, and dual tasks. Consciousness and Cognition, 45, 174-183.

Wilson, K. M., Finkbeiner, K. M., de Joux, N. R., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Go-stimuli proportion influences response strategy in a sustained attention to response task. Experimental Brain Research, 234(10), 2989-2998.

Finkbeiner, K. M., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Rest improves performance, nature improves happiness: assessment of break periods on the abbreviated vigilance task. Consciousness and Cognition, 42, 277-285.

Wilson, K. M., de Joux, N. R., Finkbeiner, K. M., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2016). The effect of task-relevant and irrelevant anxiety-provoking stimuli on response inhibition. Consciousness and Cognition, 42, 358-365.

Brouwers, S., Wiggins, M., Helton, W.S., O’Hare, D., & Griffin, B. (2016). Cue utilisation and cognitive load in novel task performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 7.

Woodham, A., Billinghurst, M., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Climbing with a head-mounted display dual-task costs. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 58(3), 452-461.

Blakely, M. J., Kemp, S., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Volitional running and tone counting: The impact of cognitive load on running over natural terrain. IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 4(2-3), 104-114.

Epling, S. L., Russell, P. N., & Helton, W. S. (2016). A new semantic vigilance task: vigilance decrement, workload, and sensitivity to dual-task costs. Experimental Brain Research, 234(1), 133-139.

Lambie, E., Wilson, T. M., Johnston, D. M., Jensen, S., Brogt, E., Doyle, E. E., & Helton, W. S. (2016). Human behaviour during and immediately following earthquake shaking: developing a methodological approach for analysing video footage. Natural Hazards, 80(1), 249-283.

Education

B.A. Evergreen State College

M.A. University of Cincinnati

Ph.D. University of Cincinnati