We use a converging methods approach to investigate questions about memory and memory-attention interactions. Most often, our studies are conducted with neurologically healthy young adults and nearly all of our work combines basic behavior with eye-tracking methods. These studies serve as the foundation for neuroimaging investigations and for collaborative translational work with special populations. Some overarching research themes that we have focused on recently include:

*links to papers referenced below can be found on the "Publications" page

Memory-Attention Interactions: Most recently, we have focused on questions that sit at the intersection of memory and attention. We are specifically interested in whether, and under what circumstances, fear conditioned materials and information encoded into episodic long-term memory might capture attention. In these experiments, eye-tracking measures permit us to evaluate the deployment of attention to stimulus information in visual search display over the course of an experimental trial. Questions about the neural processes and representations associated with these capture effects are investigated in studies that combine eye-tracking and fMRI methods.

Representative Publications:

• Review / Opinion Article -- Hannula, D.E. (2018). Attention and long-term memory: bidirectional interactions and their effects on behavior. The Psychology of Learning & Motivation, 69.

• Kulkarni, M., Nickel, A.E., Minor, G.N. & Hannula, D.E. (2023). Control of memory retrieval alters memory-based eye movements. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. Advance online publication.

• Nickel, A.E., Hopkins, L.S., Minor, G.N. & Hannula, D.E. (2020). Attention capture by episodic long-term memory representations. Cognition, 201, 104312.

• Mahoney, E.J., Kapur, N., Osmon, D. & Hannula, D.E. (2018). Eye tracking as a tool for the detection of simulated memory impairment. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 7, 441-453. 

• Hopkins, L.S., Helmstetter, F.J. & Hannula, D.E. (2016). Eye movements are captured by a perceptually simple conditioned stimulus in the absence of explicit contingency knowledge. Emotion, 16, 1157-1171.

Unconscious (Implicit) Memory: There is active debate in the literature about whether the hippocampus contributes critically to expressions of unconscious memory. Our research has indicated that the hippocampus is critically involved in the encoding and retrieval of relational memories with and without corresponding awareness. As above, this work is based on a converging methods approach (i.e., eye-tracking, work with individuals who have amnesia due to MTL damage, neuroimaging). All of our experiments combine eye-tracking with basic behavioral responses (e.g., recognition) to examine whether and when viewing effects dissociate from explicit memory reports. In addition, we have used eye-tracking methods to examine the characteristics of memory representations that are encoded in these task (e.g., whether they can be flexibly updated or modified).

Representative Publications: 

• Review / Opinion Article -- Hannula, D.E., Minor, G.N., & Slabbekoorn, D. (2023). Conscious awareness and memory systems in the brain. WIREs Cognitive Science.

• Yang, Y, Coutinho, M.V.C., Greene, A.J. and Hannula, D.E. (2021). Contextual cueing is not flexible. Consciousness and Cognition, 93, article 103164.

• Wuethrich, S., Hannula, D.E., Mast, F., & Henke, K. (2018). Subliminal encoding and flexible retrieval of objects in scenes. Hippocampus, 28(9), 633-643. 

• Nickel, A.E., Henke, K., & Hannula, D.E. (2015). Relational memory is evident in eye movement behavior despite the use of subliminal testing methods. PLoS One, 10, e0141677.

• Hannula, D.E. & Ranganath, C. (2009). The eyes have it: Hippocampal activity predicts successful relational binding. Neuron, 63(5), 592-599.

Item-Specific and Relational Memory: In addition to addressing questions about contributions of the hippocampus to relational memory (including working memory when relational memory binding is required; see publications), we have examined how relational memory is distinct from item-specific memory. This work is important because a more complete understanding of the processing and representational properties of MTL subregions has implications for disease processes that are slowly progressive (e.g., Alzheimer's disease) or that differentially affect the structural and functional integrity of MTL cortex and the hippocampus. Work with special populations is conducted collaboratively with experts at other institutions using cognitive tasks that we have developed to tap item-specific and relational memory in eye-movement behavior and recognition performance. 

Representative Publications: 

• Minor, G.N., Gordon, A., Hannula, D.E., Ragland, J.D., & Solomon, M. (2023). Item-specific and relational memory are intact in Autism. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1-21.

• Cooper, R.A., Plaisted-Grant, K.C., Hannula, D.E., Ranganath, C., Baron-Cohen, S., Simons, J.S. (2015). Impaired recollection of visual scene details in adults with autism spectrum conditions. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 124(3), 565-575. 

• Hannula, D.E, Tranel, D., Allen, J.S., Kirchhoff, B.A., Nickel, A.E., & Cohen, N.J. (2015). Memory for items and relationships among items in realistic scenes: Disproportionate relational memory impairments in amnesia. Neuropsychology, 29(1), 126-138. 

• Hannula, D.E., Libby, L.A., Yonelinas, A.P., & Ranganath, C. (2013). Medial temporal lobe contributions to cued retrieval of items and contexts. Neuropsychologia, 51(12), 2322-2332. 

• Hannula, D.E., Ranganath, C., Ramsay, I.S., Solomon, M., Yoon, J., Niendam, T.A., Carter, C.S., & Ragland, J.D. (2010). Use of eye movement monitoring to examine item and relational memory in schizophrenia. Biological Psychiatry, 68(7), 610-616.