Tool Use

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Many of our daily activities involve the manipulation of tools. We are investigating how the mechanical and dynamical properties of tools are incorporated into the body’s internal movement representations. We have also examined the perceptual interfaces of modern-day tools, such as cell phones, and we are currently analyzing what factors facilitate learning in decision support systems in order to improve informational user-interface displays.

Related Publications

• Bell, J.D., & Macuga, K.L. (2022). Are tools truly incorporated as an extension of the body representation?: Assessing the evidence for tool embodiment. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Advance online publication.
• Piemonti, A.D., Macuga, K.L., & Babbar-Sebens, M. (2017). Usability evaluation of an interactive decision support system for user-guided design of scenarios of watershed conservation practices. Journal of Hydroinformatics, 19(5), 701-718.
• Macuga, K.L., & Frey, S.H. (2014). Differential contributions of the superior and inferior parietal cortex to feedback versus feedforward control of tools. Neuroimage, 92, 36-45.
• Macuga, K.L., Papailiou, A.P., & Frey, S.H. (2012). Motor imagery of tool use: Relationship to actual use and adherence to Fitts’ law across tasks. Experimental Brain Research, 218, 169-179.
• Salvucci, D.D., & Macuga, K.L. (2002). Predicting the effects of cellular-phone dialing on driver performance. Cognitive Systems Research, 3, 95-102.