Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science (CBSC) ● whitingw@wlu.edu ●

Research Program
My research is currently investigating the influence of technology on attentional processes. I am specifically interested in the intersection of attention, physiology and mental health across the lifespan. In collaboration with Dr. Karla Murdock our lab uses a variety of methodologies to examine these constructs, including heart rate variability, skin conductance, reaction time costs and variability, as well as online survey methodologies.

Selected Publications
Whiting, W.L., & Murdock, K.K. (2021). Notification Alert! Effects of auditory text alerts on attention and heart rate variability across three developmental periods. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74, 1900-1913.
Whiting, W.L., & Murdock, K.K. (2016). Emerging Adults’ Sleep Patterns and Attentional Capture: The Pivotal Role of Consistency. Cognitive Processing, 17, 155-62.
Whiting, W.L., Sample, C. & Hagan, S. (2014). Top-Down Processing Modulates Older Adults’ Susceptibility to Noise. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 21, 370-385.
Johnson, D.R., & Whiting, W.L. (2013). Detecting subtle expressions: Older adults demonstrate automatic and controlled positive response bias in emotional perception. Psychology and Aging, 28, 172-178.
Costello, M.C., Madden, D.J., Mitroff, S.R., & Whiting, W.L. (2010). Age-Related Decline of Visual Processing Components in Change Detection. Psychology and Aging, 25, 356-368.
Whiting, W.L., Madden, D.J., & Babcock, K. (2007). Overriding Age Differences in Attentional Capture with Top-down Processing. Psychology and Aging, 22, 223-232.