Research Interests: Dr. Couperus’s research interests surround the development and neurological substrates of attention, memory, and learning. Currently her research is focused on understanding the complex interaction between the development of selective attention and implicit learning in children, and the neurological changes across development that affect this interaction. Her work uses behavioral as well as electrophysiological methodologies, specifically event related potentials (ERPs). In addition she works with undergraduate students on projects examining topics as varied as cross-modal memory, autism, and decision making. Information on studies with children: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab of Learning Attention Brain and Behavior (DCN LABB) Information on studies using ERPs: ERP Lab If you or your child would like to participate in research contact Dr. Couperus at childparticipant@yahoo.com
Background: Dr. Couperus received her B.A. from Wesleyan University (CT) in psychology and music in 1996, M.A. from Claremont Graduate University in Applied Developmental Psychology in 1999, and PhD. from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota in Child Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience in 2004. She currently teaches in the Culture Brain and Development Program at Hampshire College. Curriculum Vitae
CNS POSTERS MAY 2008: Benau, E., Ratzan, E., Frady, T.D., Couperus, J.W. (April 2008) Reading, the Brain, and Reading the Brain: Does Working Memory Affect N400 Amplitude? Poster session presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA. Poster Couperus, J.W. (April 2008) Modulation of P1 as a Function of Visual Selective Attention in Adults and Children Poster session presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA. Poster Isserman, N.J., Gordon-McKeon, S., Frady, T.D., Couperus, J.W. (April 2008) Economics, Emotion, and Electropencephalagraphy: ERP Correlates of Decision-Making in the U.ltimatum Game Poster session presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA. Poster
Recent Publications and Presentations: Karatekin, C., Marcus, D., & Couperus, J.,W. (2007). Regulation of Cognitive Resources During Sustained Attention and Working Memory in 10-year-olds and Adults. Psychophysiology, 44(1), 128-144. Couperus, J.W. & C.A. Nelson (2006) Early Brain Development and Plasticity. In K. McCartney and D. Phillips, The Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development. Karatekin, C., Couperus, J.W., Marcus, D.J. (2004). Attention allocation on the dual task paradigm as measured through behavioral and psychophysiological responses. Psychophysiology, 41(2), 175-185. Karatekin, C., Couperus, J.W., & Marcus, D.J., White, T.J. (chapter in press). Effects of Delay and Retrieval Mode on Memory-Guided Saccades in 10-Year-Olds and Adults. Couperus, J.W. (under review). Implicit Learning Modulates Selective Attention at Sensory Levels of Perceptual Processing Couperus, J.W. (under review). Selection and Filtering in Visual Search: Differential Effects in 10-Year-Old Children and Adults Benau, E.M., Morris, J., Couperus, J.W. (under review). Semantic processing in 10 year olds and adults: Incongruity and the N400. Couperus, J.W., Landis, M.L., Frady, T.D. (May 2007) Flexing Selective Attention: Electrophysiological Correlates of Shifting between Early and Late Selective Attention. Poster session presented at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, New York, NY. Poster Couperus, J.W. (Apr. 2006). Implicit learning and attention allocation to parafoveal stimuli: An electrophysiological study. Poster session presented at the 2006 Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Poster References Couperus, J.W., Hunt, R., Nelson, C.A., Thomas, K. (Apr. 2005). Selective Attention Development Affects Implicit Learning. Poster session presented at the 2005 Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, GA. (pdf) Hunt, R.H., Couperus, J.W., Townsend, E.L., Nelson, C.A., Thomas, K.M. (Apr. 2005). Developmental Differences in Continuous Recognition Memory: An fMRI and ERP Study of Parametrically Manipulated Memory Load. Paper presented at the 2005 Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, GA. Hunt, R.H., Townsend, E.L., Couperus, J.W., Nelson, C.A, Thomas, K.M. (Apr. 2005). A Developmental fMRI Study of Medial Temporal Lobe Function: Differences in Continuous Recognition Memory. Poster session presented at the 2005 Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, GA. Unpublished Manuscripts: Couperus, J.W., Nelson, C.A. Electrophysiological Correlates of Working Memory Across Modalities. Unpublished manuscript. (pdf)