CHAT Lab
Cognition, Human Factors, and Applied Technology
CHAT Lab
Cognition, Human Factors, and Applied Technology
The CHAT Lab studies how people think, decide, learn, and interact with technology. We combine cognitive psychology, human factors, human-computer interaction, user research, and data-driven methods to design and evaluate technologies that support better decisions in real-world, high-stakes, and safety-critical contexts.
Lab Director: Yizhou “Louis” Liu, PhD
Affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama in Huntsville
What we study
Digital privacy decisions
How do users make repeated online privacy choices, such as cookie decisions, app permissions, and social-media disclosures? How do fatigue, stress, age, and interface design shape those decisions?
Human-centered interfaces
How can behavioral evidence and user research inform clearer, more usable, and more trustworthy interfaces for privacy, consent, automation, and decision support?
Applied technology and human factors
How can prototypes, usability testing, machine learning, and human factors methods support safer and more effective technology in high-stakes or everyday settings?
Current directions
- Privacy fatigue and repeated privacy decision-making
- Age-inclusive digital privacy education and training
- Stress, cognition, and digital decision-making
- Data-driven and personalized privacy interface design
- Human factors methods for evaluating interactive and applied technologies
For prospective students
We welcome students interested in cognitive psychology, human factors, HCI, online privacy, and inclusive technology design. Please visit the Join the Lab page for suggested preparation and inquiry instructions.