UAH | College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences | Undergraduate Programs | Psychology | Research | Research Labs | Challenge, Metacognition, and Perception (ChaMP) Lab

Welcome to the Challenge, Metacognition, and Perception (ChaMP) Lab at the University of Alabama in Huntsville!

We are a dedicated group of researchers in the field of human factors and engineering psychology who study metacognition and theory of mind within the context of human factors psychology. Specifically, we study human-technology interaction as it relates to humans’ mental representations of autonomous and artificially intelligent (AS/AIS) tools and teammates. We use a variety of self-report, behavioral, and UX approaches in our research and strive to communicate our findings to the general public.

Members of the ChaMP Lab have a curiosity and enthusiasm for discovering truths about the world. We work in interdisciplinary teams where trainees of all levels meaningfully contribute and grow as researchers and professionals. Meet our team and apply to work with us!

What is Human Factors Psychology?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines human factors and engineering psychology as the study of how people interact with machines and technology (2025). Human factors experts collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to design products, technologies, and environments with human abilities and limitations in mind (HFES, 2025). Human factors experts improve computer interfaces, issue recommendations to aircraft manufacturers, and make space travel safer for astronauts (to name just a few). If you’ve ever seamlessly navigated a new smartphone, biked safely down the street, or driven comfortably on a road trip, you have a human factors specialist to thank!

What is Metacognition?

Metacognition is the awareness and knowledge of one’s own cognition (Flavell, 1979), which is maintained through monitoring and control. Metacognitive monitoring involves continually updating the representation of one’s own mental state (Nelson & Narens, 1990) in response to changes in oneself and the task environment. Metacognitive control takes place when this representation is used to inform one’s subsequent actions (Metcalf, 2009). Let’s imagine you’re driving with your family to the grocery store. Your ability to pay attention to the roadway is a function of what’s happening in the car (e.g., talking, fighting) and on the street (e.g., traffic, construction). As you notice your mental state deteriorating, you may ask the passengers to be quiet so that you can focus. Monitoring your metacognitive state allows you to choose actions that best control your metacognitive state.

What is Theory of Mind?

Theory of mind commonly refers to how people represent and make judgments about other people and animals (Röska-Hardy, 2009), although increasingly this definition is expanded to encompass technological systems (Williams, Fiore, & Jentsch, 2022). Those who exhibit theory of mind can perform complex tasks, such as understanding others’ perspectives as different from or incompatible with their own (Rakoczy, 2022). This is accomplished by inferring others’ state of mind from their words, actions, and outward appearance.

Our Research

The Challenge, Metacognition, and Perception (ChaMP) Lab specializes in the study of metacognition and theory of mind - the processes by which humans understand themselves, their human teammates, and the technologies they work with. Our active research projects involve human-technology interaction within the context of autonomous and artificially intelligent systems (AS/AIS), specifically as it relates to humans’ mental representations of AS/AIS tools and teammates. Our work is embedded in a community setting: we engage in outreach efforts and work to involve the public in all stages of the research process. This approach allows us to share our expertise with the greatest impact: we identify opportunities for product improvement and offer recommendations and tools to address their underlying cause. You can learn more about our active research projects: