John M. Henderson

John M. Henderson is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis, affiliated with the Visual Cognition Lab. He holds additional roles at the Center for Mind and Brain, Center for Vision Science, Center for Neuroscience, and Plasticity and Memory Program. As an editor for Collabra: Psychology and associate editor for Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, he contributes to open science and cognitive research dissemination.

• Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1988)
• M.S. in Cognitive Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1986)
• B.S. in Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1983)

Professor Henderson’s research investigates how visual information is acquired, recognized, and integrated into cognitive systems to guide behavior. His work combines scene perception, reading processes, and visual memory using eye tracking, fMRI, brain stimulation, and computational modeling. Recent studies explore semantic guidance of attention in natural scenes, neural correlates of fixation duration, and developmental attentional patterns.

His 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reflect a focus on semantic processing in visual cognition, scene perception, and computational modeling of attention. Topics include meaning-based attentional guidance, deep learning applications in scene analysis, and neural mechanisms of memory-guided eye movements. Collaborations span cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and AI-driven scene understanding.

Scientific honors include:

• Google Scholar Classics recognition (2017) for groundbreaking 2006 paper
• Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, American Psychological Association, and Psychonomic Society

Grants from the National Eye Institute and National Institute on Aging support his work on visual cognition and aging. His lab trains students in cognitive methods and interdisciplinary research, bridging psychology, neuroscience, and computational modeling.