Roger Ratcliff

Dr. Roger Ratcliff is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Decision Psychology at The Ohio State University's Department of Psychology, part of the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on understanding decision-making processes, memory, perception, and numerical cognition, with applications in aging, neuropsychology, and clinical settings. He holds the title of Distinguished University Professor and has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Warren Medal and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Ratcliff earned his BS (1968), MS (1970), and PhD (1974) in Psychology from the University of Auckland. His work emphasizes computational models, particularly the diffusion model framework, to analyze response times and accuracy in cognitive tasks. He has extensively studied aging effects on decision-making, memory disorders, and the neural underpinnings of perceptual judgments. Recent research includes applications to ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and driving behavior under stress.

His contributions span over 50 years, including foundational papers on diffusion models and their extensions. He has received sustained funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and other agencies. Collaborative projects involve interdisciplinary teams exploring cognitive neuroscience, psychometrics, and computational psychiatry.

• Key Research Themes: Decision-making dynamics, numerical cognition, aging effects, computational modeling.
• Lab Focus: Memory and perception processes, neuropsychological testing improvements, and model-based approaches to clinical diagnostics.