Christopher Mayhorn

Head

Department of Psychology

Center for Family and Community Engagement (CFACE)

Broughton Hall 2221

cbmayhor@ncsu.edu

Bio

Dr. Christopher B. Mayhorn, Head of the Psychology Department is a Professor in the Human Factors and Applied Cognitive Psychology program. He has been a faculty member at North Carolina State University since 2002. He earned a B.A. from The Citadel (1992), an M.S. (1995), and a Ph.D. (1999) from the University of Georgia. He also completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Mayhorn’s current research interests include everyday memory, decision-making, human-computer interaction, safety and risk communication. He has received external funding for his research from several government organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Security Agency as well as from industry organizations such as the Drug Information Association. Dr. Mayhorn has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications to his credit. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Human Factors, Applied Ergonomics, and the Journal of Safety Research. He is a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and a University Faculty Scholar (selected in 2014) at NCSU. In 2024, Dr. Mayhorn was recognized by the American Association of University Administrators with the McInnes/Ryan Mid-Career Leadership Award.

Website

http://psychology.chass.ncsu.edu/faculty_staff/cbmayhorn.php

Research Publications

Applied Cognition

*Crawford, J. T., Leynes, P. A., Mayhorn, C. B., & Bink, M. L. (2004). Champagne, Beer, or Coffee?: A Corpus of Gender Related and Neutral Words Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 36 (3), 444-458.

*Kim, P.Y., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2008). Exploring students’ prospective memory inside and outside the laboratory. American Journal of Psychology, 121(2), 241-254.

Leynes, P. A., Marsh, R. L., Hicks, J. L., Allen, J. D., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2003). Investigating the encoding and retrieval of intentions with Event-Related Potentials (ERPs). Consciousness and Cognition, 12, 1-18.

Leynes, P. A., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2003). A reply to R. West’s comments on Leynes, Marsh, Hicks, Allen, & Mayhorn. Consciousness and Cognition, 12, 25-30.

Marsh, R. L., Hicks, J. L., *Cook, G. I., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2007). Comparing older and younger adults in an event-based prospective memory paradigm containing an output monitoring component. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 14, 168-188.

Masot, O., Cox, A., Mold, F., Sund-Levander, M., Tingstrom, P., Boersma, G. S., Botique, T., Daltrey, J., Hughes, K., Mayhorn, C.B., Montgomery, A., Mullan, J., & Carey, N. (2022). Decision support tools for early detection of infection in older people (aged> 65 years): A scoping review. BMC Geriatrics, 22:552.

Mayhorn, C. B., Fisk, A. D., & *Whittle, J. D. (2002). Decisions, decisions: Analysis of age, cohort, and time of testing on framing of risky decision options. Human Factors, 44(4), 515-521.

Park, D. C., Hertzog, C., Kidder, D. P., Morrell, R. W., & Mayhorn, C. B. (1997). The effect of age on event-based and time-based prospective memory. Psychology and Aging, 12(2), 314-327.

*Rachmatullah, A., Mayhorn, C. B., & Wiebe, E. (2021). Middle school students’ monitoring accuracy and computer programming performance: Effects of scaffolding, previous experience, and gender. Learning and Individual Differences, 86.

Human-Technology Interaction

*Ferreri, N., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2021). That’s not what we expected: Examining technology expectations and malfunctions on frustration. Ergonomics in Design, 31(4), 40-45.

*Ferreri, N.R. & Mayhorn, C. B. (2023). Understanding and identifying individual differences in frustration with technology. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 24(4), 461-479.

*Goodman, K.L., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2023). It’s not what you say but how you say it: Examining the influence of perceived voice assistant gender and pitch on trust and reliance. Applied Ergonomics, 106.

*Hardee, J. B., West, R., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2006). To download or not to download: An examination of computer security decision-making. Association of Computing Machinery: Interactions, 13(3), 32-37.

Kelley, C. L., Morrell, R. W., Park, D. C., & Mayhorn, C. B.(1999). Predictors of electronic bulletin board system use in older adults. Educational Gerontology, 25, 19-35.

*Lawson, P., *Pearson, C. J., *Crowson, A., and Mayhorn, C. B. (2020). Email phishing and signal detection: How persuasion principles and personality influence response patterns and accuracy. Applied Ergonomics, 86.

Mayhorn, C.B. & *Carpenter, E. D. (2012). Age differences and transfer on control solution testing with blood glucometers. Work, 41, Supplement 1, 370-373.

Mayhorn, C. B., *Lanzolla, V. R., Wogalter, M. S., & *Watson, A. M. (2005). Personal digital assistants (PDAs) as medication reminding tools: Exploring age differences in usability. Gerontechnology, 4(3), 128-140.

Mayhorn, C.B., Murphy-Hill, E., *Zielinska, O. A., & *Welk, A. K. (2015). The social engineering behind phishing. The Next Wave, 21 (1), 32-39.

Mayhorn, C.B. & *Nyeste, P. G. (2012). Training users to counteract phishing. Work, 41, Supplement 1, 3549-3552.

Mayhorn, C. B. & Sterns, A.A. (2007). Perfecting the handheld computer for older adults: From cognitive theory to practical application. Cognitive Technology, 12 (1), 14-20.

Mayhorn, C. B., *Stronge, A. J., *McLaughlin, A. C., & Rogers, W. R. (2004). Older adults, computer training, and the systems approach: A formula for success. Educational Gerontology, 30(3), 185-203.

Morrell, R. W., Mayhorn, C. B., & Bennett, J. (2000). World Wide Web use in middle-aged and older adults. Human Factors, 42(2), 175-182.

Morrell, R. W., Park, D. C., Mayhorn, C. B., & Kelley, C. L. (2000). The effects of age and instructions on teaching older adults to use Eldercomm, an electronic bulletin board system. Educational Gerontology, 26, 221-235.

*Park, S., *Watson, A., Mayhorn, C. B., & Singh, M. P. (In Press). Challenges faced by older adults in using mobile apps, and a way forward. Computer.

*Pearson, C. J., *Geden, M., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2019). Who’s the real expert here? Pedigree’s unique bias on trust between human and automated advisors. Applied Ergonomics, 81.

Sterns, A. A., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2006). Persuasive pillboxes: Improving medication adherence with personal digital assistants. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 3962, 195-198.

*Sundaresan, D., *Watson, A.C., Bardaka, E., Lee, C., Mayhorn, C.B., & Singh, M. P. (2025). Prosociality in microtransit. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 82, 77-110.

*Welk, A., *Zielinska, O., *Tembe, R., *Xe, G., *Hong, K. W., Murphy-Hill, E., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2015). Will the “Phisher-men” Reel you in? Assessing Individual Differences in a Phishing Detection Task. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology, and Learning, 5(4), 1-16.

Wogalter, M. S., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2005). Providing cognitive support with technology-based warning systems. Ergonomics, 48(5), 522-533.

Wogalter, M. S., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2008). Trusting the internet: Cues affecting perceived credibility. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 4 (1), 76-94.

Warnings and Safety

Goldsworthy, R. C. & Mayhorn, C. B. (2009). Prescription medication sharing among adolescents: Prevalence, risks, and outcomes. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(6), 634-637.

Goldsworthy, R. C., Mayhorn, C. B., & Meade, A. W, (2010). Warnings in manufacturing: Improving hazard mitigation messaging through audience analysis. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 20 (6), 484-499.

Goldsworthy, R. C., Schwartz, N., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2008a). Interpretation of pharmaceutical warnings among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42 (6), 617-625.

Goldsworthy, R. C., Schwartz, N., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2008b). Beyond abuse and exposure: Framing the impact of prescription medication sharing. American Journal of Public Health, 98 (6), 1115-1121.

Mayhorn, C. B. (2005). Cognitive aging and the processing of hazard information and disaster warnings. Natural Hazards Review, 6(4), 165-170.

Mayhorn, C. B. & Goldsworthy, R. C. (2009). “New and improved”: The role text augmentation and the application of responses interpretation standards (coding schemes) in a final iteration of birth defects warnings development. Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 85(10), 864-871.

Mayhorn, C. B., & Goldsworthy, R. C. (2007). Refining teratogen warning symbols for diverse populations. Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 79(6), 494-506.

Mayhorn, C. B., & McLaughlin, A.C. (2014). Warning the world of extreme events: A global perspective on risk communication for natural and technological disaster. Safety Science, 61, 43-50.

Mayhorn, C. B., *Nichols, T. A., Rogers, W. A., & Fisk, A. D. (2004). Hazards in the home: Using older adults’ perceptions to inform warning design. Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 11(4), 211-218.

Mayhorn, C. B. & Wogalter, M.S. (2020). Forensic human factors and ergonomics: Theory in practice. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomic Science, 21(3).

Mayhorn , C. B., & Wogalter, M. S. (2010). Considering the warning context: New research methodologies and advances. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 20 (6), 481-483.

Mayhorn, C. B., Wogalter, M. S., & *Bell, J. L. (2004). Are we ready? Misunderstanding homeland security safety symbols. Ergonomics in Design, 12(4), 6-14.

Mayhorn, C. B., Wogalter, M. S., & *Shaver, E. F. (2004). What does Code Red mean? Ergonomics in Design, 2(4), 12.

Mayhorn, C.B., Wogalter, M. S., & Laughery, K. R. (2014). Special issue on warnings: Advances in delivery, application, and methods. Applied Ergonomics, 45(5), 1267-1269.

McLaughlin, A. C., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2011). Avoiding harm on the farm: Human factors. Gerontechnology, 10(1), 26-37.

McLaughlin, A. C., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2014). Designing effective risk communications for older adults. Safety Science, 61, 59-65.

Stough, L. M., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2012).Population segments with disabilities. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 31(3), 384-402.

*Vilar, E., Rebelo, F., *Noriega, P., Duarte, E. & Mayhorn, C. B. (2014). Effects of competing environmental variables and signage on route choices in simulated everyday and emergency wayfinding situations. Ergonomics, 57(4), 511-524.

*Vilar, E., Rebelo, F., *Noriega, P., *Teles, J. & Mayhorn, C. B. (2013). The influence of environmental features on route selection in an emergency situation. Applied Ergonomics, 44(4), 618-627.

*Vilar, E., Rebelo, F., *Noriega, P., *Teles, J. & Mayhorn, C. B. (2015). Signage versus environmental affordances: Is the explicit information strong enough to guide human behavior during a wayfinding task? Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 25(4), 439-452.

Wogalter, M. S., & Mayhorn, C. B. (2005). Perceptions of driver distraction due to cellular phones by cellular phone owners and non-owners. Human Factors, 47(2), 455-467.

*Zielinska, O., Mayhorn, C. B., & Wogalter, M.S. (2017). Connoted hazard and perceived importance of fluorescent, neon, and standard safety colors. Applied Ergonomics, 65, 326-334.

Funded Research

Abate, A. C., & Mayhorn, C. B. Family-centered practice project, SFY 2024. Funded by the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $1,395,867. January 1, 2024-December 31, 2024.

Bardaka, E., Hijibabai Dizaji, L., Singh, M., Chen, C., and Mayhorn, C. B. SCC-PG (2125447) Empathy and AI: Towards Equitable Microtransit. Funded by the National Science Foundation. Direct costs of $150,000. January 1, 2022-December 31, 2023.

Bardaka, E., Mayhorn, C. B., Singh, M., Samaranayake, S., and Lee, C. NSF 22-529—SCC-IRG Track 1: Empathy and AI: Towards Equitable Microtransit. Funded by the National Science Foundation. Direct costs of $1,323,989. August 16, 2023-December 31, 2026.

Bardaka, E., Mayhorn, C. B., Singh, M., Samaranayake, S., and Lee, C. Supplement to NSF 22-529—SCC-IRG Track 1: Empathy and AI: Towards Equitable Microtransit. Funded by the National Science Foundation. Direct costs of $49,556. October 1, 2023-February 28, 2027.

Boettcher, W., Mayer, R., Keyton, J., & Mayhorn, C. B. Convey Leader 2.0. Funded by National Security Agency. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $85,000. January 16, 2017-December 31, 2017.

Feng, J. & Mayhorn, C. B., Enhancing the detection of weak but critical signals of threats in intelligence analysis. Funded by National Security Agency. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $100,000. January 16, 2017-December 31, 2017.

Mayhorn, C. B. Family-centered practice project, SFY 2026. Funded by the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $2,394,210. January 1, 2025-December 31, 2025.

Mayhorn, C. B. Family-centered practice project, SFY 2025. Funded by the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $3,800,000. January 1, 2025-December 31, 2026.

Mayhorn, C. B. & Abate, A. C., Family-centered practice project, SFY 2023. Funded by the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $1,014, 120. January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023.

Mayhorn, C.B., & Abu-Dalbouh, W. Developing a User Profile to Predict Phishing Susceptibility: Exploring Cross Cultural Similarities and Differences. Submitted to U.S.-Jordan Partnership for University Leadership and Student Engagement (PULSE).

Mayhorn, C.B., Human Factors Support for Commercial Clients. Funded by User-View, Inc. Direct costs of $30,195 (support for Nina Ferreri). August 1, 2021- July 31, 2022.

Mayhorn, C.B., Remembering what you have done: How aging affects output monitoring. Seedgrant funded by the Center on Aging and Cognition: Health, Education, and Training. Direct costs of $3,000. March 1, 2000-March 1, 2002.

Mayhorn, C.B., Reviewing website usability guidelines for older adults: An empirical approach. Seedgrant funded by the Georgia Gerontology Consortium. Direct costs of $2,497. August 1, 2001- August 1, 2002.

Mayhorn, C. B., Forget me not: Enhancing older adults’ medication adherence with personal digital assistants (PDAs). Funded by the Faculty Research and Professional Development Program at NCSU. Direct costs of $5000. July 1, 2003-June 30, 2004.

Mayhorn, C. B., Older adults and OTC nonprescription drug label comprehension: A comparison of older and newer label formats. Funded by the Drug Information Association Foundation. Direct costs of $19, 452. September, 2004-September 2006.

Mayhorn, C. B., Older adult decision making during hurricane hazard preparation: To evacuate or shelter-in-place. Funded by the National Science Foundation. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $29,727. November, 2004-November, 2005.

Mayhorn, C. B., Research Experiences for Undergraduates. Funded by the National Science Foundation. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $6,000. November, 2004-November, 2005.

Mayhorn, C. B., Gillan, D., Converse, S., & Faber, B., Improving information resources by studying academic user behavior. Funded by SAS. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $20,000. January, 2008-January, 2009.

Mayhorn, C. B., King, R. E. A survey of the users and customers of the specialized furniture carriers division of the American Home Furnishing Association. Funded by the NCSU Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $8000. October, 2011-August 2012.

Mayhorn, C. B. & Murphy-Hill, E. Developing a user profile to predict phishing susceptibility and security technology acceptance. Funded by National Security Agency/Army Research Office. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $369,522. January, 2012-January, 2014.

Mayhorn, C. B. & Murphy-Hill, E. Warning of Phishing Attacks: Supporting Human Information Processing, Identifying Phishing Deception Indicators, and Reducing Vulnerability. Funded by National Security Agency/Army Research Office. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $300,000. April, 2014-May, 2017.

Mayhorn, C. B. DO2—Using task analysis to understand the cognitive processes and activities of intelligence analysts. Funded by National Security Agency. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $100,000. January 16, 2014-December 31, 2014.

Mayhorn, C. B. DO5. Funded by National Security Agency. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $53,284. January 16, 2015-December 31, 2015.

Mayhorn, C. B. DO6. Funded by National Security Agency. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $100,000. January 16, 2016-December 31, 2016.

Mayhorn, C. B. DO7. Funded by National Security Agency. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $100,000. January 16, 2017-December 31, 2017.

McLaughlin, A.C., & Mayhorn, C. B. Qualitative analysis of farm worker risk behavior with tractors. Funded by NIOSH subcontract from East Carolina University. Total costs including direct and indirect costs of $9972. March, 2008-September, 2008.

GRANTS (Service as Research Consultant)

Boyington, D. (Thinking Media, Inc.), PictureRx: An Intervention to Reduce Latino Health Disparities. Funded by NIH/NCMHD.

Goldsworthy, R. (The Academic Edge, Inc.), Teratogen Warnings and Educational Media. Funded by the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Rebelo, F.( Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Portugal), Future Safety Warnings: Virtual Reality in the Study of Technology-based Warnings. Funded by the Portuguese Science Foundation.

Education

Ph.D. Cognitive Psychology University of Georgia 1999

M.S. Cognitive Psychology University of Georgia 1995

B.A. Psychology The Citadel 1992

Publications

Prosociality in Microtransit , Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research (2025)
Exploring strategies to improve performance accuracy on vigilance-based tasks , Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 67th Annual Meeting (2023)
Are Roundabouts Safer for Pedestrians? , Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (2022)
Cognitive factors influencing sustained attention in a college sample , Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 66th Annual Meeting (2022)
Decision support-tools for early detection of infection in older people (aged> 65 years): a scoping review , BMC Geriatrics (2022)
Examination of Within-Headset Sports Media Experiences , Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (2022)
Game On , Handbook of Usability and User Experience (2022)
How We Perceive and Trust Advice from Virtual Humans: The Influence of Voice Quality , Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (2022)
Identifying and understanding individual differences in frustration with technology , Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science (2022)
Impact of fear vs. reward-oriented social media information on Covid-19 vaccine decision-making behavior , Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 66th Annual Meeting (2022)

View all publications

Grants

Date: 10/01/21 - 9/30/23

Amount: $150,000.00

Funding Agencies: National Science Foundation (NSF)

The overarching goal of the proposed research is to identify, test, and evaluate technologically enabled and community-supported solutions for temporally distributing travel demand for on-demand public transportation services in an equitable manner, without the use of traditional pricing incentives. We are specifically interested in understanding whether enabling and incentivizing prosocial behavior, such as volunteering to shift one��s trip time to accommodate others, share a ride, and cooperate with other users to improve outcomes for the user community or to prioritize a transportation disadvantaged user, is a potential solution that is feasible and desirable for communities. If our preliminary analysis during the proposed planning grant (PG) supports the case of cooperative adaptive ride planning, we will investigate how prosocial behavior can be enabled in a trip scheduling environment and be facilitated through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and we will test and evaluate the efficacy of this approach in improving service during an integrative research grant (IRG). No previous research has explored empathy and prosocial behavior in the context of traveler choices and decision-making.

Date: 09/01/22 - 6/30/23

Amount: $1,014,120.00

Funding Agencies: US Dept. of Health & Human Services (DHHS)

The purpose of this contract is to deliver training, technical assistance, evaluation, and research evidence in order to support and improve family-centered practice by child welfare workers and their partners. This work will support efforts as described in the North Carolina's Child and Family Services Plan 2020-2024 regarding the Workforce Development (see p. 93-95). The work will support North Carolina's efforts to create a workforce development program, to include training, coaching, leadership development, and skills assessments, that addresses race equity and inclusion and builds the capabilities of the child welfare workforce at state, regional, and county levels to improve outcomes (i.e., Strategic Priority 5, Target 3). Additionally, all work will support actions required under Rylan's Law, including: Strategies to ensure well-trained and adequately compensated staff to improve performance and reduce turnover. Professional development, training, and performance standards. Ensuring a statewide, trauma-informed, culturally competent, family-centered practice framework.

Date: 08/16/21 - 5/15/22

Amount: $30,195.00

Funding Agencies: User-View, Inc.

Nina Ferreri will plan and execute human factors activities in support of various User-View, Inc. clients. Activities will include TBD human factors activities that are part of a typical user-centered design process. Example activities include, but are not limited to, task analysis, formative usability testing, contextual inquiry, user interviews, and validation summative usability testing.

Date: 01/01/17 - 12/31/17

Amount: $94,867.00