Dr Jolene Cox is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems, UniSC. She is a human factors
and complex systems researcher. Her research is interdisciplinary, with a keen emphasis on complex systems science and
health services research. Her primary research interest focuses on the investigation of help-seeking for mental health and the
impact of mental health system complexity on mental health and well-being outcomes. Her research interest is motivated by
her passion to support the mental health and well-being of others. In addition to her mental health research, she conducts
research that uses methods underpinned by human factors and complex systems theory to address other safety-critical issues
(e.g., transport safety).
Jolene is a trained cognitive psychologist. She was awarded her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the Australian National
University in 2022. Her PhD was on visual statistical learning, an important cognitive function that enables the extraction and
adaption of statistical regularities from our visual environment across time and space. She continues to conduct cognitive
psychological research and is interested in understanding the cognitive processes involved in human behaviour, in important
contexts such as safe driving.
Jolene is an Associate Editor for Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries and an Editorial Board
Member for Mental Health Science.
Prior to her academic activities, Jolene worked in the Australian Government as a professional executive in mental health
strategic advisory and program delivery roles.
Jolene has a background in Psychology and is trained in quantitative and experimental research methodologies. She was awarded her PhD in Cognitive and Experimental Psychology from the Australian National University in 2022. Her current research interests include the application of human factors and systems thinking in road safety, and in mental health
Current Projects
- University of the Sunshine Coast SPARK Grant, 2023
- University of the Sunshine Coast LAUNCH Grant, 2022
- Association for Psychological Science, Student Grant Competition, 2019
- Australian Government Research Training Program, 2017–2022
- Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology, Best Poster Presentation, 2017
- The Australian National University, Vice Chancellor’s Commendation, 2016
- Angel Family Trust Scholarship, 2013
Research areas
- Human factors
- Complex systems science
- Mental healthcare
- Transport safety
- Cognitive psychology
- Cox, J. A., Mills, L., Hermens, D. F., Read, G. J. M., & Salmon, P. M. (2024). A systematic review of the facilitators and barriers to help-seeking for self-harm in young people: A systems thinking perspective. Adolescent Research Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-024-00241-3
- Cox, J. A., Trapp, M., & McLean, S. (2024). Gender differences in adolescents’ help-seeking behaviours and
- intentions for psychosocial problems in led outdoor activities. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2024.2353171
- Cox, J. A., McLean, S., Hulme, A., Read, G. J. M., & Salmon, P. M. (2024). An incident reporting and learning system to understand cycling incident causation in Australia: A 12-month implementation of CRIT. Safety Science, 171, 106392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2023.106392
- Cox, J. A., Read, G. J. M., Butler, G. L., & Salmon, P. M. (2024). An examination of gender differences in safety behaviours when gig working. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 34(1), 3– 15. https://doi.org/10.1002/hfm.21007
- Cox, J. A., Wu, Y., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2023). Does animacy affect visual statistical learning? Revisiting the effects of selective attention and animacy on visual statistical learning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747021823117388
- Cox, J. A., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2022). Age differences in visual statistical learning: Investigating the effects of selective attention and stimulus category. Psychology and Aging, 37(6), 698–714. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000697
- Cox, J. A., Cox, T. W., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2022). Are animates special? Exploring the effects of selective attention and animacy on visual statistical learning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 75(9), 1746– 1762. https://doi.org/10.1177/17470218221074686
- Read, G. J. M., Cox, J. A., Hulme, A., Naweed, A., & Salmon, P. (2021). What factors influence road user safety and compliance at rail level crossings? A systematic review and synthesis of findings using systems thinking. Safety Science, 138, 105207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105207
- Cox, J. A., & Aimola Davies, A. M. (2020). Keeping an eye on visual patterns in visuospatial neglect: A systematic review. Neuropsychologia, 146, 107547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107547
- Lawrence, R. K., Edwards, M., Chan, G. W. C., Cox, J. A., & Goodhew, S. C. (2020). Does cultural background predict the spatial distribution of attention? Culture and Brain, 8, 137–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40167-019-00086-x
- Cox, J. A., Christensen, B. K., & Goodhew, S. C. (2018). Temporal dynamics of anxiety-related attentional bias: Is affective context a missing piece of the puzzle? Cognition and Emotion, 32(6), 1329–1338. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2017.1386619
- Cox, J. A., Beanland, V., & Filtness, A. (2017). Risk and safety perception on urban and rural roads: Effects of environmental features, driver age, and risk sensitivity. Traffic Injury Prevention, 18(7), 703–710. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2017.1296956