In the lab, I study auditory and visual perception in normal adults. Outside the lab I study the psychology of art, and is developping a theory of pleasure. Here are some of the ongoing projects in the lab:

Symmetry perception

Some people think of symmetry just as mirror-symmetry, such as the symmetry of an automobile or the human body. But the topic is broader: it includes decorative patterns such as floor-tilings and wallpapers. If you are interested in art, this is a topic for you.

The laws of grouping

Why does the pattern ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) tend more to group in ( ) pairs than in  ) (  pairs? We're making rapid progress on a fundamental problem of perception.

The laws of grouping applied to apparent motion

We're exploring the question of the nature of perceptual space-time, just as physicists explore the nature of physical space-time.

Picture perception

How do we recognize the scene represented by a painting or photograph? We are discovering astonishing facts about the perception of depth in pictures. This topic will excite people who are interested in painting, photography, and film.

Fascinatin' rhythm

Tap your foot to create a regular 6:4 beat. Then clap on the first, the fourth, and the fifth beats: clap-rest-rest-clap-clap-rest. Repeat this bar over and over without interruption. Within a small number of repetitions you will hear the pattern as: clap-clap-rest-clap-rest-rest. We are exploring the foundations of rhythm to explaining this and other exciting phenomena, including some striking differences between musicians and non-musicians.