‘Red Effect’ sparks interest in female monkeys
Recent studies have showed that the color red tends to increase our attraction toward others, feelings of jealousy, and even reaction times. Now, new research shows that female monkeys also respond to the color red, suggesting that biology, rather than our culture, may play the fundamental role in our “red” reactions.
University mourns sudden loss of David Knill
Knill, who came to the University as an associate professor in 1999, was a leading scientist in the study of human perception. He also served as the associate director of the Center for Visual Science since 2001. Most of his work, which included over 60 research and review articles, focused on visual perception and how humans use vision to guide physical actions.
Researcher receives $1.25M grant to unlock ‘magic’ behind babies, language
Elika Bergelson, a newly-appointed research assistant professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, focuses on understanding how babies learn words between 6-to 18-months old. Funding from the NIH recognizes Bergelson as one of the nation’s “exceptional early career scientist” and will help her pathbreaking work advance more quickly.
Monkeys also believe in winning streaks, study shows
Humans have a well-documented tendency to see winning and losing streaks in situations that, in fact, are random. Now in the first study in non-human primates of this systematic error in decision making, researchers find that monkeys also share our unfounded belief in lucky streaks.
When it comes to learning numbers, culture counts
The findings of a new study suggest that number learning is a fundamental process that follows a universal pathway. However, the timing of the process depends on a child’s environment.
Richard Aslin inducted into the National Academy of Sciences
Aslin joined 83 inductees at the ceremony in April to become an official member of the academy—one of the highest honors given to a scientist or engineer in the United States
‘Seeing’ in the Dark
The eerie ability to see our hand in the dark suggests that the brain combines information from different senses to create perceptions.
What’s Your Motion Quotient
A surprisingly simple exercise measures the brain’s unconscious ability to filter out visual movement, and points to an unexpected link between IQ and motion filtering
Autistic Kids Detect Motion Faster
Such heightened sensory perception in autism may help explain why some people with the disorder are painfully sensitive to noise and bright lights.
Making Sense of Monkey Math
The study tracked eight olive baboons, ages 4 to 14, in 54 separate trials of guess-which-cup-has-the-most-treats.