Current Projects

Phonological categorization. Processing of phonological features involves the first level of abstraction beyond perceptual phoneme processing. This study tests the differential predictions by different versions of the theory of phonological underspecification (e.g., Kiparsky, Inkelas) and the Featurally Underspecified Lexicon model (Lahiri and Reetz), analyzing the N400 pseudoword effect.

___________

With the recent emergence of computer-based neuropsychological testing, questions have arisen as to whether the computer-based tests are equivalent to their traditional paper-and-pencil counterparts. That is, do the computer-based tests actually measure what they are supposed to measure? To help answer this question, we compare behavioral and electrophysiological data from participants who take both computer-based and paper-and-pencil tests and we examine any discrepancies between the two versions.

___________

Perceptual organization (e.g., object grouping, feature binding, etc.) determines how we perceive the world around us. One particularly interesting feature of the brain is its ability to fill in missing stimulus information. In the lab we investigate how this ‘filling in’ is disrupted by distracting and intrusive stimuli. By analyzing brain waves, we can determine how processing differs when the brain is distracted while it tries to fill in the missing stimulus information.

___________

We are investigating the direct effects of music on emotion while controlling for associated memories, and measuring the physiological components of the experienced emotions using EEG, skin conductance, and heart rate.