Computational Neuroscience InitiativeSAIL Room, 111 Levin Building (425 S. University Ave.)
Steven Franconeri
Department of Psychology
Northwestern University
Visual attention creates structure over space and time
Visual attention evolved and develops to filter visual information – to amplify what is relevant and suppress what competes. I will argue that we have adapted this mechanism for a new purpose – to extract visual structure in the world, and to manipulate it within our imagination. I'll argue that selective attention allows us to construct groups out of objects that look alike, extract spatial relationships among objects, mentally transform object structure, and to maintain identity of objects moving over space and time. Many of these processes interact with and rely critically on language. Understanding why these processes can fail to unfold on screens and paper will improve pedagogy and display designs across science and STEM education.
The talk will begin at 12pm. A pizza lunch will be served at 11:45am.