ProfessorAlex Holcombe

Project Opportunities

Title: Processing capacity in healthy and aging visual cognition

Summary of opportunity:

Recent work has found that older people have a profound deficit in visual processing of rapid stimuli. This points to a previously-unknown bottleneck in their brain between visual perception and cognition. This project will do experiments to reveal the nature of this bottleneck. 

Opportunity synopsis:

A behavioral test like that described and shown here (https://trackinglimits.whatanimalssee.com/speedAndTime.html#temporal-limits-on-tracking) will be used to assess the visual bottleneck and variations of the test will allow insights into the precise nature of the deficit and how it affects cognitive processes. With collaborators we can investigate the neural basis with brain imaging techniques. 

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Project Opportunities

Title: Interpreting the results of scientific studies

Summary of opportunity:

Controversies in science often occur after a failed prediction of a theory. Is the theory motivating the study to blame or was the problem a more minor detail of the study, such as the equipment or population studied? Until recently, there has not been a good framework to prescribe how blame should be assigned. This project will develop that framework and compare it to what researchers actually do.

Opportunity synopsis:

When a scientific study is done, often a prediction has been made. However, when the result is different than what was predicted, the interpretation of this is uncertain. Should the researcher blame the theory that made the prediction, or should the researcher blame an equipment failure or other peripheral aspect of the study? This project will investigate what researchers do and whether this fits what Bayesian probability theory says they should do. The results may improve understanding of disagreement among researchers, and episodes such as the replication crisis.