Sensory and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory

UMKC - Department of Psychology

 

We are able to perceive objects and events using many senses. Although information from each sense is processed separately in the brain, we have little problem integrating multisensory information in perception. We are interested in learning how this happens. For example, how do we use information from vision, hearing, and touch to help us detect objects and events in our environment? How are features such as texture and shape, perceived using vision or touch, "bound" into unified percepts? We answer such questions from a variety of perspectives, including psychophysics, psychophysiology, neuropsychology, and electrophysiology.   Research Opportunities in the SCNL Visit this page for information about being involved in research in our laboratory.   Visit the UMKC Synesthesia Research Page This page is home to the UMKC Synesthesia Research Team, and offers information on this fascinating sensory ability.     Lab News 10/2009: Dr. Lovelace, along with graduate students Liz Duval and Stacia Gessner, traveled to Berlin, Germany for the 49th annual meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research. Both Dr. Lovelace and Ms. Duval presented their research at the meeting and, following the SPR meeting, they traveled to Trier, Germany to present on their work using high-speed video to measure startle eyeblink. 8/2009: Dr. Lovelace received, along with his colleagues from the UMKC School of Computing and Engineering, Drs. Reza Derakhshani and Greg King, funding for their new work looking at physiological indicators of deception. 6/2008: Dr. Lovelace was quoted in an article by Kansas City Star newspaper columnist Paul Horsley on why enjoyment of music and food often go together. You can read the full article here: http://www.kansascity.com/782/story/621942.html 4/2008: Congratulations to graduate student Katherine Gimmestad who has once again received funds from the UMKC Women's Council Graduate Assistance Fund to support her dissertation research. This year, she was the recipient of both the Walter and Beverly Watkins Award, and the Mary F. Merryman Award in memory of Grace Greenwood Duncan. [news archive]   Laboratory Information   SCNL Location: 4825 Troost, Room 113 Phone: 816-235-5377     SCNL Personnel for Fall 2009: Christopher T. Lovelace, PhD, director Liz Duval, graduate student researcher Stacia Gessner, graduate student researcher Katherine Gimmestad, graduate student researcher Andrea Garcia, visiting student researcher Michael Greene, visiting student researcher Mike Kovschak, undergraduate student researcher Lab Goals: Develop and maintain an integrated cognitive neuroscience research program by developing on- and off-campus collaborations Maximally involve and educate both graduate and undergraduate students in the process and principles of psychological science Integrate basic research on sensory integration with questions and issues relevant to clinical health psychology   Current Experiments: Sensory interactions in object detection Measure the effect of task-irrelevant stimulation in one sense upon detection of faint stimuli in another sense; develop a computerized, portable test for use with special populations (aging, dyslexia, schizophrenia, etc.) Student Researchers: Jessica Holdren (lead), Tim Hermann (assistant)   Psychophysiological measurement of sensory threshold Develop an objective (bias-free) measure of tactile sensitivity using acoustic startle modification; observe shifts in tactile sensitivity induced by visual input. Student Researcher: Leah Reynolda   Quality of perception in synesthesia Measure the degree to which the experience of synesthesia impacts one's everyday perception. (Follow the link above for more information.)Student Researcher: Katherine Gimmestad   Human neurophysiology of prepulse inhibition Use functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to determing what brain areas are active during prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle. Student Researcher: Liz Duval   Sensory Substitution in Neuropsychological Assessment Adapt standard vision-based neuropsychological tests for use with visually impaired patients.   Facilities & Equipment: 864 sq. ft. laboratory space, with sink, storage, and student workspace 8.5' x 8.5' WhisperRoom sound-attenuating enclosure (Enhanced model) Stimulus presentation computer and software (Presentation, from Neurobehavioral Systems) Devices for measuring sound intensity, and light color and intensity Data processing computer, running Matlab 21" CRT monitor for visual display, Sennheiser headphones for audio display Biopac MP150 EMG data acquisition system, for startle eyeblink

Last updated: November 10, 2009