Vision, Cognition and Behaviour Lab
A/Prof Piers Howe
The majority of research in the lab falls into six themes:
Visual Perception: Underlying Processes
Visual perception seems effortless but how does it actually occur? What are the underlying processes?
Visual Expertise: Perceptual Training
In the medical domain, experts are often required to make diagnoses by viewing medical images. How did they gain their visual expertise?
Behaviour Change
People often display a range of unhelpful behaviours. How can we “nudge” people to help them adopt more beneficial behaviours?
Decision Making
Why do people make the decisions that they do? What influences these decisions?
Pedagogical Research
How can we help our students learn better?
Object Tracking
Humans live in a dynamic world. How are we able to keep track of what is where?
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A/Prof Piers Howe
Director Vision, Cognition and Behaviour Lab
Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences,
University of Melbourne
Links -
Lab Contact Details
Lab members & research interests
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Annie Blunden PhD. candidate, Visual Perception: Underlying Processes
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Weijia Chen PhD. candidate, Visual Expertise: Perceptual Training
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Kathryn Hull PhD. candidate, Decision Marking: Power Aversion
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Todd Larson Landes PhD. candidate, Decision Making: Social Influence
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Jess Marris PhD. candidate, Visual Expertise: Perceptual Training
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Marcellin Martinie PhD. candidate, Decision Making: Wisdom of Crowds
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Campbell Pryor PhD. candidate, Decision Making: Social Norms
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Feiven Fan Honours student, Visual Perception: Binding Problem
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Rhys Haslam Honours student, Decision Making: Social Norms
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Shut Sum (Melanie) Lau Honours student, Visual Perception: Attribute Amnesia
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Jakob McKew Honours student, Visual Memory: Chunking
Journal Articles
2021
- Wilkening, T, Martinie, M, & Howe, PDL (in press). Hidden experts in the crowd: Using meta-predictions to leverage expertise in single-question prediction problems. Management Science.
- Howe, PDL, Perfors, A, & Ransom, K (in press). What interventions can decrease or increase belief polarisation in a population of rational agents. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Society, 43.
- Marris, J, Perfors, A, Mitchell, D., Wang, W, McCusker, MW, Lovell, TJH, Gibson, RN, Gaillard, F, & Howe, PDL (in press). How effective is perceptual training? Evaluating two perceptual training methods on a difficult visual categorisation task. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Society, 43
- Howe, PDL, & Lee, SBW (in press). Attribute Amnesia in the Auditory Domain. Perception
- Landes, TL, Howe, PDL, Kashima, Y (2021). A hierarchy of mindreading strategies in joint action participation. Judgment & Decision Making, 16(4)
- Baillie, E, Howe, PDL, Perfors, A, Miller, T, Kashima, Y, & Beger, A. (2021). Explainable models for forecasting the emergence of political instability. PLOS ONE, 16(7), e0254350. [PDF]
2020
- Vered, M, Howe, PDL, Miller, T, Sonenberg, L, & Velloso, E (2020). Demand-driven transparency for monitoring intelligent agents. IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, 50(3), 264-275. [PDF]
- Martinie, M, Wilkening, T, & Howe, PDL (2020). Using meta-predictions to identify experts in the crowd when past performance is unknown. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0232058. [PDF]
- Blunden, AG, Howe, PDL, & Little, DL (2020). Evidence that within-dimension features are processed coactively. Attention, Perception & Psychophysics, 82(1), 193-227. [PDF]
2019
- Howe, PDL, Vargas-Saenz, McNeill, IM (2019). Commitments increase preparedness for floods. PLOS ONE, 14(8). [PDF]
- Pryor, C, Pefors, A, & Howe, PDL (2019). Conformity to the descriptive norms of people with opposing political or social beliefs. PLOS ONE, 14(7) [PDF]
- Adams, M, Chen, W, Holcdorf, D, McCusker, MW, Howe, PDL, & Gaillard, F (2019). Computer vs human: Deep learning versus perceptual training for the detection of neck of femur fractures. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology, 63(1), 27-32. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Vargas-Saenz, A, Hulbert, CA, & Boldero, JM (2019). Predictors of gambling and problem gambling in Victoria, Australia. PLoS One, 14(1), e0209277. [PDF]
- Pryor, C, Perfors, A, & Howe, PDL(2019). Even arbitrary norms influence moral decision-making. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(1), 57. [PDF]
2018
- Pryor, C, Perfors, A, & Howe, PDL (2018). Reversing the endowment effect. Judgment and Decision Making, 13(3), 275-286. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL,Lodge, JM, & McKague, M (2018). A comparison of the effectiveness of two computer-based learning aids. Frontiers in Education, 3,51. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, McKague, M, Lodge, JM, Blunden, AG, & Saw, G. (2018). PeerWise: Evaluating the effectiveness of a web-based learning aid in a second-year psychology subject. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 17(2), 166-176. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Perfors, A (2018). An argument for how (and why) to incentivise replication. Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 41, e135. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Boldero, J, McNeil, IM, Vargas-Saenz, A, & Handmer, J (2018). Increasing preparedness for wildfires by informing residents of their community’s social norms. Natural Hazards Review, 19(2). [PDF]
- Howe PDL, Vargas-Saenz, A, Hulbert, CA, & Boldero, JM. (2018). Gambling and problem gambling in Victoria, Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Melbourne. Final Report. [PDF]
- Pryor, C& Howe PDL (2018). Conform to the social norm: why people follow what other people do. The Conversation, Dec 18. [Link]
2017
- Chen, W & Howe, PDL (2017). Attribute amnesia is greatly reduced with novel stimuli. PeerJ, e4016. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL (2017). Natural scenes can be identified as rapidly as individual features. Attention, Perception & Psychophysics, 79(6), 1674-1681. [PDF]
- Chen, W, HolcDorf, D, McCusker, MW, Gaillard, F, & Howe, PDL (2017). Perceptual training to improve hip fracture identification in conventional radiographs. PLoS One, 12(12), e0189192. [PDF]
- Lapierre, MD, Cropper SJ, & Howe PDL (2017) Shared processing in multiple object tracking and visual working memory in the absence of response order and task order confounds. PLoS One, 12(4):20. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Ferguson, A (2017). The Advantages of Combining the Simultaneous-Sequential Paradigm with Systems Factorial Technology. D. R. Little, N. Altieri, M. Fific & C-T. Yang (Eds.). Systems Factorial Technology: A Theory Driven Methodology for the Identification of Perceptual and Cognitive Mechanisms. Elsevier. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL (2017). Hemispatial Neglect, Balint’s Syndrome and Attention. Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. Elsevier, UK. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Evans KK, Pedersini R, Horowitz TS, Wolfe JM, & Cohen M (2017). The Influence of Selective Attention on Consciousness. Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. Elsevier, UK. [PDF]
- Miller, T, Howe, PDL, & Sonenberg, L. (2017). Explainable AI: Beware of Inmates Running the Asylum. In IJCAI 2017 Workshop on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI). [PDF]
2016
- Maguire, JF& Howe, PDL (2016). Failure to detect meaning in RSVP at 27 ms per picture. Attention, Perception & Psychophysics, 78(5):1405-1413.[PDF]
- Liew, SX, Howe, PDL, & Little, DR (2016). The appropriacy of averaging in the study of context effects. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 23(5):1639-1646. [PDF]
- Wang, TSL, Christie, N, Howe, PDL, & Little, DR (2016). Global cue inconsistency diminishes learning of cue validity. Frontiers in Psychology, 7:10. [PDF]
- Landes, TL, Kashima, Y, & Howe, PDL (2016) Investigating the effect of gaze cues and emotional expressions on the affective evaluations of unfamiliar faces. PLoS One, 11(9):24. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL& Carter, OL (2016). Hallucinations and mental imagery demonstrate ‘top-down’ effects on visual perception. Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 39:2. [PDF]
- Chen, W & Howe, PDL (2016). Comparing breast screening protocols: Inserting catch trials does not improve sensitivity over double screening. PLoS One, 11(10):12. [PDF]
2015
- Pryor, CG & Howe PDL (2015). Bilateral advantages in subitization with visual masking. Perception, 44(6), 628-642. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Ferguson, A (2015). The identity-location binding problem. Cognitive Science, 39(7), 1622-1645. [PDF]
- Luu, T & Howe, PDL (2015). Extrapolation occurs in multiple object tracking when eye movements are controlled. Attention, Perception and Psychophysics, 77(6), 1919-1929.[PDF]
- Chen, W, Blunden, AG, & Howe, PDL (2015). Part-whole information assists in topological x topological but non in orientation x orientation conjunction searches. Attention, Perception and Psychophysics, 77(3), 777-789. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Little, DR (2015). Searching for the highest number. Attention, Perception and Psychophysics, 77(2), 423-440. [PDF]
2014
- Holcombe, AO, Chen, W-Y, & Howe, PDL (2014). Object tracking: Absence of long-range spatial interference supports resource theories. Journal of Vision, 14(6):1. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Webb, ME (2014). Detecting unidentified changes. PLoS One, 9(1): e84490. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Webb, ME (2014). Know this: the ‘sixth sense’ is all in your head. The Conversation, Jan 13. [Link]
2013
- Howe, PDL, Holcombe, AO, Lapierre, MD, & Cropper, SJ (2013). Visually tracking and localizing expanding and contracting objects. Perception, 42(12), 1281-1300. [PDF]
- Lapierre, M, Howe, PDL & Cropper, SJ (2013). Transfer of learning between hemifields in multiple object tracking: Memory reduces constraints of attention. PLoS One, 8(12): e83872. [PDF]
- Bowers, AR, Anastasio, RJ, Sheldon, SS, O’Connor, MG, Holis, AM, Howe, PDL, & Horowitz, TS (2013). Can we improve clinical prediction of at-risk older drivers? Accident Analysis & Prevention,59, 537-547. [PDF]
- Chen, WY, Howe, PDL,& Holcombe, AO (2013). Resource demands of object tracking and differential allocation of the resource. Attention, Perception & Psychophysics, 75(4), 710-725. [PDF]
2012
- Howe, PDL & Holcombe, AO (2012). Motion information is sometimes used as an aid to the visual tracking of objects. Journal of Vision, 12(13):10, 1-10. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Holcombe, AO (2012). The effect of visual distinctiveness on multiple object tracking performance. Frontiers In Psychology, 3:307. [PDF]
- Hudson, C, Howe, PDL, & Little, DR (2012). Hemifield effects in multiple identity tracking. PLoS One, 7(8). [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Incledon, NC, & Little, DR (2012). Can attention be confined to just part of a moving object? Revisiting target-distractor merging in multiple object tracking. PLoS One, 7(7). [PDF]
2011
- Cohen, MA, Pinto, Y, Howe, PDL, & Horowitz, TS (2011). The what-where trade-off in multiple-identity tracking. Attention, Perception and Psychophysics, 73(5), 1422-1434. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Drew, T, Pinot, Y, & Horowitz, TS (2011). Remapping attention in multiple object tracking. Vision Research, 51(5), 489-95. [PDF]
- Bowers, AR, Anastasio, RJ, Howe, PDL, O’Connor, MG, Hollis, AM, Kapust, LR, Bronstad, PM, & Horowitz, TS (2011) Dynamic attention as a predictor of driving performance in clinical populations: preliminary results. Proceedings of the 6th International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design. Lake Tahoe, CA. 307-313. [PDF]
2010
- Howe, PDL, Pinto, Y, & Horowitz, TS (2010). The coordinate systems used in visual tracking. Vision Research, 50, 2375-2380. [PDF]
- Pinto, Y, Howe, PDL, Cohen, MA, & Horowitz, TS (2010). The more often you see it, the easier it becomes to track. Journal of Vision, 10(10). [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Cohen, MA, Pinto, Y, & Horowitz, TS (2010). Distinguishing between parallel and serial accounts of multiple object tracking. Journal of Vision, 10(8). [PDF]
- Evans, KK, Horowitz, TS, Howe, PDL, Pedersini, R, Kuzmova, Y, Reijnen, E, Pinto, Y, & Wolfe, JM (2010). Visual Attention. In Nadel L (Ed) Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [PDF]
2009
- How PDL, Livingston MS, Morocz I, & Horowitz, TS (2009). An fMRI investigation into multiple object tracking. Journal of Vision, 9(4). [PDF]
- Hubel, DH, Howe, PDL, Duffy, AM, & Hernandez, A (2009). Scotopic foveal afterimages. Perception, 38(2), 313-316. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL (2009). Neglect and Balint’s Syndrome. Encyclopedia for Consciousness. Elsevier, UK. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL, Evans, KK, Pedersini, R, Horowitz, TS, Wolfe, JM, & Cohen, M (2009). Attention: Selective Attention and Consciousness. Encyclopedia for Consciousness. Elsevier, UK. [PDF]
2008
- Howe, PDL, Horowitz, TS, & Wolfe, JM (2008). Transient signals per se do not disrupt the flash-lag effect. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(2), 206. [PDF]
2007
- Howe, PDL, Sagreiya, H, Curtis, DL, Zheng, CC, & Livingstone, MS. (2007). The double-anchoring theory of lightness perception: A comment on Bressan (2006). Psychological Review, 114(4), 1105-9. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Livingstone, MS (2007). The use of the cancellation technique to quantify the Hermann grid illusion. PLoS One, 2(2): e265, 1-4. [PDF]
2006
- Howe, PDL, Thompson, PG, Anstis, SM, Sagreiya, H,& Livingstone MS. (2006). Explaining the Footsteps, Bellydancer, Wenceslas and Kickback Illusions. Journal of Vision, 6, 12(5), 1396-1405. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Livingstone, MS (2006). End-stopping and the stereo aperture problem in macaque V1. Cerebral Cortex, 16(9), 1332-1337. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL (2006). Testing the coplanar ratio hypothesis of lightness perception. Perception, 35(3), 291-301. [PDF]
2005
- Howe, PDL (2005). White’s effect: removing the junctions but preserving the strength of the illusion. Perception, 34(5), 557-564. [PDF]
2003
- Grossberg, S & Howe, PDL (2003). A laminar cortical model of stereopsis and three-dimensional surface perception. Vision Research, 43, 801-829. [PDF]
- Howe, PDL & Watanabe, T (2003). Measuring the depth induced by an opposite-luminance (but not anti-correlated) stereogram. Perception, 32(4), 415-21. [PDF]
2001
- Howe, PDL (2001). A comment on the Anderson (1997), the Todorovic (1997), and the Ross and Pessoa (2000) explanations of White's effect. Perception, 30(8), 1023-1026. [PDF]