Nicolas Davidenko Ph.D.

Can We Learn to Draw Faces From Memory?

People find it extremly difficult to draw faces from memory. A new study asked whether using simplified line drawings of faces can improve the accuracy of drawing from memory.

People find it extremly difficult to draw faces from memory. A new study asked whether using simplified line drawings of faces can improve the accuracy of drawing from memory.

A Bias for the Tops of Objects and Bottoms of Scenes

A new study shows that we have specific biases to attend to the top parts of objects and the bottom parts of scenes. This bias is also present in children.

A new study shows that we have specific biases to attend to the top parts of objects and the bottom parts of scenes. This bias is also present in children.

Can Music Reduce Pain?

Music is often described as medicine for the soul. New research confirms that listening to your favorite tunes can significantly reduce acute pain.

Music is often described as medicine for the soul. New research confirms that listening to your favorite tunes can significantly reduce acute pain.

How We Count Hidden Objects

Could you determine the contents of a box by shaking it? New research shows how people can use haptic perception to estimate the number of spheres in a box.

Could you determine the contents of a box by shaking it? New research shows how people can use haptic perception to estimate the number of spheres in a box.

Scientific Blogging in the Age of ChatGPT

Personal Perspective: ChatGPT and other AI tools can write entire blog posts in seconds. Yet, I have completely avoided them while writing my blog. Here's why.

Personal Perspective: ChatGPT and other AI tools can write entire blog posts in seconds. Yet, I have completely avoided them while writing my blog. Here's why.

A New Illusion of Relative Height

A new illusion called the Box-Circle illusion was reported in which a horizontal arrangement of boxes makes dots appear to be vertically misaligned.

A new illusion called the Box-Circle illusion was reported in which a horizontal arrangement of boxes makes dots appear to be vertically misaligned.

A Face in the Crowd: The Illusion of Emotional Uniformity

A new study shows how we rely on central vision to decode the emotion of a crowd of faces.

A new study shows how we rely on central vision to decode the emotion of a crowd of faces.

What Does It Take to Recognize a Face?

A new study reveals that our ability to recognize unfamiliar faces is just as poor as our ability to recognize monkey faces.

A new study reveals that our ability to recognize unfamiliar faces is just as poor as our ability to recognize monkey faces.

Do Colors Represent Emotions?

When we hear phrases like, "She's green with envy" or "He's feeling blue," are they linguistic conventions, or is there a deeper relationship between colors and emotions?

When we hear phrases like, "She's green with envy" or "He's feeling blue," are they linguistic conventions, or is there a deeper relationship between colors and emotions?

Why Faces Look Distorted in Our Periphery

Something strange happens when a sequence of faces flashes quickly in our peripheral vision. Here's what researchers think might be going on.

Something strange happens when a sequence of faces flashes quickly in our peripheral vision. Here's what researchers think might be going on.