Benjamin Read Stephens, B.S., Ph.D. - US grants

The research focuses mainly on the development of form perception during early infancy. It is argued that a general approach to the development of infant form perception, based on the contrast sensitivity function, may require integration with recently reported characteristics of infant threshold and suprathreshold form perception to extend these models to everyday situations. The proposal consists of three related lines of research. The first involves establishing a selective adaptation paradigm in infants to investigate the development of size-specific feature detectors, which are mechanisms that contribute to a number of processes in form perception. The second involves the development and function of contrast constancy. Infant preferential looking suggests important differences in threshold and suprathreshold form perception. Several experiments are proposed to investigate these differences. The effects of contrast levels on infants' preferences among two-dimensional forms will be assessed against the quantitative predictions of models of infant pattern preference. The role of contrast constancy in the development of infant face perception will be investigated. The effect of experience on mechanisms underlying contrast constancy will be examined in myopic children. The third line of research involves the development of form discrimination. Infants' ability to discern differences in pattern contrast will be assessed under threshold and suprathreshold conditions. The results will reflect the development of the dynamic properties of mechanisms that code for pattern contrast.

Form perception is an important capability that is involved in everyday tasks such as reading, driving and recognizing familiar faces. The application of linear systems models of form perception that are based on measurements of the infant contrast sensitivity function have led researchers to a deeper understanding of the development of infants' ability to detect information in their environment and the development of basic visual processes. Despite this success, recent data suggest that linear systems models may need to be modified to be applicable to high contrast, suprathreshold stimuli. This modification is important because most objects in the real world are high in contrast, and hence easily detected by infants. The main goal of Dr. Stephens' project is to identify the modifications needed by linear systems models to extend them to more real world situations. This project addresses three important and closely related lines of research. The first involves the development and function of contrast constancy in infants. The second line of research is concerned with the development of form discrimination. The third area of investigation is designed to test the application of contrast sensitivity based models to the development of infant face preferences.

The Clemson Summer Program in Applied Psychology provides student participants with research training in human factors and health psychology. The program objectives are to increase talented students' interest, understanding, and commitment to research, science, and scientific careers. These objectives should increase and sustain student participation in research, professional activities, and entry into graduate programs. The students selected will have strong backgrounds in mathematics, biological science, social science, and/or industrial engineering, will exhibit potential interest and commitment to science and research, and will be selected mainly from non-research colleges and universities. Program activities will include a supervised program of collaborative research with eleven participating faculty from the Psychology and
Industrial Engineering Departments. Support activities will include course work (3 credit hours) in research methods in applied psychology, seminars, site-visits, and the Conference in Applied Psychology. Research partners in industry, government, and education will collaborate via participation in support activities and research projects. Students will present the results of their research at the Conference on Applied Psychology. Follow-through annual activities will include travel support for additional professional presentations, collaborative publications, and advising to support applications to graduate programs.

The intellectual merit of the program is to identify and evaluate techniques that increase student understanding of science and science careers, increase student participation in professional activities, and encourage student application to graduate programs in science. The broader impact of the program is to promote undergraduate research at the institutional level through the visible success of the program, to provide a model of effective undergraduate science education through professional national dissemination of the program characteristics and outcomes, to promote participation by underrepresented groups, and to extend the benefits of the program to the public and private sector through partnerships with defense, industry, and government entities.

This award contributes to the Foundation's continuing efforts to attract talented students into careers in science through active undergraduate research experiences. This Site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.

Summary:

The Summer Program in Applied Psychology provides student participants with research training in human factors, health, and industrial/organizational psychology. The program objectives are to increase talented students' interest, understanding, and commitment to research, science, and scientific careers. These objectives should increase and sustain student participation in research, professional activities, and entry into graduate programs. As part of this REU Site, students present the results of their research at the Conference on Applied Psychology, which includes presentations from invited speakers. Follow-through annual activities include travel support for additional professional presentations, collaborative publications, and advising to support applications to graduate programs.

Intellectual Merit.

The students recruited for this REU Site have strong backgrounds in mathematics, biological science, social science, and/or industrial engineering, exhibit potential interest and commitment to science and research, and are selected mainly from non-research colleges and universities. The main intellectual merit of this program is to identify and evaluate techniques that 1) increase student understanding of science and science careers, 2) increase student participation in professional activities, and 3) encourage student application to graduate programs in science. Program activities include a supervised program of collaborative research with eleven participating faculty from the Psychology and Industrial Engineering Departments. Support activities include course work in research methods in applied psychology, seminars, site-visits, and the Conference in Applied Psychology. Research partners in industry, government, and education collaborate via participation in support activities and research projects.

Broader Impacts

The broader impact of the program is to promote undergraduate research at the institutional level through the visible success of the program, to provide a model of effective undergraduate science education through professional national dissemination of the program characteristics and outcomes, to promote participation by underrepresented groups, and to extend the benefits of the program to the public and private sector through partnerships with defense, industry, and government entities.