RESEARCH INTERESTS
Uncovering the scene and object perception network
Visual recognition of our immediate environment is central to our interactions with the world. It allows us to act efficiently and strategically by identifying relevant information, selecting appropriate routes for navigation, and understanding which behaviors are appropriate in a particular context. In the human brain, scene and object recognition are governed by a network of areas localized in the occipital and temporal cortices. However, the nature of how and when these regions communicate with each other, and what computations they perform remains elusive. In my research I combine several different neuroimaging techniques in order to tease apart the relationship between an object and its contextual background.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of neural pathways
In my current position at MIT I am combining two state of the art technologies to tackle the dynamics of visual perception in the human brain, combining recordings of where visual understanding happens (using fMRI) and when it happens (using MEG) as well as the type of computations performed at the different stages of the process. ​I am applying these techniques to questions about basic perception of objects and scenes as well as tracing perceptual memory through the visual system
Aesthetics and beauty
While a work of art can evoke an aesthetic experience, so to can a grand ballroom or a sunset. Like fine art, everyday scenes contain aesthetic qualities, with some scenes being preferred over others. My work in aesthetics and beauty is aimed at understanding the relationship between natural image statistics and visual preference.
ABOUT ME
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Caitlin Mullin obtained her PhD from the Center for Vision Research at York University in Toronto, Canada. She used a combination of brain stimulation techniques and neuroimaging methods to study the relationship between object and scene perception in the ventral visual stream. From there, she took a postdoc position in the Laboratory of Experimental Psychology at the University of Leuven in Belgium, under the supervision of Johan Wagemans. It was there that her interest in the visual representation crossed from real-world scenes into artworks. She has conducted studies in the laboratory as well as in the fi eld (museums/galleries) on: memory for artworks, how we classify artwork into different periods/genres, how the provenance of artworks shapes the aesthetic response, and the role of image statistics in predicting the source and aesthetic reaction to art work and natural images. She is currently at MIT in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence lab combining data from different neuroimaging methods in an attempt to determine the spatio-temporal dynamics of object and scene perception as well as perceptual memory.
2016 - Present
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Postdoctoral associate
Advisor: Aude Oliva
2013 - 2016
University of Leuven (KU Leuven)
Postdoctoral research fellow
Advisor: Johan Wagemans
2008 - 2013
York University
Ph.D. (psychology)
Advisor: Jennifer Steeves
2006 - 2008
York University
M.A. (psychology)
Advisor: Jennifer Steeves
2001 - 2005
Brock University
B.A. (psychology)
Advisor: Karen Arnell