A pixelated world: Research considers the effect of digital media on perception

How we see digital content could have an impact on our visual perception in the real world, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

JMIR Formative Research | Competition & Integration of Health Systems Post COVID-19

JMIR Publications published a study titled “Competition and Integration of US Health Systems in the Post-COVID-19 New Normal: Cross-sectional Survey” in JMIR Formative Research, which reported that the smaller the geographical region in which mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity is pursued, the higher the likelihood that monopolistic tendencies will result.

The Science Behind the Appeal of Pumpkin Spice

Fall is still days away but at coffee shops and grocery stores, it’s already peak autumn thanks to the arrival of a certain flavor that has come to signal the season’s unofficial start. Everyone knows, it’s pumpkin spice time.

But why?

Johns Hopkins University perception researchers can say a key to understanding why people love pumpkin spice is the smell of it. Those notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger trigger deeply rooted cozy memories of autumn.

Screen time can change visual perception — and that’s not necessarily bad

The coronavirus pandemic has shifted many of our interactions online, with Zoom video calls
replacing in-person classes, work meetings, conferences and other events. Will all that screen time damage our vision? Maybe not. It turns out that our visual perception is highly adaptable, according to research from Psychology Professor and Cognitive and Brain Sciences Coordinator Peter Gerhardstein’s
lab at Binghamton University.

When you’re smiling, the whole world really does smile with you

From Sinatra to Katy Perry, celebrities have long sung about the power of a smile – how it picks you up, changes your outlook, and generally makes you feel better. But is it all smoke and mirrors, or is there a scientific backing to the claim? Groundbreaking research from the University of South Australia confirms that the act of smiling can trick your mind into being more positive, simply by moving your facial muscles.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

New findings reframe the traditional view of face blindness as a disorder arising strictly from deficits in visual perception of facial features
Findings suggest prosopagnosia may be a more complex disorder rooted in multiple deficits
Findings can help inform the design of tools to improve face recognition in those with the condition

Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas From Johns Hopkins

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.

What are You Looking At? ‘Virtual’ Communication in the Age of Social Distancing

When discussions occur face-to-face, people know where their conversational partner is looking and vice versa. With “virtual” communication due to COVID-19 and the expansive use of mobile and video devices, now more than ever, it’s important to understand how these technologies impact communication. Where do people focus their attention? The eyes, mouth, the whole face? And how do they encode conversation? A first-of-its-kind study set out to determine whether being observed affects people’s behavior during online communication.