Sarah Haigh: Individuals differences on the effect of visual symmetry on discomfort

Title

Individuals differences on the effect of visual symmetry on discomfort

Mentor

Department

Biosketch

Sarah Haigh, Ph.D., is an associate professor in psychology and neuroscience at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her research is driven by two fundamental questions: why are some people sensitive to their environment, to the point of inducing discomfort and headaches, whereas others are not? What impact does this have on their ability to process incoming information? Specifically, her line of research investigates what is responsible for sensory over-response or under-response, for which the terms hyper- or hypo-excitability are often used. As well as what this can reveal about 1) early sensory processing in neurotypical individuals, and 2) the underlying pathophysiology in clinical conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, migraine, and traumatic brain injury. Her aim is to establish whether methods for improving sensory processing result in cascading improvements in complex cognitive processing.

When taking a break from science, she can be found hanging out in the mountains at a lake or skiing with her family, which includes a German Shepherd named Penny.

Project overview

The Pack Research Experience Program (PREP) student will lead a behavioral study (after substantial training) on the effect of visual symmetry in images on visual discomfort. We will also assess individual differences in this effect by comparing those who experience visual sensitivity (find lights, stripes, colors etc. uncomfortable in their daily lives) to those who are not visually sensitive. The student will be responsible for recruiting participants and running them through the study. This offers the student a high degree of autonomy and ability to make their own schedule. The student will meet with Haigh weekly to ensure that the project is on track and to address any concerns as they arise. Once the study is complete, the student will be involved in analyzing the data and in any conference presentations and/or manuscripts that result from the study.

Pack Research Experience Program information and application