Buyun Xu

I study the behavior and the underlying brain mechanisms of how people recognize visual things, such as faces, facial expressions, melanoma, etc. using psychophysics, eye tracking and EEG. I also design and develop training tools to help people improve the visual skills that are relevant to them. For example, I developed a training protocol that utilizes the state-of-the-art science and technology in machine learning and adaptive training algorithms to improve the users' accuracy (from 52% to 75%) to detect melanoma within 2 hours of training. I am also involved in the development and evaluation of training programs that help children with autism to recognize and produce facial expressions, and to recognize faces.

Representative publications

Xu, B., Liu-Shuang, J., Rossion, B., & Tanaka, J. (2017). Individual Differences in Face Identity Processing with Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.

He, H., Xu, B., & Tanaka, J. (2016). Investigating the face inversion effect in a deaf population using the Dimensions Tasks. Visual Cognition, 1-11.

Xu, B., Rourke, L., Robinson, J.K., & Tanaka, J. W. (2016). Training melanoma detection in photographs with the perceptual expertise training approach. Applied Cognitive Psychology.

Xu, B., & Tanaka, J. W. (2014). The cued recognition task: dissociating the abrupt onset effect from the social and arrow cueing effect. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 1-14. 

Tanaka, J. W., Quinn, P. C., Xu, B., Maynard, K., Huxtable, N., Lee, K., & Pascalis, O. (2014). The effects of information type (features vs. configuration) and location (eyes vs. mouth) on the development of face perception. Journal of experimental child psychology, 124, 36-49.

Xu, B., & Tanaka, J. W. (2013). Does face inversion qualitatively change face processing: An eye movement study using a face change detection task. Journal of vision, 13(2).

Xu B., Tanaka J. (2013). Teaching Children with Autism to Recognize Faces. In: Patel V., Preedy V., Martin C. (Ed.) The Comprehensive Guide to Autism: SpringerReference (www.springerreference.com). Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Xu, B. (2011). Social development of children with hearing impairment. Book chapter from The development and education of children with hearing impairment, 1st edition. Beijing University Press.

Xu. B. (2009). The Study on the Peer Relationship of Young Primary Deaf School Students: A Social Network Analysis Approach. The Conference of Development of Special Education Under the Background of Inclusive Education.

Xu. B. and He.H. (2009). A Review on Western Literatures of Volunteer Behaviors. China Youth Study. Vol.4, p75‐p80.