The laboratory is equipped to allow multiple participants to be run simultaneously. We also have a computer dedicated to modeling, stimulus preparation, and analysis conducted by lab research assistants.
Programs are often run using PsyScope. Stimuli range from simple text strings to movies, thus enabling us to examine a range of experimental issues. Animations are created in LightWave 3D and game programming is done using Torque's game engine.
Computational modeling is usually done in Mathematica and R, flexible platforms for mathematical modeling and graphical output of the results. Lab personnel are actively engaged in the development and testing of psychological theories; many of our analyses increasingly involve quantifying the nonlinear relationship between experimental variables using techniques like neural networks, nonlinear curve fitting, and nonlinear mixed effects modeling.
We also have an eyetracker from Arrington Research to support our work on the perception of causality and variety. The software monitors the location of the pupil and the reflection of an infrared light source to monitor gaze location while correcting for small head movements. The system tracks the motion of a participant's eye (the participant uses a chin rest to reduce variability in head location) while viewing stimulus displays on a computer monitor.