Position: Visiting scholar (University of Florence, Italy)
Contacts:
email: stefanob@stanford.edu, stefano.baldassi@unifi.it
phone : +1-415-309-6780 (mobile) +1-650-724-2550 (office)
BioSketch
I have a Master's Degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Rome "La Sapienza" (1995) followed by a PhD in Perception from the University of Rome and the Institute of Neurophysiology of the CNR in Pisa. I have been researcher at the Department of Psychology of the University of Florence since 2001.
Over the past 15 years, my work has focused on how the complexity of the outer world is processed by our visual system and translated into perceptual and motor decisions. My research has spanned the area of perception broadly: I have worked on attention, visual search, perceptual decision, attention and reward, visual integration, multi-sensory integration, vision in Autism and normal development, perceptual learning, perception of time, perceptual and decisional processes in sports, and the visual consequences of neurological syndromes.
This experience has led me to the general idea that, since our behavior consists in large part in complex loops of input/output interactions, our cognitive processes are shaped by a cascade of mechanisms that are originating at the early stages of the sensory systems. This is particularly important during the development of these systems, when complex behavioral functions can deviate from typical development. Therefore, I am currently focusing on developing new tools and computational models for understanding how low-level visual functions interact with developing higher-level cognitive functions in typically developing infants and in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The goal is to provide an integrated model of the development of visual cognition.
Recent publications
- Panichi, M., Burr, D., Morrone, M., Baldassi, S., (2012) Spatiotemporal dynamics of peri-saccadic remapping in humans revealed by classification images. Journal of Vision (in press).
- Megna, N., Rocchi, F., Baldassi, S. (2012) Spatio-temporal templates of transient attention revealed by Classification Images. Vision Research, Feb 1;54:39-48. Epub 2011 Dec 13..
- Righi, S., Marzi, T., Toscani, M., Baldassi, S., Ottonello, S., Viggiano, M.P.. (2012) Fearful expressions enhance recognition memory: Electrophysiological evidence. Acta Psychologica. Jan;139(1):7-18. Epub 2011 Oct 26.
- Paci M, Matulli G, Megna N, Baccini M, Baldassi S.(2011) The subjective visual vertical in patients with pusher behaviour: A pilot study with a psychophysical approach. Neuropsychol Rehabil. 21(4):539-51.
- Pascucci, D., Megna, N., Panichi, M. & Baldassi, S. (2011). Acoustic cues to visual detection: a classification image study,J Vis, 6 (11),
- Baldassi, S. & Simoncini, C. (2011). Reward sharpens orientation coding independently of attention,Front Neurosci, (5), 13. PDF
- Toscani, M., Marzi, T., Righi, S., Viggiano, M. P. & Baldassi, S. (2010). Alpha waves: a neural signature of visual suppression,Exp Brain Res, 3-4 (207), 213-219.
- Paci, M., Matulli, G., Baccini, M., Rinaldi, L. A. & Baldassi, S. (2010). Reported quality of randomized controlled trials in neglect rehabilitation,Neurol Sci, 2 (31), 159-163.
- Burr, D. C., Baldassi, S., Morrone, M. C. & Verghese, P. (2009). Pooling and segmenting motion signals,Vision Res, 10 (49), 1065-1072. PDF
- Pei, F., Baldassi, S., Procida, G., Igliozzi, R., Tancredi, R., Muratori, F., et al. (2009). Neural correlates of texture and contour integration in children with autism spectrum disorders,Vision Res, 16 (49), 2140-2150. PDF
- Baldassi, S., Pei, F., Megna, N., Recupero, G., Viespoli, M., Igliozzi, R., et al. (2009). Search superiority in autism within, but not outside the crowding regime,Vision Res, 16 (49), 2151-2156. PDF
- Tinelli, F., Pei, F., Guzzetta, A., Bancale, A., Mazzotti, S., Baldassi, S., et al. (2008). The assessment of visual acuity in children with periventricular damage: a comparison of behavioural and electrophysiological techniques,Vision Res, 10 (48), 1233-1241.
- Gheri, C. & Baldassi, S. (2008). Non-linear integration of crowded orientation signals,Vision Res, 22 (48), 2352-2358.
- Baldassi, S., Megna, N. & Burr, D. C. (2006). Visual clutter causes high-magnitude errors,PLoS Biol, 3 (4), e56.
