Dr Keith May
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Email
keith.may@essex.ac.uk -
Location
2.709, Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
I studied Psychology at York University, UK, and then took research jobs at BT labs and St Andrews University. My PhD (at Aston University) investigated edge processing in human vision. I then had postdoc research positions at UCL, McGill University, Bradford University, UCL again, City University London, and UCL (yet again). In 2014 I was awarded the AVA David Marr Medal. I joined the Essex University Psychology Department as a lecturer in 2016.
Research and professional activities
Research interests
My work investigates the processing performed by the human visual system. My research mainly falls into the following areas: perceptual encoding, edge processing, visual grouping, visual attention, and coding efficiency. I also work on face perception and memory.
Publications
Journal articles (29)
Kingdom, FAA., Yared, K-C., Hibbard, PB. and May, KA., (2020). Stereoscopic depth adaptation from binocularly correlated versus anti-correlated noise: Test of an efficient coding theory of stereopsis. Vision Research. 166, 60-71
May, KA. and Zhaoping, L., (2019). Face perception inherits low-level binocular adaptation.. Journal of Vision. 19 (7), 7-7
May, KA. and Vincent, BT., (2017). Fewer Statistical Tests … or Better Ones?. Perception. 46 (1), 3-5
May, KA. and Zhaoping, L., (2016). Efficient Coding Theory Predicts a Tilt Aftereffect from Viewing Untilted Patterns. Current Biology. 26 (12), 1571-1576
Solomon, JA., May, KA. and Tyler, CW., (2016). Inefficiency of orientation averaging: Evidence for hybrid serial/parallel temporal integration. Journal of Vision. 16 (1), 13-13
May, KA. and Solomon, JA., (2015). Connecting psychophysical performance to neuronal response properties I: Discrimination of suprathreshold stimuli. Journal of Vision. 15 (6), 8-8
May, KA. and Solomon, JA., (2015). Connecting psychophysical performance to neuronal response properties II: Contrast decoding and detection. Journal of Vision. 15 (6), 9-9
Hansen, BC., May, KA. and Hess, RF., (2014). One "shape" fits all: The orientation bandwidth of contour integration. Journal of Vision. 14 (13), 17-17
Dumoulin, SO., Hess, RF., May, KA., Harvey, BM., Rokers, B. and Barendregt, M., (2014). Contour extracting networks in early extrastriate cortex. Journal of vision. 14 (5), 18-18
May, KA. and Solomon, JA., (2013). Four Theorems on the Psychometric Function. PLoS ONE. 8 (10), e74815-e74815
May, KA. and Zhaoping, L., (2013). The potential roles of saturating and supersaturating contrast-response functions in conjunction detection: Reply to Peirce. Journal of Vision. 13 (4), 22-22
May, KA., Zhaoping, L. and Hibbard, PB., (2012). Perceived Direction of Motion Determined by Adaptation to Static Binocular Images. Current Biology. 22 (1), 28-32
McIlhagga, WH. and May, KA., (2012). Optimal edge filters explain human blur detection. Journal of Vision. 12 (10), 9-9
Huang, P-C., Maehara, G., May, KA. and Hess, RF., (2012). Pattern masking: The importance of remote spatial frequencies and their phase alignment. Journal of Vision. 12 (2), 14-14
May, KA. and Zhaoping, L., (2011). Exploring the roles of saturating and supersaturating contrast-response functions in conjunction detection and contrast coding. Journal of Vision. 11 (9), 11-11
Zhaoping, L., Geisler, WS. and May, KA., (2011). Human Wavelength Discrimination of Monochromatic Light Explained by Optimal Wavelength Decoding of Light of Unknown Intensity. PLoS ONE. 6 (5), e19248-e19248
May, KA. and Georgeson, MA., (2010). Corrigendum to “Blurred edges look faint, and faint edges look sharp: The effect of a gradient threshold in a multi-scale edge coding model” [Vision Res. 47(13) (2007) 1705–1720]. Vision Research. 50 (10), 996-996
May, KA. and Zhaoping, L., (2009). Effects of surrounding frame on visual search for vertical or tilted bars. Journal of Vision. 9 (13), 20-20
May, KA. and Zhaoping, L., (2009). Effects of surrounding frame on visual search for vertical or tilted bars. Journal of Vision. 9 (13), 1-19
Hess, RF., Baker, DH., May, KA. and Wang, J., (2008). On the decline of 1st and 2nd order sensitivity with eccentricity. Journal of Vision. 8 (1), 19-19
May, KA. and Hess, RF., (2008). Effects of element separation and carrier wavelength on detection of snakes and ladders: Implications for models of contour integration. Journal of Vision. 8 (13), 4-4
May, KA. and Hess, RF., (2007). Ladder contours are undetectable in the periphery: A crowding effect?. Journal of Vision. 7 (13), 9-9
May, KA. and Hess, RF., (2007). Dynamics of snakes and ladders. Journal of Vision. 7 (12), 13-13
May, KA. and Georgeson, MA., (2007). Added luminance ramp alters perceived edge blur and contrast: A critical test for derivative-based models of edge coding. Vision Research. 47 (13), 1721-1731
Georgeson, MA., May, KA., Freeman, TCA. and Hesse, GS., (2007). From filters to features: Scale–space analysis of edge and blur coding in human vision. Journal of Vision. 7 (13), 7-7
Zhaoping, L. and May, KA., (2007). Psychophysical Tests of the Hypothesis of a Bottom-Up Saliency Map in Primary Visual Cortex. PLoS Computational Biology. 3 (4), e62-e62
May, KA. and Georgeson, MA., (2007). Blurred edges look faint, and faint edges look sharp: The effect of a gradient threshold in a multi-scale edge coding model. Vision Research. 47 (13), 1705-1720
Perrett, DI., May, KA. and Yoshikawa, S., (1994). Facial shape and judgements of female attractiveness. Nature. 368 (6468), 239-242
Thompson, P., May, K. and Stone, R., (1993). Chromostereopsis: a multicomponent depth effect?. Displays. 14 (4), 227-234
Book chapters (2)
Hess, RF., May, KA. and Dumoulin, SO., (2014). Contour integration: Psychophysical, neurophysiological, and computational perspectives. In: The Oxford Handbook of Perceptual Organization. Editors: Wagemans, J., . Oxford University Press. 9780199686858
(2009). Computational Modelling in Behavioural Neuroscience. In: Computational Modelling in Behavioural Neuroscience: Closing the Gap Between Neurophysiology and Behaviour. Psychology Press. 137- 164. 0203889541. 9780203889541
Conferences (2)
May, KA., Zhaoping, L. and Hibbard, PB., (2010). Binocular integration in human vision adapts to maximize information coding efficiency
Georgeson, MA., May, KA. and Barbieri-Hesse, GS., (2010). Perceiving edge blur: the Gaussian-derivative template model
