Mary K. Kaiser

Biography

Mary K. Kaiser is a research psychologist in the Human Information Processing Research Branch (AFH) at NASA Ames Research Center. She received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Virginia, and spent two years as an NIMH postdoc in Applied Experimental Psychology at the University of Michigan. Mary joined the Aerospace Human Factors Research Division at Ames in 1985. Her areas of research include human motion perception, visually-guided control, and dynamic spatial display design. Her current projects at Ames include External Vision Systems for HSCT Surface Operations and Perceptually-Tuned Visual Simulation research. Mary is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. She and Walt Johnson hold a patent for their Double-Delta Cueing Light Configuration.

Pointers

Email:

: mkaiser@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Address:

: Mail Stop 262-2; NASA Ames Research Center; Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Phone:

: (415) 604-4448; (415) 604-0255 (FAX)

Selected Publications

REFEREED JOURNALS

Kaiser, M. K. & Mowafy, L. (1993). Optical specification of time-to-passage: ObserversÕ sensitivity to global tau. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 19, 1028-1040.
Kaiser, M. K. & Phatak, A. V. (1993). Things that go bump in the light: On the optical specification of contact severity. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 19, 194-202.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (1992). Using the stereokinetic effect to convey depth: Computationally efficient depth-from-motion displays. Human Factors, 34, 583-600.
McBeath, M. K., Morikawa, K., & Kaiser, M. K. (1992). Perceptual bias for forward-facing motion. Psychological Science, 3, 362-367.
Kaiser, M. K., Proffitt, D. R., Whelan, S. M., & Hecht, H. (1992). The influence of animation on dynamical judgments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 18, 669-690.
Kaiser, M. K. & Calderone, J. (1991). Factors influencing perceived angular velocity. Perception & Psychophysics, 50, 428-434.
Proffitt, D. R., Kaiser, M. K., & Whelan, S. M. (1990). Understanding wheel dynamics. Cognitive Psychology, 22, 342-373.
Kaiser, M. K. (1990). Angular velocity discrimination. Perception & Psychophysics, 47, 149-156.
Calderone, J. B. & Kaiser, M. K. (1989). Visual acceleration detection: Effect of sign and motion orientation. Perception & Psychophysics, 45, 391-394.
Ronis, D. L. & Kaiser, M. K. (1989). Correlates of breast self-examination in a sample of college women: Analyses of linear structural relations. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 19, 1068-1084.
Proffitt, D. R., Gilden, D. L., Kaiser, M. K., & Whelan, S. M. (1988). The effect of configural orientation on apparent motion. Perception & Psychophysics, 43, 465-474.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (1987). Observers' sensitivity to dynamic anomalies in collisions. Perception & Psychophysics, 42, 275-280.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (1986). The use of computer graphics animation in motion perception research. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 18, 487-492.
Kaiser, M. K., Jonides, J., & Alexander, J. (1986). Intuitve reasoning on abstract and familiar physics problems. Memory & Cognition, 14, 308-312.
Kaiser, M. K., McCloskey, M., & Proffitt, D. R. (1986). Development of intuitive theories of motion: Curvilinear motion in the absence of external forces. Developmental Psychology, 22, 67-71.
Kaiser, M. K., Proffitt, D. R., & McCloskey, M. (1985). The development of beliefs about falling objects. Perception & Psychophysics, 38, 533-539.
Kaiser, M. K., Proffitt, D. R., & Anderson, K. (1985). Judgments of natural and anomalous trajectories in the presence and absence of motion. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 11, 795-803.
O'Brien, R. G. & Kaiser, M. K. (1985). The MANOVA approach for analyzing repeated measures designs: An extensive primer. Psychological Bulletin, 97, 316-333.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (1984). The development of sensitivity to causally-relevant dynamic information. Child Development, 55, 1614-1624.
McCloskey, M. & Kaiser, M. K. (1984). Children's intuitive physics. The Sciences, 24, 40-45.
DePaulo, B. M., Brittingham, G., & Kaiser, M. K. (1983). Receiving competence-relevant help: Effects on reciprocity, affect, and sensitivity to the helper's nonverbally expressed needs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 1045-1060.
Patterson, C. J., O'Brien, C., Kister, M. C., Carter, D. B., & Kotsonis, M. (1981). Development of comprehension monitoring as a function of context. Developmental Psychology, 17, 379-389.
Kister, M. C. & Patterson, C. J. (1980). Children's conceptions of the causes of illness: Understanding of contagion and use of immanent justice. Child Development, 51, 839-846.

BOOKS AND CHAPTERS

Kaiser, M. K. (in press). Dynamic motion constancies. In V. Walsh & J. Kulikowski (Eds.), Perceptual constancies: Why things look as they do. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (in press). Perceiving events. In W. Epstein and S. J. Rogers (Eds.), Handbook of perception and cognition, volume 5: Perception of space and motion. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Kaiser, M. K., Jonides, J., & Alexander, J. (1991). Intuitive reasoning about abstract and familiar physics problems. In R. P. Honeck, T. J. S. Case, & M. J. Firment (Eds.), Introductory Readings for Cognitive Psychology. Guilford, CT: Dushkin Publishing Group.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (1991). Perceiving environmental properties from motion information: Minimal conditions. In S. R. Ellis, M. K. Kaiser, & A. J. Grunwald (Eds.), Pictorial communication in virtual and real environments. London: Taylor & Francis.
Ellis, S. R., Kaiser, M. K., & Grunwald, A. J. (1991). Pictorial communication in virtual and real environments. London: Taylor & Francis (2nd Edition, 1993).
Patterson, C. J. & Kister, M. C. (1981). The development of listener skills for referential communication. In W. P. Dickson (Ed.), Children's oral communication skills. New York: Academic Press.

BOOK REVIEWS

Kaiser, M. K. & Hecht, H. (in press). Phenomenal theories and theoretical phenomena in perception. A combined review of "Foundations of Perceptual Theory," edited by S. G. Masin, and "The Perceptual System: A Philosophical and Psychological Perspective," by A. Ben-Ze'ev. Contemporary Psychology.
Hecht, H. & Kaiser, M. K. (in press). Spatial representation: Posers and paradigms. A review of "Spatial Representation," edited by N. Eilan, R. McCarthy, and B. Brewer. The American Journal of Psychology.
Kaiser, M. K. (1987). A physicist's anschauungen concerning mental imagery. A review of "Imagery in Scientific Thought," by A. I. Miller. Contemporary Psychology, 32, 801-802.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Kellman, P. J. & Kaiser, M. K. (in press). Perceptual learning modules in flight training. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 38th Annual Meeting.
Kaiser, M. K. & Jenkins, J. P. (1994). Enhanced/synthetic vision systems for advanced flight decks. SID International Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, XXV, 93-96.
Jenkins, J. P. & Kaiser, M. K. (1994). Advanced enhanced visual systems for next generation aircraft. Proceedings of the Royal Aeronautical Society: Synthetic Vision Systems for Civil Aviation, 1.1 -1.10.
Kaiser, M. K. & Sweet, B. T. (1993). Proceedings of the Augmented VIsual Display (AVID) Research Workshop. NASA Conference Proceedings #10128.
Kaiser, M. K., Perrone, J. A., Stone, L., Banks, M. S., and Crowell, J. A. (1993). Extracting heading and temporal range from optic flow: Human performance issues. In M. K. Kaiser & B. T. Sweet (Eds.), Proceedings of the Augmented VIsual Display (AVID) Research Workshop. NASA Conference Proceedings #10128.
Kaiser, M. K. & Johnson, W. J. (1993). Visual cues for vehicle control. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 37th Annual Meeting, 1375-1377.
Kaiser, M. K. & Mowafy, L. (1993). Visual information for judging temporal range. Proceedings of Piloting Vertical Flight Aircraft: A Conference on Flying Qualities and Human Factors, 4-23.
Kaiser, M. K., Johnson, W. W., Mowafy, M., Hennessy, R. T., & Matsumoto, J. A. (1992). Visual augmentation for night flight over featureless terrain. Proceedings of the American Helicopter Society 48th Annual Forum, Vol 1, 275-280.
Foyle, D. C., Kaiser, M. K., & Johnson, W. W. (1992). Visual cues in low-level flight: Implications for pilotage, training, simulation, and enhanced/synthetic vision systems. Proceedings of the American Helicopter Society 48th Annual Forum, Vol. 1, 253-260.
Kaiser, M. K. & Foyle, D. C. (1991). Human factors issues in the use of night vision devices. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 35th Annual Meeting, 1502-1506.
Foyle, D. C. & Kaiser, M. K. (1991). Pilot distance estimation with unaided vision, night vision goggles and infrared imagery. SID International Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, XXII, 314-317.
Johnson, W. W. & Kaiser, M. K. (1991). Visually Guided Control of Movement. NASA Conference Proceedings #3118.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (1989). Human motion perception: Higher order organization. In A. B. Watson & J. B. Mulligan (Eds.), Vision Science and Technology at NASA: Results of a Workshop. NASA Technical Memorandum #102214.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (1989). Perceptual issues in scientific visualization. In W. E. Robbins & S. S. Fisher (Eds.), Three-Dimensional Visualization and Display Technologies: Proceedings of SPIE 1083.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (1989). Perceiving environmental properties from motion information: Minimal conditions. In S. R. Ellis, M. K. Kaiser, & A. J. Grunwald (Eds.), Spatial Displays and Spatial Instruments. NASA Conference Publication #10032.
Ellis, S. R., Kaiser, M. K., & Grunwald, A. J. (1989). Spatial Displays and Spatial Instruments. NASA Conference Publication #10032.
Kaiser, M. K. & Remington, R. (1988). Spatial cognition. In T. Tanner, Y. A. Clearwater, & M. M. Cohen (Eds.) Space Station Human Factors Research Review, Volume IV. NASA Conference Publication #2426.

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Bradley, A. & Kaiser, M. K. (1994). Evaluation of Visual Acuity with Gen III Night Vision Goggles. NASA Technical Memorandum #108792.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (1991). Observer Properties for Understanding Dynamical Displays: Capacities, Limitations, and Defaults. NASA Technical Memorandum #102812.
Grunwald, A. J. & Kaiser, M. K. (1989) An Algorithm for the Systematic Disturbance of Optimal Rotational Solutions. NASA Technical Memorandum #92654.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (1987). Human-Display Interactions: Context Specific Biases. NASA Technical Memorandum #89430.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (1986). Applications of Computer-Graphics Animation for Motion-Perception Research. NASA Technical Memorandum #88335.

FILMS

"Seeing Beyond the Obvious: Understanding Perception in Everyday and Novel Environments." Produced by Mary K. Kaiser; Directed and Edited by Ellen A. McAfee; Written by Dennis R. Proffitt, Mary K. Kaiser, & Ellen A. McAfee. Presented at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society (November, 1990) and at the 35th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society (September, 1991).

PATENTS

"Cueing Light Configuration for Aircraft Navigation," Patent No. 5,315,296 (NASA Case No. ARC 11982), Issue Date 5/24/94. (Mary K. Kaiser & Walter W. Johnson, Inventors)

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (some with published abstracts)

Kaiser, M. K. & Jenkins, J. P. (June, 1994). Enhanced/synthetic vision systems for advanced flight decks. Invited address at the SID 1994 International Symposium, Seminar, & Exhibition.
Hecht, H. & Kaiser, M. K. (May, 1994). Time-to-passage judgments in non-constant optical flow fields. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 35, 1277.
McBeath, M. K., Shaffer, D. M., & Kaiser, M. K. (May, 1994). Baseball outfielders catch fly balls by canceling optical curvature, not optical acceleration. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 35, 1985.
Jenkins, J. P. & Kaiser, M. K. (April, 1994). A NASA view of synthetic vision systems. Presented at the Royal Aeronautical Society Conference on Synthetic Vision Systems for Civil Aviation.
Kaiser, M. K., Montegut, M. & Proffitt, D. R. (November, 1993). Sensitivity to rotational and translational components of motion parallax. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 31, 463.
Kaiser, M. K. & Hecht, H. (October, 1993). Optical specification of temporal range. Presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Kaiser, M. K. (August, 1993). Examining the mapping between event kinematics and potential optical control variables. Presented at the Seventh International Conference on Event Perception and Action.
Kaiser, M. K., Kellman, P. J., Banks, M. S., and Aikens, W. H. (November, 1992). Perception of target motion by passively moving observers. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 30, 470.
Johnson, W. W., Kaiser, M. K., & Foyle, D. C. (May, 1992). Beyond the cockpit: The visual world as a flight instrument. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association.
McBeath, M. K. & Kaiser, M. K. (May, 1992). Visual bias for gravitationally downward motion. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 33, 1143.
Mowafy, L. & Kaiser, M. K. (May, 1992). The use of global tau for judging the time to passage. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 33, 1140.
Gilden, D. L. & Kaiser, M. K. (May, 1992). Kinematic specification of depth and boundary. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 33, 1141.
Kaiser, M. K. (November, 1991). The visual world as a flight instrument: What we glean from the scene to control our machine. Presented at the Code F Vision Science and Technology Workshop, NASA Ames Research Center.
Kaiser, M. K. & Mowafy, L. (November, 1991). Time to passage: The forgotten tau. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 29, 477.
Mowafy, L., Johnson, W. W., & Kaiser, M. K. (September, 1991). Night flight over limited-feature terrains. Presented at the 35th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society.
Johnson, W. W., Kaiser, M. K., Perrone, J., & Awe, C. A. (May, 1991). Vehicle orientation: The perception of surface slant and glideslope. Presented at the Sixth International Symposium on Aviation Psychology.
Kaiser, M. K., Perrone, J. A., Andersen, G. J., Lappin, J. S., & Proffitt, D. R. (May, 1990). The effect of motion on surface slant perception. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 31(4), 523.
Kaiser, M. K. & McAfee, E. M. (November, 1989). Angular velocity discrimination with a twist. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 27, 487.
Kaiser, M. K. (July, 1989). Comparative psychophysics for the perception of rotation and translation in 3D space. Presented at the Fifth International Conference on Event Perception and Action.
Kaiser, M. K. (May, 1989). Angular velocity discrimination. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 30(3), 72.
Calderone, J. B. & Kaiser, M. K. (April, 1988). Visual acceleration detection: Effect of sign and motion orientation. Presented at the 68th Convention of the Western Psychological Assocation.
Kaiser, M. K., Grunwald, A. J., & Proffitt, D. R. (November, 1987). Kinematic and kinetic appreciations of angular systems. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 25, 340.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (August, 1987). Conceptual and perceptual understandings of mechanics. Presented at the Fourth International Conference on Event Perception and Action.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (August, 1987). Understanding natural dynmaics. Presented at the Fourth International Conference on Event Perception and Action.
Kaiser, M. K., Proffitt, D. R., Gilden, D., & Whelan, S. (April, 1987). Kinematic and kinetic organization in apparent motion. Presented at the 67th Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association.
Kaiser, M. K. & Proffitt, D. R. (November, 1986). Swingtime: Observers' sensitivity to the dynamics of pendulums. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 24, 342.
Proffitt, D. R. & Kaiser, M. K. (November, 1986). Why you cannot see what holds a gyroscope up. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 24, 342.
Kaiser, M. K., Proffitt, D. R., Flannagan, M., & Sullivan, J. M. (November, 1985). When worlds collide: Observers' sensitivity to collision dynamics. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 23, 281.
Kaiser, M. K., McCloskey, M., & Proffitt, D. R. (April, 1985). Children's intuitive physics. Presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development.
Kaiser, M. K., Jonides, J., & Alexander, J. (May, 1985). Intuitive physics reasoning on abstract and common sense problems. Presented at the Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting.