All of my research involves an evolutionary and ecological approach to understanding cognitive processes, in both humans and non-humans. It can be divided into three strands, each examining a different aspect of cognition.
Visual Cognition
My research in visual cognition attempts to understand the perception of objects (especially faces), movement and orientation from a functional perspective. This has involved re-examining traditional perceptual phenomena (like misperceptions of orientation) from a more ecological perspective, as well as examining whether differences in perceptual processes between species can be understood in terms of the different visual ecologies they inhabit.
Spatial Cognition
My research in spatial cognition attempts to understand the way in which evolution has shaped different spatial abilities in different species. This involves using the spatial ecology of a species (as determined by its foraging ecology, and/or home range size or structure) to predict its performance on controlled spatial memory tasks. So far, the spatial abilities of echidnas, nectar-feeding birds and humans have been examined in this way. Future studies will also examine native Australian rodents, and other species of nectar feeding birds.
Social Cognition
This research is aimed at understanding the evolution of social cognitive mechanisms by (a) examining the link between the social structure of a species and its social learning abilities (currently in two species of native rodents and in Australian honeyeaters), and (b) examining the evolved role that human faces and bodies play in social communication (currently examining facial attractiveness and emotional expression).
Alais D, Wenderoth P, Burke D, (1994). The contribution of 1-D motion mechanisms to the perceived direction of drifting plaids and their aftereffects. Vision Research. 34, 1823-1834.
Burke D, Alais D, Wenderoth P, (1994). A role for a low-level mechanism in determining plaid coherence. Vision Research 34, 3189-3196.
Wenderoth P, Alais D, Burke D, van der Zwan R, (1994). The role of the 'blobs' in determining the perception of drifting plaids and their motion aftereffects. Perception 23, 1163-1169.
Alais D, Burke D, Wenderoth P, (1996). Further evidence for monocular determinants of perceived plaid direction. Vision Research 36, 1247-1253.
Alais D, Wenderoth P, Burke D, (1997). The size and number of plaid blobs mediate the misperception of type II plaid direction. Vision Research 37, 143-150.
Burke D, Alais D, Wenderoth P, (1999). Determinants of fusion of dichoptically presented orthogonal gratings. Perception 28, 73 - 88.
Burke D, Roodenrys S (2000). Implicit learning in a simple cued reaction time task. Learning and Motivation, 31, 634-380.
Burke D, Everingham P, Rogers T, Hinton M, Hall-Aspland S. (2001). Perceptual grouping in two visually reliant species: Humans and Australian sea lions. Perception, 30, 1093-1106.
Burke D, Cieplucha C, Cass J, Russell F & Fry G (2002). Win-shift and win-stay learning in echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Animal Cognition, 5, 79-84.
Burke D & Hayward W G. (2002). Two visual systems but only one theory of perception. Behavioural & Brain Sciences, 25, 100.
Palmisano P, Burke D and Allison R S. (2003). Coherent global perspective jitter improves visual illusions of self-motion in depth. Perception, 32, 97-110
Keane S K, Hayward W G & Burke D. (2003). Detection of three types of changes to novel objects. Visual Cognition, 10, 101-127.
Burke D & Fulham B J. (2003) An evolved spatial memory bias in a nectar feeding bird? Animal Behaviour, 66, 695-701.
Burke D (2005). Combining disparate views of objects: Viewpoint costs are reduced by stereopsis. Visual Cognition, 12, 705-719.
Wenderoth P & Burke D (2006). Testing the tilt constancy theory of visual illusions. Perception, 35, 201-213.
Favelle, S.K., Palmisano, S., Burke, D., & Hayward, W.G. (2006). The role of attention in processing configural and shape information in 3D novel objects. Visual Cognition, 13, 623-642.
Favelle S, Hayward W G, Burke D & Palmisano S (2006). The configural advantage in object change detection persists across depth rotation. Perception and Psychophysics, in press.
Wenderoth P & Burke D (2006). Testing the tilt constancy theory of visual illusions. Perception, 35, 201-213.
Burke D, Taubert J & Higman T (in press). Are face representations viewpoint dependent? A stereo advantage for generalising across different views of faces. Vision Research.
Sulikowski D & Burke D (2007). Food-specific spatial memory biases in an omnivorous bird. Biology Letters, 3, 245-248.
