News

Research Interests

In December 2015, I earned my Ph.D. from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences program at the University of Iowa. My primary area of focus is the cognitive neuroscience of vision. To date, my scientific endeavors have revolved heavily around the study of visual cognition.

I primarily study healthy adult humans, but I also maintain collaborations within my department and with Psychiatry as well as Neurology. My collaborators and I study visual cognition in the pigeon model, elderly adult humans, and adolescent/emerging adults. These projects provide a unique outlook about the development of visual cognition.

Dissertation Word Cloud

Dissertation

Roper, Z. J. J. (2015). The manifold role of reward value on visual attention (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. (Accession Order No. [number])

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2015). Rewards shape attentional search modes. Visual Cognition, 23(7), 847-851. doi: 10.1080/13506285.2015.1093235

Roper, Z. J. J., Vecera, S. P., & Vaidya, J. (2014). Value-driven attentional capture in adolescence. Psychological Science, 25(11):1987-93. doi: 10.1177/0956797614545654
Press article: IowaNow, AAA Adolescent Distracted Driving youtube video

Matsukura, M., Cosman, J. D., Roper, Z. J. J., Vatterott, D. B., & Vecera, S. P. (2014). Location-specific effects of attention during visual short-term memory maintenaince. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 40(3), 1103-1116. doi: 10.1037/a0035685

Vecera, S. P., Cosman, J. D., Vatterott, D. B., & Roper, Z. J. J. (2014). The control of visual attention: Toward a unified account. In B. H. Ross(Ed.), Psychology of Learning and Motivation (Vol. 60, pp. 303-347). Oxford, UK: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800090-8.00008-1

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2014). Visual short-term memory load strengthens selective attention. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21(2), 549-556. doi: 10.3758/s13423-013-0503-3

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2013). Response terminated displays unload selective attention. Frontiers in Cognition, 4(967), 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00967

Roper, Z. J. J., Cosman, J. D., & Vecera, S. P. (2013). Perceptual load corresponds with factors known to influence visual search. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 39(5), 1340-1351. doi: 10.1037/a0031616

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2012). Searching for two things at once: Establishment of multiple attentional control settings on a trial-by-trial basis. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 19, 1114-1121. doi: 10.3758/s13423-012-0297-8

Conference Proceedings

Roper, Z. J. J., Vecera, S. P., & Vaidya, J. (2014). Value-driven attentional capture resists extinction in adolescence. Journal of Vision, 14(10), 505. doi: 10.1167/14.10.505

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2013). Recent experience in a fixed search mode reduces the influence of explicit search strategies. Journal of Vision, 13(9), 77. doi: 10.1167/13.9.77

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2012). Distractor processing in low perceptual load is determined by the availability of visual short-term memory resources. Journal of Vision, 12(9), 289. doi: 10.1167/12.9.289

Roper, Z. J. J., Cosman, J. D., Mordkoff, J. T., & Vecera, S. P. (2011). Perceptual load effect is determined by resource demand and data limitation. Journal of Vision, 11(11), 247. doi: 10.1167/11.11.247

Roper, Z. J. J., Cosman, J. D., Mordkoff, J. T., & Vecera, S. P. (2010). Perceptual load corresponds to known factors influencing visual search. Journal of Vision, 10(7), 1277. doi: 10.1167/10.7.1277

Electronic documents are provided as a professional courtesy to ensure timely dissemination of academic work for individual, noncommercial purposes. Copyright and all rights therein reside with the respective copyright holders, as stated in each publication. These files may not be further disseminated without permission.

Selected Posters

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2013, October). Secondary reinforcers induce value-driven attentional capture without the expectation of monetary payout. Poster presented at the Rovereto Attention Workshop (RAW) Conference. Rovereto, Italy. RAW student presentation award winner. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2013, May). Recent experience in a fixed search mode reduces the influence of explicit search strategies. Poster presented at the 13th Vision Sciences Society (VSS) Conference. Naples, FL. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2012, May). Distractor processing in low perceptual load is determined by the availability of visual short-term memory resources. Poster presented at the 12th Vision Sciences Society (VSS) Conference. Naples, FL. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]

Roper, Z. J. J., Rizzo, M., & Vecera, S. P. (2012, April). Delays of attentional disengagement predict useful field of view decline in older adults. Poster Presented at the inaugural Aging Mind and Brain Initiative (ABMI) Symposium. Iowa City, IA. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]

Roper, Z. J. J. & Vecera, S. P. (2011, November). Searching for two things at once: Multiple attentional control settings independent of space. Poster presented at the 19th Annual Object, Perception, Attention, & Memory (OPAM) conference. Seattle, WA. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]

Roper, Z. J. J., Cosman, J. D., Mordkoff, J. T., & Vecera, S. P. (2011, April). Perceptual load corresponds to known factors influencing visual search. Poster presented at the 59th Annual Symposium on Motivation. Lincoln, NE. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]

Roper, Z. J. J., Cosman, J. D., Mordkoff, J. T., & Vecera, S. P. (2011, March). Response terminated displays produce flanker effects despite high perceptual load. Poster presented at the 13th annual James F. Jakobsen conference. Iowa City, IA. 2nd Place winner for Social Sciences category. [Abstract] [High Res Poster]