Dominic W. Massaro
Encyclopedia
Dominic W. Massaro is Professor of Psychology
and Computer Engineering
at the University of California, Santa Cruz
. He is best known for his fuzzy logical model of perception, and more recently, for his development of the computer animated talking head Baldi. Massaro is director of the Perceptual Science Laboratory, past president of the Society for Computers in Psychology
, book review editor for the American Journal of Psychology
, founding Chair of UCSC's Digital Arts and New Media program, and was founding co-editor of the interdisciplinary journal Interpreting. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a University of Wisconsin Romnes Fellow, a James McKeen Cattell Fellow, an NIMH Fellow, and in 2006 was recognized as a Tech Museum Award Laureate.
Massaro received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles
in 1965, and completed his Ph.D. in Mathematical Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1968. After his postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Diego
, he was Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1970 to 1979, before moving to UCSC where he has remained since.
Massaro's research focuses on applying an information processing approach to the study of language, perception, memory, cognition, and decision making. In collaboration with Gregg Oden, he developed the fuzzy logical model of perception, which stresses the integration of multiple sources of information when modeling perception. This model has been shown to be mathematically equivalent to Bayes' theorem
. Massaro's approach conflicts with the motor theory of speech perception
and Massaro has been a critic.
Stemming from this early work, Massaro established a research program demonstrating the importance of information from the face in speech perception. As part of this program, Massaro, along with researcher Michael Cohen, developed the computer animated talking head known as Baldi. The Baldi technology is special in its extraordinary accuracy, and has been expanded to speak in numerous languages. In recent years, Massaro has become more involved with applied research, using his talking head technology to benefit language learners, including those facing learning challenges such as deafness and autism. For this work, he was named a 2006 Tech Microsoft Education Award Laureate by the Tech Museum of Innovation.
Massaro is husband to Karen Thuesen Massaro and father to Pia T. Massaro and Andrew T. Massaro
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and Computer Engineering
Computer engineering
Computer engineering, also called computer systems engineering, is a discipline that integrates several fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems. Computer engineers usually have training in electronic engineering, software design, and...
at the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
. He is best known for his fuzzy logical model of perception, and more recently, for his development of the computer animated talking head Baldi. Massaro is director of the Perceptual Science Laboratory, past president of the Society for Computers in Psychology
Society for Computers in Psychology
The Society for Computers in Psychology is a scholarly society founded in 1971 with the purpose of the increasing and diffusing knowledge of the use of computers in psychological research.- History :...
, book review editor for the American Journal of Psychology
American Journal of Psychology
The American Journal of Psychology was the first English-language journal devoted primarily to experimental psychology . AJP was founded by the Johns Hopkins University psychologist Granville Stanley Hall in 1887...
, founding Chair of UCSC's Digital Arts and New Media program, and was founding co-editor of the interdisciplinary journal Interpreting. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a University of Wisconsin Romnes Fellow, a James McKeen Cattell Fellow, an NIMH Fellow, and in 2006 was recognized as a Tech Museum Award Laureate.
Massaro received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in 1965, and completed his Ph.D. in Mathematical Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1968. After his postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
, he was Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1970 to 1979, before moving to UCSC where he has remained since.
Massaro's research focuses on applying an information processing approach to the study of language, perception, memory, cognition, and decision making. In collaboration with Gregg Oden, he developed the fuzzy logical model of perception, which stresses the integration of multiple sources of information when modeling perception. This model has been shown to be mathematically equivalent to Bayes' theorem
Bayes' theorem
In probability theory and applications, Bayes' theorem relates the conditional probabilities P and P. It is commonly used in science and engineering. The theorem is named for Thomas Bayes ....
. Massaro's approach conflicts with the motor theory of speech perception
Motor theory of speech perception
thumb|250px|right|When we hear [[speech|spoken words]] we sense that they are made of auditory [[sound]]s. The motor theory of speech perception argues that behind the sounds we hear are the intended movements of the [[vocal tract]] that [[pronunciation|pronounces]] them.The motor theory of speech...
and Massaro has been a critic.
Stemming from this early work, Massaro established a research program demonstrating the importance of information from the face in speech perception. As part of this program, Massaro, along with researcher Michael Cohen, developed the computer animated talking head known as Baldi. The Baldi technology is special in its extraordinary accuracy, and has been expanded to speak in numerous languages. In recent years, Massaro has become more involved with applied research, using his talking head technology to benefit language learners, including those facing learning challenges such as deafness and autism. For this work, he was named a 2006 Tech Microsoft Education Award Laureate by the Tech Museum of Innovation.
Massaro is husband to Karen Thuesen Massaro and father to Pia T. Massaro and Andrew T. Massaro
Honors and awards
- Laureate, Tech Microsoft Education Award, Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, 2006
- Fellow, Association for Psychological Science, elected 1997
- Fellow, Society of Experimental Psychologists, elected 1990
- Recipient, James McKeen Cattell Sabbatical Fellowship, 1988–1989
- President, Society for Computers in Psychology, 1985
- Fellow, American Psychological Association, elected 1980
- Romnes Fellowship, University of Wisconsin, 1977
- NIMH Special Research Fellowship Award, 1975–1976
- Recipient, John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, 1975–1976
- NIMH Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1968–1970
Selected bibliography
- Symbiotic Value of an Embodied Agent in Language Learning. In Sprague, R.H., Jr. (Ed.), IEEE Proceedings of 37th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (CD-ROM), Computer Society Press, 10 pages, 2004. Best paper in Emerging Technologies.
- Massaro, DW. and Light, J. Using visible speech for training perception and production of speech for hard of hearing individuals. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 2004, 47(2), 304-320.
- From Multisensory Integration to Talking Heads and Language Learning. In G. Calvert, C. Spence and B.E. Stein (Eds.), Handbook of Multisensory Processes, 2004, (pp. 153–176). Massachusetts: MIT Press.
- de la Vaux, S.K. and Massaro, DW. Audiovisual Speech Gating: Examining Information and Information Processing. Cognitive Processing (Special Issue devoted to Multisensory Processing), 2004, (2), 106-112.
- Massaro, DW., Cohen, M.M., Campbell, C.S. and Rodriguez, T. Bayes Factor of Model Selection Validates FLMP. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 2001, 8, 1-17.
- Perceiving Talking Faces: From Speech Perception to a Behavioral Principle. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1998.
- Massaro, D.W., and Stork, D.G. Speech recognition and sensory integration, American ScientistAmerican ScientistAmerican Scientist is the bimonthly science and technology magazine published since 1913 by Sigma Xi. Each issue includes four to five feature articles written by scientists and engineers. These authors review research in all fields of science...
, 1998, 86, 236-244.