Yi Gao, PhD
- Assistant Professor
Additional Information
Teaching
Sensation and perception. Spring 2026
Research
Dr. Gao’s research focuses on how sensory and decisional biases shape subjective perception, with current interests in visual adaptation, multisensory integration, visual illusions, metacognition, aging, and the intersections between these topics.
Professional Experience
Postdoctoral researcher, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-2025
Education
Ph.D. University of Nevada Reno, 2021
M.E. Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2016
B.S., B.A. University of Jinan, 2012
Publications
Franco-Martínez, A., Rey-Sáez, R., Adrián-Ventura, J., Amerio, P., Baciero, A., Bennis, A., Bergström, F., Cleeremans, A., Contu, L., Dell'Acqua, R., Deng, X., Dolu, F. N., Gambarota, F., Gao, Y., et al. Replicating the unconscious working memory effect: A multisite preregistered study. Neuroscience of Consciousness (In press).
Gao, Y., Xue, K., Odegaard, B., & Rahnev, D. (2025). Automatic multisensory integration follows subjective confidence rather than objective performance. Commun Psychol 3, 38, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00221-w.
Gao, Y., Crognale, M., Miller, K. N., Webster, M.A., & Jiang, F. (2024). Time course and neural locus of the Flashed Face Distortion effect. Vision Research, 224, 108492, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2024.108492/.
Michel, M., Gao, Y., Mazor, M., Kletenik, I. & Rahnev, D. When visual metacognition fails: Widespread lack of awareness for visual deficits. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, S1364-6613(24)00226-2. Advance online publication, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2024.09.003.
Gao, Y., Wang, M., & Rahnev, D. (2024). Objectively quantifying subjective phenomena: Measuring the flashed face distortion effect. Cognition, 250,105861, ISSN 0010-0277, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105861.
Gao, Y., Chen, S., & Rahnev, D. (2024). Dynamics of sensory and decisional biases in perceptual decision making: insights from the face distortion illusion. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. (In press)
Luo, X.*, Zhao, D.*, Gao, Y.*, Yang, Z., Wang, D., & Mei, G. (2024). Implicit weight bias: shared neural substrates for overweight and angry facial expressions revealed by cross-adaptation. Cerebral Cortex, 34(4), bhae128. (*Co-first author)
Gao, Y., Pieller, J., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2022). Temporal dynamics of face adaptation. Journal of Vision, 22(11), 14-14, https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.22.11.14
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2021). Changes of tuning but not dynamics of contrast adaptation with age. Vision Research,187, 129-136, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2021.03.015
Gao, Y., Miller, K. N., Rudd, M. E., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2021). Duration comparisons for vision and touch are dependent on presentation order and temporal context. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 15: 664264, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2021.664264
Retter, T. L., Gao, Y., Jiang, F., Rossion, B., & Webster, M. A. (2023). Automatic, Early Color-Specific Neural Responses to Object Color Knowledge. Brain topography, 36(5), 710–726, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-023-00979-4
Xiao, K., Gao, Y., Imran, S.A. et al. (2021). Cross-modal motion aftereffects transfer between vision and touch in early deaf adults. Scientific Reports, 11, 4395, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83960-0
Gao, Y., Webster, M.A., Jiang, F. (2019). Dynamics of contrast adaptation in central and peripheral vision. Journal of Vision, 19(6): 23, 1-13, https://doi.org/1 0.1167/19.6.23
Dong, X.*, Gao, Y.*, Lv, L., & Bao, M. (2016). Habituation of visual adaptation. Scientific Reports, 6, 19152, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19152 (*Co-first authors)
Conference Presentations
Gao, Y., Xue, K., Odegaard, B., & Rahnev, D. (2024) Common computations in automatic cue combination and metacognitive confidence reports. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Talk]
Gao, Y., Chen S. X., & Rahnev, D. (2023).Competition between sensory and decisional biases in perceptual decision making. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Crognale, M., Jiang, F., & Webster, M.A. (2021). Interocular transfer of Flashed Face Distortion Effect. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society. [Poster]
Miller, K., Gao, Y., Pieller, J., Webster, M.A. & Jiang, F. (2021). The Effects of temporal rates on Flashed Face Distortion Effect and facial expression recognition. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Jiang, F., & Webster, M. A. (2019). Eccentricity-dependent differences in cross-orientation adaptation. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2018). Dynamics of contrast adaptation in central and peripheral vision. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2018). Effects of Event Number and Adaptation Duration on Tilt and Motion Aftereffect in central and peripheral vision. The Optical Society Fall Vision Meeting: Reno, NV. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Xiao, K., Imran, S. A., Chowdhury, S., Commuri S., & Jiang, F. (2018). Cross-modal Motion Aftereffects in Deaf and Hearing Participants. Research & Innovation Grantee Showcase: Reno, NV. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2017). Individual and age-related differences of visual adaptation across different stimulus dimensions. Cognitive and Neuroscience Spring Conference: University of Nevada, Reno. [Talk]Additional Information
Teaching
Sensation and perception. Spring 2026
Research
Dr. Gao’s research focuses on how sensory and decisional biases shape subjective perception, with current interests in visual adaptation, multisensory integration, visual illusions, metacognition, aging, and the intersections between these topics.
Professional Experience
Postdoctoral researcher, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-2025
Education
Ph.D. University of Nevada Reno, 2021
M.E. Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2016
B.S., B.A. University of Jinan, 2012
Publications
Franco-Martínez, A., Rey-Sáez, R., Adrián-Ventura, J., Amerio, P., Baciero, A., Bennis, A., Bergström, F., Cleeremans, A., Contu, L., Dell'Acqua, R., Deng, X., Dolu, F. N., Gambarota, F., Gao, Y., et al. Replicating the unconscious working memory effect: A multisite preregistered study. Neuroscience of Consciousness (In press).
Gao, Y., Xue, K., Odegaard, B., & Rahnev, D. (2025). Automatic multisensory integration follows subjective confidence rather than objective performance. Commun Psychol 3, 38, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00221-w.
Gao, Y., Crognale, M., Miller, K. N., Webster, M.A., & Jiang, F. (2024). Time course and neural locus of the Flashed Face Distortion effect. Vision Research, 224, 108492, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2024.108492/.
Michel, M., Gao, Y., Mazor, M., Kletenik, I. & Rahnev, D. When visual metacognition fails: Widespread lack of awareness for visual deficits. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, S1364-6613(24)00226-2. Advance online publication, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2024.09.003.
Gao, Y., Wang, M., & Rahnev, D. (2024). Objectively quantifying subjective phenomena: Measuring the flashed face distortion effect. Cognition, 250,105861, ISSN 0010-0277, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105861.
Gao, Y., Chen, S., & Rahnev, D. (2024). Dynamics of sensory and decisional biases in perceptual decision making: insights from the face distortion illusion. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. (In press)
Luo, X.*, Zhao, D.*, Gao, Y.*, Yang, Z., Wang, D., & Mei, G. (2024). Implicit weight bias: shared neural substrates for overweight and angry facial expressions revealed by cross-adaptation. Cerebral Cortex, 34(4), bhae128. (*Co-first author)
Gao, Y., Pieller, J., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2022). Temporal dynamics of face adaptation. Journal of Vision, 22(11), 14-14, https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.22.11.14
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2021). Changes of tuning but not dynamics of contrast adaptation with age. Vision Research,187, 129-136, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2021.03.015
Gao, Y., Miller, K. N., Rudd, M. E., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2021). Duration comparisons for vision and touch are dependent on presentation order and temporal context. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 15: 664264, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2021.664264
Retter, T. L., Gao, Y., Jiang, F., Rossion, B., & Webster, M. A. (2023). Automatic, Early Color-Specific Neural Responses to Object Color Knowledge. Brain topography, 36(5), 710–726, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-023-00979-4
Xiao, K., Gao, Y., Imran, S.A. et al. (2021). Cross-modal motion aftereffects transfer between vision and touch in early deaf adults. Scientific Reports, 11, 4395, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83960-0
Gao, Y., Webster, M.A., Jiang, F. (2019). Dynamics of contrast adaptation in central and peripheral vision. Journal of Vision, 19(6): 23, 1-13, https://doi.org/1 0.1167/19.6.23
Dong, X.*, Gao, Y.*, Lv, L., & Bao, M. (2016). Habituation of visual adaptation. Scientific Reports, 6, 19152, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19152 (*Co-first authors)
Conference Presentations
Gao, Y., Xue, K., Odegaard, B., & Rahnev, D. (2024) Common computations in automatic cue combination and metacognitive confidence reports. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Talk]
Gao, Y., Chen S. X., & Rahnev, D. (2023).Competition between sensory and decisional biases in perceptual decision making. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Crognale, M., Jiang, F., & Webster, M.A. (2021). Interocular transfer of Flashed Face Distortion Effect. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society. [Poster]
Miller, K., Gao, Y., Pieller, J., Webster, M.A. & Jiang, F. (2021). The Effects of temporal rates on Flashed Face Distortion Effect and facial expression recognition. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Jiang, F., & Webster, M. A. (2019). Eccentricity-dependent differences in cross-orientation adaptation. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2018). Dynamics of contrast adaptation in central and peripheral vision. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society: St. Pete Beach, FL. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2018). Effects of Event Number and Adaptation Duration on Tilt and Motion Aftereffect in central and peripheral vision. The Optical Society Fall Vision Meeting: Reno, NV. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Xiao, K., Imran, S. A., Chowdhury, S., Commuri S., & Jiang, F. (2018). Cross-modal Motion Aftereffects in Deaf and Hearing Participants. Research & Innovation Grantee Showcase: Reno, NV. [Poster]
Gao, Y., Webster, M. A., & Jiang, F. (2017). Individual and age-related differences of visual adaptation across different stimulus dimensions. Cognitive and Neuroscience Spring Conference: University of Nevada, Reno. [Talk]