My research explores visual perception and attentional processes, focusing on how we select, process, and interpret information in complex environments. I investigate spontaneous visual perspective taking, aiming to disentangle the cognitive and perceptual mechanisms involved, including the roles of domain-general and socially specialised processes.

I am currently developing a project examining board games as structured visual environments, studying how design features, such as visual clutter, colour contrast, spatial layout, and iconography, affect visual perception, attention, and decision-making. This work also considers individual differences, including neurotypical and neurodivergent populations, and explores culturally inclusive design principles to optimise engagement and accessibility.

In addition, I am fascinated by lightness perception, the role of shadows, and visual illusions, which reveal fundamental mechanisms of human vision.

Across all projects, I use a wide range of methods, from behavioural experiments to Eye Tracking and EEG, and I have developed expertise in software programming and advanced statistical analysis, enabling the design of innovative experiments and the robust analysis of complex datasets.

Key Publications

• Pesimena et al., 2022. Both the domain-general and the mentalising processes affect visual perspective taking. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
• Pesimena et al., 2019. The Role of Perspective Taking on Attention: A Review of the Special Issue on the Reflexive Attentional Shift Phenomenon. Vision.
• Guerrera et al., 2025. Biological Rhythms and Psychosocial Functioning in Depression: An Exploratory Analysis Informed by a Mediation Model. Psychiatry International.

Key Collaborators

• Professor Alessandro Soranzo, Universita della Calabria