Academic Qualifications

• Postdoctoral Researcher, The Ohio State University, USA, 2015-2016
• Ph.D. in Psychology (Developmental), The Ohio State University, USA, 2015
• M.A. in Psychology, The Ohio State University, USA, 2011
• B.S. in Psychology, Zhejiang University, China, 2009

Research Areas

• Cognitive Development
• Categorization
• Attention
• Induction
• Multisensory learning

Editorial Board

• Journal of Experimental Psychology: General (incoming 2023 Consulting Editor)
• Frontiers in Psychology: Cognition (since September 2016)

Grants as PI

• 2020-2022 “The development of category learning and its mechanisms: An eye-tracking study” Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 31900769).
• 2020-2022 “Categorization of the real world: The development of scene perception and recognition” Supported by RSKTO, University of Macau (MYRG2019-00007-FSS).
• 2018-2020 “Reinforcement learning, selective attention, and the development of categorization: what, how and why” Supported by R&DAO, University of Macau (MYRG2017-00001-FSS).
• 2017-2019 “Rule-seekers and probability-catchers: The role of attention in cognitive development” Supported by R&DAO, University of Macau (SRG2016-00078-FSS).

Peer-Reviewed Publications

(*indicates student advisee)

*Li, J., & Deng, S. W. (in press). Facilitation and interference effects of the multisensory context on learning: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Research.

*Li, J., & Deng, S. W. (2022). Social attention, memory, and memory-guided orienting change across the menstrual cycle. Physiology and Behavior, 251, 113808.

Darby, K. P., Deng, S. W., Walther, D. B., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2021). The development of attention to objects and scenes: From object-biased to unbiased. Child Development, 92(3), 1173-1186.

*Yao, Y., & Deng, S. W. (2020). Differential effect of blocked and interleaved study on category learning by classification and inference. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Sloutsky, V. M., & Deng, S. W. (2019). Categories, concepts, and conceptual development. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 34(10), 1284-1297.

*Chu, K. H., & Deng, S. W. (2019). Why some events are more (or less) random: The role of alternation rate and number of occurrence. Proceedings of the 41st Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Gozli, D, G., & Deng, S. W. (2018). Building blocks of psychology: On remaking the unkept promises of early schools. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 52, 1-24.

Deng, S. W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2016). Selective attention, diffused attention, and the development of categorization. Cognitive Psychology, 91, 24-62.

Sloutsky, V. M., Deng, W., Fisher, A. V., & Kloos, H. (2015). Conceptual influences on induction: A case for a late onset. Cognitive Psychology, 82, 1-31.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2015). Labels, dynamic visual features, and distribution of attention in infant category learning. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 134, 62-77.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2015). The development of categorization: Effects of classification and inference training on category representation. Developmental Psychology, 51, 392-405.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2013). The role of linguistic labels in inductive generalization. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 114, 432-455.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2013). Effects of training on categorization. In M. Knauff, M. Pauen, N. Sebanz, & I. Wachsmuth (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, (pp. 2166-2171). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Robinson, C. W, Best, C. A., Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2012). The role of words in cognitive tasks: What, when, and how? Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 1-8.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2012). Carrot eaters or moving heads: Inductive inference is better supported by salient features than by category labels. Psychological Science, 23, 178-186.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2012). The role of linguistic labels in infants' categorization: An eye tracking study. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, (pp. 282-287). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Deng, W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2010). The role of linguistic labels in categorization. In S. Ohlsson & R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, (pp. 230-235). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Selected Conference Papers

(*indicates student advisee)

*Li, J., Hua, L., & Deng, S. W. (2021). The dynamic process of multisensory integration in the categorization decision making. Paper presented at the 23rd Chinese Academic Conference of Psychology. Virtual Conference.

*Li, J., & Deng, S. W. (2021). The role of selective attention in multisensory categorization. Paper presented at the 23rd Chinese Academic Conference of Psychology. Virtual Conference.

Deng, S. W. (2018). Categories, Concepts, and Conceptual Development. Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference on Natural Cognition, Macau SAR China.

Deng, S. W. (2017). Rule-seekers and probability-catchers: Differential roles of attention in category learning and transfer across development. Paper presented at the 3rd Conference of Learning Sciences and Technologies, Taiwan.

Deng, S. W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2016). Differential coupling of categorization and memory across development. Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Memory, Budapest, Hungary.

Sloutsky, V. M., & Deng, S. W. (2015). The development of categorization: Attention, decision, and representation. Paper presented at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Chicago, IL.

Deng, S. W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2015). Developmental differences in category representation: Evidence from recognition memory. Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Philadelphia, PA.

Sloutsky, V. M., & Deng, S. W. (2014). The development of categorization: Attention and category representation. Paper presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Long Beach, CA.

Sloutsky, V. M., & Deng, S. W. (2013). The role of linguistic labels in infants’ category learning. Paper presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Minneapolis, MN.

Deng, S. W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2012). The role of linguistic labels in infants' categorization: An eye tracking study. Paper presented at the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Sapporo, Japan.

Sloutsky, V. M., & Deng, S. W. (2011). The role of category labels in categorization and induction. Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Seattle, WA.

Deng, S. W., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2010). The role of linguistic labels in categorization. Paper presented at the 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Portland, Oregon.

Courses Taught

• General Psychology (previously Introduction to Psychology)
• Psychology of Everyday Life
• Cognitive Development
• Seminar in Selected Topics in Psychology
• Research Project (previously Honors Thesis)
• Summer Research Program of the Honors College
• Honors Project of the Honors College