Professor Sherman’s interdisciplinary research program applies mixed-methods to investigate how the interaction of sensory, cognitive, and emotional factors influence human perception, focusing primarily on how we experience the arts.
Research
Professor Sherman's main research focus aims to empirically understand the perceptual, cognitive, and emotional responses that define our relationship with the arts. Her work explores questions like: How do cognitive differences shape our preferences? How does engaging with art generate meaning in our lives? What epistemic value does art hold for us? What makes one art experience transformative and another mundane and can we foster and promote such experiences in the museum? Her co-authored book with Clair Morrissey – Why the Arts Matter is forthcoming in 2026 (Cambridge University Press).
Explore selected publications below (Oxy student co-authors are bolded):
- Fostering Meaningful Engagement and Well-Being Through Slow- Looking and Guided Interviews in Art Galleries – with Elle McAlpin (‘26), Keita Yamamoto (‘25), Ashmita Pal (‘26), Audrey AlQatami (‘25), and Carmel Levitan
- Behind Every Artwork is a Story: Phenomenological Analysis of Understandings Achieved Through Engagement with Art – with Joshua Wilt, Julie Exline, Rebecca Schlegel, & Ally Fukada (‘24)
- How Art Contributes to Scientific Knowledge – with Derek Anderson
- What is art good for?: The socio-epistemic value of art. – with Clair Morrissey
- Perspective-taking increases emotionality and empathy but does not reduce harmful biases against American Indians: Converging evidence from the museum and lab. – withLani Cupo (‘17)& Nancy Mithlo
- Grumpy toddlers and dead pheasants: Visual art preferences are predicted by preferences for the depicted objects – with Emily Winfield (‘17)and Carmel Levitan
- In prep: Perceptual and cognitive skills related to art knowledge and expertise. – with Candace Farling (‘25), Rebecca Chamberlain, and Carmel Levitan
A second arm of Prof. Sherman's research examines multisensory perception and integration. Her work explores questions like: How does the brain merge sights, sounds, and touches to form a coherent reality? How does what you hear change what you see, or vice versa? How might adding sound facilitate performance on visual task? And, how do individual differences in integration contribute to compelling phenomena like the McGurk effect and the double flash illusion?
Explore relevant publications below (Oxy student co-authors are bolded):
- Stimulus-locked auditory information facilitates real-time visuo-motor sequence learning. – with Yuki Han (‘21), Daniel Sanchez, and Carmel Levitan
- Mask wearing affects emotion perception – with Isabelle Rusk (‘23), Danielle Jonas-Delson (‘24), Hanyun ‘Sylvia’ Lou (‘22), Lennon Kuzniar (‘23), Gray Davidson and Carmel Levitan
- Multisensory processing of facial expressions in binocular rivalry. – with Robert Jertberg (‘17) and Carmel Levitan.
- In prep: Individual differences in multisensory illusory perception. – with Maggie Baird (‘24), Stephanie Nelli, and Carmel Levitan
For a full list of publications, check out Sherman’s Google Scholar page.
Student Research Opportunities
Professor Sherman collaborates widely with students at Oxy and with scholars across fields including psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, philosophers, anthropologists, museum professionals, and practicing artists. Students interested in doing research with Professor Sherman should feel free to send an email or fill out this interest form.
Recent Honors
Professor Sherman received the Undergraduate Research Center’s Award for Distinguished Creative Activity and Research Mentoring in 2025.
Teaching
Prof. Sherman teaches courses that span all levels of the curriculum. Example courses include:
- COGS 101: Intro to Cognitive Science
- COGS 201: Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science
- COGS 265: Art, Creativity, and Cognition
- COGS 298: Intro to Neuroimaging: EEG Methods
- COGS 320: Cognitive Neuroscience
- FYS: This is Your Brain on Art
- FYS: Nature from the Inside Out