Bio
Since 2022 I am Full Professor at the University of Bologna, department of Psychology. Before that, I got my major Degree in Psychology in 2002 from the University of Padua, Italy, and in 2009 my Phd from the University of Bologna, Italy.
My main research interests are in how we make sense, categorize and respond to the world around us.
Methods used include electrophysiological measures (EEG/ERPs), behavioral and psychophysical measures, and artificial intelligence models and systems.
Papers
Selected publications (most recent are highlighted in yellow):
De Cesarei, A., Tronelli, V., Mastria, S., Ferrari, V., & Codispoti, M. (2025). Behavioral Interference By Emotional Stimuli: Sequential Modulation by Perceptual Conditions but not by Emotional Primes. Vision. https://doi.org/10.3390/vision9030066
Tronelli, V., Codispoti, M., De Cesarei, A. (2025). Cognitive control during scene categorization: The role of identity repetition and timing in Congruence Sequence Effects. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/17470218251335293
Mastria, S., Codispoti, M., Tronelli, V., De Cesarei A. (2024). Subjective Affective Responses to Natural Scenes Require Understanding, Not Spatial Frequency Bands. Vision. https://doi.org/10.3390/vision8020036
Mastria S, Vezzil A, De Cesarei A. (2024). Switching to Reuse: The Impact of Information on Consumers’ Choices for Reusable Food Packaging. Sustainability. 2024; 16(14):5937. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16145937
Ferrari, V., Canturi, F., De Cesarei, A., Codispoti, M. (2024). Sustained training with novel distractors attenuates the behavioral interference of emotional pictures but does not affect the electrocortical markers of emotional processing. Frontiers in Psychology: Emotion Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1322792
De Cesarei, A., Sambuco, N., D'Ascenzo, S., Nicoletti, R., Codispoti, M. (2023). Delayed Ocular Disengagement from Arousing Scenes. Frontiers in Psychology: Emotion Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1297192
Codispoti, M., De Cesarei, A., Ferrari, V. (2023). Alpha-band oscillations and emotion: A review of studies on picture perception. Psychophysiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14438
Mastria, S., Vezzil, A., & De Cesarei, A. (2023). Going Green: A Review on the Role of Motivation in Sustainable Behavior. Sustainability, 15(21), 15429. 10.3390/su152115429
De Cesarei, A., D'Ascenzo, S., Nicoletti, R., Codispoti, M. (2023). Novelty and learning in cognitive control: evidence from the Simon task. Psychological Research. 10.1007/s00426-023-01813-z
Cavicchi, S., De Cesarei, A., Valsecchi, M., & Codispoti, M. (2023). Visual-cortical enhancement by acoustic distractors: The effects of endogenous spatial attention and visual working memory load. Biological Psychology. 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108512
De Cesarei, A., Marzocchi, M., & Codispoti, M. (2022). Luminance and timing control during visual presentation of natural scenes. HardwareX e00376. doi: 10.1016/j.ohx.2022.e00376
De Cesarei, A., Cavicchi, S., Cristadoro, G., & Lippi, M. (2021). Do Humans and Deep Convolutional Neural Networks Use Visual Information Similarly for the Categorization of Natural Scenes? Cognitive Science. 10.1111/cogs.13009
De Cesarei, A., Marzocchi, M., & Loftus, G. R. (2021). VISTO: An Open-Source Device to Measure Exposure Time in Psychological Experiments. MethodsX. 10.1016/j.mex.2021.101427
Codispoti, M., Micucci, A., & De Cesarei, A. (2021). Time will tell: Object categorization and emotional engagement during processing of degraded natural scenes. Psychophysiology. 10.1111/psyp.13704
Micucci, A. Ferrari, V., De Cesarei, A., & Codispoti, M. (2020). Contextual Modulation of Emotional Distraction: Attentional Capture and Motivational Significance. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 10.1162/jocn_a_01505
De Cesarei, A., Cavicchi, S., Micucci, A., & Codispoti, M. (2019). Categorization Goals Modulate the Use of Natural Scene Statistics. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 10.1162/jocn_a_01333
De Cesarei, A., Loftus, G.R., Mastria, S., & Codispoti, M. (2017). Understanding natural scenes: The contribution of image statistics. Neurosciences & Biobehavioral Reviews. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.012
Codispoti, M., De Cesarei, A., Biondi, S., & Ferrari, V. (2016). The fate of unattended stimuli and emotional habituation: Behavioral interference and cortical changes. Cognitive Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience. 10.3758/s13415-016-0453-0
Ferrari, V., De Cesarei, A., Mastria, S., Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Nicoletti, R., & Codispoti, M. (2016). Novelty and emotion: pupillary and cortical responses during viewing of natural scenes. Biological Psychology, 113: 75-82. 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.11.008
De Cesarei, A., Peverato, I.A., Mastria, S., & Codispoti, M. (2015). Modulation of early ERPs by accurate categorization of objects in scenes. Journal of Vision, 15(8):14, 1-14. 10.1167/15.8.14.
De Cesarei, A., & Codispoti, M. (2015). Can the outputs of LGN Y-cells support emotion recognition? A Computational Study. Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, 2015:695921 10.1155/2015/695921
De Cesarei, A., Mastria, S., & Codispoti, M. (2013). Early spatial frequency processing of natural images: An ERP Study. PLOS ONE 8(5): e65103. 10.1371/journal.pone.0065103
De Cesarei, A. & Codispoti, M. (2013). Spatial frequencies and emotional perception. Reviews in the Neurosciences, 24:89-104. 10.1515/revneuro-2012-0053
Codispoti, M., De Cesarei, A., Ferrari, V. (2012). The Influence of Color on Emotional Perception of Natural Scenes. Psychophysiology 49:11-16. 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01284.x
De Cesarei, A., Codispoti, M. (2011). Scene identification and emotional response: which spatial frequencies are critical? Journal of Neuroscience, 31:17052-17057. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3745-11.2011
De Cesarei, A. &. Loftus, G.R. (2011). Global and local vision in natural scene identification. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 18: 840-847. 10.3758/s13423-011-0133-6
De Cesarei A., & Codispoti M. (2011). Affective modulation of the LPP and alpha-ERD during picture viewing. Psychophysiology, 48, 1397-1404. 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01204.x
Peyk, P., De Cesarei, A., & Junghoefer, M. (2011). ElectroMagnetoEncephaloGraphy Software (EMEGS): overview and integration with other EEG/MEG toolboxes. Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, 2011:861705. 10.1155/2011/861705
De Cesarei A., & Codispoti M. (2010). Effects of Picture Size Reduction and Blurring on Emotional Engagement. PLOS ONE 5(10): e13399. 10.1371/journal.pone.0013399
De Cesarei, A., Codispoti, M., & Schupp, H. T. (2009). Peripheral Vision and Preferential Emotion Processing. Neuroreport, 20, 1439-1443. 10.1097/WNR.0b013e3283317d3e
De Cesarei, A., & Codispoti, M. (2008). Fuzzy picture processing: Effects of size reduction and blurring on emotional processing. Emotion 8, 352-363. 10.1037/1528-3542.8.3.352
Codispoti, M., & De Cesarei, A. (2007). Arousal and Attention: Picture Size and Emotional Reactions. Psychophysiology, 44, 680-686. 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00545.x
Codispoti, M., Ferrari, V., De Cesarei, A., & Cardinale, R. (2006). Implicit and explicit categorization of natural scenes. Progress in Brain Research 156, 53-65. 10.1016/S0079-6123(06)56003-0
De Cesarei, A., & Codispoti, M. (2006). When does size not matter? Effects of stimulus size on affective modulation. Psychophysiology, 43(2), 207-15. 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2006.00392.x
De Cesarei, A., Codispoti, M., Schupp, H. T., & Stegagno, L. (2006). Selectively attending to natural scenes after alcohol consumption: An ERP analysis. Biological Psychology, 72(1), 35-45. 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.06.009
Lab
My lab work is mainly at the Psychophysiology of Emotional and Cognitive Processes Lab at the University of Bologna ( link here ), on the (rather broad) themes of emotion, perception and attention.
If you are interested in joining the lab please drop me an email (andrea.decesarei AT unibo.it).
Moreover, there are often several experiments going on in the lab. Ongoing experiments are:
Emozioni e Memoria
L’esperimento prevede un compito al computer ispirato al “gioco dei pacchi”, durante il quale sarà possibile guadagnare o perdere punti virtuali (senza valore reale).
Durata: circa 1 ora.
Inserisci la mail per ricevere informazioni
Risposta emozionale e volti
Verranno presentate immagini di volti con caratteristiche variabili (da meccaniche a umane). La risposta emozionale sarà registrata tramite sensori non invasivi, che rileveranno l’attività fisiologica centrale (EEG) e periferica (es. battito cardiaco, conduttanza cutanea).
Durata: circa 1 ora e mezza
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Riconoscimento di scene naturali
Lo studio riguarda il riconoscimento visivo di scene naturali (es. foreste, spiagge, cascate). In due brevi sessioni di laboratorio, ai partecipanti sarà chiesto di categorizzare immagini, ad esempio indicando la presenza o meno di persone.
Durata: due sessioni (10 min + 25 min circa), a 24 ore di distanza
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Contact
Andrea De Cesarei, Ph.D.
University of Bologna
Department of Psychology
Viale Carlo Berti Pichat 5
40127 Bologna
Email
andrea.decesarei at unibo.it
Pages
My other pages:
ResearchGate
Google Scholar
University of Bologna institutional page
My friends and colleagues's pages:
Psychophysiology of Emotional and Cognitive Processes Lab at the University of Bologna ( lab page, institutional page)
General and Biological Psychology, University of Konstanz
Geoff Loftus's lab at the UW
Center for the study of Emotion and Attention at the University of Florida
EMEGS, developed by Markus Junghoefer at the University of Muenster and Peter Peyk at the University of Zurich