Office: 218, Second Floor, Sloan Hall

Office Hours: By appointment. Please email to schedule.

Research Description

Dr. Keleş's research investigates the neural and computational mechanisms underlying visual perception and cognition, with a particular focus on visual crowding, perceptual organization, attention, and mental imagery. Using behavioral methods, EEG, eye tracking, and computational modeling, she examines how sensory information is represented and processed in the human brain. Her work aims to advance our understanding of perception, attention, and consciousness, while bridging cognitive neuroscience and biologically inspired artificial intelligence to contribute to the broader field of neuroscience.

Education

PhD, Psychology, University of Bern, 2021

MSc, Neuroscience, Bilkent University, 2016

BA, Psychology, Bilkent University, 2014

Research Interests

Face recognition

Visual crowding

Redundancy masking

Ambiguous vision

ERP – SSVEP correspondences

Implicit biases

Courses Taught

Introduction to Statistics for Psychology I

Introduction to Statistics for Psychology II

Sensation & Perception

Selected Topics in Cognitive Psychology

Readings and Research in Cognitive Psychology

Recent Publications

Yildirim-Keles, F. Z., Aschwanden, R., & Sayim, B. (2026). Improvement of peripheral visual discrimination through mental imagery. iScience, 29(7), 116437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116437

Yildirim-Keles, F. Z., Demirayak, P., & Kafaligonul, H. (2025). Functional and structural plasticity induced by audiovisual associations and sensory experiences. Brain Structure and Function, 230(6), 89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-025-02951-3

Yildirim-Keles, F. Z., Stacchi, L., & Caldara, R. (2025). Cross-Validating the Electrophysiological Markers of Early Face Categorization. eNeuro, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0317-24.2024

Yildirim-Keles, F. Z., Coates, D. R., & Sayim, B. (2024). Attention in redundancy masking. Attention, Perception & Psychophysics. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-024-02885-8

Yildirim F. Z., & Sayim B. (2022). High confidence and low accuracy in redundancy masking. Consciousness and Cognition, 102, 103349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2022.103349

Yildirim, F. Z., Coates, D. R., & Sayim, B. (2022). Atypical visual field asymmetries in redundancy masking. Journal of Vision, 22(5), 4. https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.22.5.4

Yildirim, F. Z., Coates, D. R., & Sayim, B. (2021). Hidden by bias: How standard psychophysical procedures conceal crucial aspects of peripheral visual appearance. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 4095. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83325-7

Yildirim F. Z., Coates, D. R., & Sayim B. (2020). Redundancy masking: The loss of repeated items in crowded peripheral vision. Journal of Vision, 20(4):14. https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.20.4.14

Kaya, U., Yildirim F. Z., & Kafaligonul, H. (2017). The involvement of centralized and distributed processes in sub-second time interval adaptation: an ERP investigation of apparent motion. European Journal of Neuroscience, 46(8), 2325-2338. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.13691

Open Position

We are currently seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our lab at Boğaziçi University for a two-year position starting in October 2026. The successful candidate will contribute to the YÖK-ADEP project “Biomimetic Neural Network Models of Developmental Visual Crowding” and conduct behavioral and EEG studies on visual perception and cognition. Applicants should have a PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, or a related field and possess strong expertise in EEG research and analysis.

Full position announcement:
Postdoctoral Researcher Position

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact us for further information and application details.