Aidai (Aya) Golan
Education
PhD in Cognitive Psychology, Tel Aviv University
MSc in Communications, University of Twente
BA in Communications, Reichman University
Background
My background is a blend of academic research in cognitive psychology and communications and industry work in user experience analytics. I started as a new media and communications major and transitioned to cognitive psychology after MSc studies. On the way to PhD, I worked in high-tech and helped business clients create the best user experience for their websites visitors. My PhD research was dedicated to human visual attention and its susceptibility to distraction. When I am not distracted by research, I spend time with my significant others.
Research interests
Cognition in real and artificial environments (laboratory or virtual) and the difference between the two. Good measures of cognitive processes in real environments.
Publications
Golan, A., Ramgir, A., & Lamy, D. (2025). Statistical learning of target location guides attention proactively. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 1-10.
Golan, A., Ramgir, A., & Lamy, D. (2024). Registered Report: What is the role of spatial attention in statistical learning during visual search? Journal of Cognition, 7(1), 52.
Golan, A., & Lamy, D. (2024). Attentional guidance by target-location probability cueing is largely inflexible, long-lasting, and distinct from inter-trial priming. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 50(2), 244–265.
Golan, A., & Lamy, D. (2022). Registered Report: Is statistical learning of a salient distractor’s color implicit, inflexible and distinct from inter-trial priming? Journal of Cognition, 5(1), 47.
Golan, A., & Fenko, A. (2015). Toward a sustainable faucet design: Effects of sound and vision on perception of running water. Environment and Behavior, 47(1), 85-101.
Driesbach, C., Walton, R., Kolko, B., & Golan, A. (2009). Asking Internet users to explain non-use in Kyrgyzstan. In 2009 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
van Dongen, N., Finnemann, A., de Ron, J., Tiokhin, L., Wang, S., Algermissen, J., … Golan, A., … & Borsboom, D. (2025). Practicing theory building in a many modelers hackathon: A proof of concept. Meta-Psychology, 9.