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Michael McBeath

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Psychology
Professor
Faculty, TEMPE Campus, Mailcode 1104
Global Sport Institute Affiliated Faculty
Professor
Faculty, TEMPE Campus, Mailcode 1104
Biography

Michael McBeath does research in the emerging area combining psychology, engineering, and perception-action. He majored in both psychology and electrical engineering for his bachelor’s degree from Brown University, received a master's in electronic instrumentation from the University of California, and earned his doctoral degree from Stanford University in psychology with a minor in electrical engineering. Parallel to his academic career, he worked as a research scientist, both at NASA - Ames Research Center, and later at the Interval Corporation, a technology think tank funded by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen. McBeath has been a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University since 1998, where he is also adjunct faculty in Kinesiology, Neuroscience, Life Sciences, Animal Behavior, Electrical Engineering, the School of Arts, Media, and Engineering, and ASU’s Global Sports Institute. His research has been funded by grants from the Interval Corporation, the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.

McBeath’s work focuses on computational modeling of perception-action in dynamic, natural environments, with specialties that span sports, robotics, music, navigation, animal behavior, and multisensory object perception. His most widely known work is on navigational strategies used by baseball players, animals, and robots. His baseball interception research was published in the journal, Science, his dog Frisbee study was made fun of on Saturday Night Live, and his autonomous ball-catching robot was selected by the New York Times Magazine as one of its ideas of the year. And he plays a mean harmonica.

Education
  • Ph.D. Psychology, minor: Electrical Engineering, Stanford University 1990
  • M.S. Electronic Instrumentation, University of California-Santa Barbara
  • B.A. Psychology and Electrical Engineering, Brown University 
Research Interests
  • Baseball: Use of group center-of attention as a cue. Robotic simulation of human catching heuristics.
  • Audition: Dynamic pitch perception and auditory scene analysis. Virtual pitch perception.
  • Navigation: Navigation of the World Wide Web. Multisensory spatial perception
Publications
  • Glenberg, A.M., Lopez-Mobilia, G., McBeath, M., Toma, M. Sato, M., & Cattaneo, L. Knowing beans: Human mirror mechanisms revealed through motor adaptation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2010).
  • Stone, J.P. & McBeath, M.K. Gender differences in distance estimates when exposed to multiple routes. Environment and Behavior (2010).
  • Dolgov, I., Birchfield, D., McBeath, M.K., Thornburg, H. & Todd, C.G. Amelioration of axis-aligned motion bias for active versus stationary judgments of bilaterally symmetric shapes' final destinations. Attention Perception & Psychophysics (2009).
  • Dolgov, I., Birchfield, D.A., McBeath, M.K., Thournburg, H., & Todd, C.G. Perception of approaching and retreating shapes in a large, immersive, multimedia learning environment. Perceptual & Motor Skills (2009).
  • Dolgov, I., McBeath, M.K., & Sugar, T.G. Evidence for axis-aligned motion bias: Football axis-trajectory misalignment causes systematic error in projected final destinations of thrown American footballs. Perception (2009).
  • McBeath, M.K., Nathan, A.M., Bahill, A.T., & Baldwin, D.G. Paradoxical pop-ups: Why are they hard to catch?. American Journal of Physics (2008).
  • Naylor, Y.K. and McBeath, M.K. Gender differences in spacial perception of body tilt. Perception & Psychophysics (2008).
  • Schiano, D.J., McBeath, M.K., & Chambers, K. Regularity of symmetry verticality guides perceptual judgments of objects. American Journal of Psychology (2008).
  • Shaffer, D.M., McBeath, M.K., Krauchunas, S.M., & Sugar, T.G. Evidence for a generic interceptive strategy. Perception & Psychophysics (2008).
  • Sugar, T.G., McBeath, M.K., & Wang, Z. A unified fielder theory for interception of moving objects either above or below the horizon. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (2007).
  • C Oberle, N Hollums, Michael McBeath, D Terry. Motion by nearby players biases perception but not action in judgments of baseball destination. Perceptual & Motor Skills (2006).
  • F DaSilva, N Weschsler, Michael McBeath, T Sugar, J Koeneman. Improvement in upper-extremity motor-function in hemiparetics using robot-assisted repetitive motion therapy with video games. Journal of Vision (2006).
  • I Dolgov, Michael McBeath. A Signal-detection-theory Representation of Normal and Hallucinatory Perception. Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2006).
  • S Khalil, Michael McBeath. Canonical representation: An examination of preferences for viewing and depicting 3-dimensional objects. Journal of Vision (2006).
  • T Sugar, Michael McBeath, A Suluh, K Mundhra. Mobile robot interception using human navigational principles: Comparison of active versus passive tracking algorithms. Autonomous Robots (2006).
  • T Sugar, Michael McBeath, A Suluh, K Mundhra. Mobile robot interception using human navigational principles: Comparison of active versus passive tracking algorithms. IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation (2006).
  • Wang, Z,Paranjape, A,Sugar, T G,McBeath, Michael (Author) . Perceptual navigation strategy for mobile robots intercepting ground balls. Proceedings of the 2006 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (2006).
  • C Oberle, Michael McBeath, S Madigan, T Sugar. The Galileo Bias: A Naïve Conceptual Belief that Influences People's Perceptions and Performance in a Ball-Dropping Task. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning and Memory (2005).
  • C Oberle, Michael McBeath, S Madigan, T Sugar. The Galileo Bias: A Naïve Conceptual Belief that Influences People's Perceptions and Performance in a Ball-Dropping Task. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning and Memory (2005).
  • D Shaffer, Michael McBeath. Naïve beliefs in baseball: Systematic distortion in perceived time of apex for fly balls. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory & Cognition (2005).
  • Michael McBeath, I Dolgov, T Sugar. The axis of an American football leads observers to misjudge where it is headed. Journal of Vision (2005).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar. Natural Selection of Asymmetric Traits Operates at Multiple Levels. Brain and Behavioral Sciences (2005).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar. Natural Selection of Asymmetric Traits Operates at Multiple Levels. Brain and Behavioral Sciences (2005).
  • Michael McBeath, W Wang, T Sugar, I Dolgov, Z Wang. Pursuers Maintain Linear-Optical-Trajectory when Navigating to Intercept Robots Moving Along Complex Pathways. Abstracts of the Psychonomic Society (2005).
  • Dolgov, I (Author) ,McBeath, Michael (Author) ,Sugar, T G (Author) . The influence of symmentry on perception of thrown, oblong, symmetrical projectiles in 3D. Studies in Perception and Action (2005).
  • C Lewis, Michael McBeath. Bias to experience approaching motion in a three-dimensional virtual environment. Perception (2004).
  • C Oberle, Michael McBeath. Differential effects of visual feedback in a ball-dropping task reflect a robust "Galileo bias". Journal of Vision (2004).
  • D Shaffer, S Krauchunas, M Eddy, Michael McBeath. How dogs navigate to catch frisbees. Psychological Science (2004).
  • D Shaffer, S Krauchunas, M Eddy, Michael McBeath. How Dogs Navigate to Catch Frisbees. Psychological Science (2004).
  • Michael McBeath. Teaching Using Comics, Humor, and Hands-On Toys. Wakonse - Arizona E-Newsletter (2004).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar, D Shafer. Catching things that change direction: Frisbees and bouncing grounders. Cognitive Science Association for Interdisciplinary Learning Program (2004).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar, Z Wang. Baseball fielders utilize a rule of constant cotangent change to navigate to catch ground balls. Journal of Vision (2004).
  • S Morgan, Michael McBeath. What's the point? Determining the group's center-of-attention. Journal of Vision (2004).
  • D Shaffer, Michael McBeath, W Roy, S Krauchunas. A Linear Optical Trajectory informs fielders where to run to the side to catch fly balls. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance (2003).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar, M Thompson, K Mundhra. Catching ground balls: Optical control heuristics used by humans and robots support a unified fielder theory. Journal of Vision (2003).
  • A Scharine, Michael McBeath. The Doppler Effect is not what you think it is: Dramatic pitch change due to dynamic intensity change. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (2002).
  • D Shaffer, Michael McBeath. Baseball outfielders maintain a linear optical trajectory when tracking uncatchable fly balls. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance (2002).
  • Michael McBeath, A Scharine. Right handers and Americans favor turning to the right. Human Factors (2002).
  • Michael McBeath, D Shaffer, S Morgan, T Sugar. Lack of Conscious Awareness of How We Navigate to Catch Baseballs. Toward a Science of Consciousness. Consciousness Research Abstracts (2002).
  • Michael McBeath, D Shaffer, T Sugar. Catching Baseball Pop Flies: Individual Differences in Aggressiveness and Handedness. Abstarcts of the Psychonomic Society (2002).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar, S Morgan, C Oberle, K Mundhra, A Suluh. Human and robotic catching of dropped balls and balloons: Fielders still try to make the image of the projectile rise. Journal of Vision (2002).
  • Mundhra, K, Suluh, T, Sugar, T, McBeath, Michael. Intercepting a falling object: Digital video robot. (2002).
  • Suluh, A, Mundhra, K, Sugar, T, McBeath, Michael. Spatial interception for mobile robots. (2002).
  • D Shaffer, Michael McBeath, S Krauchunas. Dogs Maintain a Double Linear Optical Trajectory When Catching Frisbees. Abstracts of the Psychonomic Society (2001).
  • D Sugar, Michael McBeath. Robotic Modeling of Mobile Ball-Catching as a Tool for Understanding Biological Interceptive Beahvior. Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2001).
  • Michael McBeath, J Addie. A reverse ventriloquist effect: Auditory capture of moving visual stimuli. Abstracts of the Psychonomic Society (2001).
  • Michael McBeath, T Sugar, D Shaffer. Comparison of Active versus Passive Ball Catching Control Algorithms using Robotic Stimulation. Journal of Vision (2001).
  • Y Takarae, Michael McBeath. Recognition of Dynamic Facial Expression in Point Light Displays. The 9th Annual Workshop on Object Perception and Memory Abstracts (2001).
  • Foutain, S B, Bunsey, M, McBeath, Michael, Danks, J H. Animal Cognition and Sequential Behavior. (2001).
  • Sugar, T, McBeath, Michael. Spatial navigation algorithms: Applications to mobile robots. (2001).
  • Suluh, A, Sugar, T, McBeath, Michael. Spatial navigational principles: Applications to mobile robotics. (2001).
  • J Jewell, Michael McBeath, D Schiano. Distortions in body orientation follow egocentric rather than world-based coordinate system. Abstracts of the Psychonomic Society (2000).
  • Michael McBeath, A Scharine. Why do some people favor walking to right and others to the left. Abstracts of the Psychonomic Society (2000).
Research Activity
Fall 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 592Research
PSY 599Thesis
PSY 792Research
Spring 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
MTC 500Research Methods
PSY 598Special Topics
Fall 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 394Special Topics
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 528Sensation and Perception
Spring 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 437Human Factors
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Fall 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Spring 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Fall 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 394Special Topics
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 591Seminar
Spring 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 528Sensation and Perception
Fall 2015
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Spring 2015
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 323Sensation and Perception
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Presentations
  • McBeath, M.K. Balls, Dogs, and Robots: The Science of Catching Things. Arizona Science Center - Adults Night Out Featured Talk (Oct 2010).
  • McBeath, M.K. Going deep: Research on catching helps clarify fundamental principles of psychology. Principal Keynote Address: North American Society for Psychology of Sport & Physical Activity (Jun 2010).
  • McBeath, M.K. Going deep: Research on catching helps clarify fundamental principles of psychology. Invited Colloquium presented at the Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz (Oct 2009).
  • McBeath, M.K. Research on catching baseballs, footballs, and frisbees helps clarify fundamental principles of perception-action. Invited symposium talk presented at the Annual American Psychological Association Convention (Aug 2009).
  • Wang, Z, Paranjape, A, Sugar, T, McBeath, Michael. Perceptual navigation strategy for mobile robots intercepting ground balls. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (May 2006).
  • DaSilva, F, Weschsler, N, McBeath, Michael, Sugar, T, Koeneman, J. Improvement in upper-extremity motor-function in hemiparetics using robot-assisted repetitive motion therapy with video games. 6th Annual Vision Sciences Society Meeting (May 2006).
  • Khalil, S, McBeath, Michael. Canonical representation: An examination of preferences for viewing and depicting 3-dimensional objects. 6th Annual Vision Sciences Society Meeting (May 2006).
  • McBeath, Michael. Baseball Players, Dogs, and Robots: A Unified Fielder Theory of Catching. Invited Colloquium presented for the Depts of Psychology and Mathematics (Feb 2006).
  • McBeath, Michael, Wang, W, Sugar, T, Dolgov, I, Wang, Z. Pursuers Maintain Linear-Optical-Trajectory when Navigating to Intercept Robots Moving Along Complex Pathways. 46th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society (Nov 2005).
  • Oberle, C, McBeath, Michael. Induced or Relative Motion Effects in Baseball. 13th International Conference on Perception and Action (Jul 2005).
  • Dolgov, I, McBeath, Michael, Sugar, T. The Influence of Symmetry on Perception of Thrown, Oblong, Symmetrical Projectiles in 3D. 13th International Conference on Perception and Action (Jul 2005).
  • McBeath, Michael, Dolgov, I, Sugar, T. The Axis of an American Football Leads Observers to Misjudge Where it is Headed. 5th Annual Vision Sciences Society Meeting (May 2005).
  • McBeath, Michael, Sugar, T, Shaffer, D. Catching Things that Change Direction: Frisbees and Bounding Grounders. Tenth Annual Cognitive Science Association for Interdisciplinary Learning (CSAIL) (Aug 2004).
  • McBeath, Michael, Sugar, T, Wang, Z. Baseball Fielders use a Rule of Constant Cotangent Chage to Navigate to Catch Ground Balls. Fourth Annual Vision Sciences Society Meeting (May 2004).
  • McBeath, Michael. Using Comics, Humor, and Hands on Toys for Learning. Thirteenth Annual Wakonse Arizona Retreat (May 2004).
  • McBeath, Michael. Baseball Players, Dogs, and Robots: A Universal Fielder Theory of Catching. Western Psychological Association 84th Annual Convention (Apr 2004).
  • McBeath, Michael, Sugar, T, Thompson, J, Mundhra, K. Catching ground balls: Optical control heuristics used by humans & robots, a unified fielder theory. Third Annual Vision Sciences Society Meeting (May 2003).
  • McBeath, Michael. Perceptual Navigational Principles Used by Baseball Players. Psychological and Brain Sciences Department (Feb 2003).
  • McBeath, Michael. Perceptual Navigational Principles used by Humans, Animals, and Robots. Army Research Laboratory/ HRED (Feb 2003).
  • Dolgov, I, McBeath, Michael, Sugar, T. The Influence of Symmetry on Perception of Thrown, Oblong, Symmetrical Projectiles in 3D. 13th International Conference on Perception and Action (Jul 2000).
Service
  • Psychology Homecoming Fair Booth, Manned Psychology booth and promoted departmental mission (2010 - Present)
  • Psychology Freshman Orientation, A featured speaker (2010 - Present)
  • ASU Brain Fair, Organized and supervised the Robotics booth (2010 - Present)
  • ASU Brain Fair, Was in charge of the Robotics booth for the Brain Fair days. (2010 - Present)
  • Psychology Homecoming Fair Booth, Manned Psychology booth and promoted departmental mission (2009 - Present)
  • Undergraduate Scholarship Evaluation Committee, Reviewer and judge (2009 - Present)
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, Reviewer (2006 - Present)
  • GEAR UP Outreach Program for Native American Middle Schoolers, Volunteer Instructor (2006 - Present)
  • National Association of Federal Retired Persons, Invited Speaker (2006 - Present)
  • Paz de Cristo, Soup Kitchen Volunteer (2006 - Present)
  • Perception & Psychophysics, Reviewer (2006 - Present)
  • Center for Social Dynamics and Complexity, Faculty Affiliate (2006 - Present)
  • Undergraduate Scholarship Evaluation Committee, Reviewer and judge (2009 - 2010)
  • American Psychological Association - William James Book of the Year Award (Judging Committee), Reviewer and Judge (2009 - 2010)
  • AME NSF IGERT Supervisory Committee, Psychology Area Administrator for Graduate Training Grant Program (2006 - 2007)
  • Cognition, Action, Perception Program, Program Director and Area Head (2005 - 2007)
  • Arts, Media, and Engineering Program (AME), Member and Psychology Department Liaison (2004 - 2007)
  • Valley Shoebox Ministry, Volunteer (2006 - 2007)
  • ASU Faculty-Staff Basketball Association, Webmaster (2006 - 2007)
  • City of Phoenix, Citizen (2006 - 2006)
  • Journal of Consciousness Studies, Reviewer (2005 - 2006)
  • Graduate Cognition and Behavior Seminar, Professor (2000 - 2006)
  • Introductory Perception Class, Professor (2000 - 2006)
  • East Valley UU Church, Musician (Harmonica and Tuba) (2006 - 2006)
  • Graduate Perceptions Class, Arizona State University, Professor (2000 - 2005)
  • Cognition & Behavior Program, Program Director and Area Head (2003 - 2005)
  • Honeywell Fellows, Invited Speaker (2005 - 2005)
  • East Valley UU Church, Musician (2005 - 2005)
  • Institute for Computing and Information Science and Engineering (InCISE), Psycholgy Department Liaison (2004 - 2005)
  • East Valley UU Church, Fool (2005 - 2005)
  • Psychological Science, Reviewer (2004 - 2005)
  • ASU Faculty-Staff Basketball Association, President and Webmaster (2003 - 2004)
  • Exercise Science Executive Committee, Member (2003 - 2004)
  • Psychology Department Executive Committee, Cognition & Behavior Area Representative (2003 - 2004)
  • Speech and Hearing Sciences Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program, Faculty (2003 - 2004)
  • Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, Reviewer (2004)
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, Reviewer (2004)
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, Referee (2003)
  • National Science Foundation, Grant Reveiwer (2003)
  • Human Factors Class, Professor (2000 - 2001)
Expertise Areas
Cognitive Science
Motion Capture
Psychology