Publications
Xing, Y., & Liu, Z. (2026). Quantifying stereokinetic depth: Divergence across methods despite robust within-subject precision. Vision Research, 244, 108817.
Yu, A., Zhang, R., Silva, A. E., Xing, Y., Thompson, B., & Liu, Z. (2022). Motion opponency at the middle temporal cortex: Preserved motion information and the effect of perceptual learning. European Journal of Neuroscience, 56(12), 6215-6226.
Xing, Y., & Liu, Z. (2018). A preference for minimal deformation constrains the perceived depth of a stereokinetic stimulus. Vision Research, 153, 53-59.
Erlikhman, G., Xing, Y., & Kellman, P. J. (2014). Non-rigid illusory contours and global shape transformations defined by spatiotemporal boundary formation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 978.
Education
PhD, Cognitive Psychology — UCLA
2024
MA, Cognitive Psychology — UCLA
2017
BA, Psychology — UCLA
2013
About
I am a UX researcher and product strategist with a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from UCLA. My work explores how people perceive, behave, and make decisions under uncertainty, translating behavioral research into products that are intuitive, measurable, and grounded in evidence.
Across startups, connected hardware, and academic research, I have combined qualitative research, controlled experimentation, behavioral analytics, and computational modeling to understand user behavior and guide product strategy. Whether redesigning social discovery systems, improving fleet operations, or modeling visual perception, my work begins with understanding behavior and ends with clear, testable product decisions.
I enjoy working on complex systems where behavior emerges from the interaction between people, technology, and context. My goal is to transform ambiguity into structure by identifying meaningful patterns, evaluating competing ideas, and translating research into products that are both useful and scalable.
Connect
Feel free to reach out for collaboration, opportunities, or just to chat.
Email: yangxing92@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mac-xing888