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Computational Cognitive and Neural Sciences Lab
We study the mechanisms that enable people to make adaptive decisions and pursue their goals. We approach these questions using an integrative approach across cognitive psychology, statistical learning, and neuroscience.
What do we study?
Goal-Directed Behavior
How do we decide which goals to pursue? What determines whether we are successful in achieving them? We approach these questions by examining how rewards and motivation influence the selection and pursuit of goals.
Reasoning and learning
How do we learn the rules and relationships that organize our environments? How do we make use of feedback to update our beliefs and adapt our plans? We address these questions by studying the interactions between reasoning and learning.
Habits of mind
Why do we get stuck in certain patterns of thought or maladaptive behaviors? How can we weaken these bad habits and more effectively learn good ones? What role do habits play in anxiety and anxiety disorders?
Research Methods
FMRI
We use functional magnetic resonance imaging to understand how the organization of the brain gives rise to behavior.
Computational Models
We use computational modeling to formalize the predictions of our theories and to bridge between mind, brain and behavior.
Causal interventions
We use causal tools, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, pharmacology, and studies of patients with brain lesions, to test and refine our neurocognitive models.
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