Jan Haaker
@janhaaker.bsky.social
Social learning
Neuropharmacology
@Isnlab.bsky.social
Alumnus @jungeakademie.bsky.social
Neuropharmacology
@Isnlab.bsky.social
Alumnus @jungeakademie.bsky.social
Pinned
Resolving temporal threat uncertainty by observational learning involves the amygdala, hippocampus and anterior insula
While the neurobiological distinction between temporally predictable (cued) and unpredictable (contextual) threats has been well-characterized in direct learning using the NPU paradigm, it is poorly u...
www.biorxiv.org
Can we learn about unpredictable threats via observation of others? Yes, temporally predictable and unpredictable threats are learned by distinct contributions of the amygdala and hippocampus.
ALSO: We find higher activation in the amygdala and anterior insula to others' pain that serves learning.
ALSO: We find higher activation in the amygdala and anterior insula to others' pain that serves learning.
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Another LBP story has reached the end: yesterday Laura Vercammen from Bram Vervliet’s lab successfully defended her PhD! Congrats, Laura! @tombeckers.bsky.social @lauraluyten.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Another LBP story has reached the end: yesterday Laura Vercammen from Bram Vervliet’s lab successfully defended her PhD! Congrats, Laura! @tombeckers.bsky.social @lauraluyten.bsky.social
Travelling back from beautiful Leuven after an excellent defense by Laura Vercammen on the reward processes in avoidance in rats.
Congratulations to her and the proud supervisors Bram Vervliet, @tombeckers.bsky.social and Laura Luyten.
And no, I am not travelling in that outfit
Congratulations to her and the proud supervisors Bram Vervliet, @tombeckers.bsky.social and Laura Luyten.
And no, I am not travelling in that outfit
November 13, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Travelling back from beautiful Leuven after an excellent defense by Laura Vercammen on the reward processes in avoidance in rats.
Congratulations to her and the proud supervisors Bram Vervliet, @tombeckers.bsky.social and Laura Luyten.
And no, I am not travelling in that outfit
Congratulations to her and the proud supervisors Bram Vervliet, @tombeckers.bsky.social and Laura Luyten.
And no, I am not travelling in that outfit
Reposted by Jan Haaker
🎥 New #SFB289 #webinar is uploaded on our YouTube channel! 🎥
Yesterday, Wiebke Ghandi from CINN at the University of Reading presented her work on targeting uncontrollable pain and answered the question: is there a role of the reward system?
(Re)watch it here: youtu.be/ck-1UyuoACk
Yesterday, Wiebke Ghandi from CINN at the University of Reading presented her work on targeting uncontrollable pain and answered the question: is there a role of the reward system?
(Re)watch it here: youtu.be/ck-1UyuoACk
Webinar: Wiebke Ghandi - Targeting uncontrollable pain: Is there a role for the reward system?
YouTube video by SFB-TRR 289 "Treatment Expectation"
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 9:59 AM
🎥 New #SFB289 #webinar is uploaded on our YouTube channel! 🎥
Yesterday, Wiebke Ghandi from CINN at the University of Reading presented her work on targeting uncontrollable pain and answered the question: is there a role of the reward system?
(Re)watch it here: youtu.be/ck-1UyuoACk
Yesterday, Wiebke Ghandi from CINN at the University of Reading presented her work on targeting uncontrollable pain and answered the question: is there a role of the reward system?
(Re)watch it here: youtu.be/ck-1UyuoACk
You are on a train to be on a thesis committee and your calendar says „labmeeting“
November 12, 2025 at 9:49 AM
You are on a train to be on a thesis committee and your calendar says „labmeeting“
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Bitte teilen und Werbung machen. Das ist das erste Lehrbuch dieser Art und relevant für ALLE, die im Gesundheitssystem arbeiten!
It was great to be a part of this little booklet - if you work in medicine, this one is for you!👩⚕️
We explain what placebo and nocebo effects are and how you can use them in your communication and work with patients! 🗣️
Shout-out to co-authors Lorenz Peters, @ulrikebingel.bsky.social & Sven Benson!
We explain what placebo and nocebo effects are and how you can use them in your communication and work with patients! 🗣️
Shout-out to co-authors Lorenz Peters, @ulrikebingel.bsky.social & Sven Benson!
⭐ Today we have something from our #scicomm (SC) project! ⭐
This new book is aimed at healthcare professionals and shows how the #placeboeffect and #treatmentexpectation can be used positively when dealing with patients. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Read it here (physical copy/ebook) ➡️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
This new book is aimed at healthcare professionals and shows how the #placeboeffect and #treatmentexpectation can be used positively when dealing with patients. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Read it here (physical copy/ebook) ➡️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
November 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Bitte teilen und Werbung machen. Das ist das erste Lehrbuch dieser Art und relevant für ALLE, die im Gesundheitssystem arbeiten!
Reposted by Jan Haaker
⭐ Today we have something from our #scicomm (SC) project! ⭐
This new book is aimed at healthcare professionals and shows how the #placeboeffect and #treatmentexpectation can be used positively when dealing with patients. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Read it here (physical copy/ebook) ➡️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
This new book is aimed at healthcare professionals and shows how the #placeboeffect and #treatmentexpectation can be used positively when dealing with patients. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Read it here (physical copy/ebook) ➡️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
November 4, 2025 at 10:23 AM
⭐ Today we have something from our #scicomm (SC) project! ⭐
This new book is aimed at healthcare professionals and shows how the #placeboeffect and #treatmentexpectation can be used positively when dealing with patients. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Read it here (physical copy/ebook) ➡️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
This new book is aimed at healthcare professionals and shows how the #placeboeffect and #treatmentexpectation can be used positively when dealing with patients. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Read it here (physical copy/ebook) ➡️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Join us for this talk by @janhaaker.bsky.social on "A functional view on how we respond to others’ pain: Empathy, threat learning and neuropeptides"
11 November, 1pm CET
tu-dresden.de/mn/psycholog...
11 November, 1pm CET
tu-dresden.de/mn/psycholog...
November 10, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Join us for this talk by @janhaaker.bsky.social on "A functional view on how we respond to others’ pain: Empathy, threat learning and neuropeptides"
11 November, 1pm CET
tu-dresden.de/mn/psycholog...
11 November, 1pm CET
tu-dresden.de/mn/psycholog...
So cool, Lauren!
Eleven stained glass action potentials available now! (One rainbow brain still in the shop too). www.brainedglass.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:55 PM
So cool, Lauren!
Reposted by Jan Haaker
How can brain activity predict stock prices or viral videos?
In today’s podcast, Stanford neuroeconomist Brian Knutson explores how brain signals shape choice, risk, and attention—bridging neuroscience, psychology, and economics.
Listen now: neuroscience.stanford.edu/news/neurofo...
In today’s podcast, Stanford neuroeconomist Brian Knutson explores how brain signals shape choice, risk, and attention—bridging neuroscience, psychology, and economics.
Listen now: neuroscience.stanford.edu/news/neurofo...
October 31, 2025 at 5:32 PM
How can brain activity predict stock prices or viral videos?
In today’s podcast, Stanford neuroeconomist Brian Knutson explores how brain signals shape choice, risk, and attention—bridging neuroscience, psychology, and economics.
Listen now: neuroscience.stanford.edu/news/neurofo...
In today’s podcast, Stanford neuroeconomist Brian Knutson explores how brain signals shape choice, risk, and attention—bridging neuroscience, psychology, and economics.
Listen now: neuroscience.stanford.edu/news/neurofo...
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Some spiritual traditions believe the 'self' as a coherent, enduring entity to be an illusion, there is also a tangible 'bodily self' that forms the basis of this notion through somatosensation.
Fascinating Primer by Pattrick Haggard and @mattlongo.bsky.social
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Fascinating Primer by Pattrick Haggard and @mattlongo.bsky.social
www.cell.com/current-biol...
October 30, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Some spiritual traditions believe the 'self' as a coherent, enduring entity to be an illusion, there is also a tangible 'bodily self' that forms the basis of this notion through somatosensation.
Fascinating Primer by Pattrick Haggard and @mattlongo.bsky.social
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Fascinating Primer by Pattrick Haggard and @mattlongo.bsky.social
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Does dopamine modulate the willingness to help?
New Psychology Today post, "How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others", written by me, with special thanks to @drjocutler.bsky.social and @thepsychologist.bsky.social
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-...
New Psychology Today post, "How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others", written by me, with special thanks to @drjocutler.bsky.social and @thepsychologist.bsky.social
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-...
How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others
New research shows patients with Parkinson's disease were more willing to help others after taking their dopamine-boosting medication.
www.psychologytoday.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Does dopamine modulate the willingness to help?
New Psychology Today post, "How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others", written by me, with special thanks to @drjocutler.bsky.social and @thepsychologist.bsky.social
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-...
New Psychology Today post, "How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others", written by me, with special thanks to @drjocutler.bsky.social and @thepsychologist.bsky.social
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-...
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Looking for a PhD? Interested in cognitive computational neuroscience, motivation and decision-making? See our project listed in the BBSRC MIBTP competition for funding for a 4-year PhD in the @msnlab.bsky.social in the @thechbh.bsky.social. Deadline 27/11. More info: tinyurl.com/5d5vz8m7
The computational and neural dynamics of human motivation and cognitive control at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - The computational and neural dynamics of human motivation and cognitive control at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Looking for a PhD? Interested in cognitive computational neuroscience, motivation and decision-making? See our project listed in the BBSRC MIBTP competition for funding for a 4-year PhD in the @msnlab.bsky.social in the @thechbh.bsky.social. Deadline 27/11. More info: tinyurl.com/5d5vz8m7
Reposted by Jan Haaker
📢 Thrilled to share our paper is out now in @natcomms.nature.com
Shared computations underlie how we acquire actions that are mutually beneficial, instrumentally harmful (benefits self at the expense of others), altruistic (benefit others at the expense of self), or mutually costly
🧵 rdcu.be/eL8mZ
Shared computations underlie how we acquire actions that are mutually beneficial, instrumentally harmful (benefits self at the expense of others), altruistic (benefit others at the expense of self), or mutually costly
🧵 rdcu.be/eL8mZ
Neurocomputational basis of learning when choices simultaneously affect both oneself and others
Nature Communications - When learning to make choices that simultaneously affect the self and others, asymmetric encoding of information guides future social behaviors across mutually beneficial,...
rdcu.be
October 22, 2025 at 4:42 PM
📢 Thrilled to share our paper is out now in @natcomms.nature.com
Shared computations underlie how we acquire actions that are mutually beneficial, instrumentally harmful (benefits self at the expense of others), altruistic (benefit others at the expense of self), or mutually costly
🧵 rdcu.be/eL8mZ
Shared computations underlie how we acquire actions that are mutually beneficial, instrumentally harmful (benefits self at the expense of others), altruistic (benefit others at the expense of self), or mutually costly
🧵 rdcu.be/eL8mZ
Can we learn about unpredictable threats via observation of others? Yes, temporally predictable and unpredictable threats are learned by distinct contributions of the amygdala and hippocampus.
ALSO: We find higher activation in the amygdala and anterior insula to others' pain that serves learning.
ALSO: We find higher activation in the amygdala and anterior insula to others' pain that serves learning.
Resolving temporal threat uncertainty by observational learning involves the amygdala, hippocampus and anterior insula
While the neurobiological distinction between temporally predictable (cued) and unpredictable (contextual) threats has been well-characterized in direct learning using the NPU paradigm, it is poorly u...
www.biorxiv.org
October 22, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Can we learn about unpredictable threats via observation of others? Yes, temporally predictable and unpredictable threats are learned by distinct contributions of the amygdala and hippocampus.
ALSO: We find higher activation in the amygdala and anterior insula to others' pain that serves learning.
ALSO: We find higher activation in the amygdala and anterior insula to others' pain that serves learning.
Excited to try this! The waiting list makes me even more curious
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT📣: I haven’t been this excited to be part of something new in 15 years… Thrilled to reveal the passion project I’ve been working on for the past year and a half!🙀🥳 (thread 👇)
October 15, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Excited to try this! The waiting list makes me even more curious
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Our new @frontiersin.bsky.social article focused on how learning strategies and #open-label-placebos (OLPs) can affect academic performance.
This study tested a subgroup and explored if e.g. learning strategies could impact the influence OLPs hold on cognitive outcomes.
What did we find? ⤵️
This study tested a subgroup and explored if e.g. learning strategies could impact the influence OLPs hold on cognitive outcomes.
What did we find? ⤵️
October 15, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Our new @frontiersin.bsky.social article focused on how learning strategies and #open-label-placebos (OLPs) can affect academic performance.
This study tested a subgroup and explored if e.g. learning strategies could impact the influence OLPs hold on cognitive outcomes.
What did we find? ⤵️
This study tested a subgroup and explored if e.g. learning strategies could impact the influence OLPs hold on cognitive outcomes.
What did we find? ⤵️
Reposted by Jan Haaker
1st Sharp Lab preprint! 🚨 We tested how anxiety affects task generalization—not how people generalize threat stimuli, but how they reuse action-outcome structures when planning in new contexts.
Worry makes people avoid reusing actions that co-occurred w/ threat!
📄: osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵 1/12
Worry makes people avoid reusing actions that co-occurred w/ threat!
📄: osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵 1/12
October 13, 2025 at 6:30 AM
1st Sharp Lab preprint! 🚨 We tested how anxiety affects task generalization—not how people generalize threat stimuli, but how they reuse action-outcome structures when planning in new contexts.
Worry makes people avoid reusing actions that co-occurred w/ threat!
📄: osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵 1/12
Worry makes people avoid reusing actions that co-occurred w/ threat!
📄: osf.io/preprints/ps...
🧵 1/12
Such a great summer school with time for science and everything around it.
Inspiring days in Ratzeburg 🌿✨ at the 3rd Summer School of @rtg2753.bsky.social on Emotional Learning & Memory. Science, sports, spa – and great talks from our lab on past & future projects! 🧠💡
With @elbersgerd.bsky.social, Kai Schüren, Tim Dressler, @s-vandelangenberg.bsky.social & Antonia Lilja
With @elbersgerd.bsky.social, Kai Schüren, Tim Dressler, @s-vandelangenberg.bsky.social & Antonia Lilja
October 4, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Such a great summer school with time for science and everything around it.
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Wirkstoff Mensch, besser könnte es zu unserer Forschung nicht passen! Hört mal rein!
And how can this invisible power be used consciously – without slipping into charlatanism?
Listen to it here (in German): podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/d...
Listen to it here (in German): podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/d...
Der unsichtbare Wirkstoff: Prof. Dr. Ulrike Bingel über die Kraft des Placebo-Effekts
Podcast-Folge · Wirkstoff Human · 02.10.2025 · 26 Min.
podcasts.apple.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Wirkstoff Mensch, besser könnte es zu unserer Forschung nicht passen! Hört mal rein!
Reposted by Jan Haaker
Check out our new publication led by former member @clamassaccesi.bsky.social showing that individuals are equally motivated to incur effort costs to reduce pain to themselves and others 🤝
New paper out in NYAS!
nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We show that protecting others' from pain promotes effortful prosocial behavior 💪🧑🤝🧑🤝
w/ @clauslamm.bsky.social @silanilab.bsky.social @lei-zhang.bsky.social
(thread below)
nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We show that protecting others' from pain promotes effortful prosocial behavior 💪🧑🤝🧑🤝
w/ @clauslamm.bsky.social @silanilab.bsky.social @lei-zhang.bsky.social
(thread below)
October 2, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Check out our new publication led by former member @clamassaccesi.bsky.social showing that individuals are equally motivated to incur effort costs to reduce pain to themselves and others 🤝
Reposted by Jan Haaker
With @epronizius.bsky.social, @monabielig.bsky.social, @clauslamm.bsky.social, @protzko.bsky.social, Olena Vitkovska, and Celina Kacperski, we'll explore the ethical tensions, institutional constraints, and political risks of doing science across borders—especially in times of war or crisis.
October 1, 2025 at 2:20 PM
With @epronizius.bsky.social, @monabielig.bsky.social, @clauslamm.bsky.social, @protzko.bsky.social, Olena Vitkovska, and Celina Kacperski, we'll explore the ethical tensions, institutional constraints, and political risks of doing science across borders—especially in times of war or crisis.
Karin Roelofs @epanlab.bsky.social talks on neuromodulation of fear responses to kick-off our summerschool @rtg2753.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Karin Roelofs @epanlab.bsky.social talks on neuromodulation of fear responses to kick-off our summerschool @rtg2753.bsky.social
Great opportunity!
Please RT
2 new positions in the lab as postdoc & PhD!
Interested in stress, pain, or reward? This project has it all!
We are a friendly but ambitious group. Oslo is a capital city on the fjord & bordered by forest, great urban & outdoors opportunities: 💃 ⛷️ 🚣 🎭 🎶
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
2 new positions in the lab as postdoc & PhD!
Interested in stress, pain, or reward? This project has it all!
We are a friendly but ambitious group. Oslo is a capital city on the fjord & bordered by forest, great urban & outdoors opportunities: 💃 ⛷️ 🚣 🎭 🎶
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (286516) | University of Oslo
Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (286516), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
September 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Great opportunity!
Higher responses to observed (laboratory) stress is related to war related trauma (ptsd symptoms) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Adding to the burden: the tendency to resonate with others’ stress is linked to higher PTSD symptom severity in individuals with war-related trauma - Translational Psychiatry
Translational Psychiatry - Adding to the burden: the tendency to resonate with others’ stress is linked to higher PTSD symptom severity in individuals with war-related trauma
www.nature.com
September 22, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Higher responses to observed (laboratory) stress is related to war related trauma (ptsd symptoms) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Excellent opportunity! Inspiring research environment and Andreas is great.
Come work with us!
We're hiring a postdoc to lead a new project on human social learning in threatening and volatile contexts. Deadline Sept 14.
Happy to chat at #S4SN2025
🔗 More info & apply: ki.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
We're hiring a postdoc to lead a new project on human social learning in threatening and volatile contexts. Deadline Sept 14.
Happy to chat at #S4SN2025
🔗 More info & apply: ki.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
Postdoctoral Researcher in affective learning and decision-making
Do you want to contribute to better health for everyone? Our research group, led by Andreas Olsson at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, is seeking a qualified and motivated postdoctoral researcher.
ki.varbi.com
September 22, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Excellent opportunity! Inspiring research environment and Andreas is great.