Marieke van Vugt
@mvugt.bsky.social
computational cognitive neuroscientist (assoc prof
@unigroningen.bsky.socialc) studying mind-wandering using cogsci and AI techniques, also amateur ballet dancer and Tibetan buddhist
@unigroningen.bsky.socialc) studying mind-wandering using cogsci and AI techniques, also amateur ballet dancer and Tibetan buddhist
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
On the joys, challenges and importance of school science practical work, something the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review barely touched on occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Being Practical (Or Not) | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 9, 2025 at 11:01 AM
On the joys, challenges and importance of school science practical work, something the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review barely touched on occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
"The awkward reality may be that if ChatGPT admitted “I don’t know” too often, then users would simply seek answers elsewhere. That could be a serious problem for a company that is still trying to grow its user base and achieve profitability." www.science.org/content/arti...
AI hallucinates because it’s trained to fake answers it doesn’t know
Teaching chatbots to say “I don’t know” could curb hallucinations. It could also break AI’s business model
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
"The awkward reality may be that if ChatGPT admitted “I don’t know” too often, then users would simply seek answers elsewhere. That could be a serious problem for a company that is still trying to grow its user base and achieve profitability." www.science.org/content/arti...
"Ding and Li conclude that ChatGPT-4, at least, doesn’t have the necessary creative spark to notice and interpret anomalous results, or to ask surprising and important questions" www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Can AI be truly creative?
Chatbots and AI models are challenging ideas about who — or what — can create art, music and more.
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:58 PM
"Ding and Li conclude that ChatGPT-4, at least, doesn’t have the necessary creative spark to notice and interpret anomalous results, or to ask surprising and important questions" www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
Preprint is now published: doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
Special thanks to co-authors @twktan.bsky.social @kimnganngt.bsky.social @csabaorban.bsky.social
Special thanks to co-authors @twktan.bsky.social @kimnganngt.bsky.social @csabaorban.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Preprint is now published: doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
Special thanks to co-authors @twktan.bsky.social @kimnganngt.bsky.social @csabaorban.bsky.social
Special thanks to co-authors @twktan.bsky.social @kimnganngt.bsky.social @csabaorban.bsky.social
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
In @nytopinion
“When your country pursues abhorrent policies, when the face it turns to the world is the face of a monster, what does that say about you?” our columnist M. Gessen writes after speaking with Jewish Israeli dissidents.
“When your country pursues abhorrent policies, when the face it turns to the world is the face of a monster, what does that say about you?” our columnist M. Gessen writes after speaking with Jewish Israeli dissidents.
Opinion | These Israeli Dissidents Can Show Americans How to Be a Good Citizen of a Bad Country
And why it matters so much to try.
nyti.ms
November 4, 2025 at 4:45 AM
In @nytopinion
“When your country pursues abhorrent policies, when the face it turns to the world is the face of a monster, what does that say about you?” our columnist M. Gessen writes after speaking with Jewish Israeli dissidents.
“When your country pursues abhorrent policies, when the face it turns to the world is the face of a monster, what does that say about you?” our columnist M. Gessen writes after speaking with Jewish Israeli dissidents.
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
I am looking for a post-doc working on behavioral/environmental/urban/energy economics to join my group at the University of Copenhagen. Position is 2 years (possibly 3), good salary, free health insurance, one of the most livable cities in the world. Apply here: jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...
Postdoctoral Position in Behavioral and Environmental Economics
jobportal.ku.dk
November 3, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I am looking for a post-doc working on behavioral/environmental/urban/energy economics to join my group at the University of Copenhagen. Position is 2 years (possibly 3), good salary, free health insurance, one of the most livable cities in the world. Apply here: jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
The big article on data centers in the New Yorker is pretty good, which I wasn’t expecting given the reaction on X. Lots of talk of the good and bad of AI, and it covers both bubble & non-bubble arguments.
It also featured the best version of “I spoke to a local farmer about a data center”
It also featured the best version of “I spoke to a local farmer about a data center”
November 3, 2025 at 6:23 AM
The big article on data centers in the New Yorker is pretty good, which I wasn’t expecting given the reaction on X. Lots of talk of the good and bad of AI, and it covers both bubble & non-bubble arguments.
It also featured the best version of “I spoke to a local farmer about a data center”
It also featured the best version of “I spoke to a local farmer about a data center”
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
If you're a student in need of a personal website (and if you're doing research, yes, you need a website!), I keep a list of nice examples here, most of which are reusable: www.are.na/maria-antoni...
For example, I just spotted this beautiful website by Catherine Yeh: github.com/catherinesye...
For example, I just spotted this beautiful website by Catherine Yeh: github.com/catherinesye...
November 3, 2025 at 8:11 PM
If you're a student in need of a personal website (and if you're doing research, yes, you need a website!), I keep a list of nice examples here, most of which are reusable: www.are.na/maria-antoni...
For example, I just spotted this beautiful website by Catherine Yeh: github.com/catherinesye...
For example, I just spotted this beautiful website by Catherine Yeh: github.com/catherinesye...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
Pioneering social psychiatry research in the 1950s found that mental health is not affected by whether one lives in a city or in rural settings.
But it failed to acknowledge other social contributors to mental illness:
buff.ly/X5qXW9k
But it failed to acknowledge other social contributors to mental illness:
buff.ly/X5qXW9k
November 4, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Pioneering social psychiatry research in the 1950s found that mental health is not affected by whether one lives in a city or in rural settings.
But it failed to acknowledge other social contributors to mental illness:
buff.ly/X5qXW9k
But it failed to acknowledge other social contributors to mental illness:
buff.ly/X5qXW9k
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Authority at the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Authority is looking for an applied statistician with expertise in Bayesian statistics or causal inference
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/03/t...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/03/t...
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Authority at the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Authority is looking for an applied statistician with expertise in Bayesian statistics or causal infer...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu
November 3, 2025 at 9:31 PM
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Authority at the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Authority is looking for an applied statistician with expertise in Bayesian statistics or causal inference
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/03/t...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/11/03/t...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
We’re hiring a technician!!
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
November 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
We’re hiring a technician!!
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
"For older people whose brains have begun to show molecular signs of the disease, but who have yet to display any cognitive symptoms, taking as few as 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day can help to stave off mental decline, a study finds1." www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Alzheimer’s decline slows with just a few thousand steps a day
A modest increase in physical activity can delay cognitive decline by three years — or more.
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:56 AM
"For older people whose brains have begun to show molecular signs of the disease, but who have yet to display any cognitive symptoms, taking as few as 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day can help to stave off mental decline, a study finds1." www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
“Universities are not tech companies. Our role is to foster critical thinking, not to follow industry trends uncritically.”
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
November 2, 2025 at 7:07 AM
“Universities are not tech companies. Our role is to foster critical thinking, not to follow industry trends uncritically.”
Looking forward to presenting work on modeling the effects of nudging decisions about where to park your bicycle at the Applied Behavioral Science and Decision Making conference at IIT Mandi this weekend: decisionmaking.org.in/2025conferen...
2025 Applied Behavioral Science and Decision Making Conference
1 – 2 November 2025 | Hosted at Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, H.P., India Supported by TATA Trusts Big and small decisions mold our personal lives, affect business and organizations, …
decisionmaking.org.in
October 30, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Looking forward to presenting work on modeling the effects of nudging decisions about where to park your bicycle at the Applied Behavioral Science and Decision Making conference at IIT Mandi this weekend: decisionmaking.org.in/2025conferen...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
Beautiful to see this special moment between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Marieke van Vugt at our recent Mind & Life Dialogue, "Minds, Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics" at Dharamsala, India!
I also had a very special meeting last week at the @mindandlife.bsky.social @mindandlifeeu.bsky.social dialogue on AI
October 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Beautiful to see this special moment between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Marieke van Vugt at our recent Mind & Life Dialogue, "Minds, Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics" at Dharamsala, India!
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
1/🧵 Out today in @frontiersin.bsky.social : “Consciousness science: where are we, where are we going, and what if we get there?” By @axc.bsky.social @liadmudrik.bsky.social, & me (a CIFAR & @erc.europa.eu production 🧠). www.frontiersin.org/journals/sci...
Advancing consciousness science
Defining new directions in consciousness research and exploring implications for medicine, technology, and ethics
www.frontiersin.org
October 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM
1/🧵 Out today in @frontiersin.bsky.social : “Consciousness science: where are we, where are we going, and what if we get there?” By @axc.bsky.social @liadmudrik.bsky.social, & me (a CIFAR & @erc.europa.eu production 🧠). www.frontiersin.org/journals/sci...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
JD Vance claims that diversity weakens unions, as people end up distrusting each other and not organizing.
Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵
Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵
October 30, 2025 at 8:07 AM
JD Vance claims that diversity weakens unions, as people end up distrusting each other and not organizing.
Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵
Let me tell you two menswear stories related to this claim. 🧵
"Artificial intelligence (AI) models are 50% more sycophantic than humans, an analysis published this month has found." www.nature.com/articles/d41...
AI chatbots are sycophants — researchers say it’s harming science
Nature asked researchers who use artificial intelligence how its propensity for people-pleasing affects their work — and what they are doing to mitigate it.
www.nature.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:02 AM
"Artificial intelligence (AI) models are 50% more sycophantic than humans, an analysis published this month has found." www.nature.com/articles/d41...
"Religious chatbots might be trained on scripture and dutifully quote verses, but they share the same bizarre hallucinations and shortcomings of other AIs" bbc.com/future/artic...
People are using AI to talk to God
In India and around the world, worshippers are turning to purpose-built AI for religious worship and spiritual guidance.
bbc.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:40 AM
"Religious chatbots might be trained on scripture and dutifully quote verses, but they share the same bizarre hallucinations and shortcomings of other AIs" bbc.com/future/artic...
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
I'm excited to finally have a preprint of this paper up, a few years in the making.
In it we argue that industry-driven manipulation of social media research is well underway and that norms and institutions in the field are ill-prepared to resist tech's influence.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.19894
In it we argue that industry-driven manipulation of social media research is well underway and that norms and institutions in the field are ill-prepared to resist tech's influence.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.19894
October 24, 2025 at 12:12 AM
I'm excited to finally have a preprint of this paper up, a few years in the making.
In it we argue that industry-driven manipulation of social media research is well underway and that norms and institutions in the field are ill-prepared to resist tech's influence.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.19894
In it we argue that industry-driven manipulation of social media research is well underway and that norms and institutions in the field are ill-prepared to resist tech's influence.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.19894
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
For many Americans, there might be a temptation to disbelieve the enormity of what has happened in Gaza, our columnist Lydia Polgreen writes. But, in discovering the true cost of war, “we might find that it’s even worse than we thought.”
For many Americans, there might be a temptation to disbelieve the enormity of what has happened in Gaza, our columnist Lydia Polgreen writes. But, in discovering the true cost of war, “we might find that it’s even worse than we thought.”
Opinion | What Happened in Gaza Might Be Even Worse Than We Think
We have a chance to discover the true cost of this war.
nyti.ms
October 24, 2025 at 4:00 AM
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
For many Americans, there might be a temptation to disbelieve the enormity of what has happened in Gaza, our columnist Lydia Polgreen writes. But, in discovering the true cost of war, “we might find that it’s even worse than we thought.”
For many Americans, there might be a temptation to disbelieve the enormity of what has happened in Gaza, our columnist Lydia Polgreen writes. But, in discovering the true cost of war, “we might find that it’s even worse than we thought.”
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
“these techno-libertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect.”
Yup.
Yup.
Paulina Borsook "warned that tech libertarians wanted an anti-human world that worked more like a computer. From Cyberselfish: A Critical Romp Through The Terribly Libertarian Culture of High Tech, a book based on her 1990s writing" www.thenerdreich.com/she-warned-a...
October 24, 2025 at 12:32 AM
“these techno-libertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect.”
Yup.
Yup.
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
#PhiMiSci published a new standalone article: In “What active inference still can’t do: The (frame) problem that just won’t go away”, Darius Parvizi-Wayne argues that both new and old attempts to solve the frame problem on the basis of the active inference framework are explanatorily inadequate.
What active inference still can’t do: The (frame) problem that just won’t go away
| Philosophy and the Mind Sciences
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences (PhiMiSci) focuses on the interface between philosophy of mind, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. PhiMiSci is a peer-reviewed, not-for-profit open-access journal...
philosophymindscience.org
October 23, 2025 at 10:03 AM
#PhiMiSci published a new standalone article: In “What active inference still can’t do: The (frame) problem that just won’t go away”, Darius Parvizi-Wayne argues that both new and old attempts to solve the frame problem on the basis of the active inference framework are explanatorily inadequate.
Reposted by Marieke van Vugt
1) that's highly illegal. 2) there's no proof the people in those boats are involved in the drug trade 3) in a bunch of cases those boats are not headed for the US 4) it's murder regardless.
Trump: "I don't think we're necessarily going to ask for a declaration of war, I think we're just gonna kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. We're going to kill them. They're going to be, like dead."
October 23, 2025 at 9:43 PM
1) that's highly illegal. 2) there's no proof the people in those boats are involved in the drug trade 3) in a bunch of cases those boats are not headed for the US 4) it's murder regardless.