Sam Forbes
@samhforbes.bsky.social
Assoc Prof in Psych at Durham Uni. Infancy, word learning and cognition. Sometime cellist and conductor.
Reposted by Sam Forbes
dplyr 1.2.0 is out now and we are SO excited!
- `filter_out()` for dropping rows
- `recode_values()`, `replace_values()`, and `replace_when()` that join `case_when()` as a complete family of recoding/replacing tools
These are huge quality of life wins for #rstats!
tidyverse.org/blog/2026/02...
- `filter_out()` for dropping rows
- `recode_values()`, `replace_values()`, and `replace_when()` that join `case_when()` as a complete family of recoding/replacing tools
These are huge quality of life wins for #rstats!
tidyverse.org/blog/2026/02...
dplyr 1.2.0
dplyr 1.2.0 fills in some important gaps in dplyr's API: we've added a new complement to `filter()` focused on dropping rows, and we've expanded the `case_when()` family with three new recoding and re...
tidyverse.org
February 4, 2026 at 11:39 AM
dplyr 1.2.0 is out now and we are SO excited!
- `filter_out()` for dropping rows
- `recode_values()`, `replace_values()`, and `replace_when()` that join `case_when()` as a complete family of recoding/replacing tools
These are huge quality of life wins for #rstats!
tidyverse.org/blog/2026/02...
- `filter_out()` for dropping rows
- `recode_values()`, `replace_values()`, and `replace_when()` that join `case_when()` as a complete family of recoding/replacing tools
These are huge quality of life wins for #rstats!
tidyverse.org/blog/2026/02...
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Recurring Crises in Psychology
"The current responses to the replication crisis, although valuable, are not ultimate solutions because they deflect fundamental questions and postpone the reconsideration of the ideals of psychology as a science."
Open Access: doi.org/10.1177/1089...
"The current responses to the replication crisis, although valuable, are not ultimate solutions because they deflect fundamental questions and postpone the reconsideration of the ideals of psychology as a science."
Open Access: doi.org/10.1177/1089...
February 1, 2026 at 8:24 AM
Recurring Crises in Psychology
"The current responses to the replication crisis, although valuable, are not ultimate solutions because they deflect fundamental questions and postpone the reconsideration of the ideals of psychology as a science."
Open Access: doi.org/10.1177/1089...
"The current responses to the replication crisis, although valuable, are not ultimate solutions because they deflect fundamental questions and postpone the reconsideration of the ideals of psychology as a science."
Open Access: doi.org/10.1177/1089...
Pretty neat stuff!!
Delighted to share our paper on virtual embodiment, just out in Developmental Science.
We show that the appearance of a virtual hand affects feelings of ownership for both children and adults. Movement cues interact with this for adults only. For all p’s, short-term training increased embodiment.
We show that the appearance of a virtual hand affects feelings of ownership for both children and adults. Movement cues interact with this for adults only. For all p’s, short-term training increased embodiment.
January 25, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Pretty neat stuff!!
Reposted by Sam Forbes
In case you are unaware of this. @olivia.science is great!
CAIL = prerequisite knowledge for a critical perspective, such as to tell apart nonsense hype from true theoretical computer scientific claims. For example, the idea that human-like systems are a sensible or possible goal is the result of circular reasoning and anthropomorphism. olivia.science/ai
🧵
🧵
January 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM
In case you are unaware of this. @olivia.science is great!
Reposted by Sam Forbes
There are a few good books and guides, my (biased) suggestion is the text I wrote for this very purpose
engra.me/books/matlab/
engra.me/books/matlab/
Madan Lab | An Introduction to MATLAB for Behavioral Researchers
engra.me
January 9, 2026 at 3:49 PM
There are a few good books and guides, my (biased) suggestion is the text I wrote for this very purpose
engra.me/books/matlab/
engra.me/books/matlab/
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Critically, we also need the public to support actions that enable older people to live great lives without having to drive for when they fail the eye tests. So the public need to get onboard with no pavement parking, pedestrian priority, denser housing, fewer out-of-town shopping centres, etc etc
90% of Britons support government proposals to require drivers over the age of 70 to have their vision checked every three years - including 89% of the over-65s
yougov.co.uk/topics/trave...
yougov.co.uk/topics/trave...
January 7, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Critically, we also need the public to support actions that enable older people to live great lives without having to drive for when they fail the eye tests. So the public need to get onboard with no pavement parking, pedestrian priority, denser housing, fewer out-of-town shopping centres, etc etc
Reposted by Sam Forbes
For people using the @ukbiobank.bsky.social UKB RAP cloud system for brain imaging analyses:
In order to make RAP much easier to use, we have created a Docker which is easy to install and gives you a graphical desktop, FSLeyes and the HCP wb_view.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
In order to make RAP much easier to use, we have created a Docker which is easy to install and gives you a graphical desktop, FSLeyes and the HCP wb_view.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Imaging-friendly docker for UK Biobank RAP
An Easy Docker for Brain Imaging Visualisation on UKB RAP Paul McCarthy1 Stephen Smith1 1FMRIB, OxCIN, NDCN, Oxford University, UK Queries: email paul.mccarthy@ndcn.ox.ac.uk and stephen.smith@ndcn....
docs.google.com
October 25, 2025 at 5:06 AM
For people using the @ukbiobank.bsky.social UKB RAP cloud system for brain imaging analyses:
In order to make RAP much easier to use, we have created a Docker which is easy to install and gives you a graphical desktop, FSLeyes and the HCP wb_view.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
In order to make RAP much easier to use, we have created a Docker which is easy to install and gives you a graphical desktop, FSLeyes and the HCP wb_view.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Seems like a genuinely horrible idea that will only serve to amplify existing biases in selection
UKRI to get advice on speeding up grant reviews with AI l.
Researchers given access to funding applications to assess how large language models might reduce burden.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Researchers given access to funding applications to assess how large language models might reduce burden.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
January 7, 2026 at 11:02 AM
Seems like a genuinely horrible idea that will only serve to amplify existing biases in selection
Reposted by Sam Forbes
I won’t tag them but there are a few fairly large science-adjacent accounts on here (who are followed by a lot of y’all) who have been bashing the work and person of @irisvanrooij.bsky.social for the last few days.
I feel it important to note that, as far as I can tell, those people are full of shit
I feel it important to note that, as far as I can tell, those people are full of shit
December 26, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I won’t tag them but there are a few fairly large science-adjacent accounts on here (who are followed by a lot of y’all) who have been bashing the work and person of @irisvanrooij.bsky.social for the last few days.
I feel it important to note that, as far as I can tell, those people are full of shit
I feel it important to note that, as far as I can tell, those people are full of shit
Reposted by Sam Forbes
I've used Lavaan almost every (work)day for 15 years, but this open source labour of love has never received proper institutional support. I'm delighted to be a small part of an 1.5M OpenScienceNL award, led by Jorgensen, to completely revamp and futureproof Lavaan www.openscience.nl/en/news/45-p...
December 18, 2025 at 7:44 AM
I've used Lavaan almost every (work)day for 15 years, but this open source labour of love has never received proper institutional support. I'm delighted to be a small part of an 1.5M OpenScienceNL award, led by Jorgensen, to completely revamp and futureproof Lavaan www.openscience.nl/en/news/45-p...
Reposted by Sam Forbes
And for anyone looking to recruit a superstar post-doc 👉 @anavili.bsky.social 🏆 has just submitted her thesis and is on the lookout, mainly in the fields of #perception, #attention, #workingmemory, #pupillometry, #eyemovements! #nvp2025 #psychology
This afternoon at #nvp2025, an entire session on cognitive #pupillometry 👁️ with talks by @anavili.bsky.social , @cstrauch.bsky.social and others. See you at 👉 12:00! #psychology
December 18, 2025 at 8:39 AM
And for anyone looking to recruit a superstar post-doc 👉 @anavili.bsky.social 🏆 has just submitted her thesis and is on the lookout, mainly in the fields of #perception, #attention, #workingmemory, #pupillometry, #eyemovements! #nvp2025 #psychology
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Rethinking power in #AutismResearch: Intersectional, Participatory, & Afrocentric Futures?
Book our January seminar with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social & Dr Olivia Matshabane, facilitated by Dr Sohail Jannesari.
@kingsioppn.bsky.social @journalautism.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/quahrc-sem...
Book our January seminar with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social & Dr Olivia Matshabane, facilitated by Dr Sohail Jannesari.
@kingsioppn.bsky.social @journalautism.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/quahrc-sem...
QUAHRC Seminar: Rethinking Power in Autism Research
Rethinking Power in Autism Research: Intersectional, Participatory, and Afrocentric Futures?
www.eventbrite.co.uk
December 10, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Rethinking power in #AutismResearch: Intersectional, Participatory, & Afrocentric Futures?
Book our January seminar with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social & Dr Olivia Matshabane, facilitated by Dr Sohail Jannesari.
@kingsioppn.bsky.social @journalautism.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/quahrc-sem...
Book our January seminar with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social & Dr Olivia Matshabane, facilitated by Dr Sohail Jannesari.
@kingsioppn.bsky.social @journalautism.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/quahrc-sem...
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Scientists now believe that the human brain--a magic goo for worrying--can also be used to do other things
December 8, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Scientists now believe that the human brain--a magic goo for worrying--can also be used to do other things
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Nominations for the UKRN Dorothy Bishop Prize 2026 have opened!
Named after @deevybee.bsky.social, the prize, first awarded in 2022, celebrates the contributions of early career researchers to research improvement.
Nominations close 18 January 2026.
#AcademicSky #Research
Named after @deevybee.bsky.social, the prize, first awarded in 2022, celebrates the contributions of early career researchers to research improvement.
Nominations close 18 January 2026.
#AcademicSky #Research
Dorothy Bishop Prize 2026
www.ukrn.org
December 3, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Nominations for the UKRN Dorothy Bishop Prize 2026 have opened!
Named after @deevybee.bsky.social, the prize, first awarded in 2022, celebrates the contributions of early career researchers to research improvement.
Nominations close 18 January 2026.
#AcademicSky #Research
Named after @deevybee.bsky.social, the prize, first awarded in 2022, celebrates the contributions of early career researchers to research improvement.
Nominations close 18 January 2026.
#AcademicSky #Research
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Good morning! My dissertation students and I would appreciate your help with our study investigating how neurotypical and neurodivergent people approach multi-tasking. As compensation, you can enter to win 1 of 4 £20 vouchers. Links are below! Email any questions to linda.arrighi@durham.ac.uk :)
December 2, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Good morning! My dissertation students and I would appreciate your help with our study investigating how neurotypical and neurodivergent people approach multi-tasking. As compensation, you can enter to win 1 of 4 £20 vouchers. Links are below! Email any questions to linda.arrighi@durham.ac.uk :)
Reposted by Sam Forbes
New paper from our work on Project NeuroSync published in Infant and Behavior Development. The interaction between caregiver scaffolding and infant object engagement is associated with better visual working memory in 6-to-10-month-old infants.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Caregiver-infant behaviours during multi-component object play are associated with infant visual working memory
Through play interactions, caregivers play a significant role in shaping children’s early cognitive development. The over-arching objective of this cr…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:13 PM
New paper from our work on Project NeuroSync published in Infant and Behavior Development. The interaction between caregiver scaffolding and infant object engagement is associated with better visual working memory in 6-to-10-month-old infants.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Sam Forbes
"It is noteworthy here that in all likelihood, the wealthy would still continue to receive high-quality personal instruction while the less wealthy would be taught by these potentially problematic LLMs due to resource constraints." — me and @samhforbes.bsky.social
☹️
☹️
They love to say it's a way to help underserved groups of children too. Extra scary.
Forbes, S. H. & Guest, O. (2025). To Improve Literacy, Improve Equality in Education, Not Large Language Models. Cognitive Science. doi.org/10.1111/cogs...
PDF: philpapers.org/archive/FORT...
Forbes, S. H. & Guest, O. (2025). To Improve Literacy, Improve Equality in Education, Not Large Language Models. Cognitive Science. doi.org/10.1111/cogs...
PDF: philpapers.org/archive/FORT...
To Improve Literacy, Improve Equality in Education, Not Large Language Models
Huettig and Christiansen in an earlier issue argue that large language models (LLMs) are beneficial to address declining cognitive skills, such as literacy, through combating imbalances in educationa....
doi.org
November 23, 2025 at 3:11 PM
"It is noteworthy here that in all likelihood, the wealthy would still continue to receive high-quality personal instruction while the less wealthy would be taught by these potentially problematic LLMs due to resource constraints." — me and @samhforbes.bsky.social
☹️
☹️
We're looking for great students interested in language processing and cognitive development in fNIRS. We use HD-DOT / fNIRS and eyetracking to understand how infants develop. If interested see the scheme and please get in touch.
We’re delighted to launch the NINE DTP 26-27 PhD Studentship competition. Please see the NINE website for full details - ninedtp.ac.uk/the-applicat... #NINEDTP #PhD #ESRC
November 19, 2025 at 11:23 PM
We're looking for great students interested in language processing and cognitive development in fNIRS. We use HD-DOT / fNIRS and eyetracking to understand how infants develop. If interested see the scheme and please get in touch.
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Oops. Ooooooooooooops.
I do hope that nobody has been given or denied a job/promotion based on their SpringerNature citation counts in the past 15 years.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.01675
h/t @nathlarigaldie.bsky.social
I do hope that nobody has been given or denied a job/promotion based on their SpringerNature citation counts in the past 15 years.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.01675
h/t @nathlarigaldie.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Oops. Ooooooooooooops.
I do hope that nobody has been given or denied a job/promotion based on their SpringerNature citation counts in the past 15 years.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.01675
h/t @nathlarigaldie.bsky.social
I do hope that nobody has been given or denied a job/promotion based on their SpringerNature citation counts in the past 15 years.
arxiv.org/pdf/2511.01675
h/t @nathlarigaldie.bsky.social
Reposted by Sam Forbes
Do parents exaggerate the pronunciation of words they believe their infants don’t know yet? Our new paper suggests no. ❌ w/ @julienmayor.bsky.social & @nataliakartushina.bsky.social 🧵 1/ #DevSci #langsky #devpsy
APA PsycNet
dx.doi.org
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Do parents exaggerate the pronunciation of words they believe their infants don’t know yet? Our new paper suggests no. ❌ w/ @julienmayor.bsky.social & @nataliakartushina.bsky.social 🧵 1/ #DevSci #langsky #devpsy
library(dplyr)
Haul %>%
group_by(candy) %>%
arrange()
Haul %>%
group_by(candy) %>%
arrange()
November 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
library(dplyr)
Haul %>%
group_by(candy) %>%
arrange()
Haul %>%
group_by(candy) %>%
arrange()
Gosh with any luck you might be able to avoid doing science altogether
Today @anthropic.com released PubMed integration for Claude. No hallucinations. Just real science, real data. As a beta tester, this has been game changing— a supercharged research tool. Here are 6 prompts that will transform how you search the literature. A 🧵
www.anthropic.com/news/claude-...
www.anthropic.com/news/claude-...
Claude for Life Sciences
Discover how Claude accelerates life sciences research with new scientific connectors, skills, and improved performance for drug discovery and clinical work.
www.anthropic.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Gosh with any luck you might be able to avoid doing science altogether
Reposted by Sam Forbes
This isn't research... sorry
I use one LLM (e.g. Grok Expert) to generate citations on a topic, e.g. in a table format, then ask another LLM to validate like ChatGPT. This weeds out dodgy citations pretty well but will attrition 50-80% of your citations. This is important. Also LLMs don't evaluate the "validity" of work...
a woman wearing a denim jacket is asking if she read it
ALT: a woman wearing a denim jacket is asking if she read it
media.tenor.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
This isn't research... sorry