Shenhav Lab
@shenhavlab.bsky.social
Neuroscience of motivation, decision making, and cognitive control
shenhavlab.org
shenhavlab.org
Our latest paper, spearheaded by @hritz.bsky.social and Romy Frömer, is now out in Communications Psychology!! 🎉🎉
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
See Harrison's excellent 🧵 below to learn more about what we found:
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
See Harrison's excellent 🧵 below to learn more about what we found:
February 3, 2026 at 11:45 PM
Our latest paper, spearheaded by @hritz.bsky.social and Romy Frömer, is now out in Communications Psychology!! 🎉🎉
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
See Harrison's excellent 🧵 below to learn more about what we found:
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
See Harrison's excellent 🧵 below to learn more about what we found:
Reposted by Shenhav Lab
I’m now a proud alum of Lewis-Peacock lab🦚. I’ll be joining the @shenhavlab.bsky.social at UCB in January to study adaptive behaviors and dynamic cognitive control. So grateful for the great journey and excited for what’s next!
December 17, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I’m now a proud alum of Lewis-Peacock lab🦚. I’ll be joining the @shenhavlab.bsky.social at UCB in January to study adaptive behaviors and dynamic cognitive control. So grateful for the great journey and excited for what’s next!
2️⃣ PSTR293.21: “Distinct neurocomputational signatures of mental effort when motivated by success versus failure” by Ziwei Cheng (11/18, 8:00 AM)
November 11, 2025 at 11:32 PM
2️⃣ PSTR293.21: “Distinct neurocomputational signatures of mental effort when motivated by success versus failure” by Ziwei Cheng (11/18, 8:00 AM)
Come see our lab’s presentations at #SFN2025! 🧠
1️⃣ NANO018.12: “Neural dynamics underlying divergent influences of reward and punishment on control allocation” (11/16, 3:45 PM) by @jasonleng.bsky.social
1️⃣ NANO018.12: “Neural dynamics underlying divergent influences of reward and punishment on control allocation” (11/16, 3:45 PM) by @jasonleng.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Come see our lab’s presentations at #SFN2025! 🧠
1️⃣ NANO018.12: “Neural dynamics underlying divergent influences of reward and punishment on control allocation” (11/16, 3:45 PM) by @jasonleng.bsky.social
1️⃣ NANO018.12: “Neural dynamics underlying divergent influences of reward and punishment on control allocation” (11/16, 3:45 PM) by @jasonleng.bsky.social
Check out our new preprint, led by Romy Froemer and in collaboration with Chih-Chung Ting and Sebastian Gluth:
“Goals shape dynamics of attention and selection for value-based decision-making”.
🔗 osf.io/preprints/ps...
“Goals shape dynamics of attention and selection for value-based decision-making”.
🔗 osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
October 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Check out our new preprint, led by Romy Froemer and in collaboration with Chih-Chung Ting and Sebastian Gluth:
“Goals shape dynamics of attention and selection for value-based decision-making”.
🔗 osf.io/preprints/ps...
“Goals shape dynamics of attention and selection for value-based decision-making”.
🔗 osf.io/preprints/ps...
New preprint led by @debyee.bsky.social: "Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the distinct motivational influences of reward and punishment on cognitive control".
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 20, 2025 at 9:36 PM
New preprint led by @debyee.bsky.social: "Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the distinct motivational influences of reward and punishment on cognitive control".
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
➡️P3.I.45: Validating predictions of a flexible decision-making model for varying decision goals and choice set properties by Ana Hernandez at 11:15 on 10/5.
(2/2)
(2/2)
October 3, 2025 at 4:37 AM
➡️P3.I.45: Validating predictions of a flexible decision-making model for varying decision goals and choice set properties by Ana Hernandez at 11:15 on 10/5.
(2/2)
(2/2)
At #SNE2025? Check out our lab's presentations!
➡️O.03.02: "Competitors or Opportunities? Mutual exclusivity alters neural and attentional processing of choice alternatives" by @jasonleng.bsky.social at 9:00 on 10/4.
(1/2)
➡️O.03.02: "Competitors or Opportunities? Mutual exclusivity alters neural and attentional processing of choice alternatives" by @jasonleng.bsky.social at 9:00 on 10/4.
(1/2)
October 3, 2025 at 4:37 AM
At #SNE2025? Check out our lab's presentations!
➡️O.03.02: "Competitors or Opportunities? Mutual exclusivity alters neural and attentional processing of choice alternatives" by @jasonleng.bsky.social at 9:00 on 10/4.
(1/2)
➡️O.03.02: "Competitors or Opportunities? Mutual exclusivity alters neural and attentional processing of choice alternatives" by @jasonleng.bsky.social at 9:00 on 10/4.
(1/2)
Our findings demonstrate the critical role that cognitive dynamics play in explaining the mechanisms through which cognitive inflexibility arises in older adulthood.
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Our findings demonstrate the critical role that cognitive dynamics play in explaining the mechanisms through which cognitive inflexibility arises in older adulthood.
With increasing age, people move slower through the space of control configurations that determine performance. We also show that the ability to adjust control configurations and the ability to maintain performance despite goal switches is maintained across the lifespan.
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
With increasing age, people move slower through the space of control configurations that determine performance. We also show that the ability to adjust control configurations and the ability to maintain performance despite goal switches is maintained across the lifespan.
Using computational modeling and building on our previous work (psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...), we measured changes in two control signals (attentional focus and response caution) as people of different ages switched between goals that induced distinct control configurations.
APA PsycNet
psycnet.apa.org
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Using computational modeling and building on our previous work (psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...), we measured changes in two control signals (attentional focus and response caution) as people of different ages switched between goals that induced distinct control configurations.
We propose that the speed of movement between control limits cognitive flexibility in older adults. To test this, we had people across the lifespan perform a cognitively demanding task with changing performance goals (perform the task quickly vs. accurately).
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
We propose that the speed of movement between control limits cognitive flexibility in older adults. To test this, we had people across the lifespan perform a cognitively demanding task with changing performance goals (perform the task quickly vs. accurately).
Changing goals require adjustments of cognitive control configurations (e.g., level of attentional focus), even within similar tasks (e.g., emailing a friend vs. your boss). We formalize such adjustments as a dynamical system moving from its current state to the new target state.
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Changing goals require adjustments of cognitive control configurations (e.g., level of attentional focus), even within similar tasks (e.g., emailing a friend vs. your boss). We formalize such adjustments as a dynamical system moving from its current state to the new target state.
New preprint led by Ivan Grahek!
Shifting demands of daily life require constant adjustments in how we allocate cognitive resources. Here we show that slower transitions between different cognitive strategies limit cognitive flexibility across the lifespan: biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵 A thread:
Shifting demands of daily life require constant adjustments in how we allocate cognitive resources. Here we show that slower transitions between different cognitive strategies limit cognitive flexibility across the lifespan: biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵 A thread:
Slower transitions between control states lead to reductions in cognitive flexibility over the lifespan
Declines in cognitive flexibility are a hallmark of cognitive aging, but their causes remain elusive. Here, we examine a previously untested source of aging-related cognitive inflexibility, building o...
biorxiv.org
September 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
New preprint led by Ivan Grahek!
Shifting demands of daily life require constant adjustments in how we allocate cognitive resources. Here we show that slower transitions between different cognitive strategies limit cognitive flexibility across the lifespan: biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵 A thread:
Shifting demands of daily life require constant adjustments in how we allocate cognitive resources. Here we show that slower transitions between different cognitive strategies limit cognitive flexibility across the lifespan: biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵 A thread:
In a TEDx talk just out, @ashenhav.bsky.social discusses what research from our lab teaches us about “How to choose when choosing is hardest” (the talk’s original title 😆):
➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeHg...
➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeHg...
September 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
In a TEDx talk just out, @ashenhav.bsky.social discusses what research from our lab teaches us about “How to choose when choosing is hardest” (the talk’s original title 😆):
➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeHg...
➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeHg...
P.S. Free version of the article is here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Check Berkeley’s recent coverage of the work here: ls.berkeley.edu/news/psychol...
Check Berkeley’s recent coverage of the work here: ls.berkeley.edu/news/psychol...
Control adjustment costs limit goal flexibility: Empirical evidence and a computational account
A cornerstone of human intelligence is the ability to flexibly adjust our cognition and behavior as our goals change. For instance, achieving some goals requires efficiency, while others require cauti...
www.biorxiv.org
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
P.S. Free version of the article is here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Check Berkeley’s recent coverage of the work here: ls.berkeley.edu/news/psychol...
Check Berkeley’s recent coverage of the work here: ls.berkeley.edu/news/psychol...
Overall, we show that changing control states (attention and caution) to meet a new goal induces control adjustment costs, and that these costs arise from cognitive control dynamics. Good luck with your post-Twitter-scroll goals!
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Overall, we show that changing control states (attention and caution) to meet a new goal induces control adjustment costs, and that these costs arise from cognitive control dynamics. Good luck with your post-Twitter-scroll goals!
We also show (Study 4) that the frequency of performance goal changes parametrically increases the costs, and that the expectation about change frequency determines the cost.
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
We also show (Study 4) that the frequency of performance goal changes parametrically increases the costs, and that the expectation about change frequency determines the cost.
We also confirmed 2 other predictions our model makes: we show that people exhibit larger costs when target control states are more distant (Study 2) and when they have less time to adjust control (Study 3).
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
We also confirmed 2 other predictions our model makes: we show that people exhibit larger costs when target control states are more distant (Study 2) and when they have less time to adjust control (Study 3).
Confirming the prediction of the model, in Study 1 we found that control states (defined by levels of threshold and drift rate) are pulled closer together in blocks which demand control adjustments that produce costs.
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Confirming the prediction of the model, in Study 1 we found that control states (defined by levels of threshold and drift rate) are pulled closer together in blocks which demand control adjustments that produce costs.
Due to the time it takes to adjust control states, the model predicts the existence of a control adjustment cost. When frequently moving between different goals (Varying blocks) people will undershoot their target control state.
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Due to the time it takes to adjust control states, the model predicts the existence of a control adjustment cost. When frequently moving between different goals (Varying blocks) people will undershoot their target control state.
We develop a dynamical systems model to describe such adjustments in continuous control signals. Our model proposes that control states are adjusted gradually from their current state toward the target state specified by the new performance goal.
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
We develop a dynamical systems model to describe such adjustments in continuous control signals. Our model proposes that control states are adjusted gradually from their current state toward the target state specified by the new performance goal.
Different performance goals require different cognitive control states. Performing a task quickly can be done with low levels of caution (Threshold) and attention (Drift rate), but being accurate (Accuracy goal) requires an increase in caution and attention.
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Different performance goals require different cognitive control states. Performing a task quickly can be done with low levels of caution (Threshold) and attention (Drift rate), but being accurate (Accuracy goal) requires an increase in caution and attention.
After scrolling Twitter, it will take you a while to get back into “work mode”. Why is this the case? Our new work (out now in Psych Review), led by Ivan Grahek and Xiamin Leng, explores the costs of adjusting cognitive control to meet different goals:
psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
🧵 A thread:
psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
🧵 A thread:
APA PsycNet
psycnet.apa.org
August 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
After scrolling Twitter, it will take you a while to get back into “work mode”. Why is this the case? Our new work (out now in Psych Review), led by Ivan Grahek and Xiamin Leng, explores the costs of adjusting cognitive control to meet different goals:
psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
🧵 A thread:
psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
🧵 A thread:
Reposted by Shenhav Lab
Shameless advertising here, but if you have been asking yourself this question and are attending @cogscisociety.bsky.social come check out Ziwei’s talk tomorrow on her paper that received Cog Sci’s Computational Modeling Prize for Higher-Level Cognition!! 🎉🎉
bsky.app/profile/shen...
bsky.app/profile/shen...
Why do measures of putatively the same construct so often fail to correlate strongly across units of analysis (self/informant report, behavioral, physiological/neural): measurement problems or truly actually capturing different constructs (or some of both)?
July 31, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Shameless advertising here, but if you have been asking yourself this question and are attending @cogscisociety.bsky.social come check out Ziwei’s talk tomorrow on her paper that received Cog Sci’s Computational Modeling Prize for Higher-Level Cognition!! 🎉🎉
bsky.app/profile/shen...
bsky.app/profile/shen...