Simon van Gaal
@svangaal.bsky.social
Associate Prof at University of Amsterdam. Cognitive psychology/neuroscience. Consciousness, decision making, arousal states. PI in the consciousbrainlab.com
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Pre-print 🎉 "Subjective and objective approaches in the study of conscious perception" will be a chapter in www.horizon-minds.com. We explain that subjective and objective are poorly defined constructs and provide a taxonomy.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
with @svangaal.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
with @svangaal.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social
OSF
doi.org
October 17, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Pre-print 🎉 "Subjective and objective approaches in the study of conscious perception" will be a chapter in www.horizon-minds.com. We explain that subjective and objective are poorly defined constructs and provide a taxonomy.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
with @svangaal.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
with @svangaal.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social
Out for a while but forgot to post it. Using pupil size as a proxy for arousal, we show that the inverted-U shaped arousal–performance curve (Yerkes-Dodson law) is not fixed, but can shift globally depending on neuromodulatory state (atomoxetine): arousal recalibration www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
September 23, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Out for a while but forgot to post it. Using pupil size as a proxy for arousal, we show that the inverted-U shaped arousal–performance curve (Yerkes-Dodson law) is not fixed, but can shift globally depending on neuromodulatory state (atomoxetine): arousal recalibration www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
🧠 New preprint: Why do deep neural networks predict brain responses so well?
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
September 8, 2025 at 6:32 PM
🧠 New preprint: Why do deep neural networks predict brain responses so well?
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We find a striking dissociation: it’s not shared object recognition. Alignment is driven by sensitivity to texture-like local statistics.
📊 Study: n=57, 624k trials, 5 models doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
A great example of engagement with open peer review 👇
In @elife.bsky.social: Together with @phil-johnson.bsky.social, @nielskloosterman.bsky.social, @timostein.bsky.social and @svangaal.bsky.social we respond to a critical comment on our Criterion paper by @krsandberg.bsky.social and Overgaard. Our response can be found here: doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Response to comment on ‘Criterion placement threatens the construct validity of neural measures of consciousness’
This response counters arguments given in a commentary by Sandberg and Overgaard, 2025 regarding an article in eLife about criterion confounds in neural measures of consciousness based on subjective m...
doi.org
August 26, 2025 at 12:01 PM
A great example of engagement with open peer review 👇
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
The great @stijnnuiten.bsky.social on the mechanisms of optimal arousal state. #ASSC28 @assc28.bsky.social
July 7, 2025 at 1:10 PM
The great @stijnnuiten.bsky.social on the mechanisms of optimal arousal state. #ASSC28 @assc28.bsky.social
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
1/ New paper by Hame Park, (@AraziAyelet), Bharath Talluri, Marco Celotto, Stefano Panzeri, Alan Stocker & Tobias Donner published in Nature Communications – “Confirmation Bias through Selective Readout of Information Encoded in Human Parietal Cortex”: rdcu.be/etlR7. Here is a summary:
Confirmation bias through selective readout of information encoded in human parietal cortex
Nature Communications - People often discard incoming information when it contradicts their pre-existing beliefs about the world. Here, the authors show that this discarded information is precisely...
rdcu.be
June 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
1/ New paper by Hame Park, (@AraziAyelet), Bharath Talluri, Marco Celotto, Stefano Panzeri, Alan Stocker & Tobias Donner published in Nature Communications – “Confirmation Bias through Selective Readout of Information Encoded in Human Parietal Cortex”: rdcu.be/etlR7. Here is a summary:
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Very happy this is finally out 🎉. In this paper, we show that conf. reports are biased by a visual illusion, an asymmetrical base rate and a payoff scheme. Crucially, we show that only the visual illusion affects subj. experience, suggesting decision bias leaks onto confidence reports.
Using explicit measures of subjective experience & Bayesian ordinal modeling, this study shows that confidence reports in perceptual decisions are influenced by nonperceptual biases.
@n41c0.bsky.social @fahrenfort.bsky.social @smfleming.bsky.social @juliaha.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
@n41c0.bsky.social @fahrenfort.bsky.social @smfleming.bsky.social @juliaha.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Confidence reports during perceptual decision making dissociate from changes in subjective experience - Communications Psychology
Using explicit measures of subjective experience and a Bayesian ordinal modeling framework, this study shows that confidence reports in perceptual decisions are influenced by nonperceptual biases.
www.nature.com
May 22, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Very happy this is finally out 🎉. In this paper, we show that conf. reports are biased by a visual illusion, an asymmetrical base rate and a payoff scheme. Crucially, we show that only the visual illusion affects subj. experience, suggesting decision bias leaks onto confidence reports.
We show that memantine selectively improves neural decoding of attended illusory Kanizsa triangles, revealing NMDA receptor-dependent enhancement of feedback processing.
elifesciences.org/articles/100...
Thanks to Samuel Noorman @fahrenfort.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social Jasper Zantvoord
elifesciences.org/articles/100...
Thanks to Samuel Noorman @fahrenfort.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social Jasper Zantvoord
A causal role of the NMDA receptor in recurrent processing during perceptual integration
Memantine selectively improves neural decoding of attended illusory contours, revealing NMDA receptor-dependent enhancement of feedback processing in human visual perception.
elifesciences.org
June 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM
We show that memantine selectively improves neural decoding of attended illusory Kanizsa triangles, revealing NMDA receptor-dependent enhancement of feedback processing.
elifesciences.org/articles/100...
Thanks to Samuel Noorman @fahrenfort.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social Jasper Zantvoord
elifesciences.org/articles/100...
Thanks to Samuel Noorman @fahrenfort.bsky.social @timostein.bsky.social Jasper Zantvoord
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Out now @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social, w/ @akalt.bsky.social & @drmattdavis.bsky.social.
Are sensory sampling rhythms fixed by intrinsically-determined processes, or do they couple to external structure? Here we highlight the incompatibility between these accounts and propose a resolution [1/6]
Are sensory sampling rhythms fixed by intrinsically-determined processes, or do they couple to external structure? Here we highlight the incompatibility between these accounts and propose a resolution [1/6]
June 19, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Out now @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social, w/ @akalt.bsky.social & @drmattdavis.bsky.social.
Are sensory sampling rhythms fixed by intrinsically-determined processes, or do they couple to external structure? Here we highlight the incompatibility between these accounts and propose a resolution [1/6]
Are sensory sampling rhythms fixed by intrinsically-determined processes, or do they couple to external structure? Here we highlight the incompatibility between these accounts and propose a resolution [1/6]
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
🥳 The 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScores are now released. We're pleased to inform you that Neuroscience of Consciousness #NCONSC achieved an Impact Factor of 4.3 (2023 IF 4.1). We are very excited and thankful for our prolific community of consciousness science! #consci @thomasandrillon.bsky.social
June 18, 2025 at 11:03 AM
🥳 The 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScores are now released. We're pleased to inform you that Neuroscience of Consciousness #NCONSC achieved an Impact Factor of 4.3 (2023 IF 4.1). We are very excited and thankful for our prolific community of consciousness science! #consci @thomasandrillon.bsky.social
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
1/ Can AI be conscious? My Behavioral & Brain Sciences target article on ‘Conscious AI and Biological Naturalism’ is now open for commentary proposals. Deadline is June 12. Take-home: real artificial consciousness is very unlikely along current trajectories. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Call for Commentary Proposals - Conscious artificial intelligence and biological
Call for Commentary Proposals - Conscious artificial intelligence and biological naturalism
www.cambridge.org
June 7, 2025 at 8:59 AM
1/ Can AI be conscious? My Behavioral & Brain Sciences target article on ‘Conscious AI and Biological Naturalism’ is now open for commentary proposals. Deadline is June 12. Take-home: real artificial consciousness is very unlikely along current trajectories. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
🧠 Did you really see that? Or did your brain just think you did?
How confidently we report what we see can shape our brain activity. That means our own reporting habits might blur the line between “aware” and “unaware” in research on #consciousness.
buff.ly/L3c7sVe
How confidently we report what we see can shape our brain activity. That means our own reporting habits might blur the line between “aware” and “unaware” in research on #consciousness.
buff.ly/L3c7sVe
June 2, 2025 at 3:59 PM
🧠 Did you really see that? Or did your brain just think you did?
How confidently we report what we see can shape our brain activity. That means our own reporting habits might blur the line between “aware” and “unaware” in research on #consciousness.
buff.ly/L3c7sVe
How confidently we report what we see can shape our brain activity. That means our own reporting habits might blur the line between “aware” and “unaware” in research on #consciousness.
buff.ly/L3c7sVe
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
I am opening one PhD position at the Neuroscience Center @uhneuro.bsky.social, focusing on large-scale neural interactions in perception and prediction (ECoG/LFPs/MEG) across human and non-human primates using comp. modeling and information theory. contact: www.helsinki.fi/en/hilife-he...
Large-scale interactions in perception and prediction across species | HiLIFE – Helsinki Institute of Life Science | University of Helsinki
Andres Canales-Johnson research group
www.helsinki.fi
May 30, 2025 at 11:01 AM
I am opening one PhD position at the Neuroscience Center @uhneuro.bsky.social, focusing on large-scale neural interactions in perception and prediction (ECoG/LFPs/MEG) across human and non-human primates using comp. modeling and information theory. contact: www.helsinki.fi/en/hilife-he...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Finally the Version of Record of our paper "Criterion placement threatens the construct validity of neural measures of consciousness" is out in @elife.bsky.social as *fundamental* and *compelling*!
doi.org/10.7554/eLif....
doi.org/10.7554/eLif....
May 29, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Finally the Version of Record of our paper "Criterion placement threatens the construct validity of neural measures of consciousness" is out in @elife.bsky.social as *fundamental* and *compelling*!
doi.org/10.7554/eLif....
doi.org/10.7554/eLif....
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
There are 2 PhD positions in my lab in Amsterdam (collaboration with Sander Bohte, @tessamdekker.bsky.social and Ingmar Visser) on NeuroAI of developmental vision.
academicpositions.nl/ad/centrum-w...
academicpositions.nl/ad/centrum-w...
2 PHD-STUDENTS IN NEUROAI OF DEVELOPMENTAL VISION (M/F/X) - Academic Positions
Join an interdisciplinary team to research developmental vision in NeuroAI. Requires a strong computational background, deep learning skills, and a Master's ...
academicpositions.nl
May 28, 2025 at 9:29 AM
There are 2 PhD positions in my lab in Amsterdam (collaboration with Sander Bohte, @tessamdekker.bsky.social and Ingmar Visser) on NeuroAI of developmental vision.
academicpositions.nl/ad/centrum-w...
academicpositions.nl/ad/centrum-w...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
(couldn't wait till Monday because I'm impatient) this lovely preprint has the last part of my phd work and now is out and about 🎉🎊. will write a thread on Monday. stay tuned 📻.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
May 24, 2025 at 9:39 AM
(couldn't wait till Monday because I'm impatient) this lovely preprint has the last part of my phd work and now is out and about 🎉🎊. will write a thread on Monday. stay tuned 📻.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
New preprint, w/ @predictivebrain.bsky.social !
we've found that visual cortex, even when just viewing natural scenes, predicts *higher-level* visual features
The aligns with developments in ML, but challenges some assumptions about early sensory cortex
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
we've found that visual cortex, even when just viewing natural scenes, predicts *higher-level* visual features
The aligns with developments in ML, but challenges some assumptions about early sensory cortex
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Higher-level spatial prediction in natural vision across mouse visual cortex
Theories of predictive processing propose that sensory systems constantly predict incoming signals, based on spatial and temporal context. However, evidence for prediction in sensory cortex largely co...
www.biorxiv.org
May 23, 2025 at 11:39 AM
New preprint, w/ @predictivebrain.bsky.social !
we've found that visual cortex, even when just viewing natural scenes, predicts *higher-level* visual features
The aligns with developments in ML, but challenges some assumptions about early sensory cortex
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
we've found that visual cortex, even when just viewing natural scenes, predicts *higher-level* visual features
The aligns with developments in ML, but challenges some assumptions about early sensory cortex
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
To celebrate the defence of my PhD, and thanks to
@ibbamsterdam.bsky.social, I will host a symposium titled "Vision as prediction: learning, action, and biases" on June 6. Program, registration and more information here: bit.ly/43reOgR
@ibbamsterdam.bsky.social, I will host a symposium titled "Vision as prediction: learning, action, and biases" on June 6. Program, registration and more information here: bit.ly/43reOgR
May 20, 2025 at 12:48 PM
To celebrate the defence of my PhD, and thanks to
@ibbamsterdam.bsky.social, I will host a symposium titled "Vision as prediction: learning, action, and biases" on June 6. Program, registration and more information here: bit.ly/43reOgR
@ibbamsterdam.bsky.social, I will host a symposium titled "Vision as prediction: learning, action, and biases" on June 6. Program, registration and more information here: bit.ly/43reOgR
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
🎉 Our paper "Criterion placement threatens the construct validity of neural measures of consciousness" is now out in eLife! 🎉
TL;DR: Both simulations and empirical data show that you should not post-hoc sort neural data based on subjective measures of consciousness.
elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
TL;DR: Both simulations and empirical data show that you should not post-hoc sort neural data based on subjective measures of consciousness.
elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
Criterion placement threatens the construct validity of neural measures of consciousness
elifesciences.org
December 3, 2024 at 8:27 AM
🎉 Our paper "Criterion placement threatens the construct validity of neural measures of consciousness" is now out in eLife! 🎉
TL;DR: Both simulations and empirical data show that you should not post-hoc sort neural data based on subjective measures of consciousness.
elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
TL;DR: Both simulations and empirical data show that you should not post-hoc sort neural data based on subjective measures of consciousness.
elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Neural and computational analyses further revealed that task effects on preparatory activity over motor cortex, resembling a starting point bias, were smallest on trials with high phasic pupil-linked arousal. (5/6)
May 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Neural and computational analyses further revealed that task effects on preparatory activity over motor cortex, resembling a starting point bias, were smallest on trials with high phasic pupil-linked arousal. (5/6)
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
For more details, go check out the full preprint at: dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.... (6/6)
Phasic and tonic arousal distinctly shape human decision bias
Neuroscientific theories hypothesize that arousal fluctuations influence human perception and behavior in two functionally distinct ways: through variations in baseline state (tonic arousal) and by tr...
dx.doi.org
May 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
For more details, go check out the full preprint at: dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.... (6/6)
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
⚠️ Come see our new preprint, in which we (@degeelab.bsky.social, Jasper Zantvoord, @psterzer.bsky.social, @fahrenfort.bsky.social & @svangaal.bsky.social) show that phasic (task-evoked) and tonic (baseline) arousal distinctly shape human decision bias! (1/6)
dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs....
dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs....
Phasic and tonic arousal distinctly shape human decision bias
Neuroscientific theories hypothesize that arousal fluctuations influence human perception and behavior in two functionally distinct ways: through variations in baseline state (tonic arousal) and by tr...
www.researchsquare.com
May 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
⚠️ Come see our new preprint, in which we (@degeelab.bsky.social, Jasper Zantvoord, @psterzer.bsky.social, @fahrenfort.bsky.social & @svangaal.bsky.social) show that phasic (task-evoked) and tonic (baseline) arousal distinctly shape human decision bias! (1/6)
dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs....
dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs....
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Protect international education in Dutch Academia! openletter.earth/against-lang...
Against Language Barriers: A Call to Protect International Education in Dutch Academia
openletter.earth
May 6, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Protect international education in Dutch Academia! openletter.earth/against-lang...
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
Over 100 organisations still consider eLife papers when evaluating research contributions since losing our Impact Factor: buff.ly/wGQWNqs
Help us rally more community support for research reform and let us know your funder or institution’s stance on the #ImpactFactor 💬
Help us rally more community support for research reform and let us know your funder or institution’s stance on the #ImpactFactor 💬
May 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Over 100 organisations still consider eLife papers when evaluating research contributions since losing our Impact Factor: buff.ly/wGQWNqs
Help us rally more community support for research reform and let us know your funder or institution’s stance on the #ImpactFactor 💬
Help us rally more community support for research reform and let us know your funder or institution’s stance on the #ImpactFactor 💬
Reposted by Simon van Gaal
In @elife.bsky.social: Perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access involve distinct neural mechanisms despite equal task performance doi.org/10.7554/eLif... by Samuel Noorman with @timostein.bsky.social and Simon van Gaal. Well done Samuel!
Perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access involve distinct neural mechanisms despite equal task performance
When performance is matched, the attentional blink allows for greater integration of complex stimulus features than masking, reflecting spared recurrent processing during attentional versus perceptual...
doi.org
May 2, 2025 at 5:19 AM
In @elife.bsky.social: Perceptual and attentional impairments of conscious access involve distinct neural mechanisms despite equal task performance doi.org/10.7554/eLif... by Samuel Noorman with @timostein.bsky.social and Simon van Gaal. Well done Samuel!