Dirk Wulff
@dirkwulff.bsky.social
Cognitive and decision science at MPI for Human Development & Uni Basel | Data science at therbootcamp.github.io | R, language models, and sustainability (text2sdg.io).
How can LLMs advance the cognitive sciences?
@ruimata.bsky.social and I put together a review on how LLMs can help us address five long-standing problems in cognitive science (e.g., disciplinary silos or lack of generalizability).
🔗 arxiv.org/2511.00206
@ruimata.bsky.social and I put together a review on how LLMs can help us address five long-standing problems in cognitive science (e.g., disciplinary silos or lack of generalizability).
🔗 arxiv.org/2511.00206
November 7, 2025 at 7:46 AM
How can LLMs advance the cognitive sciences?
@ruimata.bsky.social and I put together a review on how LLMs can help us address five long-standing problems in cognitive science (e.g., disciplinary silos or lack of generalizability).
🔗 arxiv.org/2511.00206
@ruimata.bsky.social and I put together a review on how LLMs can help us address five long-standing problems in cognitive science (e.g., disciplinary silos or lack of generalizability).
🔗 arxiv.org/2511.00206
🚨 New preprint - Advancing Cognitive Science with LLMs
Excited to share this new preprint together with Rui Mata. We review how 🤖 LLMs can help address long-standing problems in cognitive science, highlighting opportunities and pitfalls.
🔗 Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2511.00206
Excited to share this new preprint together with Rui Mata. We review how 🤖 LLMs can help address long-standing problems in cognitive science, highlighting opportunities and pitfalls.
🔗 Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2511.00206
November 4, 2025 at 10:19 AM
🚨 New preprint - Advancing Cognitive Science with LLMs
Excited to share this new preprint together with Rui Mata. We review how 🤖 LLMs can help address long-standing problems in cognitive science, highlighting opportunities and pitfalls.
🔗 Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2511.00206
Excited to share this new preprint together with Rui Mata. We review how 🤖 LLMs can help address long-standing problems in cognitive science, highlighting opportunities and pitfalls.
🔗 Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2511.00206
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Are reinforcement learning models complete accounts of decisions from experience if they ignore explicit memory?
In this new preprint, we show that people indeed form robust explicit memory representations that flexibly guide later decisions.
🔗 Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Are reinforcement learning models complete accounts of decisions from experience if they ignore explicit memory?
In this new preprint, we show that people indeed form robust explicit memory representations that flexibly guide later decisions.
🔗 Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 29, 2025 at 8:24 AM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Are reinforcement learning models complete accounts of decisions from experience if they ignore explicit memory?
In this new preprint, we show that people indeed form robust explicit memory representations that flexibly guide later decisions.
🔗 Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Are reinforcement learning models complete accounts of decisions from experience if they ignore explicit memory?
In this new preprint, we show that people indeed form robust explicit memory representations that flexibly guide later decisions.
🔗 Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
🚨 New publication: How to improve conceptual clarity in psychological science?
Thrilled to see this article with @ruimata.bsky.social out. We discuss how LLMs can be leveraged to map, clarify, and generate psychological measures and constructs.
Open access article: doi.org/10.1177/0963...
Thrilled to see this article with @ruimata.bsky.social out. We discuss how LLMs can be leveraged to map, clarify, and generate psychological measures and constructs.
Open access article: doi.org/10.1177/0963...
October 23, 2025 at 7:27 AM
🚨 New publication: How to improve conceptual clarity in psychological science?
Thrilled to see this article with @ruimata.bsky.social out. We discuss how LLMs can be leveraged to map, clarify, and generate psychological measures and constructs.
Open access article: doi.org/10.1177/0963...
Thrilled to see this article with @ruimata.bsky.social out. We discuss how LLMs can be leveraged to map, clarify, and generate psychological measures and constructs.
Open access article: doi.org/10.1177/0963...
Thanks. Yeah, it's probably a consequence of the search query we used.
October 19, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Thanks. Yeah, it's probably a consequence of the search query we used.
🚨 New preprint and online tool 🚨
Thrilled to share new work, mapping the 🗺️ landscape of behavioral reinforcement learning using an 🤖 LLM-powered bibliometric approach.
We built an online tool so you can explore the landscape yourself.
Online tool: mpib.berlin/vFVqU
Preprint: osf.io/6c2va_v1
Thrilled to share new work, mapping the 🗺️ landscape of behavioral reinforcement learning using an 🤖 LLM-powered bibliometric approach.
We built an online tool so you can explore the landscape yourself.
Online tool: mpib.berlin/vFVqU
Preprint: osf.io/6c2va_v1
October 17, 2025 at 7:59 AM
🚨 New preprint and online tool 🚨
Thrilled to share new work, mapping the 🗺️ landscape of behavioral reinforcement learning using an 🤖 LLM-powered bibliometric approach.
We built an online tool so you can explore the landscape yourself.
Online tool: mpib.berlin/vFVqU
Preprint: osf.io/6c2va_v1
Thrilled to share new work, mapping the 🗺️ landscape of behavioral reinforcement learning using an 🤖 LLM-powered bibliometric approach.
We built an online tool so you can explore the landscape yourself.
Online tool: mpib.berlin/vFVqU
Preprint: osf.io/6c2va_v1
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Analyzing the academic trajectories of 78,216 psychology researchers, we demonstrate a persistent gender attrition gap, with women psychologists dropping out of academia at consistently higher rates than men psychologists.
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13273
Analyzing the academic trajectories of 78,216 psychology researchers, we demonstrate a persistent gender attrition gap, with women psychologists dropping out of academia at consistently higher rates than men psychologists.
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13273
October 16, 2025 at 9:38 AM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Analyzing the academic trajectories of 78,216 psychology researchers, we demonstrate a persistent gender attrition gap, with women psychologists dropping out of academia at consistently higher rates than men psychologists.
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13273
Analyzing the academic trajectories of 78,216 psychology researchers, we demonstrate a persistent gender attrition gap, with women psychologists dropping out of academia at consistently higher rates than men psychologists.
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2510.13273
🚨 Doctoral positions 🚨
The IMPRS LIFE is looking to fill up to three PhD positions.
If you’re interested in working at @arc-mpib.bsky.social with me on topics related to large language models, semantic networks, and aging, please reach out!
Apply by Nov 30: www.imprs-life.mpg.de/11840/how-to...
The IMPRS LIFE is looking to fill up to three PhD positions.
If you’re interested in working at @arc-mpib.bsky.social with me on topics related to large language models, semantic networks, and aging, please reach out!
Apply by Nov 30: www.imprs-life.mpg.de/11840/how-to...
October 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
🚨 Doctoral positions 🚨
The IMPRS LIFE is looking to fill up to three PhD positions.
If you’re interested in working at @arc-mpib.bsky.social with me on topics related to large language models, semantic networks, and aging, please reach out!
Apply by Nov 30: www.imprs-life.mpg.de/11840/how-to...
The IMPRS LIFE is looking to fill up to three PhD positions.
If you’re interested in working at @arc-mpib.bsky.social with me on topics related to large language models, semantic networks, and aging, please reach out!
Apply by Nov 30: www.imprs-life.mpg.de/11840/how-to...
🚨 New article 🚨
Excited to share this article, presenting a full tutorial on mouse tracking and other movement tracking techniques in psychological research, with examples from our R package mousetrap.
Paper: link.springer.com/article/10.3...
R package: pascalkieslich.github.io/mousetrap/in...
Excited to share this article, presenting a full tutorial on mouse tracking and other movement tracking techniques in psychological research, with examples from our R package mousetrap.
Paper: link.springer.com/article/10.3...
R package: pascalkieslich.github.io/mousetrap/in...
October 9, 2025 at 7:38 AM
🚨 New article 🚨
Excited to share this article, presenting a full tutorial on mouse tracking and other movement tracking techniques in psychological research, with examples from our R package mousetrap.
Paper: link.springer.com/article/10.3...
R package: pascalkieslich.github.io/mousetrap/in...
Excited to share this article, presenting a full tutorial on mouse tracking and other movement tracking techniques in psychological research, with examples from our R package mousetrap.
Paper: link.springer.com/article/10.3...
R package: pascalkieslich.github.io/mousetrap/in...
🚨 New preprint 🚨
What are the reasons underlying human choice in the face of risk?
Excited to share new work with Kamil Fulawka and Ralph Hertwig, establishing #LLMs as a scalable solution to uncovering the reasons behind people's choices from free text reports.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
What are the reasons underlying human choice in the face of risk?
Excited to share new work with Kamil Fulawka and Ralph Hertwig, establishing #LLMs as a scalable solution to uncovering the reasons behind people's choices from free text reports.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
August 28, 2025 at 9:12 AM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
What are the reasons underlying human choice in the face of risk?
Excited to share new work with Kamil Fulawka and Ralph Hertwig, establishing #LLMs as a scalable solution to uncovering the reasons behind people's choices from free text reports.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
What are the reasons underlying human choice in the face of risk?
Excited to share new work with Kamil Fulawka and Ralph Hertwig, establishing #LLMs as a scalable solution to uncovering the reasons behind people's choices from free text reports.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
🚨 New article 🚨
How to measure semantic #networks of individuals reliably?
Excited to share this article, led by @aeschbach.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social. Based on simulations, we provide recommendations on designing and interpreting behavioral studies.
Article: lnkd.in/dhWiwEBU
How to measure semantic #networks of individuals reliably?
Excited to share this article, led by @aeschbach.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social. Based on simulations, we provide recommendations on designing and interpreting behavioral studies.
Article: lnkd.in/dhWiwEBU
August 13, 2025 at 9:52 AM
🚨 New article 🚨
How to measure semantic #networks of individuals reliably?
Excited to share this article, led by @aeschbach.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social. Based on simulations, we provide recommendations on designing and interpreting behavioral studies.
Article: lnkd.in/dhWiwEBU
How to measure semantic #networks of individuals reliably?
Excited to share this article, led by @aeschbach.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social. Based on simulations, we provide recommendations on designing and interpreting behavioral studies.
Article: lnkd.in/dhWiwEBU
🚨 New publication 🚨
Excited to see this published in Findings of #ACL2025, led by @zakashussain.bsky.social.
We critically evaluate claims that #LLMs are "just next token predictors" or "just machines" and call for a more measured discussion on LLM cognition.
aclanthology.org/2025.finding...
Excited to see this published in Findings of #ACL2025, led by @zakashussain.bsky.social.
We critically evaluate claims that #LLMs are "just next token predictors" or "just machines" and call for a more measured discussion on LLM cognition.
aclanthology.org/2025.finding...
July 23, 2025 at 3:14 PM
🚨 New publication 🚨
Excited to see this published in Findings of #ACL2025, led by @zakashussain.bsky.social.
We critically evaluate claims that #LLMs are "just next token predictors" or "just machines" and call for a more measured discussion on LLM cognition.
aclanthology.org/2025.finding...
Excited to see this published in Findings of #ACL2025, led by @zakashussain.bsky.social.
We critically evaluate claims that #LLMs are "just next token predictors" or "just machines" and call for a more measured discussion on LLM cognition.
aclanthology.org/2025.finding...
Happy to have concluded another iteration of our 5-day open LLMs course, together with @zakashussain.bsky.social.
If you are interested in LLMs for behavioral and social sciences, check out our...
Tutorial: doi.org/10.3758/s134...
Open materials: github.com/zak-Hussain/...
If you are interested in LLMs for behavioral and social sciences, check out our...
Tutorial: doi.org/10.3758/s134...
Open materials: github.com/zak-Hussain/...
June 23, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Happy to have concluded another iteration of our 5-day open LLMs course, together with @zakashussain.bsky.social.
If you are interested in LLMs for behavioral and social sciences, check out our...
Tutorial: doi.org/10.3758/s134...
Open materials: github.com/zak-Hussain/...
If you are interested in LLMs for behavioral and social sciences, check out our...
Tutorial: doi.org/10.3758/s134...
Open materials: github.com/zak-Hussain/...
🚨 New preprint 🚨
How to improve risk communication?
In this new piece, spearheaded by @kevinetiede.bsky.social, we argue that traditional risk communication often fails to convey experiential dimensions of risk, and that experiential simulations can help fill this gap.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
How to improve risk communication?
In this new piece, spearheaded by @kevinetiede.bsky.social, we argue that traditional risk communication often fails to convey experiential dimensions of risk, and that experiential simulations can help fill this gap.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
June 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
How to improve risk communication?
In this new piece, spearheaded by @kevinetiede.bsky.social, we argue that traditional risk communication often fails to convey experiential dimensions of risk, and that experiential simulations can help fill this gap.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
How to improve risk communication?
In this new piece, spearheaded by @kevinetiede.bsky.social, we argue that traditional risk communication often fails to convey experiential dimensions of risk, and that experiential simulations can help fill this gap.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
🚨 Postdoc position in India 🚨
Work with Kavitha Ranganathan and me to explore the potential of LLMs for improving risk communication. The position (Senior Research Fellow) includes a research stay and affiliation with@arc-mpib.bsky.social at @mpib-berlin.bsky.social.
Work with Kavitha Ranganathan and me to explore the potential of LLMs for improving risk communication. The position (Senior Research Fellow) includes a research stay and affiliation with@arc-mpib.bsky.social at @mpib-berlin.bsky.social.
May 29, 2025 at 12:49 PM
🚨 Postdoc position in India 🚨
Work with Kavitha Ranganathan and me to explore the potential of LLMs for improving risk communication. The position (Senior Research Fellow) includes a research stay and affiliation with@arc-mpib.bsky.social at @mpib-berlin.bsky.social.
Work with Kavitha Ranganathan and me to explore the potential of LLMs for improving risk communication. The position (Senior Research Fellow) includes a research stay and affiliation with@arc-mpib.bsky.social at @mpib-berlin.bsky.social.
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Excited to share this work with Dorothée Bentz, where we map the landscape of contamination OCD triggers and analyze individual differences in trigger importance and relatedness.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Excited to share this work with Dorothée Bentz, where we map the landscape of contamination OCD triggers and analyze individual differences in trigger importance and relatedness.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
May 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Excited to share this work with Dorothée Bentz, where we map the landscape of contamination OCD triggers and analyze individual differences in trigger importance and relatedness.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Excited to share this work with Dorothée Bentz, where we map the landscape of contamination OCD triggers and analyze individual differences in trigger importance and relatedness.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
How to improve conceptual clarity in psychology?
Excited to share a new preprint with @ruimata.bsky.social, discussing approaches based on large language models as possible solutions.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Excited to share a new preprint with @ruimata.bsky.social, discussing approaches based on large language models as possible solutions.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
April 30, 2025 at 2:08 PM
How to improve conceptual clarity in psychology?
Excited to share a new preprint with @ruimata.bsky.social, discussing approaches based on large language models as possible solutions.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Excited to share a new preprint with @ruimata.bsky.social, discussing approaches based on large language models as possible solutions.
Preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...
How can we reduce conceptual clutter in the psychological sciences?
@ruimata.bsky.social and I propose a solution based on a fine-tuned 🤖 LLM (bit.ly/mpnet-pers) and test it for 🎭 personality psychology.
The paper is finally out in @natrevpsych.bsky.social: go.nature.com/4bEaaja
@ruimata.bsky.social and I propose a solution based on a fine-tuned 🤖 LLM (bit.ly/mpnet-pers) and test it for 🎭 personality psychology.
The paper is finally out in @natrevpsych.bsky.social: go.nature.com/4bEaaja
March 11, 2025 at 10:57 AM
How can we reduce conceptual clutter in the psychological sciences?
@ruimata.bsky.social and I propose a solution based on a fine-tuned 🤖 LLM (bit.ly/mpnet-pers) and test it for 🎭 personality psychology.
The paper is finally out in @natrevpsych.bsky.social: go.nature.com/4bEaaja
@ruimata.bsky.social and I propose a solution based on a fine-tuned 🤖 LLM (bit.ly/mpnet-pers) and test it for 🎭 personality psychology.
The paper is finally out in @natrevpsych.bsky.social: go.nature.com/4bEaaja
Do LLMs think?
Excited to share our updated preprint critically discussing two "Justaic" stances claiming that LLMs lack cognition because they are "just" next-token predictors or "just" machines.
Led by @zakashussain.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social .
osf.io/preprints/os...
Excited to share our updated preprint critically discussing two "Justaic" stances claiming that LLMs lack cognition because they are "just" next-token predictors or "just" machines.
Led by @zakashussain.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social .
osf.io/preprints/os...
February 20, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Do LLMs think?
Excited to share our updated preprint critically discussing two "Justaic" stances claiming that LLMs lack cognition because they are "just" next-token predictors or "just" machines.
Led by @zakashussain.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social .
osf.io/preprints/os...
Excited to share our updated preprint critically discussing two "Justaic" stances claiming that LLMs lack cognition because they are "just" next-token predictors or "just" machines.
Led by @zakashussain.bsky.social and with @ruimata.bsky.social .
osf.io/preprints/os...
Yes. We need to rely more on open LLMs: osf.io/preprints/os...
December 19, 2024 at 3:22 PM
Yes. We need to rely more on open LLMs: osf.io/preprints/os...
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Excited to share this preprint led by Zak Hussain (with @ruimata.bsky.social and Ben Newell), comparing the semantic contents of embedding models from text, brain, and behavior data using the psychNorms metabase: github.com/zak-hussain/...
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04936
Excited to share this preprint led by Zak Hussain (with @ruimata.bsky.social and Ben Newell), comparing the semantic contents of embedding models from text, brain, and behavior data using the psychNorms metabase: github.com/zak-hussain/...
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04936
December 10, 2024 at 9:17 AM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
Excited to share this preprint led by Zak Hussain (with @ruimata.bsky.social and Ben Newell), comparing the semantic contents of embedding models from text, brain, and behavior data using the psychNorms metabase: github.com/zak-hussain/...
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04936
Excited to share this preprint led by Zak Hussain (with @ruimata.bsky.social and Ben Newell), comparing the semantic contents of embedding models from text, brain, and behavior data using the psychNorms metabase: github.com/zak-hussain/...
Preprint: arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04936
This is an instructive illustration of crucial differences between humans and LLMs. However, we should keep in mind that just as with humans, it matters a lot how we ask LLMs questions. Also, it is worth noting that similar familiarity/fluency processes have long been demonstrated in humans, too.
December 2, 2024 at 11:11 AM
This is an instructive illustration of crucial differences between humans and LLMs. However, we should keep in mind that just as with humans, it matters a lot how we ask LLMs questions. Also, it is worth noting that similar familiarity/fluency processes have long been demonstrated in humans, too.
🚨 New article 🚨
Can experienced-based simulations help communicate financial risks?
Replicating and extending past work, this article with Tomás Lejarraga and Kavitha Ranganathan concludes that the benefits of experienced-based simulations are limited.
Article: doi.org/10.1017/jdm....
Can experienced-based simulations help communicate financial risks?
Replicating and extending past work, this article with Tomás Lejarraga and Kavitha Ranganathan concludes that the benefits of experienced-based simulations are limited.
Article: doi.org/10.1017/jdm....
November 22, 2024 at 4:39 PM
🚨 New article 🚨
Can experienced-based simulations help communicate financial risks?
Replicating and extending past work, this article with Tomás Lejarraga and Kavitha Ranganathan concludes that the benefits of experienced-based simulations are limited.
Article: doi.org/10.1017/jdm....
Can experienced-based simulations help communicate financial risks?
Replicating and extending past work, this article with Tomás Lejarraga and Kavitha Ranganathan concludes that the benefits of experienced-based simulations are limited.
Article: doi.org/10.1017/jdm....
🚨 New article 🚨
Analyzing over 1,000,000 sampling decisions, @spektor.bsky.social and I show how people are adaptive explorers who reduce multiple types of uncertainty and leverage prior expectations and meta-knowledge about their decision environment.
Open access article: lnkd.in/dWdSvQSq
Analyzing over 1,000,000 sampling decisions, @spektor.bsky.social and I show how people are adaptive explorers who reduce multiple types of uncertainty and leverage prior expectations and meta-knowledge about their decision environment.
Open access article: lnkd.in/dWdSvQSq
November 18, 2024 at 7:56 AM
🚨 New article 🚨
Analyzing over 1,000,000 sampling decisions, @spektor.bsky.social and I show how people are adaptive explorers who reduce multiple types of uncertainty and leverage prior expectations and meta-knowledge about their decision environment.
Open access article: lnkd.in/dWdSvQSq
Analyzing over 1,000,000 sampling decisions, @spektor.bsky.social and I show how people are adaptive explorers who reduce multiple types of uncertainty and leverage prior expectations and meta-knowledge about their decision environment.
Open access article: lnkd.in/dWdSvQSq
🚨 Job alert 🚨
One more week to apply for two positions (PhD and Postdoc) at @arc-mpib.bsky.social on using LLMs to improve generalizability in the behavioral and social sciences.
The positions are fully funded for three years. Apply by October 13! Thank you for sharing!
One more week to apply for two positions (PhD and Postdoc) at @arc-mpib.bsky.social on using LLMs to improve generalizability in the behavioral and social sciences.
The positions are fully funded for three years. Apply by October 13! Thank you for sharing!
October 7, 2024 at 11:59 AM
🚨 Job alert 🚨
One more week to apply for two positions (PhD and Postdoc) at @arc-mpib.bsky.social on using LLMs to improve generalizability in the behavioral and social sciences.
The positions are fully funded for three years. Apply by October 13! Thank you for sharing!
One more week to apply for two positions (PhD and Postdoc) at @arc-mpib.bsky.social on using LLMs to improve generalizability in the behavioral and social sciences.
The positions are fully funded for three years. Apply by October 13! Thank you for sharing!