Jon Freeman
@freemanjb.bsky.social
associate professor of psychology and social neuroscientist at columbia | person perception and social cognition | data equity | 🏳️🌈
Pinned
Jon Freeman
@freemanjb.bsky.social
· Sep 19
New findings from my lab in Nature Communications suggest that racial stereotypes can lead the brain's perceptual system to temporarily "see" weapons where they don't exist.
Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/6)
Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/6)
Reposted by Jon Freeman
I’m excited to share my 1st first-authored paper, “Distinct portions of superior temporal sulcus combine auditory representations with different visual streams” (with @mtfang.bsky.social and @steanze.bsky.social ), now out in The Journal of Neuroscience!
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
October 2, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I’m excited to share my 1st first-authored paper, “Distinct portions of superior temporal sulcus combine auditory representations with different visual streams” (with @mtfang.bsky.social and @steanze.bsky.social ), now out in The Journal of Neuroscience!
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
Democracy Forward & I filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Census Bureau, seeking the release of data from its testing of sexual orientation & gender identity questions in the nation's most important annual demographic survey, key to upholding LGBTQ+ rights.
democracyforward.org/updates/sogi...
(1/4)
democracyforward.org/updates/sogi...
(1/4)
We’re suing the Census Bureau to force the release of critical LGBTQ+ data.
Failing to release the data = failing to include LGBTQ+ people from policy decisions impacting health care, housing, employment, education, and more resources.
So we're demanding accountability.
Failing to release the data = failing to include LGBTQ+ people from policy decisions impacting health care, housing, employment, education, and more resources.
So we're demanding accountability.
September 23, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Democracy Forward & I filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Census Bureau, seeking the release of data from its testing of sexual orientation & gender identity questions in the nation's most important annual demographic survey, key to upholding LGBTQ+ rights.
democracyforward.org/updates/sogi...
(1/4)
democracyforward.org/updates/sogi...
(1/4)
New findings from my lab in Nature Communications suggest that racial stereotypes can lead the brain's perceptual system to temporarily "see" weapons where they don't exist.
Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/6)
Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/6)
September 19, 2025 at 3:19 PM
New findings from my lab in Nature Communications suggest that racial stereotypes can lead the brain's perceptual system to temporarily "see" weapons where they don't exist.
Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/6)
Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social
Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/6)
Reposted by Jon Freeman
Three @spspnews.bsky.social members will discuss their grant terminations and next steps, followed by Q&A, story sharing, and community discussion.
Moderator: Cynthia L. Pickett, Professor; Past SPSP President
Speakers: @lkfazio.bsky.social, @freemanjb.bsky.social, and @frankikung.bsky.social
Moderator: Cynthia L. Pickett, Professor; Past SPSP President
Speakers: @lkfazio.bsky.social, @freemanjb.bsky.social, and @frankikung.bsky.social
September 9, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Three @spspnews.bsky.social members will discuss their grant terminations and next steps, followed by Q&A, story sharing, and community discussion.
Moderator: Cynthia L. Pickett, Professor; Past SPSP President
Speakers: @lkfazio.bsky.social, @freemanjb.bsky.social, and @frankikung.bsky.social
Moderator: Cynthia L. Pickett, Professor; Past SPSP President
Speakers: @lkfazio.bsky.social, @freemanjb.bsky.social, and @frankikung.bsky.social
Reposted by Jon Freeman
The Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (@fabbs.org) is searching for a short-term technology policy fellow. Great opportunity for a new PhD interested in policy, maybe before a research postdoc or faculty position:
fabbs.org/news/2025/08...
fabbs.org/news/2025/08...
We’re Hiring: Technology Policy Fellow – FABBS
Location: Washington, D.C. (hybrid) Salary: Approximately $7,000 per month Start Date: September 15, 2025 Duration: 3 months, with potential for longer Position
fabbs.org
August 15, 2025 at 3:05 PM
The Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (@fabbs.org) is searching for a short-term technology policy fellow. Great opportunity for a new PhD interested in policy, maybe before a research postdoc or faculty position:
fabbs.org/news/2025/08...
fabbs.org/news/2025/08...
Reposted by Jon Freeman
First paper from my lab out @commspsychol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00275-w
Latent factor models are popular for mental representation of people, e.g. warmth & competence
But we show in naturalistic contexts, more complex representations are needed: high-dimensional networks
www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00275-w
Latent factor models are popular for mental representation of people, e.g. warmth & competence
But we show in naturalistic contexts, more complex representations are needed: high-dimensional networks
www.nature.com
July 8, 2025 at 1:37 AM
First paper from my lab out @commspsychol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00275-w
Latent factor models are popular for mental representation of people, e.g. warmth & competence
But we show in naturalistic contexts, more complex representations are needed: high-dimensional networks
www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00275-w
Latent factor models are popular for mental representation of people, e.g. warmth & competence
But we show in naturalistic contexts, more complex representations are needed: high-dimensional networks
Reposted by Jon Freeman
Paper in @pnas.org in which @d-melnikoff.bsky.social and I provide evidence for model-based effects on automatic evaluation. This was a super fun “adversarial” collaboration with 0 adversariality. It may have been nice to be right, but getting it right is nearly as nice: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
June 21, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Paper in @pnas.org in which @d-melnikoff.bsky.social and I provide evidence for model-based effects on automatic evaluation. This was a super fun “adversarial” collaboration with 0 adversariality. It may have been nice to be right, but getting it right is nearly as nice: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
In a TiCS paper, @chujunlin.bsky.social & I propose a high-dimensional model of social impressions.
Existing models focus on 2–4 latent dimensions (e.g. trustworthy/warm), but they often fall apart across different contexts, cultures, & perceivers. We need a paradigm shift.
shorturl.at/7GD1n (1/8)
Existing models focus on 2–4 latent dimensions (e.g. trustworthy/warm), but they often fall apart across different contexts, cultures, & perceivers. We need a paradigm shift.
shorturl.at/7GD1n (1/8)
A high-dimensional model of social impressions
People form social impressions from visual cues such as faces, which are argued by
various models to arise from some limited set of fixed dimensions (e.g., trustworthiness
and dominance). We argue tha...
www.cell.com
June 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
In a TiCS paper, @chujunlin.bsky.social & I propose a high-dimensional model of social impressions.
Existing models focus on 2–4 latent dimensions (e.g. trustworthy/warm), but they often fall apart across different contexts, cultures, & perceivers. We need a paradigm shift.
shorturl.at/7GD1n (1/8)
Existing models focus on 2–4 latent dimensions (e.g. trustworthy/warm), but they often fall apart across different contexts, cultures, & perceivers. We need a paradigm shift.
shorturl.at/7GD1n (1/8)
Want your NIH and NSF program officers and division directors to be fired and turned into political appointees?
Deadline extended: 3 days left! Already 33,000+ public comments
Comments can tank a proposed rule in court.
📣 Oppose the rule with a brief comment: shorturl.at/WKuBj
Deadline extended: 3 days left! Already 33,000+ public comments
Comments can tank a proposed rule in court.
📣 Oppose the rule with a brief comment: shorturl.at/WKuBj
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
June 4, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Want your NIH and NSF program officers and division directors to be fired and turned into political appointees?
Deadline extended: 3 days left! Already 33,000+ public comments
Comments can tank a proposed rule in court.
📣 Oppose the rule with a brief comment: shorturl.at/WKuBj
Deadline extended: 3 days left! Already 33,000+ public comments
Comments can tank a proposed rule in court.
📣 Oppose the rule with a brief comment: shorturl.at/WKuBj
So thrilled @youngkihong.bsky.social will be starting up at UC Boulder!
Excited to share that I’ll be joining the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at @colorado.edu as an Assistant Professor this fall! My lab will study social cognition, focusing on the cognitive and neural bases of stereotyping and bias interventions.
Home
colorado.edu
June 2, 2025 at 5:07 PM
So thrilled @youngkihong.bsky.social will be starting up at UC Boulder!
Reposted by Jon Freeman
Join our @erc.europa.eu funded lab @ki.se! We're hiring a postdoc to explore how humans learn from each other — with fMRI, modeling, & behavioral experiments. 🧠👫
A chance to lead cutting-edge work in social neuro & computational psychology.
Apply: shorturl.at/GJQuW
A chance to lead cutting-edge work in social neuro & computational psychology.
Apply: shorturl.at/GJQuW
Postdoctoral Researcher in social/cognitive neuroscience with focus on social learning
Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? The Mechanisms of Social Behavior lab at Karolinska Institutet (PI: Björn Lindström) is seeking a highly qualified postdoctoral researcher.
shorturl.at
May 28, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Join our @erc.europa.eu funded lab @ki.se! We're hiring a postdoc to explore how humans learn from each other — with fMRI, modeling, & behavioral experiments. 🧠👫
A chance to lead cutting-edge work in social neuro & computational psychology.
Apply: shorturl.at/GJQuW
A chance to lead cutting-edge work in social neuro & computational psychology.
Apply: shorturl.at/GJQuW
Thrilled that @chujunlin.bsky.social is joining us this July!
🥳Excited to share that I am joining Columbia July 2025
@columbiauniversity.bsky.social
Looking for🚨lab managers🚨postdocs🚨grad students! Pls REPOST🙏
We study⭐️person perception⭐️social cognition using experimental, cross-cultural, & computational methods!
App👉shorturl.at/5UVPl
More👉shorturl.at/q18GM
@columbiauniversity.bsky.social
Looking for🚨lab managers🚨postdocs🚨grad students! Pls REPOST🙏
We study⭐️person perception⭐️social cognition using experimental, cross-cultural, & computational methods!
App👉shorturl.at/5UVPl
More👉shorturl.at/q18GM
May 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Thrilled that @chujunlin.bsky.social is joining us this July!
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
May 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
New NSF FAQ is posted. The 5 new priorities presumably don’t demolish science-wide funding. Good news-ish.
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
May 20, 2025 at 8:09 PM
New NSF FAQ is posted. The 5 new priorities presumably don’t demolish science-wide funding. Good news-ish.
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
Reposted by Jon Freeman
Thanks to scienceimpacts.org for mapping the impacts of cutting NIH indirect costs & making it easy for local news to focus on the impacts to their community
Thanks to @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social for helping researchers write op-eds for their hometown newspapers about the impacts on science 4/
Thanks to @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social for helping researchers write op-eds for their hometown newspapers about the impacts on science 4/
SCIMaP - Impacts of Federal Cuts to Science and Medical Research
Developed by an interdisciplinary research team, this website shows how funding cuts reduce economic activity and employment nationwide
scienceimpacts.org
May 7, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Thanks to scienceimpacts.org for mapping the impacts of cutting NIH indirect costs & making it easy for local news to focus on the impacts to their community
Thanks to @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social for helping researchers write op-eds for their hometown newspapers about the impacts on science 4/
Thanks to @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social for helping researchers write op-eds for their hometown newspapers about the impacts on science 4/
Reposted by Jon Freeman
I am so heartened to this seriously AWESOME #SaveNSF website go up today!!!!
Has a take action toolkit with:
1. Press outreach templates
2. Social media toolkit
3. Elected official outreach
4. Talking points
Check it out and share widely!!!! Likely more to come.
www.savensf.com
Has a take action toolkit with:
1. Press outreach templates
2. Social media toolkit
3. Elected official outreach
4. Talking points
Check it out and share widely!!!! Likely more to come.
www.savensf.com
May 2, 2025 at 10:08 PM
I am so heartened to this seriously AWESOME #SaveNSF website go up today!!!!
Has a take action toolkit with:
1. Press outreach templates
2. Social media toolkit
3. Elected official outreach
4. Talking points
Check it out and share widely!!!! Likely more to come.
www.savensf.com
Has a take action toolkit with:
1. Press outreach templates
2. Social media toolkit
3. Elected official outreach
4. Talking points
Check it out and share widely!!!! Likely more to come.
www.savensf.com
Reposted by Jon Freeman
🧪 Tip: You have the right to contest a grant termination, even though NSF says you don't. 🧵
On Friday, NSF terminated 402 grants (per Musk's DOGE).
The notification letters had one of the most egregious violations of fed regulations I've seen so far in these cases:
"not subject to appeal"
On Friday, NSF terminated 402 grants (per Musk's DOGE).
The notification letters had one of the most egregious violations of fed regulations I've seen so far in these cases:
"not subject to appeal"
Here's a copy of an NSF grant termination notice that went out today. "NSF is issuing this termination to protect the interests of the government pursuant...on the basis that they no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities." Not subject to appeal. #HigherEd #AcademicSky
![Text of email: Dear [redacted],
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has undertaken a review of its award portfolio. Each award was carefully and individually reviewed, and the agency has determined that termination of certain awards is necessary because they are not in alignment with current NSF priorities. Effective immediately, the following are terminated: [redacted]
NSF is issuing this termination to protect the interests of the government pursuant to NSF Grant General Conditions (GC-1) term and condition entitled Termination and Enforcement; on the basis that they no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities. This is the final agency decision and not subject to appeal. Costs incurred as a result of this termination may be reimbursed, provided such costs would otherwise be allowable under the terms of the award and the governing cost principles. In accordance with your award terms and conditions, you have 30 days from the termination date to furnish a summary of progress under the award and an itemized accounting of allowable costs incurred prior to the termination date.
Sincerely, [redacted] Division Director
Office of Budget Finance and Award Management (BFA)
Division of Grants and Agreements (DGA)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:l3jbgdl7a5rtsfyrgjw7spkz/bafkreif3rmsl6htpibxg3loqsuazljaekd636abaavvfm4nkjplr5e6itu@jpeg)
April 20, 2025 at 4:33 PM
🧪 Tip: You have the right to contest a grant termination, even though NSF says you don't. 🧵
On Friday, NSF terminated 402 grants (per Musk's DOGE).
The notification letters had one of the most egregious violations of fed regulations I've seen so far in these cases:
"not subject to appeal"
On Friday, NSF terminated 402 grants (per Musk's DOGE).
The notification letters had one of the most egregious violations of fed regulations I've seen so far in these cases:
"not subject to appeal"
Job alert 🚨
We’re hiring a full-time research staff assistant at Columbia starting Fall 2025! The position will focus on several topics in the lab, including the cognitive & neural mechanisms underlying dynamic social perception using fMRI & natural language processing.
Link: freemanlab.org/ra2025
We’re hiring a full-time research staff assistant at Columbia starting Fall 2025! The position will focus on several topics in the lab, including the cognitive & neural mechanisms underlying dynamic social perception using fMRI & natural language processing.
Link: freemanlab.org/ra2025
April 21, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Job alert 🚨
We’re hiring a full-time research staff assistant at Columbia starting Fall 2025! The position will focus on several topics in the lab, including the cognitive & neural mechanisms underlying dynamic social perception using fMRI & natural language processing.
Link: freemanlab.org/ra2025
We’re hiring a full-time research staff assistant at Columbia starting Fall 2025! The position will focus on several topics in the lab, including the cognitive & neural mechanisms underlying dynamic social perception using fMRI & natural language processing.
Link: freemanlab.org/ra2025
Reposted by Jon Freeman
Very proud to finally share our latest paper "Person Knowledge is Independently Encoded by Allocentric and Egocentric Reference Frames within Separate Brain Systems," officially out at Psych Science.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Person Knowledge Is Independently Encoded by Allocentric and Egocentric Reference Frames Within Separate Brain Systems - Robert S. Chavez, Taylor D. Guthrie, Jack M. Kapustka, 2025
Knowing the similarities among others is critical for navigating our social environments and building relationships. However, people can evaluate the similarity...
journals.sagepub.com
April 17, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Very proud to finally share our latest paper "Person Knowledge is Independently Encoded by Allocentric and Egocentric Reference Frames within Separate Brain Systems," officially out at Psych Science.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Jon Freeman
I'm THRILLED to announce that this fall, I will be joining the Psychological and Brain Sciences department at Dartmouth as a PhD student!!! I'll will be working with the amazing @markthornton.bsky.social and the SCRAP Lab! 🌲🧠
April 15, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I'm THRILLED to announce that this fall, I will be joining the Psychological and Brain Sciences department at Dartmouth as a PhD student!!! I'll will be working with the amazing @markthornton.bsky.social and the SCRAP Lab! 🌲🧠
Reposted by Jon Freeman
🧪I'm not surprised, but very disappointed...
Sexual orientation, gender Qs cut from U.S. Ph.D. grad survey @science.org
At @aaas.org we worked with @freemanjb.bsky.social & many incredible partners on this- won't stop. The World Needs Science & Science Needs Everyone!
www.science.org/content/arti...
Sexual orientation, gender Qs cut from U.S. Ph.D. grad survey @science.org
At @aaas.org we worked with @freemanjb.bsky.social & many incredible partners on this- won't stop. The World Needs Science & Science Needs Everyone!
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org
April 16, 2025 at 4:02 PM
🧪I'm not surprised, but very disappointed...
Sexual orientation, gender Qs cut from U.S. Ph.D. grad survey @science.org
At @aaas.org we worked with @freemanjb.bsky.social & many incredible partners on this- won't stop. The World Needs Science & Science Needs Everyone!
www.science.org/content/arti...
Sexual orientation, gender Qs cut from U.S. Ph.D. grad survey @science.org
At @aaas.org we worked with @freemanjb.bsky.social & many incredible partners on this- won't stop. The World Needs Science & Science Needs Everyone!
www.science.org/content/arti...
As expected, NSF is cutting gender and sexual orientation data on U.S. STEM workforce surveys (on shaky legal ground). I'm grateful that following my request (shorturl.at/9rFMW) OMB required NSF to post an official rationale, which will be crucial to how we'll restore these questions in the future.
NEW: Sexual orientation, gender options cut from U.S. Ph.D. graduate survey | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
Sexual orientation, gender options cut from U.S. Ph.D. graduate survey
After adding questions to a key survey last year, the U.S. National Science Foundation is reversing course
www.science.org
April 11, 2025 at 11:49 PM
As expected, NSF is cutting gender and sexual orientation data on U.S. STEM workforce surveys (on shaky legal ground). I'm grateful that following my request (shorturl.at/9rFMW) OMB required NSF to post an official rationale, which will be crucial to how we'll restore these questions in the future.
Reposted by Jon Freeman
Postdoctoral Position, full ad here: hehmanlab.org/ad
Drs. Jordan Axt and Eric Hehman are seeking applications for a jointly funded Post-Doctoral Researcher, beginning Fall 2025.
Topic area would broadly be centered on intergroup dynamics and prejudice.
1/2
Drs. Jordan Axt and Eric Hehman are seeking applications for a jointly funded Post-Doctoral Researcher, beginning Fall 2025.
Topic area would broadly be centered on intergroup dynamics and prejudice.
1/2
ad
hehmanlab.org
April 1, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Postdoctoral Position, full ad here: hehmanlab.org/ad
Drs. Jordan Axt and Eric Hehman are seeking applications for a jointly funded Post-Doctoral Researcher, beginning Fall 2025.
Topic area would broadly be centered on intergroup dynamics and prejudice.
1/2
Drs. Jordan Axt and Eric Hehman are seeking applications for a jointly funded Post-Doctoral Researcher, beginning Fall 2025.
Topic area would broadly be centered on intergroup dynamics and prejudice.
1/2