How to Train Your Brain

My research focuses on how people evaluate their choices and decisions: Can we spot our mistakes even before receiving feedback? Why are we sometimes overconfident and sometimes underconfident in our decisions? Do we know when we need advice and do we use that advice wisely? I am interested in the computations and brain basis of these evaluations and the way they affect people's decisions. In this talk, I will describe my research in this area in the context of wider psychology research into how much insight people have into their own thought processes.

In my Adaptive Behaviour & Cognition Lab, we explore the adaptive capabilities of our cognitive system. For this talk, we will spin a few yarns. A corgi will show us what your cognition needs to accomplish if you want to find your favourite ball once you have moved away from it. An IKEA wardrobe will remind us how often we avoid using important mental capabilities. A comparison between GBBO’s “technical challenge” and “showstopper” will help us understand the cognitive intricacies involved in recreating dishes you've made before.