Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 11m

I guess the missing link here is "However, we find that even if the agent updates its belief via, arguably objective, Bayesian inference, fitting the above model demonstrates both the biases". I working under the assumption that the Bayes solution is understood as normative given the task here

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 32m

If you want to know more about the reinforcement learning biases framework, I summarised it here:

www.researchgate.net/publication/...

1

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 20h

Very cool study showing that "apparent" asymmetric update in reinforcement learning can emerge from Bayes optimal principles by Prakhar Godara in @pnas.org

www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...

Apparent learning biases emerge from optimal inference: Insights from master equation analysis | PNAS

Recent studies [S. Palminteri, G. Lefebvre, E. J. Kilford, S. J. Blakemore, PLoS Comput. Biol. 13, e1005684 (2017); G. Lefebvre, M. Lebreton, F. Me...

www.pnas.org

3 7 31

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 20h

I am very humbled that during the past years so many smart people took seriously our research questions and results to push forward our understanding.
On the specific subject matter (bias or optimal) I am still persuaded that it is a bias, that just happens to be generally optimal 😉

1

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 20h

Also quite coherent with what has been found by @akjagadish.bsky.social and co that asymmetric update emerges as an optimal solution in a neural-network meta-reinforcement learning agent arxiv.org/abs/2402.03969

In-context learning agents are asymmetric belief updaters

We study the in-context learning dynamics of large language models (LLMs) using three instrumental learning tasks adapted from cognitive psychology. We find that LLMs update their beliefs in an asymme...

arxiv.org

1 4

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 20h

It resonates perfectly well with what we (with @isabellehoxha.bsky.social and Léo Sperber) have shown, that the bias emerges as an evolutionary stable solution in multi-agent simulations

www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...

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

1 2

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 20h

Very cool study showing that "apparent" asymmetric update in reinforcement learning can emerge from Bayes optimal principles by Prakhar Godara in @pnas.org

www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...

Apparent learning biases emerge from optimal inference: Insights from master equation analysis | PNAS

Recent studies [S. Palminteri, G. Lefebvre, E. J. Kilford, S. J. Blakemore, PLoS Comput. Biol. 13, e1005684 (2017); G. Lefebvre, M. Lebreton, F. Me...

www.pnas.org

3 7 31

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 4d

Thought experiments such as the Blockhead and Super-Super Spartans are often taken as “definitive” arguments against behavior-based inference of cognitive processes.
In our review -with @thecharleywu.bsky.social- we argue they may not be as definitive as originally thought.

2 2

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Hernán Anlló @anllohernan.bsky.social · 3d

I haven't given any news a while, I've been nose deep into this novel preprint with my excellent collaborators @stepalminteri.bsky.social, @urihertz.bsky.social and Bahador Bahrami: "Uncovering the semantics of teaching in
experiential learning with Large Language Models".
doi.org/10.31234/osf...

OSF

doi.org

4 3 9

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 4d

Thought experiments such as the Blockhead and Super-Super Spartans are often taken as “definitive” arguments against behavior-based inference of cognitive processes.
In our review -with @thecharleywu.bsky.social- we argue they may not be as definitive as originally thought.

2 2

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 5d

New (revised) preprint with @thecharleywu.bsky.social
We rethink how to assess machine consciousness: not by code or circuitry, but by behavioral inference—as in cognitive science.
Extraordinary claims still need extraordinary evidence.
👉 osf.io/preprints/ps...
#AI #Consciousness #LLM

4 16

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 5d

New (revised) preprint with @thecharleywu.bsky.social
We rethink how to assess machine consciousness: not by code or circuitry, but by behavioral inference—as in cognitive science.
Extraordinary claims still need extraordinary evidence.
👉 osf.io/preprints/ps...
#AI #Consciousness #LLM

4 16

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 12d

This book by @anilananth.bsky.social is great — perfect for those, like me, who have an intuitive and geometric grasp of math but unfortunately no formal training. Highly recommended!

4 21

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 12d

This book by @anilananth.bsky.social is great — perfect for those, like me, who have an intuitive and geometric grasp of math but unfortunately no formal training. Highly recommended!

4 21

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Ondrej Zika @ondrejzika.bsky.social · 12d

W3 Professorship in Computational Psychiatry at Uni Bochum

www.researchgate.net/job/1032595_...

PROFESSORSHIP FOR RESEARCH ON COMPUTATIONAL PSYCHIATRY (W3) (M/F/D) at Ruhr University Bochum in Bochum, GERMANY

Sep 29, 2025 | The Ruhr area, one of Europe’s largest metropolitan regions, offers attractive career opportunities for excellent scientists and scholars from... | NEW JOB

www.researchgate.net

3 4

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · Mar 25

Preprint alert! Navigating Inflationary and Deflationary Claims Concerning Large Language Models Avoiding Cognitive Biases.
Very fun and efficient collaboration with @giadapistilli.com
To help cognitively bounded humans balancing hype and dismall of LLMs capabilities
osf.io/preprints/ps...

OSF

osf.io

1 3 10

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · 27d

Check out @bcdavidson.bsky.social's preprint (w/ @georgiaturner.bsky.social @orbenamy.bsky.social @livia-tomova.bsky.social and co.) about the (computational) consequences of social isolation in social media use during covid!

Brandon C Davidson @bcdavidson.bsky.social · 27d

🚨 New Preprint 🚨

Prolonged Isolation is associated with an increased behavioural sensitivity to ‘Likes’ on social media.

🧵

Social media rewards are inherently social—but does posting change during social isolation, when in-person social rewards are limited?

It turns out, yes!

9 13

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · Sep 11

mesmerizing www.braitenberg.world

Braitenberg Vehicles

www.braitenberg.world

1

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · Sep 11

Braitenberg's Vehicles arrived yesterday and I'm already halfway through it. An amazingly funny, clear, and lucid treatment of the question of attributing higher cognitive functions to artificial systems. Obviously very timely for current debates in AI

1 1 27

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · Sep 9

This is the link to the previous study that served to the bases for our recent @pnas.org study on the optimality of choice-confirmation bias and perseveration.

"Choice-Confirmation Bias and Gradual Perseveration in Human Reinforcement Learning"

Open here:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...

2 13

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Communications Psychology @commspsychol.nature.com · Sep 8

Following social isolation, adolescents show increased sensitivity to rewards during effort-based decision making and reward learning.
@livia-tomova.bsky.social @sjblakemore.bsky.social @emilyanntowner.bsky.social @stepalminteri.bsky.social @lei-zhang.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Acute isolation is associated with increased reward seeking and reward learning in human adolescents - Communications Psychology

This study shows that, following social isolation, adolescents show increased sensitivity to rewards during effort-based decision making and reward learning. Access to virtual social interactions duri...

www.nature.com

1 10 24

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore @sjblakemore.bsky.social · Sep 5

New paper! By @livia-tomova.bsky.social,
@emilyanntowner.bsky.social, Kirsten Thomas,
@stepalminteri.bsky.social, @l32zhang.bsky.social

Acute isolation is associated with increased reward seeking and reward learning in human adolescents.

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

1 1 15

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · Sep 3

New paper our in @pnas.org, lead by @isabellehoxha.bsky.social with Léo Sperber. We use evolutionary simulation to assess and compare the adaptive value of positivity bias and gradual perseveration in reinforcement learning. Follow the thread below (and Isabelle!) for more details!

Isabelle Hoxha @isabellehoxha.bsky.social · Sep 3

Ever wondered why you keep going to that restaurant with stale fries? Is it because you went often in the past (perseveration) or because you remember past good experiences better (positivity bias)? Our study out in PNAS investigates the normative basis for these biases www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Evolving choice hysteresis in reinforcement learning: Comparing the adaptive value of positivity bias and gradual perseveration | PNAS

The tendency to repeat past choices more often than expected from the history of outcomes has been repeatedly empirically observed in reinforcement...

www.pnas.org

7 37

Stefano Palminteri @stepalminteri.bsky.social · Sep 3

New paper our in @pnas.org, lead by @isabellehoxha.bsky.social with Léo Sperber. We use evolutionary simulation to assess and compare the adaptive value of positivity bias and gradual perseveration in reinforcement learning. Follow the thread below (and Isabelle!) for more details!

Isabelle Hoxha @isabellehoxha.bsky.social · Sep 3

Ever wondered why you keep going to that restaurant with stale fries? Is it because you went often in the past (perseveration) or because you remember past good experiences better (positivity bias)? Our study out in PNAS investigates the normative basis for these biases www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Evolving choice hysteresis in reinforcement learning: Comparing the adaptive value of positivity bias and gradual perseveration | PNAS

The tendency to repeat past choices more often than expected from the history of outcomes has been repeatedly empirically observed in reinforcement...

www.pnas.org

7 37

Reposted by Stefano Palminteri

Isabelle Hoxha @isabellehoxha.bsky.social · Sep 3

Ever wondered why you keep going to that restaurant with stale fries? Is it because you went often in the past (perseveration) or because you remember past good experiences better (positivity bias)? Our study out in PNAS investigates the normative basis for these biases www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Evolving choice hysteresis in reinforcement learning: Comparing the adaptive value of positivity bias and gradual perseveration | PNAS

The tendency to repeat past choices more often than expected from the history of outcomes has been repeatedly empirically observed in reinforcement...

www.pnas.org

1 16 51