Prediction and Decision Making Project

This project "Elucidation of the Neural Computation for Prediction and Decision Making" was funded by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas, MEXT Japan, in the fiscal years 2011 to 2016.

The purpose of this research project is to elucidate the principles and the brain mechanisms of human decision making through combination of the theories in logics and statistical inference, analyses of human behaviors and functional brain imaging, measurement and manipulation of brain activities in experimental animals, computer simulations, and robotic experiments.

There are two basic mechanisms for decision making: model-free mechanism that is reactive and habitual, and model-based mechanism that is predictive and flexible. Through innovative experimental and computational approaches, we will clarify how these two mechanisms are selected or combined, how "mental simulation" for the prediction of action outcome in model-based decision making is realized by neural circuits, and how those mechanisms are regulated by molecules and genes.

Latest Posts

  • News

    The web site renewal (September 2016).

    The project concluded (March 2016).

    The Second International Symposium on Prediction and Decision Making (October 31 – November 1, 2015).

    29 publicly offered research subjects started (April 2014 – March 2016).

    The First International Symposium on Prediction and Decision Making (October 13-14, 2013).

    23 publicly offered research subjects started (April 2012 – March 2014).

    The web site opened (September 29, 2011).

    The project started with 10 planned research subjects (August 2011).