Dr. Matthew D. Bachman, University of Toronto: The dynamic interplay between attention and reward
Understanding the neural mechanisms of attention and characterizing the brain systems that support value-guided decision making have each been core goals of modern neuroscience. However, they have traditionally been separate goals, grounded in distinct theoretical perspectives and drawing on different approaches to behavioral modeling. Researchers from both fields began drawing ideas and techniques from their counterparts only in the last ~10 years, leading to discoveries that have been revolutionizing each of their respective fields. For example, neuroeconomists now recognize that our choices are strongly influenced by where we deploy our attention as we deliberate, and that incorporating measures of attention can improve predictive models of decision making. Conversely, attention researchers have been investigating how reward-associated stimuli can somehow draw one’s attention in a fast and involuntary manner - a finding that has radically reshaped traditional theories of attention. This intersectional research is still in its infancy, with a wide range of vital research topics that still need to be explored. In this talk, I will explore both sides of these attention and value interactions and discuss several different ways in which they can impact cognition and behavior.