91ÑÇÉ«

Flexible decision-making: policies, rules, and heuristics

Dr. Roozbeh Kiani, New 91ÑÇÉ«

Abstract

Flexible behavior requires flexible decision-making. We adapt seamlessly to changing environments —adjusting biases, altering decision rules, and inferring hidden task contexts—often without explicit cues. In this talk, I will outline a framework that formalizes different levels of this flexibility and show how these adjustments are implemented in neural codes across the frontoparietal cortex. I will highlight three forms of decision flexibility: (1) Bias adjustments, driven by asymmetric rewards, shift neural activity along the decision variable axis;Ìý(2) Rule changes, such as varying sensory weights in a multi-feature discrimination task, produce rotational changes in the population geometry, supporting rapid changes in decision policy; and (3) Hierarchical inference, where animals infer hidden contexts to adapt to task structure, is reflected in the emergence of latent variables represented in distributed subspaces.

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Biography

After completing his MD, Roozbeh Kiani pursued a career in neuroscience, earning his PhD at the University of Washington under the mentorship of Michael Shadlen. He then completed his postdoctoral training in Bill Newsome’s laboratory at Stanford University. In 2013, he established his laboratory at New 91ÑÇɫ’s Center for Neural Science, where he is now a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology. His laboratory combines psychophysics, computational modeling, and electrophysiological recordings in human and nonhuman primates to investigate the neural mechanisms of perception, decision-making, and flexible cognition. His research focuses on how neural populations represent and integrate information, support complex decisions, and enable flexible behavior across changing contexts and tasks.

Date:Ìý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Friday, Nov 6, 2026

Time: ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 1:30 – 3:00 pm

Location:Ìý ÌýÌý Kaneff Tower, room 519