Dynamics of attention and memory
Neural representations during different attentional states
Sustained attention intrinsically fluctuates, moment to moment, between optimal and less optimal states. Prior research has introduced two attentional states based on reaction time (RT) variability: a behaviorally less variable attentional state, defined as optimal or “in the zone”, and a more variable attentional state, described as sub-optimal or “out of the zone”. Using fMRI, we aim to examine how such time-varying attentional states modulate the neural representation of sensory inputs at the cortical level.
Cognitive and attentional state dynamics
How does system-level interaction of the brain reflect ongoing changes in cognition and attention? Using multi-task and naturalistic neuroimaging together with dense behavioral sampling, we investigate how large-scale neural dynamics give rise to cognitive and attentional state dynamics in diverse situational contexts.
Human plan reconstruction
Since the process of people making plans is not externally visible, we are using eye tracking to reconstruct the planning process in real-time. Furthermore, we are investigating the neural dynamics occurring within the fMRI during the planning process.
Memories in Real-World Social Interactions
In our daily lives, numerous social interactions shape shared memories among individuals. However, the mechanisms driving individual commonalities and variances in these shared experiences are not fully understood. To explore these dynamics, we conducted an experiment with groups of three participants engaging in interactive social tasks. On the following day, participants freely recalled their experiences, reorganized their memory representations individually, and then watched their first-person footage to induce memory reinstatement. Through this experiment, we aim to elucidate how memory representations are shared among individuals who have interacted together and identify the key components driving both the commonalities and variations in their memories.