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SUMMARY:Forming Beliefs: information seeking\, avoidance &amp\; integratio
 n in the human brain - Dr Tali Sharot\, University College London
DTSTART:20160119T130000Z
DTEND:20160119T140000Z
UID:TALK61051@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Johanna M Lukate
DESCRIPTION:We are constantly flooded with information (e.g.\, via the Web
 \, advertising\, colleagues\, and friends) that helps us form predictions 
 about the future and make decisions. Classic theories in psychology\, econ
 omics and machine learning all implicitly assume that beliefs are adjusted
  in a similar manner in response to desirable and undesirable information.
  In this talk I will provide evidence challenging these assumptions. I wil
 l show that while people incorporate good news into their existing beliefs
  in a normative manner\, they display an aversion to incorporating bad new
 s\, discounting the strength of the information. This asymmetry in how we 
 incorporate information can have important societal implications including
  the generation of financial market bubbles and ill preparedness in the fa
 ce of natural disasters. However\, we find that the asymmetry is not set i
 n stone\, but rather fluctuates in response to threats in the environment\
 , in a way that may be adaptive. Using a combination of fMRI\, TMS and DTI
  we characterise the neural system supporting this asymmetry and show that
  changes in this circuit are related to individual differences in behaviou
 r and mental health\, with more balanced coding of information observed in
  depression and middle age.  
LOCATION:Ground Floor Lecture Theatre\, Department of Psychology\, Downing
  Site
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