Computational Cognitive Modeling

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Overview

The field builds computational accounts of mental processes, from memory and language to decision-making, emotion, and social reasoning. Researchers use Bayesian and reinforcement-learning models, resource-rational algorithms, cognitive architectures, neural networks, and program induction, testing them against behavioral, neural, and real-world data. Newer work also uses language models and automated experiments to generate and compare theories. A central challenge is distinguishing genuine explanatory mechanisms from systems that merely match behavior, while ensuring models generalize beyond the tasks and data on which they were developed.

Latest papers

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126 papers7 papers in the last four weeks, down 56% on the four weeks before. 0.0% of all new papers.

  1. Human Cognition in Machines: A Unified Perspective of World Models

    Apr 17, 2026Timothy Rupprecht, Pu Zhao, Amir Taherin +20Computational Cognitive ModelingWorld Model Learning

    Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA · EmbodyX Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA · Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA +2

  2. From edges to meaning: Semantic line sketches as a cognitive scaffold for ancient pictograph invention

    Apr 14, 2026Seowung Leem, Lin Gu, Ruogu FangComputational Cognitive Modeling

    J. Crayton Pruitt Family Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA · Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, Japan · Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA +2

  3. Cognition-Inspired Dual-Stream Semantic Enhancement for Vision-Based Dynamic Emotion Modeling

    Apr 14, 2026Huanzhen Wang, Ziheng Zhou, Zeng Tao +5Facial Expression RecognitionMultimodal Emotion Recognition

    College of Intelligent Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China · Shanghai Key Lab of Intelligent Information Processing, College of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China · School of Data Science and Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

  4. Zero-shot World Models Are Developmentally Efficient Learners

    Apr 11, 2026Khai Loong Aw, Klemen Kotar, Wanhee Lee +6Zero-Shot LearningComputational Cognitive Modeling

    Stanford University

  5. Computational Implementation of a Model of Category-Theoretic Metaphor Comprehension

    Apr 11, 2026Fumitaka Iwaki, Miho Fuyama, Hayato Saigo +1Figurative Language UnderstandingComputational Cognitive Modeling

    School of Science and Technology, Tokyo Denki University · College of Letters, Ritsumeikan University · ZEN University

  6. The Fast Lane Hypothesis: Von Economo Neurons Implement a Biological Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff

    Apr 10, 2026Esila KeskinComputational Cognitive Modeling

    School of Computing and Creative Technologies, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

  7. Overhang Tower: Resource-Rational Adaptation in Sequential Physical Planning

    Apr 10, 2026Ruihong Shen, Shiqian Li, Yixin ZhuPhysical ReasoningModel-Based Planning

    School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University · Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Peking University · School of EECS, Peking University +2

  8. Stabilising Generative Models of Attitude Change

    Apr 2, 2026Jayd Matyas, William A. Cunningham, Alexander Sasha Vezhnevets +3Computational Cognitive ModelingHuman Behavior Simulation

    Google DeepMind · University of Toronto · Caltech +1

  9. Active Inference with a Self-Prior in the Mirror-Mark Task

    Apr 2, 2026Dongmin Kim, Hoshinori Kanazawa, Yasuo KuniyoshiComputational Cognitive ModelingActive Inference

    Laboratory for Intelligent Systems and Informatics, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

  10. Persistent Memory Through Triple-Loop Consolidation Under Stochastic Unit Turnover

    Mar 28, 2026Jianwei LouComputational Cognitive ModelingMemory Consolidation

    RailMind Systems, Neuss, Germany

  11. Do Neurons Dream of Primitive Operators? Wake-Sleep Compression Rediscovers Schank's Event Semantics

    Mar 26, 2026Peter BaloghComputational Cognitive ModelingProgram Synthesis

  12. AI Mental Models: Learned Intuition and Deliberation in a Bounded Neural Architecture

    Mar 23, 2026Laurence AnthonyLogical ReasoningComputational Cognitive Modeling

    School of Creative Science and Engineering Faculty of Science and Engineering Waseda University

  13. Toward an automated science of the mind

    Mar 22, 2026Akshay K. Jagadish, Milena Rmus, Kristin Witte +3Autonomous Scientific DiscoveryScientific Discovery

    Princeton AI Lab, Princeton University, New Jersey, USA · Institute for Human-Centered AI, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany · Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, 80539, Germany

  14. Learning Dynamic Belief Graphs for Theory-of-mind Reasoning

    Mar 20, 2026Ruxiao Chen, Xilei Zhao, Thomas J. Cova +2Computational Cognitive ModelingLLM Reasoning with Graphs

    Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA · Civil and Coastal Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA · School of the Environment, Society & Sustainability, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA +1

  15. Authority-Level Priors: An Under-Specified Constraint in Hierarchical Predictive Processing

    Mar 19, 2026Marcy PalejovaPredictive CodingActive Inference

    Anglia Ruskin University

  16. Computational Concept of the Psyche

    Mar 16, 2026Anton Kolonin, Vladimir KrykovCognitive Architectures for AI AgentsArtificial General Intelligence

    Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 1, 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia · Aigents, Pravdy 6, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia · SingularityNET Foundation, Baarerstrasse 141, Zug, 6300, Switzerland +1

  17. The DIME Architecture: A Unified Operational Algorithm for Neural Representation, Dynamics, Control and Integration

    Mar 7, 2026Ionel Cristian Vladu, Nicu Bizdoaca, Ionica Pirici +2Computational Cognitive ModelingCognitive Architectures for AI Agents

    Department of Electromechanics, Environment and Applied Informatics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Craiova, 200440 Craiova, Romania · Department of Mechatronics and Robotics, Faculty of Automation, Computers and Electronics, University of Craiova, 200440 Craiova, Romania · Department of Human Anatomy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania +2

  18. BioLLMAgent: A Hybrid Framework with Enhanced Structural Interpretability for Simulating Human Decision-Making in Computational Psychiatry

    Mar 5, 2026Zuo Fei, Kezhi Wang, Xiaomin Chen +1Computational Cognitive ModelingMental Health

    School of Computer Science and Technology, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China · Department of Computer Science, Brunel University of London, UB8 3PH, UK · Department of Computer Science, University of Reading, RG6 6UR, UK

  19. A theoretical model of dynamical grammatical gender shifting based on set-valued set function

    Mar 3, 2026Mohamed El IdrissiComputational Cognitive Modeling

    ENS Paris-Saclay

  20. A Resource-Rational Principle for Modeling Visual Attention Control

    Mar 2, 2026Yunpeng BaiHuman-Computer InteractionVisual Attention

    National University of Singapore, Singapore

  21. ReCoN-Ipsundrum: An Inspectable Recurrent Persistence Loop Agent with Affect-Coupled Control and Mechanism-Linked Consciousness Indicator Assays

    Feb 26, 2026Aishik SanyalMachine ConsciousnessCognitive Architectures for AI Agents

    Independent Research Engineer

  22. Rules or Weights? Comparing User Understanding of Explainable AI Techniques with the Cognitive XAI-Adaptive Model

    Feb 23, 2026Louth Bin Rawshan, Zhuoyu Wang, Brian Y LimExplainable Artificial IntelligenceExplainability Evaluation

    Department of Computer Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

  23. Neural Fields as World Models

    Feb 21, 2026Joshua NunleyWorld Model LearningAction-Conditioned World Models

    Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington · Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington

  24. A systematic approach to answering the easy problems of consciousness based on an executable cognitive system

    Feb 20, 2026Qi ZhangComputational Cognitive Modeling

    San Jose, California, USA

  25. Information-Theoretic Storage Cost in Sentence Comprehension

    Feb 20, 2026Kohei Kajikawa, Shinnosuke Isono, Ethan Gotlieb WilcoxComputational PsycholinguisticsComputational Cognitive Modeling

    Department of Linguistics, Georgetown University, USA · National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics, Japan

  26. Modeling The Object Representations Underlying Human Physical Reasoning

    Feb 12, 2026Andrey Gizdov, Andrea Procopio, Lorenzo Caputi +4Physical ReasoningComputational Cognitive Modeling

    Harvard University · Weizmann Institute of Science · Bocconi University

  27. Universe of Thoughts: A Computational Framework for Creative Reasoning in Large Language Models

    Nov 25, 2025Yuto Suzuki, Farnoush Banaei-KashaniComputational CreativityComputational Cognitive Modeling

    Department of Computer Science and Engineering University of Colorado Denver Denver, CO, USA

  28. Gravity-Awareness: Deep Learning Models and LLM Simulation of Human Awareness in Altered Gravity

    Oct 29, 2025Bakytzhan Alibekov, Alina Gutoreva, Elisa Raffaella-FerreComputational Cognitive ModelingHuman Behavior Simulation

    School of IT & Engineering, Kazakh-British Technical University, 050000, Tole bi 59, Almaty, Kazakhstan. · School of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, Malet St, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom.

  29. People use fast and flat simulation to reason about new games

    Oct 13, 2025Katherine M. Collins, Cedegao E. Zhang, Lionel Wong +6Computational Cognitive ModelingHuman Behavior Simulation

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States · Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States · University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom +3

  30. Meta-learning ecological priors from large language models explains human learning and decision making

    Aug 28, 2025Akshay K. Jagadish, Mirko Thalmann, Julian Coda-Forno +2Computational Cognitive ModelingMeta-Learning

    Institute for Human-Centered AI, Helmholtz Computational Health Center, Munich, Germany · Computational Principles of Intelligence, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany · Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany +1