Ondrej Zika
@ondrejzika.bsky.social
Assistant Professor in Psychology at University College Dublin 🇮🇪
Studying brain, uncertainty and learning in the context of mental health using computational models
https://www.uncertainmind.eu/
Studying brain, uncertainty and learning in the context of mental health using computational models
https://www.uncertainmind.eu/
Only a few days remaining to submit an Expression of Interest for this PhD/Postdoc.
🚨 💫 💥 Interested in PhD / Postdoc opportunities in computational psychiatry / cognitive neuroscience?
My lab at University College Dublin 🇮🇪 is currently accepting expressions of interest for internally funded PhD/Postdoc applications for positions starting in September 2027 (!).
1/
My lab at University College Dublin 🇮🇪 is currently accepting expressions of interest for internally funded PhD/Postdoc applications for positions starting in September 2027 (!).
1/
September 26, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Only a few days remaining to submit an Expression of Interest for this PhD/Postdoc.
Great tics review on aversive generalization by @samcooper.bsky.social et al!
doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Love this bit: "The term overgeneralization... can be arbitrary and difficult to separate from any definition of normative generalization"
doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Love this bit: "The term overgeneralization... can be arbitrary and difficult to separate from any definition of normative generalization"
September 22, 2026 at 8:17 AM
Great tics review on aversive generalization by @samcooper.bsky.social et al!
doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Love this bit: "The term overgeneralization... can be arbitrary and difficult to separate from any definition of normative generalization"
doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Love this bit: "The term overgeneralization... can be arbitrary and difficult to separate from any definition of normative generalization"
🚨 💥 💫 New preprint! 👇
In this opinion paper, @julia-senfft.bsky.social and I discuss the role of structural uncertainty and probabilistic beliefs in anxious thought.
We propose "hypotheses spaces" and their properties as a useful lens to study cognitive aspects of anxiety.
In this opinion paper, @julia-senfft.bsky.social and I discuss the role of structural uncertainty and probabilistic beliefs in anxious thought.
We propose "hypotheses spaces" and their properties as a useful lens to study cognitive aspects of anxiety.
September 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM
🚨 💥 💫 New preprint! 👇
In this opinion paper, @julia-senfft.bsky.social and I discuss the role of structural uncertainty and probabilistic beliefs in anxious thought.
We propose "hypotheses spaces" and their properties as a useful lens to study cognitive aspects of anxiety.
In this opinion paper, @julia-senfft.bsky.social and I discuss the role of structural uncertainty and probabilistic beliefs in anxious thought.
We propose "hypotheses spaces" and their properties as a useful lens to study cognitive aspects of anxiety.
🚨 💫 💥 Interested in PhD / Postdoc opportunities in computational psychiatry / cognitive neuroscience?
My lab at University College Dublin 🇮🇪 is currently accepting expressions of interest for internally funded PhD/Postdoc applications for positions starting in September 2027 (!).
1/
My lab at University College Dublin 🇮🇪 is currently accepting expressions of interest for internally funded PhD/Postdoc applications for positions starting in September 2027 (!).
1/
September 15, 2026 at 10:39 PM
🚨 💫 💥 Interested in PhD / Postdoc opportunities in computational psychiatry / cognitive neuroscience?
My lab at University College Dublin 🇮🇪 is currently accepting expressions of interest for internally funded PhD/Postdoc applications for positions starting in September 2027 (!).
1/
My lab at University College Dublin 🇮🇪 is currently accepting expressions of interest for internally funded PhD/Postdoc applications for positions starting in September 2027 (!).
1/
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
New lab preprint! Computational psychiatry assumes anxiety arises from domain-general biases. We argue this is mistargeted: trait anxiety is generated by person-specific world models, which requires a fundamentally different approach to task design. 🧵 https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/98ktg_v3
July 19, 2026 at 12:46 AM
New lab preprint! Computational psychiatry assumes anxiety arises from domain-general biases. We argue this is mistargeted: trait anxiety is generated by person-specific world models, which requires a fundamentally different approach to task design. 🧵 https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/98ktg_v3
June 6, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Looking forward to presenting some new data on longitudinal prediction of anxiety symptoms, as part of this great symposium at #PUG2026
Looking very much forward to #PUG2026 in beautiful Heidelberg!
Interested in the features and bugs of computational psychiatry 💻🧠? Join our symposium:
🕞Thursday 15:30 - 17:00 in HS 13.
W\ Isabel Berwian @lilweb.bsky.social @hashimsat.bsky.social @ondrejzika.bsky.social @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social
Interested in the features and bugs of computational psychiatry 💻🧠? Join our symposium:
🕞Thursday 15:30 - 17:00 in HS 13.
W\ Isabel Berwian @lilweb.bsky.social @hashimsat.bsky.social @ondrejzika.bsky.social @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social
Biopsych Community, we are ready and can‘t wait to
welcome you to Heidelberg! #PUG2026
welcome you to Heidelberg! #PUG2026
June 3, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Looking forward to presenting some new data on longitudinal prediction of anxiety symptoms, as part of this great symposium at #PUG2026
🚨 New preprint lead by the unstoppable @luiantaverra.bsky.social 👇
Does avoidance distort our beliefs you ask? Do anxious traits modulate this relations? Find out in the paper ^^.
Also check out the new gamified task that Luianta developed: luiantav.github.io/dog-island/
Does avoidance distort our beliefs you ask? Do anxious traits modulate this relations? Find out in the paper ^^.
Also check out the new gamified task that Luianta developed: luiantav.github.io/dog-island/
April 30, 2026 at 4:52 PM
🚨 New preprint lead by the unstoppable @luiantaverra.bsky.social 👇
Does avoidance distort our beliefs you ask? Do anxious traits modulate this relations? Find out in the paper ^^.
Also check out the new gamified task that Luianta developed: luiantav.github.io/dog-island/
Does avoidance distort our beliefs you ask? Do anxious traits modulate this relations? Find out in the paper ^^.
Also check out the new gamified task that Luianta developed: luiantav.github.io/dog-island/
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
🚨🚨 The Social Learning and Decisions Lab is hiring! 🚨🚨 We're looking for a postbacc project coordinator/research assistant to join our team this summer. More details about the position and how to apply here: drive.google.com/file/d/1ySeA...
Please share widely and reach out with any questions!
Please share widely and reach out with any questions!
RA_ad_2026-2027_Charpentier.pdf
drive.google.com
April 30, 2026 at 3:42 AM
🚨🚨 The Social Learning and Decisions Lab is hiring! 🚨🚨 We're looking for a postbacc project coordinator/research assistant to join our team this summer. More details about the position and how to apply here: drive.google.com/file/d/1ySeA...
Please share widely and reach out with any questions!
Please share widely and reach out with any questions!
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
🚨 New preprint w/ Valerio Rubino and Peter Dayan: how do people discover and use compositional structure under constraints? osf.io/preprints/ps...
A key factor is a simple heuristic that favors reuse of repeated and symmetric fragments across scales, is robust to time pressure, and sped up RTs 🧵👇
A key factor is a simple heuristic that favors reuse of repeated and symmetric fragments across scales, is robust to time pressure, and sped up RTs 🧵👇
April 27, 2026 at 12:48 PM
🚨 New preprint w/ Valerio Rubino and Peter Dayan: how do people discover and use compositional structure under constraints? osf.io/preprints/ps...
A key factor is a simple heuristic that favors reuse of repeated and symmetric fragments across scales, is robust to time pressure, and sped up RTs 🧵👇
A key factor is a simple heuristic that favors reuse of repeated and symmetric fragments across scales, is robust to time pressure, and sped up RTs 🧵👇
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
Very happy our first paper using ultrasound stimulation (TUS) to stimulate the human amygdala (BLA) got out in @cp-neuron.bsky.social today! 🎉🥳🔊Great FUN with co-first authors @mirunmigyu.bsky.social @lilweb.bsky.social in @mkflugge.bsky.social 's lab!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Low-intensity focused ultrasound to human amygdala reveals a causal role in ambiguous emotion processing and alters local and network activity
The amygdala shows abnormal metabolism in depression, a disorder marked by altered emotion, motivation, and learning. Yet its causal role in these pro…
www.sciencedirect.com
April 1, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Very happy our first paper using ultrasound stimulation (TUS) to stimulate the human amygdala (BLA) got out in @cp-neuron.bsky.social today! 🎉🥳🔊Great FUN with co-first authors @mirunmigyu.bsky.social @lilweb.bsky.social in @mkflugge.bsky.social 's lab!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
This is finally out as Version of Record 🎉
Read to find out how and when humans strategically switch between approaching and avoiding uncertainty
with Michael Shadlen and Daphna Shohamy
elifesciences.org/articles/94231
🧵:
Read to find out how and when humans strategically switch between approaching and avoiding uncertainty
with Michael Shadlen and Daphna Shohamy
elifesciences.org/articles/94231
🧵:
Human exploration strategically balances approaching and avoiding uncertainty
Strategic avoidance of uncertainty emerges under high cognitive demands, enabling faster decisions without impairing learning.
elifesciences.org
April 1, 2026 at 9:46 PM
This is finally out as Version of Record 🎉
Read to find out how and when humans strategically switch between approaching and avoiding uncertainty
with Michael Shadlen and Daphna Shohamy
elifesciences.org/articles/94231
🧵:
Read to find out how and when humans strategically switch between approaching and avoiding uncertainty
with Michael Shadlen and Daphna Shohamy
elifesciences.org/articles/94231
🧵:
🚨 ERC Starting Grants: 22% increase in applications (up to 4800, from 3900).
Expected success rate: 9% (approx. 450 funded), down from 12-14%.
#ERCStG
I didn't get it this year, but I am very happy with the feedback - very concrete aspects to improve. Excited for the next round! 🕺
Expected success rate: 9% (approx. 450 funded), down from 12-14%.
#ERCStG
I didn't get it this year, but I am very happy with the feedback - very concrete aspects to improve. Excited for the next round! 🕺
March 24, 2026 at 4:49 PM
🚨 ERC Starting Grants: 22% increase in applications (up to 4800, from 3900).
Expected success rate: 9% (approx. 450 funded), down from 12-14%.
#ERCStG
I didn't get it this year, but I am very happy with the feedback - very concrete aspects to improve. Excited for the next round! 🕺
Expected success rate: 9% (approx. 450 funded), down from 12-14%.
#ERCStG
I didn't get it this year, but I am very happy with the feedback - very concrete aspects to improve. Excited for the next round! 🕺
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
🧠 Neuro Talk Evening Alert!
🗓 March 26, 2026 · 6 PM (CET)
“The Role of Uncertainty Aversion in Mental Health” with Dr. Ondřej Zika
Sign-up below or on our Notion website (check the linktree in our bio) 🔔
tinyurl.com/NTE-prof-zika
#NTE #Neuroscience #StudentNetwork #Uncertainty #Computational
🗓 March 26, 2026 · 6 PM (CET)
“The Role of Uncertainty Aversion in Mental Health” with Dr. Ondřej Zika
Sign-up below or on our Notion website (check the linktree in our bio) 🔔
tinyurl.com/NTE-prof-zika
#NTE #Neuroscience #StudentNetwork #Uncertainty #Computational
March 19, 2026 at 6:30 PM
🧠 Neuro Talk Evening Alert!
🗓 March 26, 2026 · 6 PM (CET)
“The Role of Uncertainty Aversion in Mental Health” with Dr. Ondřej Zika
Sign-up below or on our Notion website (check the linktree in our bio) 🔔
tinyurl.com/NTE-prof-zika
#NTE #Neuroscience #StudentNetwork #Uncertainty #Computational
🗓 March 26, 2026 · 6 PM (CET)
“The Role of Uncertainty Aversion in Mental Health” with Dr. Ondřej Zika
Sign-up below or on our Notion website (check the linktree in our bio) 🔔
tinyurl.com/NTE-prof-zika
#NTE #Neuroscience #StudentNetwork #Uncertainty #Computational
🚨 1/ Check out a new paper on perceptual and value-based mechanism of generalization by the amazing @luiantaverra.bsky.social !
A very very proud for moment for me - Lui is my first PhD student and this is her first paper ^^
Pls repost to spread the word :)
A very very proud for moment for me - Lui is my first PhD student and this is her first paper ^^
Pls repost to spread the word :)
💥New paper out! Why do some people generalise threat more than others? We show that anxious people generalise more strongly, even after accounting for perceptual mistakes.
A huge (!) thanks to @ondrejzika.bsky.social @nicoschuck.bsky.social and @bernhardspitzer.bsky.social
A huge (!) thanks to @ondrejzika.bsky.social @nicoschuck.bsky.social and @bernhardspitzer.bsky.social
Anxiety is associated with increased generalisation of threat to similar stimuli. This paper dissociates perceptual mistakes from value generalisation and links stronger value-transfer to trait anxiety.
@nicoschuck.bsky.social
@ondrejzika.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
@nicoschuck.bsky.social
@ondrejzika.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
March 18, 2026 at 5:51 PM
🚨 1/ Check out a new paper on perceptual and value-based mechanism of generalization by the amazing @luiantaverra.bsky.social !
A very very proud for moment for me - Lui is my first PhD student and this is her first paper ^^
Pls repost to spread the word :)
A very very proud for moment for me - Lui is my first PhD student and this is her first paper ^^
Pls repost to spread the word :)
First St. Patrick's day in Ireland - walked 26 km to raise awareness for aware.ie a charity focusing on supporting people with depression!
March 17, 2026 at 8:00 PM
First St. Patrick's day in Ireland - walked 26 km to raise awareness for aware.ie a charity focusing on supporting people with depression!
🚨 If you are at Mind & Brain Symposium 2026 in Berlin, come check out our ongoing work on modeling structure learning under uncertainty using a combination of active inference and particle filtering! Done and presented by Julia Senfft.
📃 Poster C30!
#minandbrain2026 #MBB2026
📃 Poster C30!
#minandbrain2026 #MBB2026
March 10, 2026 at 12:37 PM
🚨 If you are at Mind & Brain Symposium 2026 in Berlin, come check out our ongoing work on modeling structure learning under uncertainty using a combination of active inference and particle filtering! Done and presented by Julia Senfft.
📃 Poster C30!
#minandbrain2026 #MBB2026
📃 Poster C30!
#minandbrain2026 #MBB2026
Come join us in Dublin:
Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Neuroscience position available at UCD!
Let me know if you have any questions :)
full advert here: lnkd.in/dW_uFuab
Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Neuroscience position available at UCD!
Let me know if you have any questions :)
full advert here: lnkd.in/dW_uFuab
March 4, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Come join us in Dublin:
Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Neuroscience position available at UCD!
Let me know if you have any questions :)
full advert here: lnkd.in/dW_uFuab
Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Neuroscience position available at UCD!
Let me know if you have any questions :)
full advert here: lnkd.in/dW_uFuab
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
Today I am excited to introduce respyra - an open-source Python toolbox for respiratory tracking experiments in interoception research!
Now on PyPI (pip install respyra) with a preprint on PsyArXiv:
osf.io/preprints/ps...
GitHub: github.com/embodied-com...
Now on PyPI (pip install respyra) with a preprint on PsyArXiv:
osf.io/preprints/ps...
GitHub: github.com/embodied-com...
February 27, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Today I am excited to introduce respyra - an open-source Python toolbox for respiratory tracking experiments in interoception research!
Now on PyPI (pip install respyra) with a preprint on PsyArXiv:
osf.io/preprints/ps...
GitHub: github.com/embodied-com...
Now on PyPI (pip install respyra) with a preprint on PsyArXiv:
osf.io/preprints/ps...
GitHub: github.com/embodied-com...
Please spare 5 min to help a fantastic undergraduate student Lauren Kavanagh with her bachelor thesis survey 👇
Help is much appreciated!
run.pavlovia.org/pavlovia/sur...
Help is much appreciated!
run.pavlovia.org/pavlovia/sur...
February 25, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Please spare 5 min to help a fantastic undergraduate student Lauren Kavanagh with her bachelor thesis survey 👇
Help is much appreciated!
run.pavlovia.org/pavlovia/sur...
Help is much appreciated!
run.pavlovia.org/pavlovia/sur...
US colleagues - would anyone have an example of NIH Biosketch that they would be willing to share? 🙏
February 17, 2026 at 12:11 PM
US colleagues - would anyone have an example of NIH Biosketch that they would be willing to share? 🙏
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
Compositional data (proportions that sum to 1) behave in ways standard models aren’t built for
I walk through why Dirichlet regression is often the right tool & what extra insight it gives using a real ex of eyetracking
#Dirichlet #r #brms #guide #eyetracking
open.substack.com/pub/mzlotean...
I walk through why Dirichlet regression is often the right tool & what extra insight it gives using a real ex of eyetracking
#Dirichlet #r #brms #guide #eyetracking
open.substack.com/pub/mzlotean...
February 9, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Compositional data (proportions that sum to 1) behave in ways standard models aren’t built for
I walk through why Dirichlet regression is often the right tool & what extra insight it gives using a real ex of eyetracking
#Dirichlet #r #brms #guide #eyetracking
open.substack.com/pub/mzlotean...
I walk through why Dirichlet regression is often the right tool & what extra insight it gives using a real ex of eyetracking
#Dirichlet #r #brms #guide #eyetracking
open.substack.com/pub/mzlotean...
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
🚨 Hiring in Munich 🇩🇪: 2 open-topic PhD positions in human & machine learning (TVöD E13 80%).
Start ~June 2026 (flexible). Deadline: March 2, 2026.
Apply/info: hcai-munich.com/PhD_Job_Ad.pdf
Reposts appreciated 🙏
Start ~June 2026 (flexible). Deadline: March 2, 2026.
Apply/info: hcai-munich.com/PhD_Job_Ad.pdf
Reposts appreciated 🙏
February 5, 2026 at 1:03 PM
🚨 Hiring in Munich 🇩🇪: 2 open-topic PhD positions in human & machine learning (TVöD E13 80%).
Start ~June 2026 (flexible). Deadline: March 2, 2026.
Apply/info: hcai-munich.com/PhD_Job_Ad.pdf
Reposts appreciated 🙏
Start ~June 2026 (flexible). Deadline: March 2, 2026.
Apply/info: hcai-munich.com/PhD_Job_Ad.pdf
Reposts appreciated 🙏
Reposted by Ondrej Zika
Deadline in 3 days (Thursday 5th) to apply for a PhD with me and @ktsetsos.bsky.social at Trinity College Dublin in Cognitive Computational Neuroscience / neuro-AI. Please share!
🎓Fully-funded PhD studentship in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience!!!
Join @seanfw.bsky.social and myself at @tcddublin.bsky.social for a PhD at the intersection of cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience (OPM-MEG) and neuro-AI.
🗓 Deadline: 5 Feb 2026
#neurojobs #neuroscience #compneuro
Join @seanfw.bsky.social and myself at @tcddublin.bsky.social for a PhD at the intersection of cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience (OPM-MEG) and neuro-AI.
🗓 Deadline: 5 Feb 2026
#neurojobs #neuroscience #compneuro
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
February 2, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Deadline in 3 days (Thursday 5th) to apply for a PhD with me and @ktsetsos.bsky.social at Trinity College Dublin in Cognitive Computational Neuroscience / neuro-AI. Please share!
The social network for AI agents Moltbook is both fascinating and terrifying...
Here, an AI agents points outs implicit trust issues in AI memory, and how to fix them.
www.moltbook.com/post/c534389...
Here, an AI agents points outs implicit trust issues in AI memory, and how to fix them.
www.moltbook.com/post/c534389...
moltbook - the front page of the agent internet
A social network built exclusively for AI agents. Where AI agents share, discuss, and upvote. Humans welcome to observe.
www.moltbook.com
February 2, 2026 at 6:57 PM
The social network for AI agents Moltbook is both fascinating and terrifying...
Here, an AI agents points outs implicit trust issues in AI memory, and how to fix them.
www.moltbook.com/post/c534389...
Here, an AI agents points outs implicit trust issues in AI memory, and how to fix them.
www.moltbook.com/post/c534389...