filler text

Recent preprints

  • Zhang, X. K., Senoussi, M., & Verguts, T. (2026). Attention to task structure for cognitive flexibility. arXiv.

  • Xu, M., Badaya, E., Senoussi, M., & Verguts, T. (2026). Rhythmicity revisited: Evidence from robust behavioral oscillations. BioArxiv.

  • Xu, C., Mei, N., Dong W., Hu, R., Verguts T., & Chen, Q. (2026). Orthogonal representational geometry in dACC underpins human hierarchical reasoning. BioArxiv.

  • Chen, H., Claeys, W., Ergo, K., Buc Calderon, C., & Verguts, T. (2026). Robust effects of signed prediction error on declarative memory. PsyArxiv.

Recent publications

2026:

  • Reynders, J., Verguts, T., & Braem, S. (2026). Strategic variability in humans, pigeons, and rats. Psychological Review. PsyArxiv version.

  • Xu., S., Verguts, T., & Braem, S. (2026). Cognitive flexibility versus stability via activation-based and weight-based adaptations. Communications Psychology. PsyArxiv version.

  • Le Denmat, P., Desender, K., & Verguts, T. (2026). Learning to be confident: How agents learn confidence based on prediction errors. Cognition. PsyArxiv version.

2025:

  • Zhang, Y., Deng, F., Liao, J., Verguts, T., & Chen, Q. (2025). Medial frontal theta reduction impairs rule switching via prediction error. Journal of Neuroscience. BioArxiv version.

  • Simoens, J., Braem, S., Verbeke, P., Chen, H., Mattioni, S., Chai, M., Schuck, N. W., & Verguts, T. (2025). Two time scales of adaptation in human learning rates. eLife. BioArxiv version.

  • Chen, H., Verbeke, P., Mattioni, S., Calderon, C. B., & Verguts, T. (2025). Neural and computational evidence for a predictive learning account of the testing effect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. BioArxiv version.

  • Goetmaeckers, F., Goris, J., Wiersema, J. R., Verguts, T., & Braem, S. (2025). Different exploration strategies along the autism spectrum: Diverging effects of autism diagnosis and autism traits. Molecular Autism. PsyArxiv version.

  • Verbeke, P., De Walsche, M., Maelfait, P., & Verguts, T. (2025). Testing the limits of human flexibility. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. PsyArxiv version.

  • Chen, H., Hauspie, C., Ergo, K., Calderon, C. B., & Verguts, T. (2025). Prediction error as the basis of the testing effect Communications Psychology. Brief summary. PsyArxiv version.

2024:

  • Desender, K., & Verguts, T. (2024). Decision confidence and outcome variability optimally regulate separate aspects of decision making. BioArxiv.

  • Cogliati Dezza, I., Molinaro, G., & Verguts, T. (2024). When cognition overshadows affect, maladaptive information seeking arises. PsyArxiv.

  • Dewaelle, H., Verguts, T., & Lesage, E. (2024). Validation of the Dutch version of the Creatures of Habit Scale (COHS): a self-report measure of the tendency for habitual behavior in daily life. PsyArxiv.

  • Le Denmat, P, Verguts, T., & Desender, K. (2024). A low-dimensional approximation of optimal confidence. PLoS: Computational Biology. BioArxiv version.

  • Vasta, N., Xu, S., Verguts, T., & Braem, S. (2024). A shared temporal window across cognitive control and reinforcement learning paradigms: A correlational study. Memory & Cognition

  • Verbeke, P., & Verguts, T. (2024). Humans adaptively select different computational strategies in different learning environments. Psychological Review. BioArxiv version.

  • Simoens, J., Verguts, T., & Braem, S. (2024). Learning environment-specific learning rates. PLoS: Computational Biology. PsyArxiv version.

  • Verbeke, P., & Verguts, T. (2024). Reinforcement learning and meta-decision making. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences. PsyArxiv version.

  • Van Marcke, H., Le Denmat, P., Verguts, T., & Desender, K. (2024). Manipulating prior beliefs causally induces under- and overconfidence. Psychological Science. BioRxiv version.

2023:

  • Huo, H., et al. (2023). The neural substrats of how model-based learning affects risk-taking: functional coupling between right cerebellum and left caudate. Brain & Cognition.

  • Xu, S., Simoens, J., Verguts, T., & Braem, S. (2023). Learning where to be flexible: Using environmental cues to regulate cognitive control. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. PsyArxiv version.

  • Beeckmans, M., Huycke, P., Verguts, T., & Verbeke, P. (2023). How much data do we need to estimate computational models of decision making? The COMPASS toolbox. Behavior Research Methods PsyArxiv version.

  • Turkakin, E., Verguts, T., Desender, K., & Lesage, E. (2023). Should I Sample or Should I Go? An approximately optimal model for deciding when to stop sampling information. PsyArxiv.

2022:

  • Lesage, E., & Verguts, T. (2022). Contextual overtraining accelerates habit formation in new stimuli. PsyArXiv.

  • Peng, Z., He, L., Wen, R., Verguts, T., Seger, C. A., & Chen, Q. (2022). Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by decreased Pavlovian influence on goal-directed instrumental behavior. PLoS Computational Biology.

  • Huycke, P. Lesage, E., Boehler, C. Nico, & Verguts, T. (2022). Computational investigations of learning and synchronization in cognitive control. Journal of Cognition. PsyArXiv version.

  • Liu, M., Dong, W., Wu, Y., Verbeke, P., Verguts, T., & Chen, Q. (2022). Modulating hierarchical learning by high-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation at theta frequency. Cerebral Cortex. BioRxiv version.

  • Desender, K., Vermeylen, L., & Verguts, T. (2022). Dynamic influences on static measures of metacognition. Nature Communications.

  • Senoussi, M., Verbeke, P., Desender, K., De Loof, E., Talsma, D., & Verguts, T. (2022). Theta oscillations shift towards optimal frequency for cognitive control. Nature Human Behaviour. BioRxiv version.

  • Peng, Z., He, T., Ren, P., Jin, L., Yang, Q., Xu, C., … Chen, Q. (2022). Imbalance between the caudate and putamen connectivity in obsessive- compulsive disorder. NeuroImage : Clinical, (55).

  • Calderon, C.B., Verguts, T., & Frank, M. J. (2022). Thunderstruck: The ACDC model of flexible sequences and rhythms in recurrent neural circuits. PLoS: Computational Biology.

  • Senoussi, M., Verbeke, P., & Verguts, T. (2022). Time-based binding as a solution to and a limitation for flexible cognition. Frontiers in Psychology.

  • Verbeke P., & Verguts T. (2022). Using top-down gating to optimally balance shared versus separated task representations. Neural Networks.

  • Liu, M., Dong, W., Qin, S.,Verguts, T., & Chen, Q. (2022). Electrophysiological signatures of hierarchical learning. Cerebral Cortex.

2021:

  • Verbeke, P., & Verguts, T. (2021). Neural synchrony for adaptive control. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 33, 2394-2412.

  • Peng, Z., Yang, X., Xu, C., Wu, X., Yang, Q., Wei, Z., … Chen, Q. (2021). Aberrant Rich Club Organization in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Their Unaffected First-Degree Relatives. NeuroImage : Clinical.

  • Peng, Z., Xu, C., Ma, N., Yang, Q., Ren, P., Wen, R., … Chen, Q. (2021). White matter alterations of the goal-directed system in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients and their unaffected first-degree relatives. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging.

  • Zhang, S., Verguts, T., Zhang, C., Feng, P., Chen, Q., & Feng, T. (2021). Outcome value and task aversiveness impact task procrastination through separate neural pathways. Cerebral Cortex, 31, 3846-3855.

  • Ergo, K., De Vilder, L., De Loof, E., & Verguts, T. (2021). Reward prediction errors drive declarative learning irrespective of agency. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

  • Huycke, P., Verbeke, P., Boehler, C. N., & Verguts, T. (2021). Theta and alpha power across fast and slow timescales in cognitive control. European Journal of Neuroscience.

  • Shahnazian, D., Senoussi, M., Krebs, R. M., Verguts, T., & Holroyd, C. B. (2021). Neural representations of task context and temporal order during action sequence execution. Topics in Cognitive Science.

  • Rasoulzadeh, V., Sahan, M., van Dijck, J.P., Abrahamse, E., Marzecova, A., Verguts, T., & Fias, W. (2021). Spatial attention in serial order working memory: an EEG study. Cerebral Cortex, 31, 2482-2493.

  • Holroyd, C. B., & Verguts, T. (2021). The Best Laid Plans: Computational Principles of Anterior Cingulate Cortex. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25, 316-329.

  • Calderon, C. B., De Loof, E., Ergo, K., Snoeck, A., Boehler, C. N., & Verguts, T. (2021). Signed Reward Prediction Errors in the Ventral Striatum Drive Episodic Memory. Journal of Neuroscience, 41, 1716-1726.

  • Verbeke, P., Ergo, K., De Loof, E., & Verguts, T. (2021). Learning to synchronize: Midfrontal theta dynamics during reversal learning. Journal of Neuroscience, 41, 1516-1528.

  • Desender, K., Donner, T. H., & Verguts, T. (2021). Dynamic expressions of confidence within an evidence accumulation framework. Cognition (207).

  • Goris, J., Silvetti, M., Verguts, T., Wiersema, J. R., Brass, M., & Braem, S. (2021). Autistic traits are related to worse performance in a volatile reward learning task despite adaptive learning rates. Autism, 25, 440-451.

Book

  • Verguts, T. (2022). Introduction to modeling cognitive processes. MIT Press GitHub
MCP book cover

Archive

All papers are available online through the academic bibliography of Ghent University.
The papers associated with our lab can be found by checking Tom’s Biblio page