Decision Making
This workshop shows how making simple decisions can be modelled and predicted using maths. The same formula has been used to model a particle moving in space.
The workshop blends neuroscience with mathematical modelling to explore how the brain gathers evidence, handles uncertainty, and responds to time pressure when making choices.
Using an example students can relate to, “Should I walk or cycle to school?” they learn how concepts like drift, noise, and evidence accumulation are used to model decisions in both everyday life and scientific research.
It links the maths model to real brain processes and encourages students to see decision-making as a dynamic, measurable phenomenon.
Materials
Slides
Worksheet
This workshop was originally created for Neuromatch for Kids, and a more adult-friendly version (written with Rebecca Brady) appears on RTÉ Brainstorm, exploring the maths behind another everyday decision: “Should I have another pint or go home?”
References
Hoxha, I., Mudrik, N., Urai, A. E., Kienigiel, D., Forest, J., Abdelhack, M., Peters, M., Halper, N., Zhang, R.-Y., Lu, X., & Butler, J. S. (2023, August 24–27). Opening Computational Neuroscience to a Wider Audience: Virtual Escape Room for Kids [Poster presentation]. Conference on Cognitive Computational Neuroscience, Oxford, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.32470/CCN.2023.1197-0