Frederick Callaway

How do people solve big problems with small brains? My research tries to answer this question through the lens of adaptative computation. People use cognitive strategies that are well-suited to both their external environments and their internal computational constraints. I characterize these strategies using AI theory (like reinforcement learning and metareasoning) and process-tracing experiments (like eye- and mouse-tracking). I also study how and why cognitive strategies go awry (e.g., in mental illness) and what we can do to help people think in more productive ways.