Sign in

David Melnikoff

@d-melnikoff.bsky.social
194 followers 139 following 43 posts

Assistant Prof. at Stanford GSB

PostsRepliesMedia
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I’ve never been able to get agentic browsers to produce anything like human mouse movements. Curious if you find otherwise. This is what I’ve been relying on to filter (and I actually find quite low rates of suspicious cursor behavior)
021
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
For hiring we read one or two papers. For promotion we read four to six. These norms come from our econ colleagues, who tend to consider extreme productivity a red flag.
041
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Wouter Kool @wouterkool.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I expect to recruit a PhD student this cycle! The Control and Decision Making Lab at WashU studies control, effort, and decision making, combining behavioral experiments with modeling and neuroimaging. If that sounds cool, check out our work: cdmlab.wustl.edu. How to apply: psych.washu.edu/apply
cdmlab.wustl.edu
Control and Decision Making Lab
14437
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Joey Heffner @jpheffne.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
SO excited to share that I'll be joining Stanford University as an Assistant Professor in Psychology starting September 2027!! I’m launching the Emotions, Computation, and Choice Lab, where we investigate how emotions guide social cognition and behavior. www.heffner-lab.com
heffner-lab.com
Emotions, Computation, and Choice Lab
Explore research on how emotions influence social cognition, decision-making, and AI interactions at the Emotions, Computation, and Choice Lab at Stanford University. Join us to study emotions and beh...
66819
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Dorsa Amir @dorsaamir.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Hey folks, I'll be considering PhD applications for the 2026-27 cycle over here at Duke Psych. To learn more about the lab, check us out at www.mindandculturelab.com and/or read through this short FAQ for prospective students: www.mindandculturelab.com/faq
05027
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Michael Inzlicht @handle.invalid · 10/09/2026
📢 Save the date! The Society for the Science of Motivation (SSM) is excited to host the Motivation Science Preconference at the 2027 meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology! 🗓️ Tuesday, February 9th, 8:30am–4:30pm (Eastern) 📍 Virtual
121
Reposted by David Melnikoff
aaron bornstein @aaronbornstein.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
UC Irvine Cognitive Sciences is hiring! Focus on social cognition, broadly construed. Come be my colleague :) I am not on the search committee but happy to talk about the campus, environment, careers, etc any time. recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF10411
recruit.ap.uci.edu
Assistant Professor - Cognitive Sciences
University of California, Irvine is hiring. Apply now!
15863
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Wouter Kool @wouterkool.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
🚨 WashU is hiring! 🚨 As part of WashU’s +AI Initiative, the search includes tenure-track opportunities in Psychological & Brain Sciences for people who place AI or machine learning at the center of their research. I'm on the committee, so feel free to reach out with questions. Please repost!
insideartsci.washu.edu
Rules of Life
Recruiting interdisciplinary expertise to explore fundamental questions regarding living systems and the physical world
12122
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Russ Poldrack @russpoldrack.org · 03/09/2026
We are searching for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position, with a research focus on developmental and/or social psychology. Please apply or forward to anyone who might be interested! facultypositions.stanford.edu/jobs/assista...
facultypositions.stanford.edu
Assistant Professor, Psychology - Stanford University, California, United States
The Department of Psychology at Stanford University is seeking applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position, with a research focus on developmental and/or social psychology. In addition ...
08678
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Looking back at my chat history and apparently it thinks my research ideas are less thoughtful than Nathaniel Daw’s quiche. Figures.
020
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Josh de Leeuw @joshdeleeuw.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
With the upcoming changes to OSF, DataPipe (pipe.jspsych.org) is migrating to a multi-backend model. We're currently developing support for Zenodo, Dataverse, and Google Drive. If there are other providers that you'd like to see as options please get in touch.
pipe.jspsych.org
DataPipe
23017
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Benedek Kurdi @benedek.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Are the mental contents underlying implicit evaluations accessible to conscious introspection? Prior studies show high predictive accuracy, leading to a growing consensus that people can introspectively access their implicit biases. New paper out in JPSP! 🧵🧵🧵
The tide is turning against a major idea in social psychology: that implicit evaluations reflect mental content that lies beyond conscious awareness. This view is being reconsidered in light of mounting evidence that people can predict their own implicit evaluations with high accuracy. However, there are reasons to question whether such predictive accuracy reflects introspective access. First, prior studies have relied almost exclusively on familiar targets (e.g., racial groups), allowing predictions to be informed by background knowledge (e.g., knowing that a group is stigmatized) rather than introspection. Second, implicit and explicit evaluations have been highly correlated in prior work, enabling accurate predictions simply by assuming that implicit evaluations mirror explicit ones. Here, we report eight experiments (five pre-registered; N = 6,794) designed to minimize these nonintrospective routes to predictive accuracy. We introduced participants to novel targets and shifted implicit and explicit evaluations of these targets in opposite directions, rendering explicit evaluations an unreliable cue. Under these conditions, predictive accuracy ranged from low to nonexistent; participants frequently anticipated shifts in their implicit evaluations in the opposite direction of the actual change. These results generalized across two learning paradigms (impression formation and attribute conditioning), two implicit evaluation measures (Implicit Association Test and evaluative priming task), and between-participant and within-participant designs. We consider multiple interpretations of these findings, including the possibility that implicit evaluations reflect mental content that is largely or even entirely inaccessible to conscious awareness.
13210
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Yassssss reverend!
000
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
If someone has a different take on this I'd love to hear it!
000
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
To be clear, this is how almost every computational RL paper implements RR. This paper is just following standard practice. But unless I’m missing something—and I definitely could be—this seems like a major and widespread issue in human RL that would require a lot of work to be reinterpreted.
100
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
So, as far as I can tell, what the authors are calling RR here is really TR. The only difference between their “RR” manipulation and their TR manipulation is where the transition change occurs in the causal chain: in the RR condition, it happens later.
100
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
As the diagram shows, "RR" here entails changing whether state 5 or 6 leads to $10. During learning, S5 -> $10; at test, S6 -> $10. This is a new *transition structure*. The reward function is the same. RR would entail devaluing the $10 (a hard thing to do... money doesn't lend itself to RR).
100
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Many “RR” manipulations hold the reward function fixed and instead change which state-action pairs produce outcomes that the reward function already deems valuable. That is transition revaluation, not reward revaluation. Momennejad et al. (2017) is a case in point: (www.nature.com/articles/s41...).
nature.com
The successor representation in human reinforcement learning - Nature Human Behaviour
Momennejad et al. formulate and provide evidence for the successor representation, a computational learning mechanism intermediate between the two dominant models (a fast but inflexible ‘model-free’ s...
100
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Unless I'm missing something, lots of human RL work relies on flawed implementations of reward revaluation (RR). RR should alter the agent's reward function (e.g., by sating it, making food less rewarding) while holding the transition structure fixed. Many "RR" manipulations don't 🧵
100
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Robb Rutledge @robbrutledge.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
🎉New positions!🎉 Postdoc and Research technician openings in our lab @yale for computational psychiatry research. Technician position a great stepping stone to grad school. More info: rutledgelab.org/positions Work w/big data from our smartphone apps and large clinical samples happinessquest.app
rutledgelab.org
Postdoc and Research Technician Positions — Rutledge Lab
Now hiring a postdoc and a research technician with an interest in neuroeconomics or computational psychiatry.
14636
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Alison Gopnik @alisongopnik.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Here is the specific link to our paper with Eunice Yiu, Shiry Ginosar and Kelsey Allen, how to construct causal models through intrinsically motivated action, something kids do and LLMs don't. The whole issue on world models is very much worth reading. royalsocietypublishing.org/rsta/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org
Empowerment gain and causal model construction: children and adults are sensitive to controllability and variability in their causal interventions
Abstract. Learning about the causal structure of the world is a fundamental problem for human cognition. Causal models and especially causal learning have
0349
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Russ Poldrack @russpoldrack.org · 01/05/2026
People in the AI world seem to adore the System 1/2 dichotomy. I love this quote from Gerd Gigerenzer about the concept:
“What is system one and system two? It’s a list of dichotomies. Heuristic versus calculated rationality, unconscious versus conscious, error-prone versus always right, and so on. Usually, science starts with these vague dichotomies and works out a precise model. This is the only case I know where one progresses in the other direction. We have had, and still have, precise models of heuristics, like one over N. And at the same time, we have precise models for so-called rational decision making, which are quite different: Bayesian, Neyman-Pearson, and so on. What the system one, system two story does, it lumps all of these things into two black boxes, and it’s happy just saying it’s system one, it’s system two. It can predict nothing. It can explain after the fact almost everything. I do not consider this progress." - Gerd Gigerenzer
26111
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Riana Brown @rrrianabrown.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
My lab (u.osu.edu/spal/) and Ken Fujita’s lab (u.osu.edu/fujita/) at OSU are hiring a joint lab manager (a full-time postgraduate researcher) to start this summer! Come work in two incredibly fun labs in a thriving social psychology department. Application and more information soon to come!
spalab.osu.edu
11619
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Judy Fan @judithfan.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
The Cognitive Tools Lab at Stanford (cogtoolslab.github.io) is recruiting two new research staff members to join in AY 26-27. Full-Time Lab Manager: forms.gle/UVwfx5wbY9Km.... IRiSS Predoc Researcher: iriss.stanford.edu/predoc/2026-.... Please share widely in your networks, thank you!!
cogtoolslab.github.io
about the lab – cognitive tools lab
25242
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Madalina Vlasceanu, PhD @madalina.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
What makes behavioral interventions work beyond the psychological theory they implement? Their format, level of engagement, delivery modality? In a new paper analyzing 274 interventions from 15 megastudies (4.1M+ participants), we tested 19 features: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 1/2
14218
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Tobias Gerstenberg @tobigerstenberg.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
The Causality in Cognition Lab -- a supportive, bluesky-colored team -- is looking for a predoc to join us! Here are infos about the lab (cicl.stanford.edu) and the position (careersearch.stanford.edu/jobs/iriss-p...). The application deadline is May 1st. Please share, thank you 🙏
26536
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
😞
000
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
And they passed both of the checks they offer? Also… wondering if there were any successful detections, ie responses that fell for the prompt injection and were flagged by the prolific checks. This is all so worrying!
110
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
How did you ID the bots?
120
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Cognitive Neuroscience Society @cogneuronews.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Congratulations @monicarosenb.bsky.social on your Young Investigator Award! Join us now for her #CNS2026 award talk, about neural signatures of sustained attention, with intro by @hartleylabnyu.bsky.social
15411
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Thanks for this. Do you have a sense of how these bots interface with instruction/survey screens? Do they move the mouse cursor or click on buttons directly? My current defense is to record mouse movements on every screen. The LLMs I’ve seen record almost no movements whereas humans record thousands
120
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Madalina Vlasceanu, PhD @madalina.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
What motivates people to engage in climate advocacy? In a new PNAS Nexus megastudy [doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf400] led by @dgoldwert.bsky.social we tested 17 theoretical interventions on a large US sample (N=31,324) to increase public, political, and financial climate advocacy. 1/5
13720
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Not suggesting this is a problem for your work or not addressed in the original framework. Just curious ☺️
010
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
I wonder how this definition deals w/ disparities due to diffs in interest (a group gets more of something bc they want it more). Or discrimination driving diffs in qualifications (a group gets more bc they’re more qualified *as a result* of discrimination; doesn’t seem to count under the cited def)
100
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Everyone says I’m the Hastings to Lindsey’s Poirot. Whatever that means…
010
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
You know Herc’s LGCs are cookin
120
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Chaz Firestone @chazfirestone.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Well this is exciting! The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University (@jhu.edu) invites applications for a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member in Cognitive Psychology, in any area and at any rank! Application + more info: apply.interfolio.com/178146
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
19355
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
This is just a Mr. Beast video
010
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Jackie Chen @jackiemchen.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
The International Social Cognition Network (ISCON) is pleased to announce Dr. April Bailey as the 2025 winner of the Early Career Award! Dr. Bailey is a Lecturer of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She earned her B.A. from Colgate University and her PhD in 2019 from Yale University.
45111
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Cameron Ellis @camerontellis.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
We are recruiting a lab manager/research assistant to start in early 2026! The successful candidate will conduct awake infant fMRI, meet cute babies, and join a fun team! More details (e.g. responsibilities): soc.stanford.edu/people/#join... Apply here: careersearch.stanford.edu/jobs/social-...
soc.stanford.edu
People – Scaffolding of Cognition Team
14339
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Sydney Levine @sydneylevine.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
I'm recruiting a grad student! My lab at NYU (psych dept) studies the computational basis of moral cognition and aims to build AI systems that are aligned with human values. Now admitting a PhD student for Fall 2026. Apps due 12/1. sites.google.com/corp/site/sy...
sites.google.com
Sydney Levine - Open Positions
Graduate Students (PhD program) I will be accepting PhD students through the NYU psychology department for the current application cycle (for admission in Fall 2026). My lab is joint between the Co...
13821
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
I want to know how the millennial motor cortex has adapted to a decade-plus of shimmying into skinny jeans.
110
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Michael Inzlicht @handle.invalid · 05/11/2025
People are lazy--except when they're watching other people work hard. My student Emily Zohar just published her first first-authored paper, and it reveals something surprising about effort and social norms. /1 osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io
OSF
12111
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Tobias Gerstenberg @tobigerstenberg.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
It was great to hear from Brian Leahy (brianleahy.net) in the devo lunch at Stanford today!! He presented a beautiful set of studies that suggest that many 4-year-old children have a minimal concept of possibility: they simulate only once and treat the outcome as a fact. 🎱⬅️➡️🤔💭💡
2333
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Michael Inzlicht @handle.invalid · 06/11/2025
The Publications and Communications Board of the American Psychological Association and the Society for the Science of Motivation has opened nominations for the editorship of Motivation Science, a multidisciplinary journal that publishes significant contributions to the study of motivation.
0115
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Jonathan Phillips @jsphillips.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
We're excited to announce that Cognitive Science at Dartmouth is recruiting PhD students to work collaboratively with me, Steven Frankland, and Fred Callaway. Come study the principles and mechanisms that enable us to understand, plan, and act in the world! Info: sites.dartmouth.edu/cogscigrad/
sites.dartmouth.edu
Cognitive Science Graduate Admissions – Information about graduate admissions from the cognitive science faculty
16039
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Chris Baldassano @chrisbaldassano.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
Columbia Psych is hiring *two* junior faculty in Cognitive Science/Neuroscience this year! If you work on cognition (broadly defined), submit your application materials as soon as possible (review starts Nov 1). If you have questions you can reach out to me by email! apply.interfolio.com/175428
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
16846
David Melnikoff @d-melnikoff.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
“Okay great I opened the city gates like you suggested. And yeah, if you could generate a list of fun things to do with a giant wooden horse that would be super.”
121
Reposted by David Melnikoff
Benedek Kurdi @benedek.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Implicit bias education has gotten a bad rap recently (and for some very good reasons), but in this paper (newly out in PIBSS) I argue that it could have value if done differently: doi.org/10.1177/2372... (Still also available as a preprint: osf.io/preprints/ps...)
1214
Reposted by David Melnikoff
ISCON @iscon.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
ISCON now seeking nominations for the 2024 Best Social Cognition Paper Award! This award recognizes an outstanding article (theoretical or empirical) in the field of social cognition. Papers eligible if published in 2024. More info here: www.socialcognition.net/best-paper-a...
socialcognition.net
Best Paper Award | Home
0811