iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Last week we organized the Experimental Health Research Conference in Tromsø, bringing together researchers from across UiT's Faculty of Health Sciences (uit.no/tavla/artikk...). Very lucky with @epanlab.bsky.social and Arno Villringer as keynotes and we even caught some (almost) midnight sun!☀️🗻

0130

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

These dynamics are refined by neuromodulatory influences: 🟡 Cholinergic systems constrain transitions along direction axis 🟢 Noradrenergic systems constrain transitions along goal-relevance axis This connects the cognitive and neurobiological levels of framework, but remains speculative for now

150

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

We propose three principles of transition dynamics: 1. An internal bias pulls attention inward 2. The goal value of the current state is compared against the opportunity cost of other states 3. An off-focus state temporarily releases attentional focus, facilitating spontaneous transitions

141

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

These literatures have rarely been integrated. We map attentional states along two orthogonal axes: ↔️ Direction: external vs. internal ⬆️ Goal-relevance: on-task vs. off-task This yields four states and we examine what governs the transitions between them.

141

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

🎉New paper out today in Nature Reviews Psychology🎉 with @mjdahl.bsky.social, @mariamaly.bsky.social, and @thiasmittner.bsky.social. We've been working on a unified framework for attentional states and the dynamics of transitions between them. 🧵

312050

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Great idea! I think my recent theoretical article with @michaelgaebler.com and Marcel Brass qualifies. We use ideomotor theory to understand how people can learn to voluntarily control interoceptive processes ("interoactions"), such as heart rate doi.org/10.1037/rev0...

130

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

I appreciated the Einstein quote Rovelli uses here on the importance of engaging with philosophy (or history of ideas at least). I'd say it applies equally well to psychology arxiv.org/pdf/1805.10602

A knowledge of the historic and philosophical background gives that kind of
independence from prejudices of his generation from which most scientists are
suffering. This independence created by philosophical insight is—in my opinion—the mark of distinction between a mere artisan or specialist and a real
seeker after truth

020

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Proud to share that Stefan Weinhardt (not on Bluesky) actually won a poster award at #MBBS2026 #MindBrainBody, congrats Stefan!🥳 Keep an eye on his work :) #neuroskyence

0183

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

New with @tobiasegner.bsky.social & @mariamaly.bsky.social! The relationship between external and internal attention is not fixed but varies between competition, concurrence, and cooperation. We shed light on the conditions that allow for each of these relationships to occur🔍 psyarxiv.com/ry94x_v1

2177

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

I had a great time at the NSAS on Interoception and Brain Disorders last week, so much exciting science and scientists! Thank you @sarahgarf.bsky.social‬ and @skhalsa.bsky.social‬ for organizing and for the opportunity to talk about my research as well :) #interoception #neuroskyence #nsas

1100

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Now available in fancy copy-edited version, let me know if you'd like a copy but don't have access :) doi.org/10.1037/rev0... We have also started testing this ideomotor hypothesis and just finished a six-week autogenic training pilot study, results will hopefully follow soon!

041

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

New preprint with @lucvermeylen.bsky.social, @boevesam.bsky.social, and @caplab.bsky.social! osf.io/preprints/ps... Perceptual decoupling underlies internal shielding benefit during switches between external and internal attention: Evidence from early sensory ERP components

1165

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 19/03/2024

For Berlin people: we need some final (German-speaking) participants for our pilot study on autogenic training, ideomotor theory, and attention (see flyer). If you know anyone or a mailing list/group/..., please let me know. Also feel free to share the flyer! Please RT🙏

101

Sam Verschooren @samversc.bsky.social · 13/02/2024

Excited to share I was awarded an #MSCA fellowship to work with Matthias Mittner at the Arctic University of Norway❄️🥳 We will map the transition space for attentional states (see abstract), integrating my work on attention switching and Matthias’ modeling expertise on mind wandering.

050