Publications

Full list also available on Google Scholar.

Key Publications

Unifying goal-conditioned RL and unsupervised skill learning via control-maximization A. Modirshanechi, B. Eysenbach, P. Dayan†, E. Schulz† arXiv preprint
An integrative framework for the human sense of control A. Modirshanechi, P. Dayan†, E. Schulz† PsyArXiv preprint
Novelty as a drive of human exploration in complex stochastic environments A. Modirshanechi, W.H. Lin, H.A. Xu, M.H. Herzog, W. Gerstner Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) (2025)
Surprise and novelty in the brain A. Modirshanechi, S. Becker, J. Brea, W. Gerstner Current Opinion in Neurobiology (2023)
Curiosity-driven exploration: foundations in neuroscience and computational modeling A. Modirshanechi, K. Kondrakiewicz, W. Gerstner, S. Haesler Trends in Neurosciences (2023)
A taxonomy of surprise definitions A. Modirshanechi, J. Brea, W. Gerstner Journal of Mathematical Psychology (2022)

Unifying goal-conditioned RL and unsupervised skill learning via control-maximization A. Modirshanechi, B. Eysenbach, P. Dayan†, E. Schulz† arXiv preprint
An integrative framework for the human sense of control A. Modirshanechi, P. Dayan†, E. Schulz† PsyArXiv preprint
A compositional model of semantic fluency S.S. Nath, A. Modirshanechi†, P. Dayan† PsyArXiv preprint
Meta-learning as a principle for human-like visual representations C. Demircan, M. Binz, A. Modirshanechi, E. Schulz arXiv preprint
Post-training makes large language models less human-like M. Binz, E. Akata, A. Almaatouq, …, A. Modirshanechi, …, X. Zhang, J. Zhu, E. Schulz arXiv preprint

Representational similarity modulates neural and behavioral signatures of novelty S. Becker, A. Modirshanechi, W. Gerstner Neuron (2026) Talk · Preview
Learning is a fundamental source of behavioral individuality R. Manna, J. Brea, G.V. Braga, A. Modirshanechi, I. Tomic, A.M. Jaksice eLife (2026)
Remembering the "When": Hebbian memory models for the time of past events J. Brea, A. Modirshanechi, G. Iatropoulos, W. Gerstner PLOS Computational Biology (2026)

Novelty as a drive of human exploration in complex stochastic environments A. Modirshanechi, W.H. Lin, H.A. Xu, M.H. Herzog, W. Gerstner Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) (2025) Talk
A foundation model to predict and capture human cognition M. Binz, E. Akata, M. Bethge, …, A. Modirshanechi, …, D.U. Wulff, H. Xiong, E. Schulz Nature (2025) Talk
Merits of curiosity: a simulation study L. Gruaz*, A. Modirshanechi*, S. Becker, J. Brea Open Mind (2025)

Curiosity-driven exploration: foundations in neuroscience and computational modeling A. Modirshanechi, K. Kondrakiewicz, W. Gerstner, S. Haesler Trends in Neurosciences (2023)
Surprise and novelty in the brain A. Modirshanechi, S. Becker, J. Brea, W. Gerstner Current Opinion in Neurobiology (2023)

A taxonomy of surprise definitions A. Modirshanechi, J. Brea, W. Gerstner Journal of Mathematical Psychology (2022) Talk
Brain signals of a Surprise-Actor-Critic model: evidence for multiple learning modules in human decision making V. Liakoni*, M.P. Lehmann*, A. Modirshanechi, J. Brea, A. Lutti, W. Gerstner†, K. Preuschoff† NeuroImage (2022)

Novelty is not Surprise: human exploratory and adaptive behavior in sequential decision-making H.A. Xu*, A. Modirshanechi*, M.P. Lehmann, W. Gerstner†, M.H. Herzog† PLOS Computational Biology (2021) Talk (Bernstein 2021) · Talk (EPFL Neuro Symposium 2021)
Learning in volatile environments with the Bayes Factor Surprise V. Liakoni*, A. Modirshanechi*, W. Gerstner, J. Brea Neural Computation (2021)
Fitting summary statistics of neural data with a differentiable spiking network simulator G. Bellec*, S. Wang*, A. Modirshanechi, J. Brea†, W. Gerstner† Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) (2021) Talk
Rapid suppression and sustained activation of distinct cortical regions for a delayed sensory-triggered motor response V. Esmaeili*, K. Tamura*, S.P. Muscinelli, A. Modirshanechi, …, W. Gerstner, C.C.H. Petersen Neuron (2021)

Trial-by-trial surprise-decoding model for visual and auditory binary oddball tasks A. Modirshanechi, M.M. Kiani, H. Aghajan NeuroImage (2019)
Election vote share prediction using a sentiment-based fusion of Twitter data with Google Trends and online polls P. Kassraie*, A. Modirshanechi*, H. Aghajan Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Data Science, Technology and Applications (2017)

* Equal contribution. † Equal senior contribution.