Lecture Series
The Vienna Cognitive Science Hub organised two recurring lecture programmes: the Future Thinking Public Lecture Series, aimed at students and the general public, and the CogSci Talks, a research-focused series for academic audiences. Recordings of selected talks are available below.
Future Thinking — Public Interdisciplinary Lecture Series
Future Thinking is an open lecture series bringing researchers from across the University of Vienna together to address pressing questions at the intersection of cognitive science and contemporary society. Lectures can be watched independently of each other. No prior knowledge is required.
Constructing the Mind — or Some Stuff I've Learned About the Brain From Studying Emotion
28 June 2024
- Prof. Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD (University Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Northeastern University; Research Appointments in Psychiatry and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital)
Starting from the physiological concept of allostasis — the brain's capacity to predict and regulate changing conditions — Lisa Feldman Barrett laid out a view of the brain as a fundamentally predictive organ. Drawing on decades of empirical research, she argued that the functional areas assumed in classical cognitive psychology are artefacts of a superficial framework, and that the brain operates holistically to construct our perceived reality from internal and external signals. The lecture challenged standard models in cognitive psychology and neuroscience and synthesised findings from emotion research into a broader theory of how the mind is made.
Future Thinking: An Introduction
8 October 2024
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Helmut Leder (Professor of Empirical Aesthetics, University of Vienna)
- Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Moritz Grosse-Wentrup (Professor of Neuroinformatics, University of Vienna)
- Dr. Elisabeth Oberzaucher (Biologist and Evolutionary Psychologist, Urban Human)
The opening evening of the 2024/25 series. Helmut Leder, long-time Speaker of the Vienna CogSciHub, introduced the series together with Moritz Grosse-Wentrup and Elisabeth Oberzaucher.
Predictive Thinking: How Your Brain Predicts the Future
22 October 2024
- Priv.-Doz. Dr. Ronald Sladky (Cognitive Neuroscientist, University of Vienna)
Despite decades of research, we are still far from fully understanding how the brain shapes our perception of reality. This talk introduced Predictive Processing theory and the Free Energy Principle — frameworks that propose the brain does not passively receive input, but constantly generates predictions about the world and updates them based on incoming signals. The talk explored what this means for our everyday experience of thinking, feeling, and perception.
Artificial Thinking: How Does an Artificial Intelligence Think?
5 November 2024
- Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Moritz Grosse-Wentrup (Professor of Neuroinformatics, University of Vienna)
Starting from the early history of artificial intelligence, this talk traced the key developments that led from basic pattern recognition systems to today's AI capable of generating and understanding complex language. The talk then examined how AI tools are currently used in cognitive research — including applications in patients with cognitive impairments — and asked what further developments can be expected and how society might respond.
Chatbot Thinking: How Language Does (Not) Help Us Think
19 November 2024
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jutta L. Mueller (Professor of Psycholinguistics, University of Vienna)
This talk examined the role of inner speech — the silent conversations we have with ourselves — and its relationship to thinking, emotion regulation, problem solving, and creativity. Against the backdrop of AI language tools that mimic conversation, it explored what is distinctive about human self-directed language, where it helps us, and where it can lead us astray.
Neurodivergent Thinking: Addressing Myths and Misconceptions about Autism
3 December 2024
- Assoz. Prof. Dr. Giorgia Silani (Professor of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Vienna)
- Alice Laciny, PhD (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)
- Young Ah Kim, BSc MSc (PhD Candidate, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna)
Drawing on current findings from neuroscience and psychology, this talk challenged common stereotypes about autism as a uniform condition defined by deficits. Instead, it emphasised the diversity within the autism spectrum, the significance of individual strengths, and the importance of translating scientific findings into social acceptance and better support.
Political Thinking: What Role Do Emotions Play in Politics?
17 December 2024
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sophie Lecheler (Professor of Political Communication, University of Vienna)
How do feelings shape how we vote, protest, and engage with political life? This talk examined emotion as a driver of political behaviour — from democratic engagement to polarisation and extremism — and discussed whether digital technologies such as AI, VR, and augmented reality are intensifying these dynamics, and what that means for how we understand political life.
Cultural Thinking: Why Are Movies Getting Dumber?
7 January 2025
- Dr. Mauricio Martins (Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna)
Drawing on a dataset of more than 16,000 Hollywood productions, this talk investigated whether the perceived simplification of popular culture is real — and if so, what drives it. Psychological stress, socioeconomic factors, and shifting cognitive patterns emerged as potential explanations. The findings raised broader questions about cultural complexity and society's capacity to engage with demanding material.
Unfortunately, a recording of this talk is not available.
Urban Thinking: How Does Aesthetics in Urban Planning Influence Our Thinking?
21 January 2025
- Dr. Jan Mikuni (Postdoctoral Researcher, Vienna Cognitive Science Hub)
Research in recent years has suggested that aesthetic experience may support well-being. This talk examined what that means for urban environments: how the design of public spaces, streets, and buildings influences the people who inhabit them, and how findings from empirical aesthetics research could be applied in urban planning to make cities more liveable.