Latent cause inference and how it shapes thinking, learning, and anxiety
Official title: Project 1: Latent-cause inference as a fundamental cognitive process
Funded at Princeton University · NIH-11373042 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A big NIH grant is exploring how people form hidden groups of past experiences and how this underlying process relates to anxiety and other mental health symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 12, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $505,881 |
| NIH project number | 5P50MH136296-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11373042 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with anxiety symptoms or related mental health concerns who could participate in studies linking cognitive processing patterns to symptom dimensions.
✕Less likely to help
People without anxiety symptoms or related mental health concerns may not directly benefit from this basic cognitive research.
What this research studies
This project looks at how our brains group events into latent causes and how these groupings influence perception, learning, and actions. Researchers will study individual differences in how easily new latent causes are created and how persistent they are over time, using computer models and brain-related data. The goal is to see if these latent-cause patterns can serve as biomarkers for vulnerability to anxiety and other disorders. Findings could help tailor interventions by highlighting a cognitive mechanism that runs across mental health symptoms. The work is conducted at Princeton University with a focus on understanding fundamentals that could translate to better diagnosis or treatment in anxiety-related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to new cognitive markers and personalized approaches for diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests latent-cause processing is linked to learning and perception, but this project aims to connect it to anxiety-related symptom dimensions.
Where this research is happening
-
Princeton University
Princeton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Niv, Yael — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Niv, Yael
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.