Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of California, Los Angeles has been awarded $827,113 by the National Science Foundation's Office of Multidisciplinary Activities under the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences program (CFDA 47.075) to develop computational cognitive models of open-ended decision making. The three-year project, which commenced August 1, 2026 and concludes July 31, 2029, delivers research that extends decision science beyond traditional binary choice paradigms to encompass scenarios where individuals generate options independently, select multiple items, or rely on artificial intelligence assistance. The project combines laboratory and online experiments with choice-process measurement techniques—including eye tracking, mouse tracking, and response time analysis—alongside cognitive modeling of evidence accumulation to quantitatively capture decision behavior in complex, less-constrained environments.

The research outputs establish foundational experimental tasks and computational models applicable to future basic and applied research across decision-making domains, while advancing understanding of human cognitive limitations in realistic choice scenarios. The award includes an education and outreach component designed to expose students at all educational levels to decision science research through internships, workshops, and public lectures, thereby supporting STEM career development. This project represents the NSF's investment in behavioral and cognitive science research infrastructure that extends theoretical understanding of human decision processes beyond conventional constrained-choice methodologies.