We study how people think, learn, and make decisions—and how AI is changing all of it.
Our work spans cognitive biases in high-stakes settings, the science of "Aha!" moments, and whether AI tutors can actually teach. We collaborate with forensic examiners, police, and paramedics, and our online course has reached over half a million people worldwide.
Based at The University of Queensland and led by Professor Jason Tangen, we bridge cognitive science and real-world applications—from training FBI analysts to building AI-powered learning tools.
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Featured Projects
ClassBuild
One topic in. A complete course out. ClassBuild uses AI to generate pedagogically-grounded courses—complete with interactive chapters, practice quizzes, slides, and narrated audiobooks. Built on five evidence-based learning principles.
The Science of Everyday Thinking
An online course on the psychology of everyday thinking, featuring Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and the MythBusters. Over 500,000 enrollees worldwide, ranked in the Top 100 most popular online courses ever.
Research
AI-Assisted Learning
Exploring how personalised AI feedback can correct misconceptions, deepen understanding, and transform education.
Read more →Cognitive Biases & Decision-Making
Studying the mental shortcuts that shape judgment in forensic science, medicine, and everyday life.
Read more →Insight & Belief Formation
Investigating "Aha!" moments—how sudden realisations shape beliefs, from conspiracy theories to scientific discovery.
Read more →Resilience in High-Stakes Professions
Understanding how forensic investigators and first responders maintain well-being and performance under pressure.
Read more →Selected Papers
- Corbett, B. J. & Tangen, J. M. (2026). AI tutors vs. tenacious myths: Evidence from personalised dialogue interventions in education. Computers in Human Behavior, 175, 108828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2025.108828 PDF
- Swaryandini, G., Graham, J., Griffith, S., Grilo, V., Ruzzante, F., Zhang, X., Yeung, S. K., Mangiarulo, M., Basarkod, G., Ng, C., Parker, P., Tangen, J., Saeri, A., Grundy, E., Slattery, P. & Noetel, M. (2025). Systematic review and meta-analysis of educational approaches to reduce cognitive biases among students. Nature Human Behaviour, 9(12), 2510–2538. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02253-y PDF
- Searston, R. A., Thompson, M. B., Robson, S. G., & Tangen, J. M. (2025). Beyond minutiae: Inferring missing details from global structure in fingerprints. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-025-00610-z PDF
- Laukkonen, R. E., Webb, M., Salvi, C., Tangen, J. M., Slagter, H. A., & Schooler, J. W. (2023). Insight and the selection of ideas. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 153, 105363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105363 PDF
- Tangen, J. M., Thompson, M. B., & McCarthy, D. J. (2011). Identifying fingerprint expertise. Psychological Science, 22(8), 995–997. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611414729 PDF
The Lab
We're a small team of PhD students and collaborators. Current students are exploring AI-driven tutoring, sycophancy in LLMs, resilience in first responders, and situational awareness in language models.
Meet the team →