Andrew Perfors

Andrew Perfors is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Melbourne, leading the Computational Cognitive Science Lab and directing the Complex Human Data Hub. His research focuses on quantitative approaches to higher-order cognition, including concepts, language, decision-making, and misinformation dynamics. He holds a PhD from MIT and degrees from Stanford University.

Education:

• PhD in Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2008)
• MA in Linguistics, Stanford University (2000)
• Bachelor of Science in Symbolic Systems, Stanford University (1999)

Research Interests: He investigates computational models of cognition, cultural and social evolution, and the spread of misinformation. Recent work emphasizes the cognitive mechanisms underlying inductive reasoning, sampling assumptions, and trust in information.

Key Projects:

• Understanding Information and Trust: From the Individual to the Population (2018–2025)
• Bridging the Meaning Gap: Computational Approach to Semantic Variation (2023–2027)

Awards: Recipient of multiple best paper awards for contributions to cognitive science and computational linguistics.

Labs & Groups: Leads the Complex Human Data Hub and co-leads the Computational Cognitive Science Lab, focusing on interdisciplinary research in human behavior and data science.