William Thompson

William Thompson is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, affiliated with the Department of Psychology and the Program in Cognitive Science. He leads the Computational Cognitive Science Laboratory, where his research integrates computational modeling, machine learning, and experimental psychology to investigate the mechanisms underlying human cognition, social learning, and cultural evolution.

• PhD in Cognitive Science from the University of Edinburgh
• Postdoctoral research in Computer Science at Princeton University

His research focuses on how human intelligence arises from social interaction and cultural transmission. By combining behavioral experiments, computational models, and machine learning, Thompson explores topics such as the evolution of language, the emergence of social norms, and the application of cognitive science to artificial intelligence. His recent work highlights the role of collaborative reasoning and computational biases in shaping cognitive systems.

Thompson’s publications span computational modeling of cultural evolution, comparative cognition, and the intersection of large language models with cognitive science. His research has been recognized with the 2022 NOMIS and Science Magazine Young Explorer Award. He teaches courses including Basic Issues in Cognition and graduate seminars on Social Cognition and Large Language Models.

• 2022 NOMIS and Science Magazine Young Explorer Award

Thompson’s laboratory investigates how social networks and knowledge transmission influence cognitive and linguistic development. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, bridging cognitive science, computer science, and behavioral economics to address fundamental questions about human intelligence and its applications in artificial systems.