Research Interests
My work is concerned with the neural realization of higher cognitive functionality, in particular relational reasoning. A central test case so far has been cognition about spatial relations in the visual world, but by extension the topic also includes the construction and representation of mental models involved in solving both concrete and abstract problems.
I am specifically interested in the role sensorimotor representations play in these functions. How are sensorimotor 'concepts' invoked, modified, and combined to form new patterns and insights, and what is the structure of the neural substrate that underlies these functions?
With regard to the above projects, I'm working in close collaboration with Mathis Richter.
The approach taken relies on dynamic models which simulate the evolution of activation patterns in neural populations. The overarching theoretical framework is Dynamic Field Theory (DFT).
I have recently started to complement prior modelling work with empirical tests of model predictions concerning behavioral signatures of the embodied nature of relational processing.
In earlier (but related) work, I have studied how failures of feature binding may arise from coarse attentional selection mechanisms.
-
A neural dynamic model for the perceptual grounding of spatial and movement relationsRichter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.Cognitive Science, 45(10), e13045
@article{RichterLinsSchöner2021, author = {Richter, Mathis and Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {A neural dynamic model for the perceptual grounding of spatial and movement relations}, journal = {Cognitive Science}, volume = {45}, number = {10}, pages = {e13045}, year = {2021}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13045}, }Richter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2021). A neural dynamic model for the perceptual grounding of spatial and movement relations. Cognitive Science, 45(10), e13045. http://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.130452020
Scene memory and spatial inhibition in visual search: A neural dynamic process model and new experimental evidenceGrieben, R., Tekülve, J., Zibner, S. K. U., Lins, J., Schneegans, S., & Schöner, G.Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics@article{GriebenTekülveZibnerEtAl2020, author = {Grieben, Raul and Tekülve, Jan and Zibner, Stephan K.U. and Lins, Jonas and Schneegans, Sebastian and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {Scene memory and spatial inhibition in visual search: A neural dynamic process model and new experimental evidence}, journal = {Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics}, year = {2020}, doi = {10.3758/s13414-019-01898-y}, }Grieben, R., Tekülve, J., Zibner, S. K. U., Lins, J., Schneegans, S., & Schöner, G.. (2020). Scene memory and spatial inhibition in visual search: A neural dynamic process model and new experimental evidence. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics. http://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-019-01898-yGrounding Spatial Language in Perception by Combining Concepts in a Neural Dynamic ArchitectureSabinasz, D., Richter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.In S. Denison, Mack, M., Xu, Y., & Armstrong, B. C. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 620–626) Cognitive Science Society@inproceedings{SabinaszRichterLinsEtAl2020, author = {Sabinasz, Daniel and Richter, Mathis and Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {Grounding Spatial Language in Perception by Combining Concepts in a Neural Dynamic Architecture}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society}, editor = {Denison, Stephanie and Mack, Michael and Xu, Yang and Armstrong, Blair C}, pages = {620–626}, publisher = {Cognitive Science Society}, year = {2020}, }Sabinasz, D., Richter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2020). Grounding Spatial Language in Perception by Combining Concepts in a Neural Dynamic Architecture. In S. Denison, Mack, M., Xu, Y., & Armstrong, B. C. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 620–626). Cognitive Science Society.2019
Computer mouse tracking reveals motor signatures in a cognitive task of spatial language groundingLins, J., & Schöner, G.Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 81(7), 2424–2460@article{LinsSchöner2019, author = {Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {Computer mouse tracking reveals motor signatures in a cognitive task of spatial language grounding}, volume = {81}, number = {7}, pages = {2424–2460}, year = {2019}, doi = {10.3758/s13414-019-01847-9}, }Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2019). Computer mouse tracking reveals motor signatures in a cognitive task of spatial language grounding. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 81(7), 2424–2460. http://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-019-01847-92017
Mouse Tracking Shows Attraction to Alternative Targets While Grounding Spatial RelationsLins, J., & Schöner, G.In Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (to appear) Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society@inproceedings{LinsSchöner2017, author = {Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {Mouse Tracking Shows Attraction to Alternative Targets While Grounding Spatial Relations}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (to appear)}, publisher = {Cognitive Science Society}, address = {Austin, TX}, year = {2017}, }Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2017). Mouse Tracking Shows Attraction to Alternative Targets While Grounding Spatial Relations. In Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (to appear). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.A neural dynamic model generates descriptions of object-oriented actionsRichter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.Topics in Cognitive Science, 9(1), 35–47@article{RichterLinsSchöner2017, author = {Richter, Mathis and Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {A neural dynamic model generates descriptions of object-oriented actions}, journal = {Topics in Cognitive Science}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, pages = {35–47}, year = {2017}, doi = {10.1111/tops.12240}, }Richter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2017). A neural dynamic model generates descriptions of object-oriented actions. Topics in Cognitive Science, 9(1), 35–47. http://doi.org/10.1111/tops.122402016
A neural dynamic model parses object-oriented actionsRichter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.In A. Papafragou, Grodner, D., Mirman, D., & Trueswell, J. C. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1931–1936) Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society@inproceedings{RichterLinsSchöner2016, author = {Richter, Mathis and Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {A neural dynamic model parses object-oriented actions}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society}, editor = {Papafragou, A. and Grodner, D. and Mirman, D. and Trueswell, J.C.}, pages = {1931–1936}, publisher = {Cognitive Science Society}, address = {Austin, TX}, year = {2016}, }Richter, M., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2016). A neural dynamic model parses object-oriented actions. In A. Papafragou, Grodner, D., Mirman, D., & Trueswell, J. C. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1931–1936). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.2015
The Dynamics of Neural Activation VariablesReimann, H., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics, 6(1), 57–70@article{ReimannLinsSchöner2015, author = {Reimann, Hendrik and Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {The Dynamics of Neural Activation Variables}, journal = {Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics}, volume = {6}, number = {1}, pages = {57–70}, year = {2015}, }Reimann, H., Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2015). The Dynamics of Neural Activation Variables. Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics, 6(1), 57–70.2014
Neural FieldsLins, J., & Schöner, G.In S. Coombes, beim Graben, P., Potthast, R., & , J. W. (Eds.) (pp. 319–339) Springer Berlin Heidelberg@inbook{LinsSchöner2014, author = {Lins, Jonas and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {Neural Fields}, editor = {Coombes, S. and beim Graben, P. and Potthast, R. and , J. Wright}, chapter = {A Neural Approach to Cognition Based on Dynamic Field Theory}, pages = {319–339}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, year = {2014}, }Lins, J., & Schöner, G.. (2014). Neural Fields. In S. Coombes, beim Graben, P., Potthast, R., & , J. W. (Eds.) (pp. 319–339). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.Autonomous Neural Dynamics to Test Hypotheses in a Model of Spatial LanguageRichter, M., Lins, J., Schneegans, S., Sandamirskaya, Y., & Schöner, G.In P. Bello, Guarini, M., McShane, M., & Scassellati, B. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 2847–2852) Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society@inproceedings{RichterLinsSchneegansEtAl2014, author = {Richter, Mathis and Lins, Jonas and Schneegans, Sebastian and Sandamirskaya, Yulia and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {Autonomous Neural Dynamics to Test Hypotheses in a Model of Spatial Language}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society}, editor = {Bello, P. and Guarini, M. and McShane, M. and Scassellati, B.}, pages = {2847–2852}, publisher = {Cognitive Science Society}, address = {Austin, TX}, year = {2014}, }Richter, M., Lins, J., Schneegans, S., Sandamirskaya, Y., & Schöner, G.. (2014). Autonomous Neural Dynamics to Test Hypotheses in a Model of Spatial Language. In P. Bello, Guarini, M., McShane, M., & Scassellati, B. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 2847–2852). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.A neural dynamic architecture resolves phrases about spatial relations in visual scenesRichter, M., Lins, J., Schneegans, S., & Schöner, G.In 24th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) (pp. 201–208) Heidelberg, Germany: Springer@inproceedings{RichterLinsSchneegansEtAl2014b, author = {Richter, Mathis and Lins, Jonas and Schneegans, Sebastian and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {A neural dynamic architecture resolves phrases about spatial relations in visual scenes}, booktitle = {24th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN)}, pages = {201–208}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg, Germany}, year = {2014}, }Richter, M., Lins, J., Schneegans, S., & Schöner, G.. (2014). A neural dynamic architecture resolves phrases about spatial relations in visual scenes. In 24th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN) (pp. 201–208). Heidelberg, Germany: Springer.2012
The Function and Fallibility of Visual Feature Integration: A Dynamic Neural Field Model of Illusory ConjunctionsLins, J., Schneegans, S., Spencer, J., & Schöner, G.Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, (128)@article{LinsSchneegansSpencerEtAl2012, author = {Lins, Jonas and Schneegans, Sebastian and Spencer, John and Schöner, Gregor}, title = {The Function and Fallibility of Visual Feature Integration: A Dynamic Neural Field Model of Illusory Conjunctions}, journal = {Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience}, volume = {}, number = {128}, year = {2012}, doi = {10.3389/conf.fncom.2012.55.00128}, }Lins, J., Schneegans, S., Spencer, J., & Schöner, G.. (2012). The Function and Fallibility of Visual Feature Integration: A Dynamic Neural Field Model of Illusory Conjunctions. Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, (128). http://doi.org/10.3389/conf.fncom.2012.55.00128